What product do you think would be a terrific idea, but the manufactures just aren't making yet? I've got two that come right to mind. An eVent stuff sack like Sea to Summit makes with a fleece lining to make into a pillow. Would also love to see Swiss army offer a custom shop so I can get a knife with the items I want in it without having to have a combination with a bunch of items I don't want.

Yeah, I got one
A small economical point and shoot camera with wireless remote-We got remoted to start cars open doors etc....but no camera??

The world is chock-a-block with great gear... the only area I see going backwards is packs.

Packs are getting lighter yet with less comfortable suspensions.

My "ideal" pack would be 5,000 ci's, a simple sack with double daisy chains, top lid, and nothing else besides compression straps and a couple of water bottle pockets... no zippers except on the top lid. Suspension would be of the old Dana Design, Arcteryx Bora, Osprey Crescent variety... in other words, a Bloody Great Sack hung on a real suspension.

A Dyneema body with 500 Denier Cordura bottom would be perfect.

My Pentax Optio 90W have a wireless camera. Waterproof, 10+ megapixel, 5X zoom, and 7 oz, plus the wireless remote.

Hmmmm...

I'd like to see S&W bring back the 296, with a 4" barrel.

Other than that, backpacking and living in wild places is supposed to be a bit of a challenge. I figure with a flyrod and an axe, I'm not going to starve between May-late November

I would really like a Kayak paddle that can be broken down in two pieces and 4 pieces. Two of the 4 pieces can telescope 12" up and down the other two are fixed. The two piece sections can be used as trekking poles, the 4 piece sections broken down fit well in the pack for heavy brush. The single section without the paddles on it would telescope well enough to be a center pole for my tipi shelters.

Oh and it weigh in at less than 3 lbs for the complete paddle.....dream on

And this idea coming from the guy that said "To me it just seems to be trying to re-invent something that really doesn't need to be re-invented."

Seriously, your paddle idea is very good. I like multi-purpose gear as long as there is no loss of function.

You could probably make a paddle from one of our center pole / trekking pole's, just have to fiddle with it.

I agree with Brad that most packs are made for comfort and not load hauling. The difference between my old osprey and the framing on a new one is remarkable. The old Silhouette followed the basics of good load hauling. The new ones in my opinion, totally discard that in favor of comfort.

I'd like to see a lightweight pack with a load hauling frame, that does not have an attached nylon body. Lightweight nylon is ok, if it's easily and inexpensively replaced. If the nylon is not easily replaced then Dyneema, Cordura or Dimension Poly is the way to go.

That is one of the great things about the Epic, put in a bag easily that suits your needs, however it could be improved for load hauling with a minimal gain in weight, perhaps even a weight subtraction.

Kevin, I had an Osprey Xenith (very similar to your Silhouette)... was about the most comfortable pack I've ever used. I disliked enough things about it (loaded with gimmicky stuff) but it was a great pack.

Really I shouldn't have sold it!

I tested an Osprey Argon 85 this past summer. Uncomfortable POS.

Mchale offers a dyneema pack, or did, they may have switched to cuben fiber now.

I suspect store comfort is more important than load comfort. The new one's, even the load hauler have a very light frame, set a ways from your back (bad COG) , and most of the load lifters don't work well if you are on the upper end of size limits (which ironically sales folks always tell you to step down a size if you are a tweener). The silhouette, has working load lifters, and a real frame, set close to your back for good COG, plus the pack bag is smaller on the bottom , so you can't stuff to much on your arse and mess with COG. The new ones are almost exact opposites in design. Heck I don't find externals to bad. I have an old Jansport with a really small external frame, that is wonderful. I could get around two pounds with it really easily by making a light bag or sling + bag.

I guess in the grand scheme of things, we are a small group of folks that wander difficult terrain, with heavy loads, self supported, so we aren't a large group in the grand scheme.

I've contemplated making a new bag for the silhouette, since the old one is pretty well beat (but it's an early 90's pack made in Dolores Co). The frame is very effective.

I'm 100% with you guys on pack design. Brad's criteria for the perfect pack is very close to mine.

HAHA....true. I guess that came out wrong when I said it. Only because there is already trekking poles that work for tipis right now. But looks like there are plenty of folks that share your thoughts, so I am likely just missing it, no suprise there An adjustable paddle trekking poles that are strong enough to act as a decent white water paddle. I figure if they can make 2 pound kayak white water paddles someone with the know how ought to be able to make the ends telescoping for a pound weight penatly (which is quite a bit of leeway)....now that would be a stout center pole as kayak paddles are hell for and they are along on a lot of my adventures anyways. Kevin/Ed...you guys got the know how I bet, I'm a mechanical idiot when it comes to building stuff

Why not a 2 piece pole that you could carry inside your paddle? I know it would add a bit of extra weight but it wouldn't take up any room.

Mainly cause there would be no real advantage over that and carrying trekking poles I guess. I would like the it to do triple duty as trekking pole, kayak paddle, and center pole for tipi.

I would like to see a lightweight backpacking stool or chair. Something like a tripod type design that will get you up off the ground. Something you could kick back in, maybe semi recline with lower back support would be nice.
It would need to fold up compact and be under 1 pound.

