Just bought myself my first pack.

[Skender]

Hi all,

In preparation for my first overnight hike next weeknd I've just gone out and purchased a macpac torrlese 65....

this one.... http://www.macpac.com.au/trek/trekking-packs/11667.html

I'm pretty happy with this one overall as an entry level pack - but at 2.4 kgs it seems on the heavy side.....In the end it was a toss up between this one, the Osprey Aether and the Lowe Alpine Appachalaine (all in my low $300 budget). The Torrlese seems like a good, sturdy,comfy and well made pack when compared to the Osprey (which looks swish but just didn't look as strong and had too many hangy off bits). The Lowe Alpine also looked/felt like a great pack but the macpac just felt that little bit more comfortable for me.

Anyway - can't wait for the hike next weekend. Off to Lerderderg for a short overnighter. Hope we get some decent weather.

Cheers,
Skender.

[MichaelP]

I'm off to Lerderderg for a day hike tomorrow! Definitely a good area to test out the new pack

[roysta]

You should've looked at the Osprey Atmos 65 pack.

[Strider]

Wouldn't have been my pick either, but there is really no way of learning what gear works for you and what doesn't without getting out there and using it. Great to see that you've recognised that buying good quality gear is important from the very start

[roysta]

I mentioned the Osprey because frankly I don't rate current Macpac packs.
That said, my main pack is a Macpac Ravine (the original one).

[Strider]

I mentioned the Osprey because frankly I don't rate current Macpac packs.
That said, my main pack is a Macpac Ravine (the original one).

Nothing against Macpac packs here, but I would rule it out on weight alone. My Golite Quest is a full kilogram lighter.

[jacko1956]

Each to their own.
I just got a ULA Catalyst and my son now has my Circuit.
For the weights I carry they are tops. If you carry more than about 15 kg then my packs aren't suitable.
I didn't see anything in the description that stated maximum recommended load.

[blacksheep]

Your torlesse was a great choice. Will last you a long time, is much more water proof than almost all other synthetic packs and has a great harness. Enjoy it, and be sure to post a review on the macpac site after you've got to know it. All the best, and thank you for choosing macpac. Cam

[jacko1956]

By the way, ULA Catalyst delivered to door for Aus$309, including about $60 shipping.
Ordered 30 September, received 9 October and it was made to order (non standard colour combo).
Not bad from Utah to Perth.

[blacksheep]

I mentioned the Osprey because frankly I don't rate current Macpac packs.
That said, my main pack is a Macpac Ravine (the original one).

Nothing against Macpac packs here, but I would rule it out on weight alone. My Golite Quest is a full kilogram lighter.

Have you compared any other aspect though? It is a very, very different proposition...

[Tortoise]

Hi all,

In preparation for my first overnight hike next weeknd I've just gone out and purchased a macpac torrlese 65....

... the macpac just felt that little bit more comfortable for me.

Anyway - can't wait for the hike next weekend. Off to Lerderderg for a short overnighter. Hope we get some decent weather.

G'day Skender,

Congrats on making your purchase. May you have many, many years of great walking in this amazing country of ours. oh, and in other people's great countries too, if you want. While there are probably as many opinions on this forum as there are backpacks, I made my decision (other stuff being more or less equal) ultimately for comfort over weight, and have been glad I did.

Hope you have an excellent walk. (Some rain can be nice for walking too - cooler walking, atmospheric mist, fresh++ smell-of-bush rather than hot-smell-of-bush etc. Nicer to set up camp in the dry, though)

Have fun!!

[jacko1956]

"Have you compared any other aspect though? It is a very, very different proposition..."

Okay, I'll have a go at this and probably alienate some people.
Is the Macpac tougher?
Probably but both have an excellent record for durability and will both more than likely last longer than they are wanted. Landrovers are tougher than Hyundais but not everyone wants to cross the Top End.
Is the Macpac more waterproof?
Someone else stated so and I won't doubt it, but neither are waterproof. Nor are pack covers as they don't encompass the whole pack, so in a deluge everything will get wet if you don't have an internal liner like a garbage bag.
Which one is better made?
Well the Macpac I think you will find is made in Vietnam. Not sure about the Go-Lite but I believe like the ULA it is made in the USA.
Which has better warranty?
Macpac have an excellent record but no-one in the southern hemisphere comes close to the replacement for defective product attitude of the Yanks.

And the real major one.. which one suits you more?
This one can only be answered if you have tried both. For me, the design, accessibility of pockets, large hipbelt pockets and large mesh pocket suit my hiking style and gear.
Weight? Catalyst 1.36kg, Circuit 1.1kg.

