rangewalker
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Post by rangewalker on May 18, 2019 18:52:56 GMT -8
Pulling the pin on a new pack. Last summer I gave away my ancient in 21st Century pack years Gregory Shasta to a woman friend. With some modifications, it worked for her. The Shasta kept her on the trail until this spring. I need for later this summer a pack that can take on a larger bear canister, two-day water packing some trips and 5-8 maybe even 9-10 days between exit or resupply with food. That is in areas that water is not an issue or there are caches. And get everything in the pack except a CCF pad. I was looking at 70-85 liter. The rest of my kit is damn near UL. This old goat did migrate from Colin Fletcher devotee to less devotional Andrew Skurka fan. My Gregory Contour 60 will take a BV 450 or old Ursack, 4-5 liters of water, but seems strained at 4-5 days in my Mountain West country. The winner of the winter brooding was the Osprey Aether 70 Pro. Half the weight and with an evolved suspension from old Gregory. When I ran the sizing I was, as always with Osprey a medium but the hip belt was for a large. Another plus is Osprey has an extender or slim day pack that will clip in on the back panel. I went down to local outfitter and we go on the phone with Osprey and ordered one medium pack, large belt and it arrived three days later. No shipping. I went down and doubled checked the fit. Nice. The outfitter agreed to one Alpine day pack at their cost. I will not pick up until June 1. I do not need a 70L + pack until later August when I am going into Yellowstone NP and Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness, and through the fall.  |
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on May 18, 2019 20:11:38 GMT -8
The Aether seems to have changed a lot since the last time I looked.
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Post by JRinGeorgia on May 19, 2019 3:23:39 GMT -8
Can you get 9-10 days' worth of food into one bear canister? Or would you need to carry a second canister (maybe a smaller one like the Bare Boxer)? Thinking from a pack size requirement standpoint.
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rangewalker
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Post by rangewalker on May 19, 2019 14:08:41 GMT -8
The Aether seems to have changed a lot since the last time I looked. This is a branch of the Aether, sort of. They still roll out the more classic. Can you get 9-10 days' worth of food into one bear canister? Or would you need to carry a second canister (maybe a smaller one like the Bare Boxer)? Thinking from a pack size requirement standpoint. I have fit 10 days in my Bearikade Expedition. It is 9"x 14.5", and is larger than my BV 500. Note the food was really stripped, FB style Did-it Myself that shuts down a lot of volume. I had an 11 day a few years ago and used a Ursack for the first two days food and stinky stuff. Day three, it became the trash sack. One trip that never left the boards had me with a BV 500 and 450, that I would have carried in my "semi", an Osprey Argon 110. |
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on May 19, 2019 14:16:50 GMT -8
This is a branch of the Aether, sort of. It's lighter and has some more attractive design elements. I bet they didn't make the hipbelt any smaller, though. Even with a small hipbelt, I could pull it until the ends touched and still have it slide down. |
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rangewalker
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Post by rangewalker on May 19, 2019 14:22:25 GMT -8
I bet they didn't make the hipbelt any smaller, though. Even with a small hipbelt, I could pull it until the ends touched and still have it slide down. I do not think they did much either. They cut the strap length on the medium; to save grams? I did into the specs and knew ahead of time the medium would not work for me. My Argon is sized better. |
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on May 19, 2019 15:22:22 GMT -8
This is a branch of the Aether, sort of. It's lighter and has some more attractive design elements. I bet they didn't make the hipbelt any smaller, though. Even with a small hipbelt, I could pull it until the ends touched and still have it slide down. You need the padding we used for Eldest Son’s pack when he was a kid! He’s still skinny as a rail, but seems to be able to cinch his Osprey (Aether? From a few years ago) tight enough. You can’t be smaller than he is. |
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Post by bradmacmt on May 20, 2019 5:30:39 GMT -8
I bought the womens version for my wife last year. She worked with it around the house with weight, but we couldn't get it comfortable for her.
I'm still interested in one for myself, and may order one. I'd like a light pack with a good load hauling ability for my fall, highcountry elk backpack trips.
