Brooke's Question:
I'm new and plan to thru-hike the AT in 2002. I am starting to choose my equipment for practicing and need a backpack. I have no clue on how to choose. Help please.

— Brooke

Karen's Answer:
Brooke,

Wow, you're starting to plan early! Good for you.

	Karen Berger Karen is a hiker's hiker. She has finished the Appalachian, Pacific Crest and Continental Divide Trails — making her one of the few who've completed hiking's"triple crown." Meet Karen Previous Answers Hiking Forums

There are a couple of different schools of thought about packs, so your question isn't as cut and dried as it seems. The traditional way of thinking about packs is to buy a solid sturdy pack that can take a lot of abuse and hold a lot of weight. These packs tend to be heavy—as much as seven pounds! The newer way of thinking, described by Ray Jardine in his book Beyond Backpacking, supports ruthlessly whittling down your weight so much that you can carry a featherweight pack weighing two pounds or less. The five pound difference is significant. On the other hand, if some of the pounds in a heavier pack are used for good suspension and load adjustment, they are working for you and making the load more comfortable to carry. Most long distance hikers choose a load, a pack, and a hiking strategy that is in the middle of the spectrum, and modify it to meet their needs as they learn more about how they like to hike.

To choose a pack, you'll need to know how much stuff you really think you'll be carrying. I know: this is a chicken-and-egg question, because you need some experience to answer it, and to get experience, you need a pack. So here are a few pointers.

On the AT, even with a traditional load, you should be able to get your pack weight well under 40 pounds, including food and water (and the pack!). So you're looking for a medium capacity pack. My pack (a Dana Design Terraplane) weighs in at nearly 7 pounds and can hold 5800 cubic inches. It's really too big and too heavy for thru-hiking, although it's hugely popular on long trails because of its comfort, flexible fit, and durability. For my next thru-hike, though, I'll check out a slightly smaller, lighter pack—as long as I am convinced that it is comfortable.

Yes, comfortable. That's the be-all and end-all—not the weight of the pack, but how it feels on your particular body. I'd suggest renting a couple of packs for my first couple of trips to see the difference. Do a couple of LONG hikes to see what your back feels like after 15 miles and 4000 feet of elevation gain. When you actually go to buy your pack, you'll want to be sure it's custom fitted for you. Outdoor retailers perform this service.

You'll also need to choose the style of pack. These days, the trend in general backpacking seems to be toward external frames, but thru-hikers prefer internal frames by a huge margin. You'll also want to look at features like good hip padding, lots of ways to adjust the weight, extra pockets to keep essential items like lunch and raingear handy, and whether or not the pack can be converted to a daypack for"slackpacking" or peak bagging. But those considerations are secondary to fit and comfort.

Finally, there's the issue of manufacturer. The big names in pack-making include Dana, Gregory, Lowe, JanSport, Mountainsmith, Kelty, Osprey, Camp Trails, Coleman, and The Northface. L.L. Bean, REI, and EMS have house brands that offer good quality at reasonable prices. The reason you want to go with a major manufacturer with a good reputation is that you want a solid pack that won't blow out in the field—and if it does, you want a first-rate company with first-rate customer service standing behind it.

Good luck and have fun!