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I don't have a digital camera and have never had much interest in photography, however, I know that some do enjoy photos and even prefer photography to shooting, each to their own.

My approach to this is very simple, I just recommend the specific brands that I find reliable and that seems appropriate to me.

I have seen too many "flame wars" here where some make unpleasant comments about certain gear makers or those who prefer some makers to others and I do not see how this benefits anyone, so, I cannot be bothered with such bullsh*t.

I come here to enjoy the camaraderie of various backpackers dicussing the gear they like and not to engage in bashing others as, at almost 66, I really have nothing to "prove" to the infantile few who involve themselves in such antics.

How dare you recommend dana over kifaru! You will know the wrath of the rocky mountain gucci-hunter - lords of the backpacking hunting forum.

It may interest the original poster that, with a little research, patience and luck, you can get four of five properly fit pristine dana packs for the price of one kifaru (or new MR for that matter). There's also this newfangled stuff out there...it makes bright objects drab in color. I think they call it "krylon".

Friends don't let friends buy packs that are offered solely in camo.

Like I tell everyone...fit, then function color be damned.

WTF. I don't give a crap what he recommends, to each his own. And as far as I can tell, I ain't one of the "lords of the forum" whatever that means.

Opinions on which pack is "best" are just about as useful as opinions on which boots are best. There are a bunch of good ones out there and you need to find what fits you and your budget best.

I'm just questioning the specifics of his post, as far as the "cult packs" and "the customer service sucks" remarks because whatever else you say, their customer service does not suck.

It just sounds odd coming from someone who not too long ago sang the praises of the same gear. I'm curious as to the specifics behind his new-found opinion. If Kutenay had an experience wherein he found that their customer service sucked, I'd personally like to hear about it.

The point I was making was in reference to a number of maker's gear and not only packs. As you may know, there have been several gear manufacturers over the past 40+ years, since the lightweight backpacking hobby really became popular that have become so popular that their products reached "cult" status and that still happens.

I have never stated that I thought that ANY specific maker's packs were better than the Dana Design-Bozeman and MR packs I have had since 1978, with the exception of the actual "custom" packs made by Dan McHale. I would not do so as this is what I have experienced and why all my packs, except a Badlands Monster Fanny Pack, used for one specific hunting place here in BC, are DD and MR.

I would not post exhaustive details of pack failures and subsequent actions by ANY maker here as it is not going to help anyone and I am not interested in, as I posted, some stupid brawl about whatever on this site. I have had some very disappointing situations with gear failures over my 56 years of actual backpacking and I have dealt with these and moved on.

Since, as you state, you ...don't give a crap..., the contradiction seems to be yours, not mine. Some here prefer one make of pack, some another and others choose different ones and that is what seems to be at issue.

It is better to withhold information and not be honest about certain "cult" gear around here to avoid the backlash, I think thats kinda sad. I will admit not to long ago I was the one dealing out some of the wraith. Once your mind is not clouded by the cult gear status and you actually use the products more you find what it is really all about.

Notice I did not name names? I guess I don't want to get any backlash either. Lets just say I have had 5 packs and 3 of them had sewing mistakes, 2 of them serious ones. Another one of those packs had some serious wear after 6 months, would not of lasted a year. Maybe the person sewing my pack had taken a "smoke" break at lunch, who knows.

That can be a problem and I suspect that RickBin is not overly keen on having unpleasant issues from other sites wreck the generally pleasant tone of this one; however, my first concern is that many of the gear makers I might use as examples are no longer in business and I doubt that anyone here, whose interest is in packs, etc, would be concerned with gear failures I experienced in 1975 or, for that matter, quite recently.

I left "24Hr." in about March, 2008 and returned four years later and have received many PMs welcoming me back. This and my decision to be ONLY positive about what I post here is what motivates my posts and what I choose to include in them.

Why bother with a lot of angry bafflegab about whose whatever is, well, you know......

I don't care what gear anyone prefers and I happen to have found MR the best production packs and their customer service simply eclipses ANY I have ever experienced from any other maker. That, is what matters to me.

Nah, that's not it at all Kute.

I just think if you're going to slam anyone's products, customer service, or whatever it may be by saying it "sucks" on a public forum like this, you should have the balls to cite some specifics. I don't care who you're slamming.

Otherwise, it's just hot air.

Why bother with a lot of angry bafflegab?? Indeed. Why slam a company and then duck & cover?

I have not ...slammed... anyone here and you seem intent on trying to make some sort of issue about this that is not relevant to the thread. I don't give a rat's ass what you think and you can rant on and on and on, my point is clear and that is that.

