mountaineering packs II: frame or frameless?

[davelwang]

Thanks to all the chaps who responded. I have never had a frameless pack. I understand some alpine packs are frameless and can be quite big (5000cc). Is not having a frame a problem, carrying all that stuff?

 

On a side note, I have mountain hardwear 3rd dimension. It is solid as a rock in any condition but very bulky. Anyone also own a bulky synthetic and want to share some tips on packing for a multi-day trip?

[Bill_Simpkins]

Wrap a 1/2 length sleeping pad around the inside and put everything within the pad. This gives it more of a frame and keeps the pad inside and helps protect the contents. You can combine this with the back panel bivy pad for sleeping. I use a short length ridge rest or blue pad and it overlaps a bit on the inside. I put the overlapping part where my back is.

[btowle]

If you look at frameless (internal frame) packs, so will see that anything more than 2500cc or so will have a lot a support (frame) against your back. The rest of the pack gets filled out with your stuff.

 

For me, I can always seem to fill up whichever pack I take. If you take a 5000cc pack on a day hike, yes, the top will flop over unless you are on a Mazama outing.

 

Some packs are tall and slender and some are shorter and wider. If you really like the bag, look at the stuff sack size. Is it long and with a small diameter? If so, some of the Gregory packs may not work well because they are not very wide and you want to put it in the bottom, it won't fit.

 

Take you bag with you and try it in the pack. I put mine in the bottom of the pack below the divider. My 0 degree bag just fits with some shoving. Then do like Bill explained above.

Edited April 1, 2005 by btowle

[willstrickland]

I have a frameless pack (same as BillS above) the Granite Gear Alpine Lite, and like it alot. But put more than about 30lbs in it, or a fat rack of cams w/lobes poking you in the back through the foam pad, and you will wish for a framesheet.

 

But I also have a Lowe Alpine Mtn Attack 50, about the same size, with a removable thin plastic sheet that acts as a sort of frame. This is a good compromise, you can use it frameless or framed. Only drawback on that pack is the lack of a crampon patch and attachment system. Otherwise it's a very well thought out and simple, lightweight design. Looks like they replaced it this year with the Mtn Attack 45 Hyperlight, very similar but don't know if the framesheet is removable. They still have have the 30 and 40L versions of the reg Mtn Attack though.

[fenderfour]

If you look at frameless (internal frame) packs, ...

 

I think the conversation is about truly frameless pack such as the Wild Things Icesac and the CCW Chernobyl. They have no internal stays, just a bivy pad.

[Bill_Simpkins]

If you look at frameless (internal frame) packs, ...

 

I think the conversation is about truly frameless pack such as the Wild Things Icesac and the CCW Chernobyl. They have no internal stays, just a bivy pad.

 

The Granite Gear Alpine Lite has no frame.

[dbconlin]

I have no experience with the situation you describe, but I would think, given your sleeping bag, you might want to get a larger frameless pack, such as the CCW Chaos (the synthetic bag will be bulkier, but not that much heavier than down, I think) and make sure your sleeping bag can fit in the bottom. I think the idea with the sleeping pad wrapped around the inside is a great one, but again, I do not have experience with this.