No kidding! I'll have to remember this - it's SO TRUE!!! Every time my eldest (NOT an outdoors person) comes with us, she complains about the weight or the cost.....I'll have to run this by her.....Midwest Ed wrote:
You can have it LIGHTWEIGHT,
You can have it DURABLE,
You can have it INEXPENSIVE...
PICK TWO.
Just for the next guy who is interested.....
I hike with an Osprey Ariel 65. I LOVE the pack, and it has proven durable, comfortable and the warranty is hard to beat. I have about 100 miles on this pack.
For most week-long trips, I start with a base weight of about 35 LB (including the pack - arguably a heavy one) and add food and water and fuel from there. My base weight is slightly heavier if I'm hiking solo, less if my 8-year old is with me....she generally carries the first aid kit, toiletries, tent poles and stakes and my rain gear. (when it starts pouring, not having to tear into every pack for rain gear is a plus, it's all packed together - easy to get at)
My 8-year old hikes with an Osprey Jib-35, loaded to about 16-20 lbs, depending on where we are going and what we are doing - the only variability in her pack weight is her water, and whatever rocks she gathers.....(I have a FIRM rule - I DO NOT cary rocks!) She generally only complains when we are hiking very hilly country and camping at the top - so we are heavy with water. She can easily put on 6-8 miles with a 18 lb pack without complaint..... She's hiked about 70 miles under this pack. She wants to move up to an Ace 48, but her frame is too small yet.