What is the first question
you should ask when you are getting some piece of gear? What is the
best thing-a-ma-jig on the market, right? It seems to me that everyone
wants to know what is the best. Unfortunately, I can't say that there
is a brand name out there that is the best. And not because there isn't
one, but because they haven't paid me to say so. :-)
No, the question we should ask first is what race am I doing. Each race, and each race type will present different problems to find solutions for. That is part of the fun of these races, you have to use your mind as well as your body to find solutions for each obstacle.
“Save
weight, and you save time and effort.”
We can take care of the Sprint racers real quick because they won't really be concerned with using a pack. A Sprint racer will only need to use a camelback type hydration pack, or carry water bottles. This decision between the two water carrying devices is up to the individual. What ever works best for you. Although, if you have to use your hands for climbing and special events, you might want to try to keep your hands free.
I feel
that the hydration packs will solve most problems for races up to about
6 hours in length. For events longer than this, we need to begin thinking
about carrying the things we need for these distances. The three basic
categories of items we will carry are:
I think you can inagine that with the differences in distances and
sports involved in the many events out there, that the amount of food
and water will change in accordance with the race course.
Since
weight is one of the major considerations for everything in adventure
racing, it follows that we should adjust the load that we carry with the
length of the race that we are we doing. That is why there isn't a single
answer for everyone. There may be some good choices of packs that are
are decent all around packs, useful in many different kinds of events.
Weight
The
weight of an item is crucial in deciding which model or brand to buy.
The rules that I use for shopping are simple. First, I need to know what
I am looking for, or what I need. Then I search all the brands, and models
that will perform the function I need. I give most consideration to the
weight of an item, and then I compare prices.
Your decision process for selecting a pack should include weight, and what are the features I need. Packs don't seem to be marketed by features so much as size.
Size matters
A very popular pack the Salomon Raid is about 24 ounces, and about 1850
cubic inches. Why do you think this pack is popular? Because everyone
has one? NO. Its because it has most of the things an adventure racer
needs, after all it is designed for this purpose. It
is lightweight, and the size is great.
The best way for you figure out out if the size works for you, is to pack it full of the mandatory gear you will need for the race. Or you can rely on the experience of the experts, 1850 cu. in. is all you need. Thats right, you should not need to use a pack that is larger than this. This pack works great for multi-day races, and even 24 hours. The 24 hour races might be a little empty, but don't be tempted to try to fill in the empty space.
Salomon is
also making a smaller pack called the Fastrack, which is listed as 17
oz. and 1250 cu. in. This size is better for the 24 hour races.
You can find both of these packs at Go
Orienteering!
Next I will discuss the Dana pack.
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