Pack selection for newbie
Hello all,
I am seeking advice on getting a lighter pack for backpacking. I went on my first backpacking trip in 20 years last summer using equipment from when I was buying cheap big5 gear. The total weight including food and water came to 56 pounds. When I was younger and broke that kind of weight wasn’t a huge deal but now that I can afford better and lighter equipment I am eager to carry less weight. I will mention that high weight of my trip last year was not only due to the weight of the equipment but also because I packed my fears and to a degree didn’t pack well enough ahead of time (packed my full 1st aid kid, instead of only selecting items that I might need). Since that trip I have purchased the xmid 2 (72oz lighter than the tent I previously used) I also bought the helinox chair zero saving 14oz from last year. I am not strictly looking at going ultralight (I’m taking a chair after all) but I am interested in getting a lighter pack. My previous pack is a big5 special that I bought for $90 back in the day. It weighs 90 ounces. I want to get a better pack. I was set on getting something like the kakwa55 or the ov shadowlight carbon60. Primarily because they are sub 2lb. Should I be looking at those types of lightweight packs or would I be better served by a 3lbs pack that has more features or is more comfortable? Thanks in advance for your advice it is really appreciated.