hobo_dan
Social climber
Minnesota
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Feb 23, 2013 - 07:31am PT
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I have a 37 year old Kletter Works Rock pack aka: "Old Orange" that has been up and down and all around. It's a college graduate- after 8 years, it has been to the Winds, the Valley, Tuolumne, Devils Tower and the City--NOT New York! It's held smokes for folks in Mexico; every time it went to Mexico
It likes to go skiing and canoeing-portaging is it's favorite. One sad winter a yogurt was left in it for a few months but that only added to the mystique- a little time with the garden hose and it was all good. Last summer it carried rocks off the Lewis River trail and lately its been trying to learn to fly fish.
The zipper broke a long time ago but it got sort of fixed and is making do--kinda like its owner
It's been a pretty reliable friend
I'd take a picture but it is shy right now and is pouting in the basement because I told it I was writing about it. Funny how you learn to overlook things
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LL LL
Sport climber
moving thru
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 23, 2013 - 08:04pm PT
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hobo dan, zipper fixer places abound. There is a fantastic one next to Nomad Ventures in Joshua Tree....your shipping would probably cost more than they would charge to fix your pack.
Loved your story. Packs are so special. No matter how they're built they manage to bring us along unknown paths and over landscape we've never dreamed of, enriching our soul, our mind, our bodies.
I am packing my new one for a Mountain Backpack next week-end. We (the pack and I) are talking about the essentials of what lynnie needs to bring. The pack has more wisdom than I at this point. Smiles and Peace tonight. LL
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The Lisa
Trad climber
Da Bronx, NY
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Feb 23, 2013 - 08:19pm PT
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Very nice idea for a thread - who doesn't love to talk about gear.
I have had many faithful packs over the years. Some eventually fell apart from sweat salt and smelt awful despite repeated washing.
My current fave is this Lowe Alpine Hyperlite Mountain Attack 45 - a very simple no-frills top loader with gear loops on the waist belt.
On mountaineering/glacier trips I found my pack waist belt would sit on top of my harness making it hard to access ice screws, pickets, etc. on the harness gear loops. It is much easier to access gear hung off the pack's waist belt, and I am still safely tied into the climbing harness.
It carries heavy stuff really well - in this photo it contains a 62# bag of cement.
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The Lisa
Trad climber
Da Bronx, NY
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Feb 23, 2013 - 08:22pm PT
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After the 2010 Death Race the pack stank of onions for a while - we had to carry 10# of onions as part of the mandatory gear, and repeated river crossings made for an oniony slush in there. I left it in the yard for a week and the smell mostly dissipated.
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LL LL
Sport climber
moving thru
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 23, 2013 - 08:34pm PT
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Lisa, you look like you enjoy life. Hope to meet you someday. Ciao, lynnie
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Anastasia
climber
Home
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Feb 23, 2013 - 08:40pm PT
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It's a Mystery Pack built by the original owner/designer of Dana Design. The pack is strong, distributes weight well which means it feels good to carry, it is highly organized and it can go. The price is higher, but since it's built in Montana and is the last pack I plan to buy... It works for me.
I love it.
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LL LL
Sport climber
moving thru
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 23, 2013 - 08:48pm PT
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Ana, after all you've schooled me on in the outdoor arena I am a believer in your pack. But doubt it will be your last one young un'. It may be your kiddos pack ultimately and then Mama gets the new "Porche" Pack.
Miss you and the Dr. Big time. It was so great to see you and the babe at TPR this past summer. If you come up again let me know and I'll get time off.
Love to you and your beautiful family, lynne.
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Anastasia
climber
Home
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Feb 23, 2013 - 09:08pm PT
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Hopefully I can come again, with a helper so I won't be so wasted.
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LL LL
Sport climber
moving thru
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 23, 2013 - 09:24pm PT
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Ana, we can work it out if we have time for planning. Hugs and good night beautiful mother and kind friend. Peace, lynne.
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hobo_dan
Social climber
Minnesota
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Feb 24, 2013 - 07:22am PT
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Top loaders are the best.
I got curious and I checked the $ of old Orange--It was A LOT more--like $200 more than it was 35 years ago. Unbelievable.
A sad story--My buddy is going through a divorce, wife has left, house has been sold, no time to unload and do everything, no time at all. He just takes his Kletterwork Bomb Pack and throws it away in the trash because there was no space left on his plate to deal with it. I still can't fathom being so blown that you don't have the bandwidth to tuck it in the back seat--and this guy is the best. Just another slice of the human condition.
