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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Good morning, Jeff,</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">I think this is a great topic for
on-line discussion.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Since I have
some long-time experience with ultralite hiking, and since I do not have
anything whatever to do with the design, manufacture, and marketing of ultralite
packs I am free to offer an opinion.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Most pack marketers declare, or
recommend, a maximum weight capacity for their products.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Even though I try to stay as lite as
possible I regularly exceed these recommendations because, in my opinion, while
the ratings are realistic for most people based upon carrying comfort, they
are very conservative based upon the strength of the
packs’ material.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>When I exceed
a rating, my last thought is that a seam will open or the material will rip or
break.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>What I do expect is that the
pack will less comfortable, and its useful life will be shortened somewhat.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Ultralite packs must put the greatest
part of the load on the user’s shoulders.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>If such a pack has a hip belt, it won’t be very effective because some
real structure is necessary to transfer the load to the belt.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I could put the best, heavy-duty,
padded, and contoured belt under a 4 ounce pack …. or even a 16 ounce pack ….
and the greatest part of the force would continue to at the shoulder straps.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Knowing this I don’t even bother
with a belt.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>My preparation for
hiking with an overcapacity ultralite pack involves lots of hiking with such a
pack, and engaging in upper-body weight training.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>That doesn’t mean adding 5 lbs. of
muscle to avoid carrying 1 additional pound of pack structure, it means training
those shoulder and back muscles to comfortably accept additional load.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">The
most water I can remember carrying was about 9 liters.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It weighed a lot …. at least for a while
…. and I didn’t like it.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>However,
since it is regularly consumed it’s usually only necessary to carry that amount
of water for about a half a day, and maybe for one camp.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Food, on the other hand, has to last an
average of 5 days so the high food weight will continue for several days.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>My greatest load was after a resupply in
Mojave.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I had full loads of both
food and water, plus a pretty good climb north from Tehachapi Pass.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Fortunately, it wasn’t brutally hot, and
there was a nice breeze …. When isn’t there? …. so I just ground out the miles
in low gear.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">Steel-Eye.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><FONT
face=Arial size=2></FONT></SPAN></P>
<DIV><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><FONT
face=Arial size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><FONT
face=Arial size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><FONT
face=Arial size=2>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">^^^^^^^^^^<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Join other hikers at:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN></FONT></FONT><A href="http://www.aldhawest.org/"><SPAN
style="COLOR: purple"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>http://www.aldhawest.org/</FONT></SPAN></A><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> ^^^^^^^^^^</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=jeff.singewald@comcast.net
href="mailto:jeff.singewald@comcast.net">jeff.singewald@comcast.net</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=chelin@teleport.com
href="mailto:chelin@teleport.com">Steel-Eye</A> ; <A title=hiker97@aol.com
href="mailto:hiker97@aol.com">Hiker97</A> ; <A
title=pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
href="mailto:pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net">pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Cc:</B> <A title=lizmares@cox.net
href="mailto:lizmares@cox.net">lizmares@cox.net</A> ; <A
title=carolwbruno@yahoo.com
href="mailto:carolwbruno@yahoo.com">carolwbruno@yahoo.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, January 09, 2008 8:37
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [pct-l] New Cuben Gear</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Folks,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>All joking aside about the water caches, I do have a serious question re:
these ultralight packs. Many of these ultralight packs appear to have
capacity to carry no more than 25lbs. Assuming my base weight is 10
lbs and my food weight for 5 days is another 10 lbs, how does one reasonably
carry sufficient water to get through some of these long waterless stretches
along the PCT? 6 liters of water would seem to max out some of these
ultralight packs. Would like to hear (off-line if you prefer) thoughts
on how you ultra-light pack users deal with these issues.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Jeff</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">--------------
Original message -------------- <BR>From: <A
href="mailto:jeff.singewald@comcast.net">jeff.singewald@comcast.net</A> <BR>
<DIV>Looking at the pictures it sure doesn't appear to provide the comfort
that I would want for a thru-hike. Additionally, it doesn't appear
that it would provide the support necessary to carry 6-8 liters of water
through those long waterless stretches. But with all the water caches,
these long carries are becoming a thing of the past, so this might just be
the ticket!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">--------------
Original message -------------- <BR>From: "Steel-Eye"
<chelin@teleport.com> <BR>
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16587" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
<DIV>Good morning, All,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I have one of Joe's early models which weighs 3.4 oz. I really
like it, but I've not yet used it on a long hike .... only on short, local
sections. It seems as light as a puff of smoke with shoulder
straps. I might put it to work this summer in N. California.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Any ultra-ultra-light pack requires extra care. I would be
concerned if someone wanted to step from a heavy, bullet-proof Gregory to
one of these .... whomever the maker may be.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3>Steel-Eye</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">^^^^^^^^^^ <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Serious hikers gather at:<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT><A
href="http://www.aldhawest.org/"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=#800080 size=3>http://www.aldhawest.org/</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3> <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>^^^^^^^^^^</FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=hiker97@aol.com href="mailto:hiker97@aol.com">Hiker97</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
href="mailto:pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net">pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Cc:</B> <A title=lizmares@cox.net
href="mailto:lizmares@cox.net">lizmares@cox.net</A> ; <A
title=carolwbruno@yahoo.com
href="mailto:carolwbruno@yahoo.com">carolwbruno@yahoo.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, January 08, 2008
11:49 PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [pct-l] New Cuben
Gear</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" size=3>Want at a 4 ounce 3200 cubic inch
backpack? Check out </FONT><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" size=3><A
href="http://www.zpacks.com/">www.zpacks.com</A>. Their stuff
sacks are neat too.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" size=3>Your pal, Switch the
Back</FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=aol_ad_footer id=u9ffa085163fc4638a26e577833bbd081><FONT
style="FONT: 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF; COLOR: black">
<HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">
See AOL's <A
title=http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004
href="http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004"
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target=_blank>easy ways to stay in shape</A> for winter.</FONT></DIV>
<P>
<HR>
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