[Strider]

I mentioned the Osprey because frankly I don't rate current Macpac packs.
That said, my main pack is a Macpac Ravine (the original one).

Nothing against Macpac packs here, but I would rule it out on weight alone. My Golite Quest is a full kilogram lighter.

Have you compared any other aspect though? It is a very, very different proposition...

Yes I have. Like I said Cam, nothing at all against Macpac. Your range just doesn't fit my preferences.

[wildernesswanderer]

I actually thought the way to rate a pack is how well it fits YOUR back, not which one is lighter and such. I tried different packs and bought a Macpac Ascent, suited what I want to do and it fitted my back for what I want to do with it. My wife has just spent all morning trying on packs from Osprey, One Planet, Macpac, Aarn, Lowe Alpine to just name a few. All were sand bagged and fitted to her, the Osprey she found had the worst harness of them all, It's now to her against the Macpac and Aarn packs and she has to make up her mind which way she wants to go.

Whats good for one isn't good for another. If all you think about is how light something is, there is always a trade off somewhere else.

[Strider]

If all you think about is how light something is, there is always a trade off somewhere else.

Absolutely. Hence why I went with the Quest and not the Jam

[wildernesswanderer]

Hi all,

In preparation for my first overnight hike next weeknd I've just gone out and purchased a macpac torrlese 65....

... the macpac just felt that little bit more comfortable for me.

Anyway - can't wait for the hike next weekend. Off to Lerderderg for a short overnighter. Hope we get some decent weather.

G'day Skender,

Congrats on making your purchase. May you have many, many years of great walking in this amazing country of ours. oh, and in other people's great countries too, if you want. While there are probably as many opinions on this forum as there are backpacks, I made my decision (other stuff being more or less equal) ultimately for comfort over weight, and have been glad I did.

Hope you have an excellent walk. (Some rain can be nice for walking too - cooler walking, atmospheric mist, fresh++ smell-of-bush rather than hot-smell-of-bush etc. Nicer to set up camp in the dry, though)

Have fun!!

What's that saying, "Opinions are like ar#$holes, everyone has one" ultimately though it comes down to what suits you. I also went for comfort completely over weight and because I did I carry a hefty 2.1kg pack. My thought are as above, enjoy the pack, and more important enjoy the outdoors of this amazing planet wherever you go

[Strider]

Hi all,

In preparation for my first overnight hike next weeknd I've just gone out and purchased a macpac torrlese 65....

... the macpac just felt that little bit more comfortable for me.

Anyway - can't wait for the hike next weekend. Off to Lerderderg for a short overnighter. Hope we get some decent weather.

G'day Skender,

Congrats on making your purchase. May you have many, many years of great walking in this amazing country of ours. oh, and in other people's great countries too, if you want. While there are probably as many opinions on this forum as there are backpacks, I made my decision (other stuff being more or less equal) ultimately for comfort over weight, and have been glad I did.

Hope you have an excellent walk. (Some rain can be nice for walking too - cooler walking, atmospheric mist, fresh++ smell-of-bush rather than hot-smell-of-bush etc. Nicer to set up camp in the dry, though)

Have fun!!

ultimately though it comes down to what suits you.

Exactly

[jacko1956]

Nice edit on that Strider.
Getting back to Skender...
Sorry if I seemed a bit negative to your first major purchase but I'm sure if you enjoy getting out there the pack will do an excellent job.
My choice of packs would probably not be.
I have 3 older packs that are heavier than your MacPac.
What I would stress is that if you keep hiking/backpacking be aware that there is a lot of choice out there.
You need to consider when you purchase gear whether you want to hike and hike or hike and camp.
If you want to hike and camp then you get very suitable gear locally.
If you want to hike and hike i.e. hike long distances then the weight becomes a much bigger issue.
The Yanks are the leaders in lighter weight.
You also should by now be aware that gear issues cause at least as much heated debate as the Ford/Holden debate.
For what it's worth I drive Subaru.

Enjoy yourself out there.

[Skender]

Wow! Where to begin!!

Thanks for all of the interesting thoughts and comments people. I should say right from the start that the very reason I posted here AFTER I bought my pack is because I'm completely hopeless at making decisions at the best of times let alone with all the various opinions about this that or the other. I do find it interesting hearing other peoples honest opinions though. What it really shows is that everyone's different and as the saying goes "each to their own"/

.... Great to see that you've recognised that buying good quality gear is important from the very start

not really Stider. Most other stuff I've bought has been on the cheap side (price and brand/make). I'm happy with my choice of pack and happy enough with the weight given I'm still just dipping my toe in the water - so to speak. Starting out in this hobby can be very expensive when you're starting from scratch. I figure if I have a good pack that suits me and my needs/style of hiking then I can upgrade my other gear for lighter and better stuff as I go. In the last 2-3 months I've spent about $1000 for what I consider essentials for overnight hiking. Had I gone for the lightest every time I bought something I reckon that figure would easily be double by now.

