OK, I've decided to embrace the 21st century and dump this ancient A.L.I.C.E pack

I'd like somethign with an internal frame, that takes avvantage of todays lightweight materials.

Beyond that, I'm not sure what else to look for.

SUggestions?

Depends what you're going to put in it and your budget?..........  I've just bought one of the new Berghaus Munro's, excellent piece of kit.............. don't even know it's on your back.....

edit:  Have a trawl on their website www.berghaus.com,  i seem to have spent a fortune on their gear in the last week, went for a couple of jackets and came back with a whole ensemble........

Quoted: Depends what you're going to put in it and your budget?..........  I've just bought one of the new Berghaus Munro's, excellent piece of kit.............. don't even know it's on your back.....

Hoping to get away fro $200 or less.

Packing basic surival gear - tent, sleeping bag, spare clothes, stove, first aid kit, etc. Also, to use it for 2-3 day hikes.

At 35 litres plus clip on pouches it would be ideal............... Don't know about the price over the pond, but over here I got it at the reduced "sale" price of £65 (about $105)....... Would appear to be well inside your budget?

Jees, just found the thing on their website......... SRRP is £60. I've been stiffed?  Well, I might have expected as much from the retailers round our way............... bit of a tourist trap!

For $200 or less I would cruise on down to REI or Sportmen's Warehouse and see what they have on sale from a decent maker.  If it needs to be tactical, pick out  one with a relatively subdued color and then go to town with a spray can of desert tan Krylon.

...but if you're gonna spend $200, you might as well go a little farther and get the best.  Kifaru military packs are pretty sweet.  Mystery Ranch makes a a Navy SPECWAR contract pack that is supposed to be the shizznit.  Lots of the aftermarket military makers make various rucks as well.  There are Kelty military packs as well, that look good, but I haven't seen them in person.

Kifaru

The REI Morning Star... was $145, now $107.

Folks may bitch about REI being a bunch of granola eaters, but several of their board members and store folks are active "survival" types, and hunters to boot.

REI Brand Backpacks

REI's in NC...

Cary
255 Crossroads Blvd
(Crossroads Plaza)
Cary, NC 27511
(919) 233-8444

Durham
6911 Fayetteville Road
Suite 109
Durham, NC 27713
(919) 806-3442

They don;t sell mine anymore. Of course, if the truth be told, I never got to do actually much backpacking with it.

It's hard to recommend a pack without knowing how light you pack.  Some people need a 70liter pack for a day trip, others might be ok with 40 liters for a week or more.

Right offhand, for 2-3 day light trips, I'd say a 50 liter pack would be fine, assuming that your sleeping bag is not heinously bulky.  I have been pretty happy with my Osprey Switch as it carries well and is a well refined design, but the fastex buckles are not easy to replace after I bash them.

Pack selection tends to be something that invokes a fair degree of fervor.  

www.kifaru.net

You're welcome.

Quoted: It's hard to recommend a pack without knowing how light you pack.  Some people need a 70liter pack for a day trip, others might be ok with 40 liters for a week or more. Right offhand, for 2-3 day light trips, I'd say a 50 liter pack would be fine, assuming that your sleeping bag is not heinously bulky.  I have been pretty happy with my Osprey Switch as it carries well and is a well refined design, but the fastex buckles are not easy to replace after I bash them. Pack selection tends to be something that invokes a fair degree of fervor.

Well said, would suggest getting a hold of a few good brand names and going along to see what takes your fancy?...........

basic 2-3 days your lookin at to be safe for a nomral person 3-4500 cubes!
i used a med alice till a few moths ago then went to a civy pack( a kelty)
you may get more answers and  RL reviews in the SF(survival forum) alot fo backpackers and  such hang there.

packs

just  one pack but check out their listings they always have good deals
also check out sportsman guide i gotmy kelty there for 59$....

Are you looking for an ultralight civie pack designed to get you through one season?  or do you want a sturdy pack with a lifetime warranty.

I really like my Eagle Becker Patrol Pack which is like an updated ALICE pack.  You can get an internal frame sheet for it and it has a lifetime warranty.

Gregory Palisade
That is what I got.
Best.
Pack.
Ever.

Kifaru

The EMR is ALL the pack you wil ever need for backpacking.  

When compared to "civilian" packs of the same c.i., there IS no comparison in terms of price, durability, comfort, and expandability.    

The Kifaru has them all beat.  

It might take 6 weeks for you to get it, but the wait will be well worth it.  

I just did a 10 miler overnight trip with my EMR, and it held everthing I needed, some of my friend's stuff, and rode so comfortably with about 60 lbs. that my shoulders NEVER hurt once.  

If you are serious about it, get the Kifaru.  

Sure, it costs $500, but it IS worth it.  

Quoted: The REI Morning Star... was $145, now $107. Folks may bitch about REI being a bunch of granola eaters, but several of their board members and store folks are active "survival" types, and hunters to boot. REI Brand Backpacks

or the basically identical but cheaper Sportsmans Guide version

I've used MOLLE 1 and 2,　large and medium ALICE packs, CFP90, various civilian packs, Kifaru.
The first one that I would recommend would be the CFP90, then the Kirafu.
But remember that just adjusting the pack properly to your body and packing in the right way will make you feel that you are carrying half the load of an improperly done one.

I would suggest REI, for nothing better than the fact that if you become a member, buy something and it doesn't work out, you can return it for a full refund even after using it. Sometimes stuff like backpacks,  just don't fit properly when realy used, no matter how adjustable it is.

Sometimes things like backpacks also change their comfort nature, just by position. For example, I have a 1900 in^2 daypack (caryying books) that is great for commuting 120 miles a day on my motorcycle. Once I get off and stand up though, I cant wear the thing beyond 1/2 an hour without my neck hurting. I don't care that it sucks as a normal hiking backpack as I bought it specificaly for motorcycle commuting (with a slightly hunched over posture). I also went through 3 of them with REI to find the most comfortable fit for the purpose I was using it and they didn't have a problem with my exchanges.

The backpacks that felt great standing/walking, felt pretty bad on my back while on the motorcycle with any weight in it.

underwater bumpfire to the top