External or Internal Frame Backpack

That advice is still accurate on internal vs external plus the internal will weigh less w/o the rigid support system.I would avoid the $100 Amazon packs or tents they will just not be that high quality.Rather I would look for the more expensive high quality gear lightly used on ebay for a significant discount.Check backpackgeartest,outdoorlabs or the various backpacker forums such as this one for reviews,opinions or field tests of potential quality gear.

Thank you. I'll check those sources. Although, I can't imagine anyone ever quitting backpacking. JK, I'm sure many go out only once and decide it's not for them.

Definitely don't buy from Amazon. Go to a local retailer, they will sell you quality gear and provide you with priceless information. If you have an REI in the area, go spend some time there, and then buy with confidence, knowing that you can return anything within a year that you feel unsatisfied with. REI makes some of the best starter tents around, IMHO, some of the best bang you can get for the buck. They also make decent packs. Packs are a lot more difficult to buy than tents, since fit is such an individual thing. I haven't carried an external frame pack in decades, and if you were to poll the folks on this forum, I am guessing you would find very few who carry them, internal frames are the norm nowadays. You will also be best off if you purchase your tent, sleeping bag and pad before your backpack, since the bulk and weight of these items will largely determine the capacity you will require for your backpack. I'd probably plan to start somewhere in the 55 liter range.

My custom internal frame pack will carry more than I could or would ever want to carry (easily as much as my old external frame Kelty). If your goal is find a pack that will carry a ton, your backpacking experience will be a short one. In general, external packs can carry more gear, but also weigh more and balance is not as good since they sit off your back. Good balance requires the core of the weight directly over your hips/as close to your back, preferably in the shoulder blade area as possible. That's why internal frame packs are so popular these days.

Tent-wise, location, environment, etc. go a long way toward finding the kind of tent/shelter you need/want. I have a variety of extremes in this category from floorless shelters to dome tents to hammocks to bivies. Materials - aluminum vs. fiberglass poles, poly vs. silnylon, stitching style, seam-taped, how many poles, guy-out points, floor space, height all come into play.

Things don't have to cost a ton to perform but in some cases, you'll have a difficult time finding something cheap that does. My favorite stove costs $20. My favorite headlamp costs $30. My favorite backpack...$600 on sale.

When we take clients out, we always get similar questions...

The first thing I tell them is that there are MANY personal variables to consider first, but let me do my best to help...

You need to determine first the frequency that you'll be doing backpack outings. If you go twice a year, then even the worst of worst quality is doable. If you buy a pack that only lasts 10 trips, that's already five years. We go out about twice a month, so a cheap brand might only last us half a year.

If you don't plan to do long duration trips, then fit isn't as important. For instance, if you only intend to do 3 day trips at about 4 miles a day, then fit isn't as important. At that rate, the bag will only be on your back for 6 hours or so throughout the whole trip. Of course, if you plan on doing 15 mile treks for several days straight, then fit becomes crucial.

With that, NEVER order a bag online unless you've already fitted it elsewhere, but keep in mind how important fit is to you. I suppose if you really only plan to wear the pack for a few hours a year, than fitting can be skipped if you can't test it out in person.

It's true that a lot of branding figures into the cost of a pack, but quality is definitely figured in as well. For entry level, here are some brands that will start around or under $100: High Sierra, Teton, Alps Mountaineering, and Kelty. These are only the ones I have experienced with that I consider passable. Many other sub $100 didn't fair so well.

As for tents, follow the same guidelines as pack but minus the fitting. One or two simple trips a year can be done with just about any tent. More than that and you should look into higher quality tents.

For the most part, the weight of each item should be kept below 5lbs, and that's still pretty high.

Thank each of you for your responses. Each post I read gave me some idea of what I want to do. I believe there are some items I'll go a little less expensive on and some I won't skimp on. And, as was pointed out, depending on my aspirations, I can upgrade over time. This forum is a great resource for new backpackers.

There are two things that you should be deliberate about picking. Both generally respond to what you pay for is what you get. I would heed HSF's wisdom.

REI has a good rental program. Take one for a spin some weekend. Overload it to see how it feels after 5-10 miles. Look for rubbing or pressure on the hips where the harness contacts; shoulders taking too much of the load; load pulling back making you lean forward.

Find out how to initially measure for a good fit and what a good fit feels like. You could go a year borrowing or renting packs.

Same with a tent. Go on trips with others (Sierra Club perhaps) and ask for a show and tell and what they like or don't like about it. Study the posts of others here and other forums about tents and gear.

I still have my red pack Kelty I had out of College. I've carried pony kegs on it to mountain club parties. It was a 'Sherpa' pack frame for getting ropes and hardware to bottoms of long climbs (in the day). I now have a sturdy internal pack (Clovis) that I got through an auction on Ebay. He was a pack designer and builder and hoped an auction would generate more leads. There was only one bid - albeit a low one. I very much like the pack It weighs 7 pounds but absolutely fits me and my abuse. It wasn't my first pack - probably closer to 6th. My day to day training pack for around the neighborhood is a Lowe Alpine Contour IV, that I overload (until it squeaks) with bags of kitty litter for some shorter day hikes. It was my first external - a good one (for me). My wife carried the Lowe Sirroco for many 8+ day outings. She doesn't do that anymore. If I do the PCT or Ak's I'd get a 3 pound pack and just go lighter. That is all new technology/system since I've looked at packs.

I have a very expensive Warmlite (.com) tent - $500. I like it very much. It is going on 20 years old and I have used it a lot in almost all weather. It has held 5 people during a significant storm. It was very hard to shuffle the cards and nobody slept. It weighs just under 3 pounds and is a spacious two person tent. Considering the ample size and small weight, it has amortized well. It is my solo tent. It wasn't my first tent, however. We had previously made our own tents (3 of them) until the kids grew up and got hand-me-down tents. 4 decades of use so far (with replaced floors and rain cover).