Went on an overnight hike several months ago and was really held down by my gear.

LMAO but I got one of those 17 dollar tents from wal mart that comes in the smaller rectangular case. I rolled my sleeping pad around the tent and tied it with rope onto my pack. Then I stuffed a blanket into my back pack. I was cold, to say the least. Not to mention stringing up the tent and pad to my pack was a huge PINA.

So I am looking for a good pack that will carry enough gear comfortably for a 2 or 3 day hike. I obviously need to find a better tent or shelter setup and a good way to carry my sleeping pad and sleeping bag.

I dont want anything terribly wide because I carry a rifle on my shoulder and need room for that.

Any suggestions?

There's tons of packs out there that will suit your needs. However, if you could provide what kind of gear exactly you have, that will help narrow down the options. Also, depending on the amount of gear you have, how small it packs down and weighs will also help you choose a pack.

I currently own a The North Face Terra 60 and an Osprey Argon 70. The Terra 60 is great for an over nighter or two, but if you have a cheaper sleeping bag that rolls up to the size of your average walmart shopper, you're not gonna be left with much room for anything else. The Argon 70 is great for cold weather trips and long trips where I have to carry more gear, but it is pricey.

Keep an eye out on reioutlet.com and the outlet section on backcountry.com for some good gear deals.

I like Kelty packs - the Redwing 3100 is good for a light warm weather trip, but can get tight - otherwise Tioga 5500 or red cloud 5000

well, down here in Florida, during this time of year, a nylon tarp , a thermorest pad and  a fleece blanket are all I need.  I strap it all under my CamelBak HAWG pack.

I have a Osprey Kestrel 48, It has been great for up to 4 day trips. Its not the biggest pack so it helps if you have some other quality gear (small and light) or you will run out of room. I really like the hip pockets for keeping items like cameras knives and lighters handy.


also checkout http://www.moontrail.com/home.php they normally have a pretty sweet clearance section

+1 Kelty has good value for the money...not always the lightest, but always good value.

Might I suggest taking a look at paring down your equipment, too?

That Osprey above is nice pack, too

If you want to spend some moolah, go check out Gregory....
Gregory Pack Linkification


This is what I use....
Camp Trails Wilderness Pack Linky Thing

The right pack is only part of the equation. Learning to go out for 1+ days with a manageable pack is a skill. I lived in OR for 5 years, backpacked extensively and in the summer months (dry season) you don't need a tent.  I hate tents, lots of weight, make me feel claustrophobic. It takes a few tries but you may find, as I did, sleeping under the stars in the great outdoors is really nice (some of the best sleep I ever had). For bad weather, a USGI gortex bivy + a cheap pvc tarp is a good alternative. Buying a huge pack to fit lots of heavy gear will only make you miserable on a hard slog up a mountain, no matter which backpack. I learned the hard way on hikes in Mt St Helens, 3 Sisters, Mt Hood, Columbia Gorge, Olympic NP, etc.

Yep, I intend to pack my Jeep, I have a JK so will remove the rear seat, perhaps the front one too. I would rather sleep in it
and drive it instead of walking.  I figure with 22 gal tank, and 6 5 gallon gas cans, I can get at least 800 miles without towing
anything, I will take a chain saw, hell I can cut it down if I need to keep traveling.  At my age I am not carrying ammo, guns,
food, tent, bag, BOB.  Nope. I'll pack up and haul ass, at least I am not restricted to the pavement even if to hide in the woods
for a hopefully peaceful night.  My luck I would be shot because My Lab snores and they would find us.