As far as my "style" of hiking goes, I'm in this purely and simply to get out and explore our beautiful planet. I've done a few day hikes over the last few months, mainly in the Western Gorges and one near Lorne, and love each one more than the last. I can't get enough of being out there but I'm not yet interested in testing my body's limits as much as just being part of nature.

So I'm happy enough to carry a heavier load and only walk 3 - 4 hours to my prefered camp site, set up, make a fire, sit back and enjoy the beautiful surrounds, eating my heavy (285g) indian curry cooked in my (heavy) Trangia 25 series (possibley with a cup or two of red wine ), then sleep in my el-cheapo Denali Squall (3kg) 2 person tent and even more el-cheapo (but light) Anaconda sleeping bag (with STS liner) JUST so that I can wake up in the morning completely and utterly isolated from the ratrace and surrounded by the sounds, smells and sights of the beautiful bush. And all of this less than an hour from home!

Congrats on making your purchase. May you have many, many years of great walking in this amazing country of ours. oh, and in other people's great countries too, if you want. While there are probably as many opinions on this forum as there are backpacks, I made my decision (other stuff being more or less equal) ultimately for comfort over weight, and have been glad I did.

Hope you have an excellent walk. (Some rain can be nice for walking too - cooler walking, atmospheric mist, fresh++ smell-of-bush rather than hot-smell-of-bush etc. Nicer to set up camp in the dry, though)

Have fun!!

Thanks Tortise - couldn't agree more about your comments on the weather. By decent weather I'm actually hoping that it's cool during the day, chilly at night and frosty in the morning. As you say, a little rain can be good - at the right times! Doesn't normally work that way though does it?

Is the Macpac tougher?
Probably but both have an excellent record for durability and will both more than likely last longer than they are wanted. Landrovers are tougher than Hyundais but not everyone wants to cross the Top End.
Is the Macpac more waterproof?
Someone else stated so and I won't doubt it, but neither are waterproof. Nor are pack covers as they don't encompass the whole pack, so in a deluge everything will get wet if you don't have an internal liner like a garbage bag.
Which one is better made?
Well the Macpac I think you will find is made in Vietnam. Not sure about the Go-Lite but I believe like the ULA it is made in the USA.
Which has better warranty?
Macpac have an excellent record but no-one in the southern hemisphere comes close to the replacement for defective product attitude of the Yanks.

And the real major one.. which one suits you more?
This one can only be answered if you have tried both. For me, the design, accessibility of pockets, large hipbelt pockets and large mesh pocket suit my hiking style and gear.
Weight? Catalyst 1.36kg, Circuit 1.1kg.

G'day Jacko - all good valid points there mate. The Torrlese is made in the Philipines - not sure if this is good or bad? But it comes with a life time warranty on the workmanship - which is pretty darn good. But I'm sure there are a multitude of brands out there that offer the same. The specs on the website say that it's for "Medium load carrying (up to 15kg's in comfort)"

So thanks again to everyone for the comments - Cam, whilst I'm sure you're slightly biased towards macpac (as I now also am) I'm sure your comments are genuine.

Skender.

[Skender]

Nice edit on that Strider.
Getting back to Skender...
Sorry if I seemed a bit negative to your first major purchase but I'm sure if you enjoy getting out there the pack will do an excellent job.
My choice of packs would probably not be.
I have 3 older packs that are heavier than your MacPac.
What I would stress is that if you keep hiking/backpacking be aware that there is a lot of choice out there.
You need to consider when you purchase gear whether you want to hike and hike or hike and camp.
If you want to hike and camp then you get very suitable gear locally.
If you want to hike and hike i.e. hike long distances then the weight becomes a much bigger issue.
The Yanks are the leaders in lighter weight.
You also should by now be aware that gear issues cause at least as much heated debate as the Ford/Holden debate.
For what it's worth I drive Subaru.

Enjoy yourself out there.

haha just saw this...

you must've posted up at the same time I was typing!!

No stress Jacko - like I said you made some valid and considered points.

"If you want to hike and camp then you get very suitable gear locally."

You've just summed up perfectly in one sentence what took me 34 paragraphs!! Well said. I'm a Hike/camper as opposed to a camp/hiker... or a hike/hiker... or whatever!! You get my drift.

