Ancient_Angler wrote on Dec 9^th, 2009 at 12:52pm:

My Duluth pack is so old, it's somwhere between the development of rock and dirt. I'm not frugal, I'm cheap.

I like to think I'm just the opposite but sometimes I wonder.

I had a really cheap, old (international orange) frame pack (with an american flag patch sewn on the flap no less) for my first trip. It was sans frame 'cause "those things are bad." (If I still had the frame I'd probably still be using it for the newfangled RubberMaid food pack.)

The one thing I did not like about the backpack was the two compartments and all the pockets and zippers. I should replace my current (big) SealLine pack since I mostly do solo trips now but the thing I like about it most is the tent is the heaviest thing so it's on top. Once the tent is set up, I just pour the rest of the contents into the tent, open the valve on the thermarest and go look for wood. Next day, I don't even stuff my sleeping bag into it's sack. I just throw everything in, put the tent on top and sit on it to squeeze out excess air. If it's raining, that pack will just be a little heavier than usual.