My light weight backpacking trip on the PCT from Stevens Pass to Snoqualmie Pass was 4 1/2 days, 74 miles, we averaged 2 miles an hour, 15 mile days. My pack was 11 lbs. base weight of gear, 11 lbs. food, and 2 – 3 lbs. of water average. Most people we came across were heading north after being on the trail for 4-5 months, starting at the border of Mexico. They were traveling an average of 25 – 30 miles a day.
The Platy pack I used has a hard foam back panel and weighs less than 2 lbs. The outside face pocket held the tarp, bivy, and wind shell jacket, and if I wasn’t wearing my short gators, I’d also put them in the outside compartment, but I was usually wearing them. I was often getting out my hydration at stream crossings so it was packed in the main compartment for easiest access with the hose and filter being held on by the front pocket. The front pocket allows for several different modes of use; fully attached, half attached (like a beaver tail) or unattached for compression only, and/or leave it at home for less weight and a clean pack face for less possible drag or snag. I had the pocket in beaver tail mode, it allowed for clamping my hose and filter to the pack and to allow quick access to the reservoir for filling up at river crossings. I also carried a recycled PET drink bottle for energy mix drink and reserve water. Once my reservoir ran dry, I always knew I had another ½ liter. With this configuration the water I carried was untreated and as I drank through the hose the filter would clean the water, so filling the bottle or pot for cooking all came through the hose. When attached to the pack I routed the hose over the back by my neck and through webbing on the shoulder, and then hooked the end of the hose to a plastic clip that is integrated with the sternum strap adjuster.
The first two and a half days it rained. I like to organize my gear with stuff sack, so I wasn’t too worried about them getting wet. But the pack has a 10,000 millimeter laminated nylon fabric, heat tape seams in the main compartment and uses coated zippers that are water resistant enough to keep weather out of the bag. All the padding on the shoulder straps and back panel are close cell foam cut with 8 to 11mm holes and covered with a soft stretch woven fabric that dries quickly. I never had any issues with the edges of the shoulder straps digging into my shoulders or cutting into my skin like I do sometimes with webbing binding usually found on shoulder straps.
The waist belt is a simple extension of the main body fabric over the hip bone and then converts to a 1.5” webbing. Two zipper pockets at both hips stored snacks, map, and garbage. Two stretch woven pockets on the sides of the pack body carried my water bottle, gloves and my pit stop supplies. The shoulder straps have two small stretch woven pockets, one stores a whistle, think communication, either with trail buddy, occasional wheeled Mtn biker, or the wandering bear around the next corner, and moose pack, or the occasional marmot family. It’s nice that it not on the sternum strap so I don’t need to look down toward the ground or kink my neck, or undo my sternum strap, this whistle has its own pocket and lanyard so it’s always available and convenient to use.
http://www.cascadedesigns.com/platypus
http://www.cascadedesigns.com/platypus/hands-free-hydration/big-zip-sl/product
http://www.cascadedesigns.com/platypus/filtration-and-storage/cleanstream-filter-cartridge/product
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