BTW - incase anyone's wondering, the reason I bought a two person tent is because once I've gained some experience out there I'll be taking my 11 year old son out with me. I'll also take my 8 year old daughter with me when she gets a little older but I reckon she's well up to it now. We did a 5.5 km hike at Ingleston Gorge two weeks ago and a 8.5km hike through the back of lorne last week and she came through both with flying colors! Might need a 3 person tent

I'm off to Lerderderg for a day hike tomorrow! Definitely a good area to test out the new pack

Which walk are you doing Michael? I've done a couple there and yes it's a great spot! shhh... don't tell too many people.

[MichaelP]

Which walk are you doing Michael? I've done a couple there and yes it's a great spot! shhh... don't tell too many people.

The loop from O'Briens -> East Track -> Cowan Track -> Short Cut -> O'Briens. First time to Lerderderg! Should be good, forecast is perfect. Heading there now

[Skender]

.......For what it's worth I drive Subaru....

hehe.... me too. 2001 Subi Outback and I LOVE it!

Which walk are you doing Michael? I've done a couple there and yes it's a great spot! shhh... don't tell too many people.

The loop from O'Briens -> East Track -> Cowan Track -> Short Cut -> O'Briens. First time to Lerderderg! Should be good, forecast is perfect. Heading there now

That's the walk I'm doing this weekend!! At just 13 kms I know it seems a pretty "soft" walk to do as an overnighter but the guys I'm going with don't do much hiking plus as this is my first overnighter I thought it would be a good one to start with just to get my confidence up.

How did you go Michael? Was thikng of you yesterday while I was toiling away in my backyard..... you picked a perfect day for it!!

Any tips/advice/photos? I'm considering camping down by Cowan creek... did you venture down there before you headed up Cowan Track?

Cheers,
Skender.

[Wolfix]

Hey, wouldn't have been my choice but congrats on the purchase anyway as it means you're overnight hike is possible! A work colleague bought the MD Main Range 75L canvas pack for his winter OT trip. At 3.5kg and with the most absurd harness system I've ever seen, it's never be my choice but he loves it. I think it makes him feel like a soldier because its so damn heavy. Who knows. That said, he's buying another GTX jacket simply to shave off 130g for his NZ trip. So I may be overestimating his logical reasoning skills.

[Onestepmore]

Congrats on your first major purchase! Get out there and experience the bush, and enjoy getting away from the crowds as much as possible. Bring some wine, a good book, some yummy food, a camera, some comfy camp shoes, get a light cheap hammock and string it up to lie in. You'll morph, adapt, covet new shinies and have fun searching them out. Wecome to bushwalking!

[Strider]

Congrats on your first major purchase! Get out there and experience the bush, and enjoy getting away from the crowds as much as possible. Bring some wine, a good book, some yummy food, a camera, some comfy camp shoes, get a light cheap hammock and string it up to lie in. You'll morph, adapt, covet new shinies and have fun searching them out. Wecome to bushwalking!

After reading Andrew Skurka's book recently, perhaps that should be "Welcome to camping!"

[jacko1956]

After reading Andrew Skurka's book recently, perhaps that should be "Welcome to camping!"

LOL Wouldn't understand if I didn't have the book on loan from my library just this week.

[MartyGwynne]

What a great subject it has every different opinion about the whys and hows of packs and gear.
I too purchased a macpac pack (many years ago) to suit my heavy tent,sleeping bag, largest heaviest trangia, legs of lamb, bottles of wine etc.
I also managed to carry 35 kgs once (OLT) to be able to supply 2 kids 13&14 year olds.
I suspect most lesser packs may not have stood up to it nor felt as comfortable with that load in it I still have and use the pack after 15 years (Torre) - it has had a half life re-fit but it is still used and is my go to pack (out of 3) for heavy going hard walks.
Enjoy the bush and dont leave your kids out as they will enjoy it too. Yes you will purchase more packs and even lighter gear one day.

[Skender]

Marty - It's definitlely a topic that polarises... it's not really about the pack though, it's more about your "style" or "type" of Hiker which based on what I'm reading here is largely defined by the weight of your pack (for starters). As noted by Jacko and Srider Andrew Skurka talks about 3 different types....

1. Ultimate Camper;
2. Ultimate Hiker;
3. Camper by default (not sure if they're a hiker or a camper).

Check this video out if you're unsure what Jacko and Strider are talking about:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGQTcQhL08A

Watch it from 6m 9 sec to 10m 20sec if you can't watch the whole thing....(it's worth watching it all if you have time)

[Wolfix]

(Just realised iPhone typed you're instead of your. I am one of the few who knows the difference!)