high quality backpacks

[Beck]

Ibex, I have considered buying the grail of packs but, alas, am a poor climbing dirtbag not worthy of a McHale creation. MY first two posts were highly in favor of the purchase of a mchale.i've had a hands on of the packs and checked out more than a couple of them in the field. Also talked to many owners about their McHales..I have checked them out extensively.Bomber construction (I think the Super SARC would be the one i would choose.)

However, my read on on Mchale's sunspension an why I rate it as "manky"

tried and true, but manky.

 

For heavy, heavy loads their the best carry, no frame buckling of the framesheet like most other makers (and we all hate it when that happens!)

 

but down side of suspension system, and why I call "mank" - fixed torso length, low tech materials, no thermoforming comfort there either. can't loan it to wife to carry heavy load.Also , hipbelt a biggun, lots of cush ala 70's style, but THERMOFORM would take his maxipad hipbelt into the 21st century.

He says you don't need (or even want?) load lifters, i call BULLSHIT.

[DPS]

Beck,

 

Dan's theory is you don't need thermoformed, shaped straps with lifters, etc if the pack fits correctly. They are built for your body and work extremely well. You can get a small hipbelt option (the Zero SARC has it standard). I have never felt the loss of load lifters on my SARC, yet I have carried plenty of other big packs with all the straps that have not been nearly as comfortable. The durability of his packs are unmatched.

[Beck]

Yes I know his" theory" on packs, I call his no thermoform, no load lifters BULLSHIT, retro grouchism-- or just plain old refusal to recognize progress and innovation in industry.

 

Similar to the combustion blowback valve debacle as it related to fuel economy and the automobile industry.

 

[ 11-07-2002, 07:49 AM: Message edited by: Beck ]

[DPS]

Call it what you want, I use it because it works like no other pack I have used.

[mattp]

Beck: I'm with DPS on this. My McHale is WAY more comfortable than any Gregory/Dana/Arcterix/Karrimor/LaFuma/... I have ever carried. Those funky retro-pads work! And without the stiffeners and foam, they don't get in the way when loading the pack into a car trunk or hauling it up a cliff. I have never missed the "load lifters." Not once. There may be a varietiy of complaints about a McHale, but I don't think that an inadequate suspension system is one of them.

[turn_one]

so how does one get in touch w/ these dan's and mchale's??

[allthumbs]

McHale.com

simple

[Ibex]

quote:

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Originally posted by trask:

McHale.com

simple

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Actually, it is

 

http://www.mchalepacks.com/

[AARON1]

I got a Mchale pack a couple years ago. It is the best pack I have owned. Not only are you buying a quality product, you are also supporting a local business.

[mwills]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Beck:

but down side of suspension system, and why I call "mank" - fixed torso length, low tech materials, no thermoforming comfort there either. can't loan it to wife to carry heavy load.Also , hipbelt a biggun, lots of cush ala 70's style, but THERMOFORM would take his maxipad hipbelt into the 21st century.

He says you don't need (or even want?) load lifters, i call BULLSHIT.

---

sorry beck, i would have to disagree with you here. load lifters, or load stabilizers, are not necessary on ALL packs - only those where the load extends above your shoulders. for dan's line of packs this is only the case in one model - the alpine II. it does have a "load lifter" of sorts, but it is incorporated in the shoulder strap. if you look closely at the pictures of the packs:

 

pack pictures

 

you will see that the harness system for the alpine II is different than that for the SARC series. the SARC packs are sized to a specific torso length, and the load stops at shoulder level. in the SARC series, a correctly sized pack that has been packed correctly - load lifters aren't necessary. in this design, the should straps function as the load stabilizers.

 

so, in short - load stabilizers on alpine packs (where the load stops at shoulder level) allow these packs to fit a range of torso lengths - by placing an attachment point (the load stabilizers) where the shoulder straps SHOULD be.

 

as for the waist belt, true, it is simple and only made of some nylon and a sleeping pad. however, for what it supposed to do - take the load off your shoulders and distribute EVENLY on your hips - it works better than any thermoform belt out there.

[Scotch-a-Go-Go]

I don't know if C&S are still making packs but I love mine. When I lived out there I was in the mountains nearly every weekend for a year and every other weekend for another year and my pack could hold up that pace for another decade easily. The other people who had them climbed more than I did and had the same experience. It cost me around $225 and I knew I wasn't supporting prison/child labor too!

 

Their shit is absolutely bombproof out of mainly ballistic nylon, leather and has the hell stitched out of it. If you can handle McHale you can handle Chris; support your local business either way is my view.