I am trying to find my Blue Wilderness Experience "Book Bag". Total simple pack but it was great- and now it's lost in the ether
Have a great trip Lynn-that new pack is going to be fun to load, and it's fun deciding what to and what not to. My advice: bring too much booze and food
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LL LL
Sport climber
moving thru
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 24, 2013 - 08:42am PT
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Hobo, I am so, so sorry about your friend. Death and divorce both produce enormous amounts of grief. I will pray for your friend. It took me a few years (read 5) before I got kinda OK with Dan's death.
Thanks for the advice. On last week's desert backpack I brought 4.5 lbs of food (way too much). Found that half that will be sufficient for the upcoming mountain camp, thus freeing up space for........a nip of brandy before I say my prayers and go nighty night. :DD
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Anastasia
climber
Home
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Feb 24, 2013 - 09:44am PT
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Lynne,
Oh dear sweet pea... Just plan for each meal, plan what you will eat and then pack just that and stick to the plan. You will not be supplying options or for other folks, only what you need. Don't ever pack one once more since you need to "carry it." Plus the more you carry, the worse your trip will be. Less really is MORE.
AFS
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LL LL
Sport climber
moving thru
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 24, 2013 - 10:02am PT
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Love you Pepper! You are still schooling me and I Love It!!! And I've come a long way, Baby:D
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Feb 24, 2013 - 10:18am PT
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Found this in my friends barn last week, pre Trapper Nelson? WW2? would hold a nice Pony Keg?
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The Lisa
Trad climber
Da Bronx, NY
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Feb 24, 2013 - 04:51pm PT
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Lynne, I would love to meet you in person. Until then I am glad to read your posts here on the Taco :)
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Captain...or Skully
climber
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Feb 24, 2013 - 06:32pm PT
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The Lisa is one of my heroes. That gal is badass.
Hi, Lynne(yep, you're in that Pantheon, too), anyway, my favorite pack is whatever pack I get that will do what I need it to for as long as I need it to. Right now, I'm "testing" an REI Crestrail 70. So far so good. I just retired my old Jansport model unknown(about the same size as the REI pack)and frankly that thing was amazingly tough. I abused it for 13 years.
Cheers, Ladies.
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couchmaster
climber
pdx
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Feb 24, 2013 - 06:58pm PT
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You need different catagories:-)
Working at the cliffs or big loads: My Cilogear Big Hauly, an improved version of the Gregory Big Wally which Can't Say posted up thread. I have an original Gregory as well. In fact, I was steered to the beauty of this amazing pack by a thread on Supertopo that HealyJ started.
Same model but a different Hauly couple hundred feet up, it is looking lumpy here we've been hauling up sharp rocks and it's been weathering that abuse fine, but it carries like a dream:
End of season I pulled so much crap out of this cliff, @ 78 lbs, that I could barely stand up, and the thing took it all. 4 full sized ropes (2 were 12mm static lines), bolting crap, etc etc. But still comfortable.
For dayhikes and solo climbing: another Cilogear pack which I won at a raffle. Seen below with Sadie May the Trailer Park Floozie where Roger Smiths ashes were scattered.
Climbing - soloing here with the rope stuffed in it, starting to toss a big double black 1" tubular webbing sling on the top so I can get off this pinnacle. Pretty scary wondering if the entire top would hold my bodyweight or fall off....
In the historical category, fav is the uber rare Forrest Haulpack
Different view:
It doesn't carry as well as the Cilogear Big Hauly, but that's OK, it was way before it's time.
Most perved pack would be my buddies Cilogear 45L superlight. Holy MOG that thing is amazing. Really really want. But I have so many packs that size....maybe 15. Don't need another (cough* cough*). Besides, I drag crap up and down cliffs. The Hauly has seen many thousand's of feet of that, and the superlight Cilogear wouldn't take that abuse. ...still...
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LL LL
Sport climber
moving thru
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 24, 2013 - 07:06pm PT
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Skully, cheers to You too!
Couchmaster, yo right on. Categories......Right now I'm too Newbie to have all the packs in the categories, but working on it. Right now starting to pull stuff together for my mountain backpack in 6 days.
I will do and be better than my last gig two weeks ago thanks to all yo posters.
Cheers this beautiful incredibly full moon evening. lynnie
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The Lisa
Trad climber
Da Bronx, NY
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Feb 25, 2013 - 07:31pm PT
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Yes there is a lovely full moon out there :)
Couchmaster, Cilogear makes amazing packs. How nice to have won one!
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