Bushwalk Australia

Or how long is a piece of string?
Any advice would be appreciated. I have had a Macpac that recently gave way on the Western Arthurs after ten years of service. I am looking at embarking on this walk again this summer and have been advised to look at either AARN or One Planet Strezlecki. The One Planet looks similar to the Macpac, while the AARN looks like something completely different. Any thoughts?

They both have their advantages and disadvantages. The Aarn is better balanced, allowing for a better posture, but the One Planet allows you to scramble closer to cliff/steep faces, which is required on the Arthurs.

I'm not sure of the capacity of the Aarn packs, but the Strezleki certainly has plenty of room. Note that I have a Strezleki myself, and have not yet tried an Aarn pack on, so I'm probably biased.

If you're considering the Strezleki, you should also consider the One Planet McMillan, which is almost identical, except that it does not have the opening at the bottom, and does not have the options seperator panel in the middle (both of which I've never used). If you keep everything in your pack in a large waterproof bag, then you cannot use these two features, and they just add extra potential for leakage/breakage and weight. I'd definitely prefer the McMillan to the Strezleki if I was to do it again. Other than that I'm perfectly happy with the Strezleki. It's very tough, and holds a LOT of gear.

I have to say that the One Planet harnesses are definitely superior to anything else I've tried so far.

I know there are a couple of people on the forums with Aarn packs, so hopefully they'll be able to provide you with further information from their experiences.

Also worth a serious look is the Mont Backcountry which is a conventional design with a very comfortable harness.
It is made from canvas and looks bombproof.

FF

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