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4> Kelt}' Bigfoot 5200 e loot 5 so ghostly- light that I almost forgot I had it on. A series of side and interior pockets made it very easy for me to organize items in order of importance and for ease of access. I adjusted the pack once and never had to adjust it again. On the trail the pack was remarkably quiet and stable against my body and didn't shift laterally. The pack features full suspension, a hydration pocket, side mesh pockets compression straps and zip access into the main body. It also features a hood that can easily be converted into a lumbar pack for day hikes. For ski tourers, the pack could use an exteri- or sheath or pocket for a shovel. 5,600 cubic inches, 5 pounds 5 ounces Mountalnsmith, www.mountainsmith.com. $300 2> Gregory Whitne}, Tile hitney was anot er a'-v-or ""e-, --rt cu ar""y~oecause of its twin lt"- pa ""l-= .---' "barn door" side pockets with mesh organizers. The barn doors are like minipacks on either side of the central pack and can be used to stow everything from food and extra water to an emer- gency first aid kit. The Whitney also has a large front pocket and a convertible top pocket for further compartmentalizetion. The pack features several adjustable features for fit (from a "Flo- Form" waistbelt to an adjustable-angle shoulder harness), although despite fitting the pack at home, it took me another hour and a half of micro-adjustments on the trail to dial the fit in. There are also some built-in contour features that will require a break- in period to rea lly give the user a personalized feeling. The Whitney has a heavy-duty waterproof bottom that was much appreciated after I set it down on top of a camouflaged creek bed. Again, this pack had no sheath for a shovel. 4,800 to 6,000 cubic inches, 7 pounds 3 ounces to 8 pounds (depending on pack size) Gregory Mountain Products, www.gregorypacks.com. $340 3> Dana Design Terraillane The erraplane IS the gran 0 d~m :":a :';n';';o - -a- ;::"'f'-;bac"'-p c""'s but the pack has aged remarkably well. With a top loading style and two deep exterior pockets for the things you need to get at during the day, the Terraplane is possessed of a certain functional elegance. The pack's newest incarnation has cutaway heads pace to keep you walking tall and a central aluminum stay and two carbon fiber "magic wands" that channel the pack's weight to the hip belt. I would have gladly traded the removable holster pockets for some mesh sew-on water bottle holders. There is no shovel pocket. 5,800 cubic inches, 6 pounds 9 ounces Dana Design, www.danadesign.com. $439 to take on a ski tour, short or long. I immediately stashed my sleeping bag in a lower compartment with a roll-up divider, stowed my food and clothes in the main pack, my repair and first aid kit in the top pocket and my shovel, shell and even my skins in an outside "kangaroo" pouch. The Bora 80 Is simple, efficient and easy to fit. The pack also moved well with my body and I was in my rhythm no more than 100 yards from the parking lot. The pack has a pocket-to- fanny pack conversion, a V-stay suspension system with inte- grated load transfer rods and an anatomic back panel for com- fort and weight distribution. I would have liked a hydration com- partment and kept checking to see if I'd missed it. 4,460 to 5,130 cubic inches, 6 pounds 9 ounces to 7 pounds 2 ounces (depending on pack size) ARC'TERYX, www.arcteryx.com. $340 IS a nrow ac , stu -It-a -m-from-the-top design with an adjustable suspension system that Kelty has licensed from The Works at Mystery Ranch. The pack features an interchangeable pack bag-to-frame connection (meaning you can use the shoulder straps and body attachment on compatible pack bags), adjustable mesh shoulder straps for ventilation, a lid-to-fanny pack conversion and external zipper access to the interior contents. My main complaint is that the Bigfoot pitched a lot of the load onto my shoulders despite several attempts to reconfigure my packing and to adjust the straps. The pack has a front stash pocket for shovels and anything else you want easy access to. 5,200 cubic inches, 6 pounds 13 ounces Kelty, www.kelty.com. $250 You'll miss your trail toys and gimmicks, but imagine how good it will feel to be practically burden-free on the trail. 5,100 cubic inches, 1 pound 7 ounces Go-Lite, www.goiite.com. $145 at Mystery Ranch. When this company-the brainchild of Dana Gleason (the name behind Dana Design) and longtime design partner Renee Sippel-Baker-first unveiled its packs at a trade show last year, the aisles outside their booth were three-deep with people trying to get a look at the new packs. Some of the most interested parties were competitors and they're wise to pay attention because even though I threw in an extra 20 pounds of gear, the A-7000 felt as stable and light as the packs that were tested with less gear. Of all the packs tested, the Mystery Ranch packs were the most com- fortable and actually felt like they wrapped around your body. The secret to this is the Wrap Frame, which can be swapped among all of the Mystery Ranch pack bags. The contoured frame hugs the pack to the wearer's body via two wingtip stabilizers. It literally feels like the pack is giving you a hug. The pack could use an additional exterior pocket since once I had packed two hydration reservoirs, the only quick access pocket was on the top. 7,000 to 7,800 cubic inches, 7 pounds 8 ounces with frame The Works at Mystery Ranch, www.mysteryranch.com. pack bag $375, frame $140 8> Dana Design TerraFrame The erraFrame was the only extenor frame paok tes eo out, despite its size, this pack was very easy to work with. The TerraFrame rides nice and quiet on the shoulders and is stable even carrying awkward, oversized loads. There are two versatile pockets for stashing stuff you want quick access to or even a hydration bladder. 6,100 cubic inches, 8 pounds 3 ounces Dana Design, www.danadesign.com. $319 " a system of inter- locking philosophies, techniques, clothing and equipment devised by minimalist hiking legend Ray Jardine to reduce pack weight to the bare minimum without compromising function or safety. Since the Gust is designed for loads of 30 pounds or less, the pack weighs in at a svelte 1 pound, 7 ounces-single-hand- edly reducing your load by at least four pounds. Of course, you need to cut weight ruthlessly to get your load down to 30 pounds (for pointers see Ray Jardine's Beyond Backpacking or visit www.golite.com). ยป > > Here in Arcata, best ways to favorite