I have been using a WolfPack Gear "Urban Assult" Lumbar pack for a few years. Originally I bought this pack for wildland, but it just didn't carry enough and as you can see I needed to add a CamelBak bladder to the outside. I have since moved it over to my teaching and SAR use. I like having my load low and off my back, not only does it seem to keep me cooler but it also allows another pack (like a hurting students or a medical pack).

You won't go wrong with a Mountainsmith, I have a Tour that I have had since High School and it is a nice little daypack, you can even fit a 1L bladder inside it for on the go hydration.

can't believe I missed this Alan. Great photo. Considering the circumstances.

Thanks for your input.

Talking out loud, its never a bad thing to have extra LBE around. But I have been rethinking my plan again. From what I have read, the Tour pack I tried on is only to hold 20 oz bottles, not the 1L nalgene I put in, which would account for my insecurity at staying in the pocket. I am looking around locally for a Day model to see if there is a big difference in that.

I just ordered a Day with straps. When it comes in, I can check the fit of Nalgenes, take measurements or photos for you when it gets here.

I just took my tour pack and put 32 oz. old gatorade bottles in the bottleholders. They fit fine. That's often the btl size I use with the tour. The holders are adjustable.

Thanks Jeff. I would like to think you are doing this for me, but understand I am occasionally delusional.

Let me know if 1L nalgene bottles fit well. I have read some reviews mentioning Gatorade bottles and bike type bottles, but I don't use those.

Appreciate your feedback

Yes, but unless your carrying a very light load you need some sort of shoulder strap or webbing yoke to take the weight off your hips and stomach. As you appear to have done.

This is one area where the ladies have the advantage. Having hips unlike myself. Any sort of weight means that I either have to cinch the belt uncomfortably tight or use a shoulder strap.


A 1 litre bottle of water is heavy.

@Leigh: This is why I am looking specifically at the Mountainsmith line. They have the Strapette suspenders and I would definitely buy those to compliment.

1L is heavy, 2 lbs roughly, but its the same if in a camelbak or on your hips. Plus its a usable commodity not counted as pack weight.

Part of my inclination to the lumbar system now, is that I have got to a point where I can be UL (ultralight) if I want. I did a hard Grand Canyon hike two weeks ago and my base weight (minus food and water, and admittedly a tent) was under 4lbs. That includes my Go-Lite backpack.

Wait a minute. The whole point of a waistbelt on a backpack is to shift the weight off the shoulders, onto your hips. But you say to use the strapettes on a mountainsmith lumber pack to move the weight off your hips and onto your back?

Mountainsmith strapettes (cost $25) were orignally designed for the mountainsmith day lumbar pack, although they work on other mountainsmith lumbars, including the tour. I have both the day and the tour. I don't use the day because without the strapettes - which I don't own - the day just is too big and ungainly. 'm sure with the strapettes it would fundciton similarly to a daypack, but I already have several excellent ones.

But the tour is great. I have carried close to three qts of water, as well as other stuff in it on day hikes and it's quite comfortable. I think the point is, the weight is where I want it, on my hips.

Anyone interested in my mountainsmith Day, PM me. It's just about new. I think they retail for $80. i would probably charge $35-40 including shipping.

There's a special pack for hurting students?
I always have to improvise with any lab equipment lying around.

The problem with carrying any reasonable sized water bottles in a lumber pack is that they either hang to far off the back or swing around too much - that looks like the ideal solution.

Well I am now a proud owner of the Mountainsmith Day pack. Big thanks and public recognition to TomF. He really affirms yet again the awesomeness of the people on this forum. I really want to thank him publicly for being so stand up. Thanks!

Impressions.
I had only seen, touched and smelled the MS Tour, which as stated I thought was too small for my needs. The MS Day hits the spot I needed. My primary concern was the water bottles fitting with very little worry of them falling out. The mesh holders are perfect for 1L Nalgene bottles. On the Tour they are about an inch shorter, good for sloping bottles like Gaterade or cycling bottles, but I would not trust Nalgene bottles in the Tour. At least the way I am with gear. YMMV.

I have been able to put all my EDC into the pack plus several other items for daily carry and it's just full enough. My backpack had a certain amount of dead space in it. Because the Day is more compact, it feels lighter though I have not yet done a weight comparison. I also bought the Strappettes for the bag. They really do take up the weight.

Next weekend I have a 4-5 hour day hike up Browns Peak, one of the 'Four Peaks' found NE of Phoenix. I will be using the Day as my pack. And will give a write up after wards.