REI has a sale going on and I've been wanting to get a pack for camping/hiking trips. I know the size of pack required depends on the amount equipment you bring, but I want something that will allow me to carry enough clothes, water, food, cooking equip, and other gear for at least 4-5 days.

Will a 65L pack be big enough? The packs we're issued in the Marine Corps are 65L, and they're plenty big, so I figured this would probably work for camping/hiking as well.

Any suggestions?

Edit: My mistake, our ILBE packs are 75L volume.

 

Im not sure what size either of my packs were when i was in HS in boyscouts

 

It all depends on how much you pack... bottom line. You also need to be concerned with weight. Getting a bigger bag to cram more crap in won't do you any good if your pack weighs 50lbs.

Are you going with other people that can bring essentials as well and help "disperse" the load and share equipment?

 

50 lbs is about the max you would want to carry. You would want to carry no more then 1/4-1/3 of your body weight, and of course you'd have to be conditioned and trained to carry the heavier side of that estimate and still be comfortable

 

Oh, I understand the weight thing! haha Fortunately I'm in great shape because my career demands it.

I just want to get a pack that's going to be able to serve multiple purposes for me from a day trip (although I do have a day-pack), to multi-day camping trips and hiking. I was planning on like a 40L pack, but I think I'll end up just having to buy a larger one eventually.

 

I love internal frame packs, they seem to get the weight closer to your body, and are generally more expandable when needed

 

Here's the one I'm looking at: http://www.rei.com/product/762485#pr-header-762485

 

of course im just looking at pictures, but that looks roughly to the pack i bought in 2003 that they no longer make, it was from target from their Eddie Bauer line of camping gear. I think i only spent 100 bucks, it was a great pack, i still have it just dont ever get the chance to go camping anymore

 

look up a guy on youtube called nutnfancy he does excellent gear reviews. and has a couple videos on packs.

semper fi

 

Nutnfancy is the man!
This is his playlist for Outdoor/Backpacking Equipment Reviews.
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_lis...CE72485&page=1

 

Bigger packs are designed to carry bulkier items, not more weight.

If you are going to carry gear for longer trips in cooler weather you need more liters to bring the bulky clothing and sleeping gear. In the warmer weather you can carry a smaller pack since your clothes will be less bulky, but not weight significantly less.

Probably owning several packs would be a good idea, or mabye look at something modular.

 

https://www.cabelas.ca/index.cfm?pag...2=1230&ID=1858

I bought one similar to this in 2003 for hunting. Fully adjustable to hold small to large loads. Has held up very well. I can put my rifle, shotgun (taken down) ammo, tent, clothes and damn near anything else you can think of in there.

 

Why not just use the pack you already have from the Marines? You said it was big enough. Why change?
I have an alice I use for training, but use the same one for camping. I could see having a smaller one for short trips, but for a couple day + trip, the alice has PLENTY of room.

 

because if anything happens to your issued one then your s.o.l
it will cost a lot more then the 200bucks your spending to buy a new one

 

Dang, those Marine packs are expensive. You can find an Alice for $40 all day long.