A tale of two backpacks. <--- NOLA!!

[thatGuy]

Hey Gang,

I was talking with Nola today and we got onto the topic of external framed backpacks. I had told him that the JanSport he owned was a crippler and to ask me how I knew. As it turns out my wife bought that exact pack some years back and now refuses to carry it because it is so uncomfortable. Now let me tell you something about my wife, she isn't one to complain about a lack of comfort nor is she one to admit that she made a mistake. For her to do so was a huge step.



Does she look unhappy? She is rocking a Kelty Redwing 2650 and I am rocking a Kelty Map 3500 in that photo in case you were wondering. We were doing 25 miles in 2 days with a very sparse loadout. I also had the front of my rain coat stuffed with cold beers



This is the hike that did her in for the JanSport, a 20 mile loop in 4' of snow. She said that it had "ruined it's last hike." She doesn't look very happy does she?



This is the pack we are talking about here.



Here it is next to my old Camp Trails for a comparison. Notice my pack has a piece of mesh webbing. It keeps the frame of the bag off your back. This is a good thing.



See how that top bar touches my shoulders and the outside of my upper arm? I couldn't get a good photo but it does.



Notice how I can bang my head into the top bar? If you stowed a sleeping pad up there you wouldn't even be able to pick your head up!



Now compare that to my old Camp Trails pack. Notice the smile on my face, it's much better!

When it's all said and done you need to take these things out. Even if that means you throw 4 (32lbs) gallons of water in them and go for a walk in the city. When you've had enough you can pour the water out and start regretting that your pack fits like shit.

 [url=http://www.freesmileys.or

[thatGuy]

Also notice the small vertical bars on my old pack that keep shit from poking you in the back. Good stuff

[NOLA556]

ah-hah! different bags bro. I knew we couldn't have been talking about the same bag. first off I'll admit that your new pack is indeed much better, but that JanSport isn't the same as mine. first, notice that the lower crossbar on mine is covered with a pad that yours doesn't have. my theory is that the pad holds the rest of the frame further from my back preventing the upper crossbar from digging into my shoulders the way you said yours does.
I can't really explain why your head touches the very top of the frame, mine doesn't do that despite the fact that that particular part of the frame seems to be identical between the two packs. idunno, I'll give her a little test in the next day or so and come back with a report.

[thatGuy]

Ok, I had not seen that pad in the previous photo or maybe I didn't notice it but the top bar still touches your back doesn't it?

[APX808]

Nice hat in the first pic Thatguy
I never liked the external frame packs, but what I like are the threads full of pics

[thatGuy]

I can't watch videos at the house so it makes me happy too APX!

That right there is your run of the mill life guard's hat... I wasn't really expecting rain! [url=http://yoursmiles.org/p-m

[Kentactic]

TG did you buy your jansport pack new? This looks like it... it says it comes with the back support pad so im guessing yours is just missing that peice. kinda good news though. you can obtain that peice and then have another decent pack.
http://www.backcountry.com/jansport-scout-backpack-3850-cu-in-jan0014

I was going to shit my pants if they actually built an external frame pack like that lol.

[NOLA556]

Ok, I had not seen that pad in the previous photo or maybe I didn't notice it but the top bar still touches your back doesn't it?

the other photo was just the front of the pack so you wouldn't have seen it. and... ehh.. the upper crossbar barely touches my back but it certainly doesn't dig in like you said yours does.