NOBODY here has slammed anyone, the comments made are simply what some of us have experienced and perhaps your experience is different. So what, your opinions are no more valid than those of anyone else on this site.

Bullsh**. If you indicate that a certain company's customer service "sucks" and I question that assertion, then it's directly relevant to the thread.

If it's not relevant, then why did you bring it up? You are the one who said it, remember?

Several gear makers I have purchased from have given me very poor customer service in comparison with that I have consistently received from Mystery Ranch, of Bozeman, MT. USA. So, I posted that their customer service ...sucks..., but, I understand that, among some of you younger and more "cool" types, one should really say, "it blows".

I do hope that this helps you comprehend the obvious, as I am done here.

Well, you're right about one thing, I'm definitely more cool than you. And younger. And better looking.

Why don't you do the OP and the rest of us a favor and name the companies with customer service that sucks? It'll save us all a lot of trouble.

Cut away Smoke.

you sound like the 16th century Inquisition, smokepole...
or maybe you are just too cool, too young, and too good looking?
BBerg

Kute, now you've done it! Repent! NOBODY criticizes rocky mountain hunting gucci. FLEECE PANELS RULE!

Nah, that was just a flppant remark in reply to Kutenay's diversionary comments about being young and cool.

It is funny though, that he dodges specifics while it's obvious to people like vek who he's slamming.

He's all horn, and no motor.

At least vek and Big W will say what they mean.

Smoke is cool and good looking but he ain't young anymore.

Exactly. And I don't normally drink beer, but when I do, it's Dos Equis.

This is STILL going on?????? While, Smokepole, may be cool and goodlooking, he also seems a little obsessive and in a rather peculiar way. Perhaps, his judgement here is a little "clouded" and he missed where I posted the issues I had with gear I bought from one maker compared with that from the best production pack maker now working.

I was deliberately trying to NOT ...slam... ANYONE, for the reasons I clearly stated and I really wonder why he has carried this forward to an infantile and ridiculous level?

I think that the best gear actually "speaks for itself" and any gear that has so many issues with QC and, in my recent experience, pretty poor CS, based on actual purchases and use, seems to need a lot of bullshidt bolstering here.

However. just to keep the ultra-cool and stunningly handsome Smokepole, happy, I will list some gear makers and the products-service I received.

Mystery Ranch-consistently excellent in all respects

Integral Designs-excellent products, quick refund on one problem

Synergy Works-cult maker no. 1- hah, none existent

North Face-another cult maker, mediocre quality, tent given away

Van Gorkum Boots-first pair fine, second pair poorly fitted, returned twice at my expense for no improvement, then heel fell off, $970.00 spent, boots tossed in trash. CS sucked.

Paul Petzoldt Equipment- bag too short, denied replacement, sold bag, laughed, another cult outfit but his book is good.

Caravan Sleeping bags-Sweden- THE bag to buy in early '70s, piece of crap, almost froze on five-day solo trip to Kokanee Glacier, sold to bike tripper as no CS. after two tries. This, was AJ Brooks in Vancouver, BC, the Meindl distributors and I do not recommend them, everything here sucks.

Gerry Pack, 1975, waistbelt broke, refund denied, repaired it and my brother used it to haul books while doing his Phd.

Kifaru-Longhunter Rendevous pack came with huge fanfare, had three serious sewing errors, no replacement offered, had to buy new components. Chalked it up to "one of those things" and continued to spend a total of 5K at Kifaru.

Had further QC issues with K-gear, then a major delay when they had a lot of my money for months until a tipi exchange was completed, very poor communication during this time and treated as though I were "lucky" that they were selling me a product.

Next Kifaru deal, paid for items which I was told were "in stock" and would be shipped immediately....they had my money for about three months, were very evasive when I called and when they finally shipped, they told me that they had not had them in stock, as per the original order.

This CS sucked and Kifaru is another "cult" company in my experience with them. Too bad, but, "actions speak louder than words".

I had thought to avoid all of this and there is more, as I see little benefit to any of it, however, there it is. Mystery Ranch packs are better-made than Kifaru packs and the comparative customer service is light years beyond what most of mine from KS was and I did not post all of it, just enough to make my point.

Some, will no doubt, have comments about this, based on friendship with the owner of Kifaru, Smokepole is in that group. Well, whatever, this is not "slamming" anyone, it is simply posting the facts of my experience.

Smoke may be younger, maybe more cool,but, NO question, I am way better looking and much sexier!!!!!!