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Post by High Sierra Fan on May 21, 2019 14:30:38 GMT -8
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Post by bradmacmt on May 21, 2019 16:18:35 GMT -8
Interesting Skurka settled on this for his backpack-elkhunting... I’d not seen the review until now, but I ordered one two days ago for the same purpose.
Thanks for posting that HSF...
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Post by High Sierra Fan on May 21, 2019 18:46:10 GMT -8
Interesting Skurka settled on this for his backpack-elkhunting... I’d not seen the review until now, but I ordered one two days ago for the same purpose. Thanks for posting that HSF... I noticed that, part of why I thought it worth linking to. Certainly a fraction of the weight of a Kifaru or Mystery Ranch more traditional hunting backpack. |
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Post by bradmacmt on May 22, 2019 4:10:51 GMT -8
I noticed that, part of why I thought it worth linking to. Certainly a fraction of the weight of a Kifaru or Mystery Ranch more traditional hunting backpack. Yeah. I've never liked Mystery Ranch packs, even though they're made here in my hometown. They're just not up to the old Dana Design packs, yet are essentially the same weight. Kifaru packs are excellent, but heavy and expensive. My old Canadian made Arcteryx Bora 80 is relatively comfortable with a heavy load, but again, is a 7.5 lb pack. Seek Outside are nice, but they've changed a few things that have put me off. With a lumbar pad and frame extension, the Unaweep 6300 I was considering will equal or surpass the Osprey's weight anyway. Said all that to say I'd been thinking about other options, and the Osprey might just work.
I am with Skurka though, I don't like the pocket arrangement surrounding the hipbelt, but it's not a deal killer. The side/belt pockets like those on the regular Aether would have been preferable to me. But, the regular Aether's suspension is junk IME, and the shoulder straps (like most Osprey shoulder straps) are set too narrowly at the upper attachment point (neck chaffing).
I could have ordered it cheaper than REI, but since I'm not sure it will work, it was a no-brainer to be able to return it to our local REI shipping free... |
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Post by bradmacmt on May 22, 2019 5:10:56 GMT -8
The winner of the winter brooding was the Osprey Aether 70 Pro Rangewalker, if you find you don't like the Osprey, I'd reccomend the Gregory Paragon 68. This will likely become my general purpose backpack. Really comfortable, with a surprisingly beefy, stout suspension, given the packs overall weight. My size M/L weigh's 3lbs 7oz's (claimed weight is deceiving and includes a raincover which comes with the pack). It carries better than my ULA Catalyst, which weighs exactly the same. |
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rangewalker
Trail Wise!
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Post by rangewalker on May 23, 2019 8:50:47 GMT -8
Rangewalker, if you find you don't like the Osprey, I'd reccomend the Gregory Paragon 68. This will likely become my general purpose backpack I looked at and tried the Paragon 68. A local outfitter I have dealt for years suggested when we were in his shop fitting my daughter for a Gregory Deva. The two breaking points for me on the 70 Pro was I like the Airscape suspension and the Pro will accept a clip in Alpine Day pack or bag on the rear. I have the Airscape on my 2010 and the 2018 Osprey Kestrel 38's, my work day packs I use often for day-n-half or two night trips. The 2010 finally gave up from sunstroke two months ago. My hiking Osprey versus Gregory stable is now 2-2. Cycling is a Gregory Flash 40. Thank you for the offer. |
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Post by bradmacmt on Jun 7, 2019 10:27:30 GMT -8
So I ordered and played with an Osprey Aether Pro 70. Size Med, 4lbs 1oz. It's definitely smaller than its 70L suggests. I found the Paragon 68 held more, is over 1/2 lb lighter, and for me more comfortable. The frame of the Paragon was equally stiff as the Aether Pro 70 which suggests it should handle heavy loads equally well. I also absolutely do not like the side pocket "wrap around" configuration on the Aether. IMO they should have stuck with the same configuration as the regular Aether.
I returned the pack...
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