High Sierra Topix

While on my extended backpacking fishing trips, I recently lost my (take along) daypack...was very light...held fishing gear/snacks/windbreaker/ essentials...was basically a nylon shell with shoulder straps. Looking to replace with something light, but small. Also needs to hold a fishing rod tube, ~ 21 inches long - safe and reasonably secure - so long and thin preferred.
Any ideas?

REI has the Flash 18 which doubles as a stuff sack - has a few pockets including one for a hydration bladder. Weighs something like 10-12 oz.

Gossamer Gear has a 2 oz version - the Riksak. Simpler, and not badly priced. It's 20 inches long but a tube could be placed down the center with clothing and "stuff" around it, and the drawcord cinched around the top of the tube.

I just use my Exos 58 pack as a day pack.

Mike

Given that I don't pack light, I carry a very large day pack strapped on the outside of my super-sized internal frame pack. The day pack, an old REI model from the mid nineties is also used to house things such my sleeping pad or other light items while in piggyback transit. To me, the key to a good daypack is to have the drawstring rather than zippered top so that a rod tube can be accommodated. I recall that new REI super light daypack--I think it is the Flash something or other mentioned above--has the drawstring top. I bought one of those for my 8-year-old son, Lee, as his first daypack (daddy had carried all of his stuff to date) and Lee really likes it. My piggyback set up tends to be on the overkill (ie large) side for a number of reasons, not the least of which is I like capacity for all sorts of things on extended dayhikes from camp. For example, on Tunechuck, my big old daypack carried my backpack stove, cooking pot, oil, teriyaki sauce, and utensils to cook up fish for lunch, in addition to all of my fishing gear, water, and snack food. I also like daypacks that have grommets for attaching ice axe and crampons, given that I have had occasions to take such things on dayhikes from camp, too, particularly if the main objective out of base camp was some peak bagging thing instead of fishing. I have a different daypack for use on geologic trips. This daypack has a single large compartment and is very ruggedly constructed--perfect for carrying a heavy load of rocks.

Many of the newer internal frame backpacks have detachable tops that come with a belt to make a moderate sized fanny pack. I've used this the last couple of years but it simply isn't big enough for rain gear, etc. if planning for a full day away from camp doing exposed scrambling. So sometimes I also carry a small lite-weight back-sack, that with the fanny pack, provides enough storage.

But I'm like Giantbrookie- I come from the Norman Clyde school- I carry way too much s-t, but almost never have anything that qualifies as an epic as I have enuf vittles, warm clothes, tents and tequila to last an extra week generally I also have a whole different set-up for doing geological field work.

I like OR use my Exos 58 as my daypack.

mokelumnekid wrote:But I'm like Giantbrookie- I come from the Norman Clyde school- I carry way too much s-t, but almost never have anything that qualifies as an epic as I have enuf vittles, warm clothes, tents and tequila to last an extra week generally I also have a whole different set-up for doing geological field work.

Regarding the geology stuff, this reminds me, given that I recently returned from leading a geologic mapping exercise, that I intentionally overload my day pack in an attempt to slow myself down sufficiently for the students to keep up with me--to no avail. Perhaps I need to carry a 5 gal keg in my pack... They don't make field geology students the way they used to, apparently (faster, mountain-goat-type students: if you read this, this does not apply to you).

giantbrookie wrote:They don't make field geology students the way they used to, apparently (faster, mountain-goat-type students: if you read this, this does not apply to you).

Doesn't your class syllabus cover being able to cover 15 miles in a day for 10 days straight with a 50 lb pack? Seems like a minimum requirement based on what i've read of your exploits, especially if you're picking up rock samples along the way..

So, Mark, what did you do? I'm possibly in the market for the same thing, and I'm considering whether the higher weight of the REI Flash 18 over the Gossamer Gear RikSak is justified by what appears to be a more durable and useful pack.

I was down at REI and bought a Flash 18. It was either that or the Marmot Kompressor. it seems as though the flash makes for a good stuff sack for my marmot sleeping bag as well, as would the Kompressor.

While I have not used the Flash yet, it has a belt which is nice for keeping some load off your shoulders. I rod tube could be cumbersome on it, but it has daisy chains and one tool loop for working that out and should be useful. Perhaps a bit heavy at 10 oz, but it looks to be very useful. It's on the inexpensive side too at under 30 bucks.

Here's another one I looked at:

http://www.prolitegear.com/site/image.h ... -20l-elite" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Whatever the case, it replaced a little TNF daypack I had that weighed over a pound. I like having a full on daypack with me.