Recommended Products
Backpacks
Osprey Aether 70 Pack
"Slip on this amazingly comfortable pack and enjoy the freedom of a custom, heat-moldable hipbelt and a superb, lightweight design for enhanced load support on extended backcountry adventures."
This is one of the best backpacking backpacks currently on the market. Osprey, as a company, has a solid reputation for making quality products. This is especially true when it comes to their backpack selection. Osprey also offers an enormous line of backpacks. The Osprey Aether 70 Pack has features from every kind of backpack they make. You may pay a premium price for this product, but you will be receiving the "best of both worlds".
This kind of backpack is categorized under "internal frame". To explain this, let first fill you in on the difference between internal frames and external frames. The first breed of backpacking backpacks were considered external frame. This meant that a solid, rectangular frame is used as the foundation of the backpack. From here, you would strap on everything you intended to carry. While it was a great innovation, it has it's disadvantages. External frames limit what you can bring when compared internal frames.
An internally framed backpack has a similar design to a normal backpack you would see a student wearing. It has strategically placed zippers all around so you can access gear you need at any given time. One huge advantage you get from choosing an internal frame backpack is weight distribution. With this design, the weight you carry can be evenly distributed, making it easy to carry compared to its external frame counterpart.
The Osprey Aether 70 Pack is the pinnacle of internally framed backpacking backpacks. It's straps are designed to perfectly grip you shoulders. It's back-facing part is designed to provide lumbar support to your back. Zippers and access points are cleverly placed so that accessing gear can be made easy. The Osprey Aether 70 Pack also has a pre-installed camel water reservoir with a straw that goes directly to your mouth. While it may be expensive, this backpack is definitely worth the price for the quality you will receive.
ALPS OutdoorZ Commander
"The Pack Bag is great for getting all your gear to your base camp. The Pack Bag includes a front pocket, spotting scope pocket, rifle holder, and two side accessory hinged pockets, in addition to the main compartment. Once you empty out your Pack Bag, it can be easily detached so the Commander can be used as a Freighter Frame also."
The ALPS OutdoorZ Commander is the perfect backpack for beginners and intermediate backpackers. This backpack is externally framed which will make it less expensive compared to its internally framed counterparts. External frame backpacking backpacks are easy to use and simple to strap gear too. While you may not be able to bring a lot of sophisticated gear, this backpack can easily store the essentials.
This backpack loads from the top only. This means that you will have to pack supplies strategically if you do not want unload the whole thing every time you need something. My advice would be to load supplies such as you sleeping bag, cooking supplies, and clothes at the bottom. You should pack snacks, first aid materials, and extra pairs of socks on the top portion of the pack. This will make it easy for you to access the materials you need, when you need it the most.
This external frame backpack may not have all the luxery features that many of Ospreys top of the line backpacks have, but it gets the job done. For under $200, this backpack is an absolute steal. It does the basic things well and the quality is also top notch. I would definitely recommend this product to anyone looking to get into backpacking or for someone who is on a budget. Don't think less of this backpack because of its external frame.
Tents
The North Face Stormbreak 2
The North Face Stormbreak 2 is the perfect tent for anyone getting into backpacking or for those on a budget. This backpacking tent is considered a "3 season tent". Essentially, this means that the backpacking tent is suitable for the spring, summer, and fall months. At night, this tent will keep you comfortable and warm during those three months. Do not, and I mean do not take this tent up to high altitudes or into the winter months. This tent is not designed for these conditions and you will be very cold at night.
For the price, the North Face Stormbreak 2 has a lot of features that other three season tents do not. It has two doors and is designed to fit two people. Normally, backpacking tents can only fit one person and are designed to only have one access point. This tent can fit two people, but does not take up any more backpack space than a one person tent. This makes the North Face Stormbreak 2 the perfect tent to bring if you are with a group and want to bring as little supplies as possible. the two doors also make entering and exiting the tent for two people fairly simple.
The North Face Assault 3
The North Face Assault 3 is the backpacking tent that offers it all. This tent is considered to be a "4 season" tent. This means that this backpacking tent will keep you warm during the spring, summer, fall, and winter months. You can bring the North Face Assault 3 outdoors any time of the year and expect to warm and comfortable at night. This backpacking tent will also keep its occupants at high altitudes.
Four season tents are more expensive than three season tents because of one word, insulation. Four season tents are insulated to protect you from the cold. Insulation requires more material, and more material hikes up the price of the tent. I would only recommend purchasing a four season backpacking tent if you are an experienced backpacker, climb mountains routinely, or only backpack in places with high altitudes as temperatures can get rather low.
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