My first overnighter with my Timberline 1

[husky390]

I took my wife on her first overnight backpacking trip this weekend. She had a great time and is now hooked. The weather was perfect, scenery was beautiful and we had the whole lake to ourselves after about 3pm. I weighed my pack before we left and it was at 50lbs without water. I added a couple items at the last minute before leaving so I'm guessing it was in the 60-65lb range. A lot for an overnighter but "Happy wife, happy life" rules applied. The pack did pretty good. I'm dealing with some belt fitment issues as it keeps wanting to slide down, but I can't cinch it down too tight as it will pinch the crap out of my back and hips and cause IT band and sciatic issues. Shoulder straps felt great and the pack did pretty good. Seeing how stuffed I had this thing, I'm really starting to want an EMR II. Here's some pics from the trip, I have a lot more but didn't want to clutter up the forum with all of them. Happy 4th of July and thanks to all of those who have or are serving this great Country.

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

That's awesome! Haven't convinced my wife to do it yet. She still thinks camping is driving to a predesignated camp spot. Smh.

As far as the back issues with cinching to tight, I've had similar issues but found if I raised the belt slightly (maybe 1/4-1/2") they quit and I have spinabifida (not sure on spelling) in my lower back. I always have to play with it a bit to get it just right but once i hit that sweet spot I'm good to go heavy as I want.

 

[husky390]

My wife is a city girl and never really camped until she met me. She was very apprehensive about this trip but last night she said this was her most favorite style of camping which shocked me. So, tomorrow we're off to REI to find her a backpack and a Q-Core pad for me as she's claimed mine.

I need to work with the shoulder strap adjustments a little more. Dropping some more weight will help too. Off of me, not the pack.

 

[realunlucky]

Congratulations you found the way to get into the back country more bring the wife along

 

[chippewawarrior]

What stays do you have? My brother-in-law was having similar issues and switched from the composite regular stays to flat back stays. That took care of the problem instantly. If you already have aluminum stays, bend them to fit your back exactly and do what live2hunt suggested. Also, you could also go to the hardware store for lighter aluminum stays...

Prior to the introduction of the bikini frame and composite stays, Evan Hill of HPG steered me towards 1" wide by 1/8" thick stays. The Kifaru aluminum ones are 1" wide by 3/16" thick for additional strength. The thinner stays allow the pack to flex better on your back without losing lifting strength. So, I went down to ACE Hardware and bought 1"x1/8" aluminum flat stock, cut it to length, dressed the corners up with a grinder, bent the stays to fit my back, and put them in my G1 Longhunter. Subsequent hikes showed me that that the thicker stays were exactly the reason that tensioning the load lifters always resulted in discomfort. With the 1/8" thick stays, the pack started performing much better, where it molds nicely to your back under a load and tensioning the load lifters brings the load closer to your center of gravity rather than pushing your shoulders up flat against the frame. It's a cheap way to go. I think at the time I spent $14 on the aluminum stock. So, if it doesn't work for you you're only out the $14...

The composite stays work perfect for me, and I believe it's because the bikini frame (combined with the stays) flexes much better. My old G1 felt like a board strapped to my back until I changed the stays. Your situation is a little different using a Timberline because the Longhunter has the frame sheet for additional rigidity.

Think about it?

I enjoyed the pictures. Still can't get my wife to go, but my 9 year old will...

 

[husky390]

I believe they are composite. I'll have to try your tip with the aluminum stays.

Here's some more pics that finished downloading.

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

That's beautiful countryside! How far in did you go?

 

[SHTF]

My wife is a city girl and never really camped until she met me. She was very apprehensive about this trip but last night she said this was her most favorite style of camping which shocked me. So, tomorrow we're off to REI to find her a backpack and a Q-Core pad for me as she's claimed mine.

I need to work with the shoulder strap adjustments a little more. Dropping some more weight will help too. Off of me, not the pack.

You mean off to SHTF's house to buy her a pack. haha he texted me tonight I have the same exact pack he was looking at for his wife sitting here collecting dust. I hope this will fit her. Talk to you tomorrow man. You gotta take me to this spot. Looks beautiful. How was the fishing?

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

You mean off to SHTF's house to buy her a pack. haha he texted me tonight I have the same exact pack he was looking at for his wife sitting here collecting dust. I hope this will fit her. Talk to you tomorrow man. You gotta take me to this spot. Looks beautiful. How was the fishing?

We should all be so lucky as to have the SHTF depot local.

 

[SHTF]

We should all be so lucky as to have the SHTF depot local.

Haha... Right. I should start a outdoor gear store.

 

[GoatNuts]

Nice pics! We made it into the back country ourselves too. I started with an annual 4th of July overnighter a few years ago and every year she makes it further and further back with me. Its kind of turned into a tradition for us. This year I pushed it a bit and she was no longer having fun by the time we made it to the campsite (she wasn't as sure footed the last 3 miles in the snow). I drooped the tent, bedding, and stove and went out to set my cameras. When I got back to camp the tent was up, beds were made, and dinner was on the stove

The best part is all her girlfriends saying how jealous they are that she does this stuff with me while their husbands are still nursing their 4th of July hangovers.

 

[PA 5-0]

Looks like an awesome trip by those incredible pics. You r a lucky man. My wife's idea of roughing it is a 4 star hotel.

 

[7mag.]

Great pics guys. Congrats on getting the wives involved. My wife just told me last week that she wants me to take her on an easy trip to try it out. I hope she likes it.

 

[tstowater]

I took my wife on a hunting trip to New Mexico last year. She stayed in the hotel in town and read and checked out the town while I went hunting. We are going to New Zealand next year. Me to hunt and she will enjoy the scenario. She claims that she won't go along on hunting trip as she thinks that I will leave her if she gets hurt and can't continue. Personally, I think she could do better than she thinks, but I'm not pushing. Besides, getting her away from the kids for a couple weeks will cause all the stress and anxiety that she can stand.

Cool lookig trips with the wifes.

 

[husky390]

That's beautiful countryside! How far in did you go?

Surprisingly, not far at all. It's a 2.6 mile loop trail that we were on that was uphill on the way in, downhill on the way out so it was a great beginners hike. We're going to try to and get at least 3 more trips in and a 14er this summer.

Fishing was good, lots of top water action. This was my first time trying to fly fish but I at least caught a little guy. Mainly by accident when my fly went underwater and I was pulling in the line to re-cast. Still a lot of fun though.

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

What is the elevation change from trailhead to lake? How good of shape would you say your wife is in? Trying to gauge how well my wife would do something like this. She used to go hunting with me and where I went then it was 1.5 mile round trip but only maybe 300-400 foot of elevation change.

 

[husky390]

SHTF got me straightened out today on pack fitment. Shoulder straps were way too long. Thanks buddy.

 

[Muledeernv]

Nice pics looks like a lot of fun glad your wife had a good time still trying to get my wife to go with the boys and I

 

[chippewawarrior]

I didn't think of that? Glad you got the pack fit worked out!

 

[bz_711]

Great pics and congrats to all the guys getting out with the ladies...

I just posted yesterday of my wife and I's first backcountry overnighter...my wife also prefers 4 star hotels, but this trip was actually her idea and she enjoyed it...so I'm hopeful there will be more in the future. Unfortunately we live 13 hours from the mountains http://www.rokslide.com/forums/showthread.php?19227-My-first-backpacking-experience