Crazy Creeks are fine but I want to sit off the ground,not just have something between your butt and the ground.

I've been running this around in my head...may have to try and build one myself. I know I can get there with wood but that will end up too heavy. Probably would have to have some type carbon fiber frame to meet strength vs. weight criteria.

I still can't believe that Patrick is completely turned off to the idea of the "crapper flapper" attachment for his Geezer Pleezer. I've said it before... I don't care how indigenous people of the world [bleep]

I'd backpack this if it weighed under 5 Lbs.

I'm on it Dan

JK


You could get it pretty lightweight though.

Alaska Lanche , what is the diameter of the end of the paddle ?

Kevin

Kevin,

I am away at work until Wednesday....I'll get back with you when I get home to mic the paddle diameter. Do you want the inside or outside diameter?

For a while, Olympus made a lot of them. I still have the remote from an old C-750 that works on my OLY DSLR. I don't know why they quite making them for the P&S's. It's far more useful than a self timer.

Lanche

Both ID / OD would be best , then I can tell if it is feasible.

I had someone else ask about the same thing last year.

Most of what I want is not new, it's old stuff that's no longer available. They had a right idea, then changed their mind.

I know they're not fashionable anymore, but what I'd like to see is at least a partial return to external frame packs. I see the value of internal frame for technical climbing but for trail use, even 99% of off-trail use, the pros and cons of external vs internal frame are overwhelmingly in favor of external pack frames.

The absolute best backpacking pack I've ever seen, by a wide margin, is my old 1980 vintage Kelty Tioga II. The only things that could be done to improve it is add an internal sleeve for a hydration bladder and better attachment points for external gear like fishing rods held vertically instead of horizontally.

Mine is about 4600 cubic inches. If they'd offer the same features in a 3500 and a 4000 cu in pack, they'd have real winners.

Other things?

Buck should bring back the model 110 with a titanium handle.

A slightly smaller collapsible bucket that would go clear inside a pack.

More fishing tackle makers should make pack rods with slightly shorter segments, say 14-15 inches, that actually fit inside packs rather than having to be attached crosswise to the outside.

Hammocks with slightly insulated bottoms that don't require a separate pad or quilt for medium temperatures.

Finally, a freeze dried axe. I love a good axe but they're heavy. I think freeze dried axe, just add water, would be cool.

Tom

close but a pound and a half over your required weight.
http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___41193

Tom here's your bucket
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...&subdeptNum=50752&classNum=50753




close but a pound and a half over your required weight.
http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___41193

...and the paddle blade be usable as an axe.

I thought perhaps the paddle blade could be opened up and used for what Dan would like to see , Perhaps you could use a rollup wood stove as the frame platform

I have built 4 piece paddles for folks before. I worked for a manufacturer.
I would use a longer ferrule in the center that would let you adjust the length and feather angle. Using standard ferules near the blades so those can be taken off. But as far as performance.... any break down paddle is going to be heavier and have some slop in it compared to the same design with a one piece shaft. You can probably get the ferrules if you contact the company and do it yourself - it isn't that tough...hacksaw, epoxy, a drill...a shot or two of Jack Daniel's...

I want to see a blaze orange soft shell vest. Something like a kuiu guide With a nice fit. I'm not shooting skeet and I'm tired of picking burrs out of my fleece

Paddling might clean it.

My buddy Ed's old lady even told us the only way she's going on a trip with us is if there's a proper place to drop a duece...

No kidding.

It's seriously a product that needs to be manufactured

And that would be Dan's other brother Ed, not me

It's called a Gregory Makalu Pro, wanna buy one?

Had one. Not even close to what I described... crappy, light suspension and stays are not removable to be individually customized.

Just one in a long line of brain farts for the post 1980's Greogoy Pack Co.

When it comes to load-bearing harness systems and the packframes they support, Frontier Gear of Alaska is by far and away the best there is when it comes to durability and comfort when under extreme load (100-200 lbs).

Correct I'd hate for a reputable member of this forum to be guilty by association. From now on, Brother Ed will be referred too as my "Sugar Daddy"

I know what you mean I have a old Bora 40 and love it! Have you tried the deuter packs? Thel look to have a nice suspension system.

EdT


EdC


My ex wife was around camp too

That Guy in the back on that first picture is dead sexy! Lord he's getting bald fast though!

Haha!

Brad, no way in hell am I going to tell Patrick Smith what you said


I'm losing it in the front fast, goes with being Irish

I prefer to think of it as "Thigh Burn"

Big W

I never did hear how the next night in Missoula went?

Being that you weren't incarcerated for any length of time tells me that is was "fun enough"

That looks good. Thanks!!!

Tom

Another thing .. might be out there .. is some kind of lantern that runs on the same small gas cartridges as a JetBoil ..

Yep, they to TOM. A few companies make them.

I believe you are looking for something like this:
http://www.katerno.com/detail.php?s=92796

Thanks. I'll check into that.

Checkout the Outdoorsman. Was at the SCI show in Vegas last week and they had a really light weight chair on display.

this should be the link:
http://shop.outdoorsmans.com/product.sc?productId=110&categoryId=24

Is this one of the Dana Design packs you were refering to?