Giant-ass expedition backpack (>100L) recommendations?

Ryan Lynch wrote:

Just an update, on account of I noticed some new posts on this thread... I haven't made a decisions yet, but I'm working on a little spreadsheet of the options everyone has suggested (and a few more I found elsewhere):

• Make/model
• Price shipped
• Internal volume
• Weight limit
• Extra features
• Color options
• Ratings/reviews

It's slow. I'm doing the research in between other stuff, but at some point I hope I have enough to be worth sharing.

Also -- a huge THANK YOU to all the folks who shared their super-heavy pack experience. Y'all gave me SO many options beyond what I'd been able to find on Google and the big retailers. Your help is appreciated, and I'll try to pay it forward.

Another potential idea would be durability and ease of diy fixable options?

Climbing Weasel wrote:

Another potential idea would be durability and ease of diy fixable options?

Not really something I was considering, and I'm not saying it's a bad idea -- but I doubt I'll get to it, anytime soon.

yukonjack wrote:

I put in lots of time with this pack this year

https://seekoutside.com/unaweep-6300/

highly recommend

Elite recommendation. Highly recommend for heavy ass loads that make you tired just thinking about them. Winter multiday backpacking and hunting… awesome.

Finn Lanvers wrote:

That pack looks awesome, reminds me of some of the largest stone glacier terminus packs, and the McHale super index

Was so torn between this and the terminus… went with this one and it’s hella awesome. MEGA upgrade to the Gregory baltoro 95 I started out with (which I wouldn’t recommend to anyone unfortunately)

I've used the Gregory Baltoro 100 with about 65lbs and I thought it carried the weight well. In the process of choosing this pack I tried the Gregory Denali, which seemed better adapted to mountaineering, but in the end I preferred the more modern features of the Baltoro over the slightly outdated Denali. I've tried a bunch of other packs which didn't work as well, but won't badmouth them here as this is likely more about anatomical differences than pack quality. I was surprised that size S worked best for me, since I usually wear clothing in size M or L. I liked the pockets and the relative ease of putting some of the most voluminous gear on the outside, on the sides or at the bottom of the pack (packraft and packraft paddles, foam mat, etc.)

Size S - 5.5lbs/2510g - 100L (includes all pockets).  

I also brought a 25L daypack. Depending on terrain I sometimes found it worth it to wear that daypack in the front with ~20lbs in it, to even out the weight between front and back, and to make it easier to put everything on (lifting 65lbs up and down is a lot harder than lifting 45lbs then 20lbs). The problem is of course that you can't see your feet as well if you have something on your front.

Old lady H wrote:

I'm still curious just what sort of objectives require the weight, though? Just a long time out, so lots of food and such in addition to gear? Or does this get into winter type 2 fun? I mean, I lived with a photographer for 40 years, so I understand the huge amount of extra stuff for Jimmy Chin sorts of things, but otherwise?

Remember, I'll never get to do any of this, EVER, so don't yell at me for being interested.

Thanks! Helen

For me it was a 10 day expedition that involved packrafting and climbing, so requiring all that combined gear: about 10kg of food, the whole packraft equipment (raft, paddle, drysuit...), and the whole climbing equipment (rope, trad gear...), on top of camping equipment (tent, stove) and clothing (including heavier things to ward off the cold and bad weather). For most of that tour I was carrying much less, often between 35 and 45lbs, as (1) food depletes over time (2) the trip involved loops, so it was possible to cache gear, do the loop, and retrieve gear. Also there were rafting sections where I didn't have to carry the bag, as it just sat in the raft. But of course the bag had to be able to carry everything at once when needed.

Berghaus made (still makes?) some large units for military market -- Vulcan and Crusader.  Despite German name, they're a UK brand.  My 75l version was bombproof and handled big loads well.  Definietly NOT ultralight -- or even light, for that matter.