Pack for the wife?

[greenb]

I'm new to backpacking and have scheduled 2 "big" hikes next summer and need to outfit me and my wife.

So right now I have a sleeping bag, a pad, a deuter 65L+10 pack which I will be carrying as much as possible in it.

My question is what would be a good size pack for my wife?

Our up coming hikes are a 3-4 days in the Manistee national forest and 5 days in the Adirondacks.

Do you think she could get away with say a 50L pack?

Thanks

Bob

[grizzled]

My wife has been using the Osprey Ariel 65 for about 5 years and likes it. She carries bag/pad, clothing, food, fishing gear and the usual small items. That pack has no problem making a week trip. Whether a 50L will work is going to depend on the clothing required and the bag/pad size. If you don't need cold weather gear, it should suffice.

[ianwiththedreadlocks]

The MOST important thing about finding a pack is making sure that you find one that fits her properly. I would second Grizzled's post about the Osprey Ariel 65. Osprey is currently making some of the nicest packs in the industry, and they have a killer guarantee. The nice thing about going with the 65 instead of a 50 is that generally you can customize them as far as hip belts and harnesses go so you can find the perfect fit. Another options would be the Gregory women's series. I believe the Diva is the pack you would be looking for. Gregory has been making super rugged packs for a long time, and the women's diva has been one of the nicest women's specific packs since i started in the industry 10 years ago.

[greenb]

Hey thanks! I'll be looking at those packs later tonight.

[HikerJen]

Bob, I use a Gregory Deva 60. It's a pack specifically for women - it has thicker padding at the hips and shoulders. The shoulder straps curve inward more to fit a woman's more narrow shoulder, and the hipbelt angles to fit a woman's hips better. I've used it for weekend and multi-day trips, and there's nothing about it I don't like. The most important thing is to get in to an outfitter and try them on, walk around in them, see what fits best...

[greenb]

Thanks Jen. We are going to head up to the local REI this next weekend and have her try some on.

[greenb]

Well I ended up buying a nearly perfect (used) Osprey Ariel 65 pack at the REI Sale for only $150. So now I'm on to sleeping bags and a tent.

[AdventureMyk]

The lady friend uses an Osprey Aura 50 that she got about 5 months ago and we are about to sell it and upgrade to the Ariel 65. Aura is excellent, she just likes some of the features of my Aether and as a cold sleeper she wants that extra ability to carry more clothes in winter hikes. Can't go wrong with the Osprey line!

[PaulGS]

Sounds like you got a great deal on a great pack greenb. Good luck with the rest of your purchases. It's nice to see someone already planning some backpacking trips for next year.