Help me decide!!! Please!!!!

[Woody]

Ok, I have three backpacks all of which I like but I can not decide which I like the best so I need you guys and gals to help me decide. I am going to try and list some positives and negatives about each and you can give me your input.

Kelty Yukon 3000: Positives- fairly light at 4lbs for an external frame pack, durable, carries like a dream no matter how much weight is in it, plenty of space on the frame for the sleeping bag and sleep pad so inside is plenty large, and it is easy to organize so I can get to small items easily. Negetives- the things hanging on the outside can get damaged and the sleep pad rolled up is wider than my shoulders so it can hang on things as I pass by if I am not paying attention and it could be lighter though it is a pretty good weight to payoff ratio now.

Fanatic Fringe Thompson Peak pack: Positives- super light at 9.5 oz, simple design  makes packing and unpacking a brease, plenty big at 3600ci and 20lb max load limit forces me to leave unnecessary items behind. Negatives- 20lb max load, no waist belt though not a huge deal when carrying less than 20lbs, and not as durable as a traditional pack since it is made of 1.1oz ripstop.

K-Cliffs internal frame 5000ci: Positives- internal frame keeps the load close to my center of gravity a little better than the external(but not a dramatic difference as many make it out to be), durable, plenty of space, easy to organize, has bungies to hang wet clotes or tarp in to dry, lots of adjustment options, comfortable, and we can't deny the "in factor" of it being cooler to carry an internal frame pack. Negatives- it sags if I carry close to 30lbs, a little hot during the summer, pretty heavy at 5.5lbs, too many extra buckles and zippers that are not absolutly necessary, not a big problem but the water bottle pockets on the sides are a little small and bottles have fallen out(I now use a carabiner to secure the bottles in case the do fall out)

[Nalgene Ninja]

I've always heard your pack should be the one that carries your stuff the best. So you just have to thing about what's on your gear list and what you would take normally. What kind of BP trips do you normally take? Do you normally have to carry any Kid's gear too? I use a 3-year rule to keep my gear collection in check; if you can't realistically see needing it in the next 3 years, dump it.

If you are normally really disciplined about keeping your load under 20 lbs, I'd take the FF Thompson UL pack.

My 5500ci Camp Trails Int. Frame sags but normally because I do not fill it enough vertically, not because it's too heavily loaded.

[Woody]

Yeah, I do tend to lean a little toward the FF because I use the same quilt, poncho tarp, etc no matter which pack I take. I can only pack enough food for about 6 days before I reach the 20lb capacity including all of my other gear and water. I am considering thru hiking the Pinhoti later this year so I guess I am trying to decide which pack to use for that. I could do one re-supply and use the FF or carry everyting from start to finish with either of the other two.

[ednotmilkman]

so why is it that you want US to decide for you Woody? Are you gonna give away the one "you" don't like to the one of us that convinces you that you don't like it? I don't like a little ultralite pack that costs more than my SiDi Italian leather bike shoes, so please get rid of it - I'll take it if you pay the postage to 2621 Three Notch Rd Enterprise 36330. I might even trade you my shoes for it ! I wear 11 1/2 US or 46 euro size.

But come to think of it, I don't like those new fangled internal frame packs either with all the sweat I get on my back even when it's only 55 degrees out. My internal is one I found at Wal-Mart, but since Jay doesn't approve of our country being overrun by these big blue stores, send me your sweaty, saggy, buckle and zipper overloaded  K-Cliff and I'll let Jay dispose of the Wal-Mart pack.  I wonder how Jay will manage to keep us all informed of global politics, environmental news, and trivia once school starts back ??

[Woody]

As tempting as it is to give you my gear ednotmilkman I will have to decline the offer. All three packs were gifts so I could not part with them but I do enjoy some good ole fashioned bartering once in a while. I guess I just can't label one as my favorite. Each one is the best choice depending on the situation and I am just lucky to have the options I guess. Thanks for the replies and I'll have to check out the news thing. 

[Cuffs]

Have you decided on a pack yet?

[Woody]

Yeah, I think I am going with the FF pack. I will just carry my water in belt holsters instead of in the pack so I can still carry all of my food for 10 days and not exceed the 20 lb capacity of the pack. Full pack should wight in at about 19 lbs with 12 lbs of food.

[Nalgene Ninja]

That's about the only thing keeping me from fully committing to the freebie g4 pack I got. How do you carry water? There's no side or hipbelt wb pocket nor a hydration sleeve. I could just throw it on top, but I don't like the idea of a big water bladder on top of my food, sleeping bag, etc.

[Woody]

The fanatic fringe pack has mesh side and a large from pocket. I usually put the water bottles in the side pockets but I have put a bladder on one side and a bottle on the other and used it that way. I usually use 1 liter Dasani bottles and that is what I will be using in the bottle holders. I thought the G4 pack had exterior side pockets, no? If not I would just use good water bottles that I know do not leak and just throw them in the top. That is what I do with my homemade pack. You can carry a smaller 16oz bottle on one of those bottle holding carabiners they sale at Wal-Mart for like $1 and clip it on the bottom of the shoulder strap for easy access to a quick drink and keep the extra in the pack. I have done that too and like it better because I can not reach teh side pockets on the FF pack while wearing it.