New Pack

Yes, a plain pack that is well made, light and comfortable would be a seller. What happend to the macpac ravine.

I have had a Macpac Pursuit for ages. just recently replaced it with the same thing its a sack with a flap on top and in keeping with my desire not to carry much. its good for up to 6 day trips and i bet if my knees would allow i could do 10. I have broad shoulders so dont even notice the pack on my back anymore although i have had more than one person tell me that the frame is crap. This pack like the last takes a hiding despite my best intentions. The only down fall is that you carnt re waterproof them but then thats what plastic bags are for.

lostone - The Ravine disappeared at the time when Macpac was sold to Mouton Noir in early 2008, which was the same time that Macpac stopped selling through independent retailers (in New Zealand). When the Macpac/Fairydown shops started stocking Macpac gear, the only tramping packs they were manufacturing under the new model were Cascade's and Esprit's. Ravines had disappeared along with the Cascade, Glissade, Torre, Traverse and Nikau. I guess one of the conditions of buying the company was to scale things back to the essentials so they could make it more manageable while they rearranged things... and probably those two packs were the ones selling the most, or something like that. Glissade's came back about a year ago, though, and it sounds as if Ravines and Torre's will be back later this year from what Campbell said. Perhaps they're cautiously trying to re-introduce things now that the company's running in a way they can handle.

I have had my Deuter Aircontact Pro 70+15 for just on two years now. It's a really good bag. Nice and comfortable, lot's of good features. It's large enough for long trips or carrying all the gear for the family. The detachable lid is a plus. Nothing has broken or even started to look warn. It's only drawback is that it's slightly heavier than other packs of the same size. It may pay you to look at these as well: Macpac Cascade Karrimor Jaguar Osprey Argon Arc'teryx Bora Gregory Palisade or Baltoro depending on what size you want. If it was me buying a new pack, I'd probably go for the Gregory Palisade. But I would try them all on first.

Twin Needle in Christchurch will custom-make you a pack. This means it can be as simple as you wish e.g. a basic roll-up top sac or full of complex features like extendable hoods, multiple pockets, gear loops, daisy chains and bungees. They should be publishing quotes on their website soon. http://www.twinneedle.co.nz/news.html I'd love a pack made of cuben!

And don't forget if you keep your pack light, a lot of comfort issues won't occur. Frank (partner) doesn't need a hipbelt when he goes light.

Does anyone here have experience with Aarn packs? They appear to have a good harness system but they are pricey. Are Macpac a bit like Kathmandu in the way they overprice to make stuff look good in sales? Is the Cascade really worth $600 compared to competitors and does 40% off that make it a good deal?

I bought my first Aarn Featherlite Freedom about 7 years ago and a larger Natural Balance about 4 years ago. The 55 L FF gets most use on 3-4 day trips, for anything longer the 80 L NB is more convenient. All up I’ve used them on a total of around 50 odd trips in that time, in all sorts of terrain, except alpine climbing. These are NOT your usual pack. They are different and you need to approach them with a mind open to understanding them. The most obvious feature is the front pockets, which is where I put heavy items, like, fuel bottle, water, GPS, camera, maps and food nibbles. By getting as much weight into the front as possible your stance straightens up, you stand vertical and properly balanced. It’s especially noticeable when you’re on flat ground that you really feel like you are walking with a more relaxed, normal gait. It’s not a subtle difference, it’s quite apparent. It’s also really handy having items you need during the day readily available in a front pocket; often I can get a map/gps/camera/snack/water bottle to hand without needing to stop and remove the main pack…sometimes not even needing to stop. This is especially cool if it’s pissing down as it means you can keep the main pack closed all day. And no the front packs do not get in the way or restrict visibility. The stumbling block for some folk is the extra buckle or two involved in taking the pack on and off. It does take a day or so to get used to, but once I got used to it, I never looked back. Nor is the system clumsy in use, even rolling about in leatherwood is not a problem. Because the main pack is close to your back, and doesn’t extend above shoulder height getting under and through rough bush is a lot easier than I imagined it would be. The main packs have an excellent waterproof liner built-in (it comes out easily if you need to remove it) that obviates the need for waterproof bags and the roll-over top really keeps the water out. Pack floats never let any water in … at all. The harness system is also a bit of magic as well. There is a bit more to it than meets the eye, the way it allows the shoulders and hips to move independently without the pack binding or restricting the body’s natural flexural movements is another important aspect. I still have a decent old Macpac Pursuit. My partner and I are much the same size and can swap packs easily. Laden with the same sort of weight (12-15kg) the difference is obvious. There’s usually a bit of a scrap to get the Aarn back. Overall I’d estimate that on a typical day’s tramp, the Aarn pack is worth something like 7-12% less overall effort and stress. About 10 years ago I gave up tramping because a neck injury made it too painful… with the Aarn it hasn’t gone completely away completely but it’s hugely reduced, way enough to make tramping fun again. (No I’m not a relation of Aarn Tait… just really happy and grateful for his talent and hard work getting these finely designed and well-made packs into the world.)

PhillipW -- have you tried using it in a linked river crossing? I was looking at Aarn packs a while ago. They're hard to get in Wellington since nobody stocks them, but when I emailed Aarn, they offered to post me a test model (directly and at no charge) so I could experiment with it, see how well it fitted and everything. I didn't take them up as I'd decided I wasn't serious enough about buying a new pack and didn't want to string them along. Don't be afraid to ask for favours, though. I think they're really keen for opportunities to get good word of mouth around, and they might oblige. They have a constantly evolving product, seem actively interested in feedback from people and solving the problems that pop up, and I'd not be too surprised if they have a few test models lying around for people who want to try them out. I think I'll consider it when I get around to replacing my pack.

Hmmm, thanks for the replies. I was just of the understanding that Macpac also have a harness system that allows good freedom of movement. They don't have the front pockets of the Aarn but I wonder if something could be fitted that would do the same job.