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My favorite places to shop for camping equipment are smaller local retailers and cottage industry businesses. They have provided me with the gear knowledge and personalized service that I can’t find anywhere else. The owners of cottage industry business are justifiably passionate and proud of their products and it shows in the quality of their gear. Many of them come across as being a little eccentric as a result. In most cases, the gear produced from these smaller companies is more expensive but well worth it. There is usually a reciprocal relationship of dependence between these smaller businesses and their niche markets (people like me). Cottage industry businesses are the only way to get customized gear unless you are talented enough to make or modify your own. Word of mouth is often the only advertising they need for new customers.
Our own Jim Hamlin (LongShadow) has some height requirements, which pretty much force him to seek out specialized businesses who can customize equipment for his specific measurements. Although I myself have dealt with many different cottage industry gear producers and have bought everything from packs and sleeping bags to articles of clothing, this issue of Notes is about Jim’s experience. I’d like to extend a special thanks to him for finding the time to share his adventure with us.
Stephen Sharp
hb@clubtread.com
Custom Packs for the Perfect Fit
By Jim Hamlin
People come in all shapes and sizes. Trying to fit yourself into one of the off the shelf packs sometimes just doesn’t cut it. I used to use a Serratus pack for my day hikes but always found that my shoulders would get sore by the end of the hike – obviously it was too small for me. When I started looking at backpacking trips I thought I would move up a few levels and also get a larger torso pack. This became my quest – find something that will fit someone who is 6’10” – not an easy task for anything, let alone a backpack. I stumbled across the Lowe Alipine Liberty series. This had great promise as they claimed to have an XL size pack. I was excited to order one of these packs in and take it home to try it out. It had all the bells n whistles that you’d find on a pack like this. I loaded it up with some weight (~50lbs) and proceeded to wear it around the house for a few hours. To my dismay I had the same issues as before – my shoulders should start to get sore and my hips felt the strain.
Some suggested that I get a custom pack made. My initial reaction was that I thought it was a little overkill, but I didn’t have a lot of choices at this point. I was fortunate enough to find McHale Packs out of Seattle. Dan McHale has been around for a while and is a notorious mountain climber. He builds his expedition packs such that they can take a real beating.
In May of 2002 I went down to his shop and visited with him. He had a small space up on the second floor in an industrial area. He showed me his different packs and the features while I was there. He gave us some of the fabrics to try and rip – we could not rip the material, even after being started with a sharp knife. He took all sorts of measurements while I was there and in all, he spent about 3 hours fitting me.
After discussing the various models he had at the time, I opted for their Super Critical Mass Alpine II Bayonet. It is a lot more expensive than other packs that you can buy off the shelf, but it fit me exactly. The harness system on these packs is amazing. I couldn't believe how it felt. When I put the pack on with 65lbs on my back, it felt like I was carrying a 30lb load.
To fit my size, at its largest frame setup this one is being custom built with a 39" frame.
Unique Features
The pack has quite a few different features to it without the extra glitz and glamour you get with typical manufacturers. One of the interesting features is that it can be converted to a smaller pack as well reducing the overall size. This is accomplished through a dual frame system. Essentially the bayonet system can be pulled out and dropped into the bag. This of course does leave a lot of extra free fabric, but it can be strapped in tighter. Given the cost, I opted for this route as I wanted to pay once and essentially get something I could use as a durable day pack and something I could use for week-long treks.
The top lid itself is removable. I actually remove this quite often as I keep the more critical things (like the TP) that I’d like easy access to in it. I will often remove the top lid and stow it in my tent, and leave the rest of the pack in my vestibule. The top lid can also be used as a fanny pack. It has extra straps that can clip to your waist. I’ve done this on occasion, but haven’t found it to be the most comfortable once you throw a liter or two of water in it.
I find the hip belt to be one of the most comfortable and durable systems that I have ever experienced. There is ample padding and support that allows you to take a little extra weight in your pack and not fatigue your hips. It has a double buckle system as well – rather than use the standard clips, he also fashions his own buckles adopted from the airline industry.
The suspension up top is totally adjustable. You can set it up for expedition mode or daypack mode. He has a patented suspension system that allows you to take all the weight off your shoulders while the pack remains tight to your back. This is accomplished with a separate pull for the downward pressure and the release backward.
Another interesting feature that I have used on daytrips and multi-day trips is the removable back lumbar pad that is attached by Velcro. You can actually remove it easily and use it as a seat for sitting for the ground or hard rocks – no more stiff butt!
You can also order some additional storage for the pack if desired. For this particular pack, you could order and extra pocket as well as a shovel pocket. I don’t use these all the time, except for perhaps multi-day trips. If I use the pack for day hikes, I always remove them in order to cut down on some of the weight.
When you have a custom pack and it is of a large size such as mine, you obviously need to look at a custom pack cover as well. Fortunately McHale also makes pack covers. The pack covers are reasonably durable and are made of a siltarp material. They are very lightweight and I haven’t had any issues with snags. The only thing I have noticed is that I am developing a small hole in the cover at the bottom – I suspect that’s more due to wear given that I try to orient the cover the same way each time so that the wear spot is at the bottom of the pack.
So with all these positive things I have said about the pack and the features, what are the drawbacks? The biggest issue is probably the weight of the pack. The pack itself weighs in at 132oz (8.25 lbs). That is quite heavy given that I see ultra-light frameless packs out there that are only 14oz. If you add in the shovel pocket (4oz) and the back pocket (6oz), you are looking at a whopping total of 8.875 lbs. In all fairness, McHale has been developing lighter versions made of different materials. For example he has a pack very similar to mine that is at 5.5lbs.
My other complaint would be the pack when used for day hikes. Having a day pack that is already over 8lbs is overkill, but I guess that was the choice I made. If I decide to trim down my daypack weight in the future, I will likely have to look to McHale again in order to have a second pack used exclusively for that purpose. However, even if I don’t opt to buy an additional pack for day hiking, I still appreciate the suspension and am able to comfortably carry larger volumes of liquids on hot days.
If you are planning on doing backpacking as a long term pursuit and are not interested in replacing your pack for a long time, if ever, then you may want to consider a McHale. You will pay a little more up front, but you will get a pack that is not only measured to fit, but will be durable enough for a lifetime of things you put it through.
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