Multi day pack - some guidance

Yeah, whatever the approach, philosophy, or weight of gear the most important thing is just getting out whenever you can. I prefer tent camping, but after my tent was stolen I used huts for 18 months until I could afford to buy a new tent. If I’d waited to have the perfect gear I’d have just sat at home all that time.

I would definitely visit Bivouac, and try Osprey packs, such as the AG 65. And indeed, take all your gear and see if it fits in the pack. That's really the way to do it, and pretty normal in stores like that.

Aarn BodyPacks either work for you or they don't. For me they were transformational and I never looked back. The only way to find out is to use one. On our earliest trips with an Aarn pack we could swap between it and a very decent old Macpac I had regarded as perfectly adequate for years. The difference was very noticeable - in my view it felt like the Aarn was around 10 -15% more efficient in terms of overall effort, and dramatically better in terms of shoulder and neck comfort. For decades I had struggled with neck pain that was the result of carrying absurdly heavy loads, in rough terrain using terrible old fashioned packs. Every time I went out within 30 minutes or less that hot stabbing pain in the left side of my neck took all the joy out of being in the bush. It was progressively getting worse with age and I had all but given up multi-day trips. My first Featherlite immediately changed this, I could walk 3 -4 hours with only moderate discomfort building up. Now after some years of treatment and a pack that doesn't aggravate the injury anymore, the problem has almost gone. Now I can swing a pack on, and my body says to me 'lets go!'. But there are people who find some of the unique aspects of his system off putting. Or for some subtle mind-body reason they never gell with them. You have to find out if you are one of these people - and fortunately there are many good alternatives out there. Aarn does do all of his research and development in NZ, but the manufacturing was last I knew always done in Vietnam.

I think Bryan Dudley still makes lightweight packs. My brother has one. He had a website called tramplight.co.nz but it's not coming up on googling. Perhaps he's wound up the business. He is Auckland-based.

Re the Aarn packs. I believe that the prototypes were manufactured in NZ but the mass production runs done in Vietnam. I've visited Aarn when he was at New Brighton and at Leeston and he did modifications and repairs to packs of mine himself.

Aarn. PROS: A Kiwi invention. Supremely comfortable once properly set up/adjusted Less fatigue as a result over a long day (no typical stooped tramper's posture) Waterproof without rain covers - that includes front balance pockets Easy access in front balance pockets to useful items/snacks, etc without eclipsing feet. Lighter than most traditional rucksacks available in N.Z CONS: More initial adjustments to learn/make for proper fit. Not for rucksack newbie? More hassle to put on and take off than 'ordinary' pack - you can't just sling it on and off. Stepping in and out of it when it's raised is optimal. More clips/buckles to do up - not a biggie. Relatively expensive, esp. as with many models you pay extra for the pockets Not made here, (like most outdoor gear), but in S. East Asia. If you want to put Aarn in your mix than I'd advise you to get one fitted and see if you can try it out at home for a few days to see if it works for you.

Re: waterproofing - it's a nice feature, but I wouldn't rely on it in serious rain. Aside from portage bags, all "waterproof" packs I've experienced do eventually let water in, either from face fabric being abraded, improperly sealed seams or zipper waterproofing failing. Or because, yknow, sometimes you need to open your pack in the rain. So, important stuff is always inside a liner/rubbish bag/ziplocks/drybags/etc even with "waterproof" packs. It's a nice feature in light rain, and in heavy rain means your pack won't absorb water and gain weight, but it also means that water that gets in won't get out as easily and potentially be damper than a regular material when the weather dries out. Sort of like waterproof shoes and boots. Good for short term comfort, but not necessarily great in prolonged weather and generally an overstated feature to get customers to pay a premium.

Waterproofing on Aaron packs and pockets is done via roll down integral liner bags like those used by kayakers, only much much lighter.

So it’s like a sewn in dry bag?

Not sewn in, they are removable. The main bag is velcro-ed to the mouth of the roll-top and the pocket bags have a velcro tag to the bottom (inside) of the pocket. Nothing lasts forever but they are waterproof. Additional dry bags aren't necessary although, if the forecast is for rain, I'll use a cut-down packcover just to shed the bulk of the water.