McHale Packs
Rob Kleine
and myself. Would like to hear pros/cons form folks who own
them. Thanks! Rob
--
Rob
Sean Lawrence Parker
If you haven't all ready looked, there is a great section on McHale packs
on the backcountry web page.
Sean
Matthew Freedman
Rob Kleine <75141...@CompuServe.COM> wrote:
> Hi all-I'm on the verge of ordering McHale packs for my wife
>and myself. Would like to hear pros/cons form folks who own
>them. Thanks! Rob
Dan McHale is *very* convincing when describing his packs. He makes
all other brands seem like pieces of junk. I found it noticably more
comfortable with a 50 pound load than the Dana Terraplane, and about a
1000 times better than my 9 year old low-end pack. I am picking mine
up tonight (he had one in stock that was my size).
The only real disadvantages are that you will probably have to wait
until late June if you order now, and the cost. He does make a pretty
good claim that for what you get it is actually a great deal.
Here is a bunch of collected McHale stuff from the rec.backcountry Web
server (http://io.datasys.swri.edu/McHale.html)...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
McHale and Co. Backpacks
I recently bought a new McHale Alpineer Standard Bayonet. I bought the
packcloth/cordura version which weighs about 7lbs as opposed to the 5lb Spectra
version which was an additional $300. This pack is rated by McHale at about
5200ci, and 6000+ci extended. These ratings seem very conservative to me. I
think this will suit my needs fine which include SAR work, general backpacking
(summer and winter), some alpine climbing, and a long trip I will soon be
taking to S. America.
I narrowed down the choices to either a Dana Designs Terraplane (mentioned
elsewhere at this web-site) or the McHale. The Dana also seemed to be a good
pack and was very comfortable on me, I chose the McHale because some features
that were not availiable on the Dana, and also because of my perception that it
would stand up to more significant abuse.
This perception was based partially on a story a friend of mine told me about
being somewhere in the Cascades with Dan McHale and watching him throw a pack
of a peak to demonstrate its durability. Apparently the pack slid for some
distance over rock and ice falling from several ledges. After climbing down to
the pack my friend reported that it was still in perfect condition and that the
stays had not been bent.
I was lucky to have a friend who has a McHale so I could try it out (although
it doesn't fit quite right) and look at it. It would be difficult to buy a $500
item sight unseen. The pack is custom made to your measurements by McHale and
delivery takes about 6 weeks. If you have any questions be sure to call McHale
up and ask, he is really friendly and will help you out as much as he can. In
addition to this pack, they make several others ranging from superlight summit
sacks to 9000ci monsters. While the McHale is a super pack there are a couple
of things that I don't like about it. The following is the list of things I
would like to change:
The lower (sleeping bag) compartment is fastened with a zipper only. While it
is a big #10 YKK zipper, this still makes me somewhat nervous. I would like
fastex buckles accross the opening in case of a blowout. McHale says that they
have never had a zipper go out because of the way the pocket is cut to not put
the zipper under any load. I satisfying my paranoia by purchasing the
snow-shovel pocket which straps accross this zipper. This really isn't as bad a
kludge as it sounds as this also makes a nice flap for carrying bulky things.
The crampon patches are doubled material, not plastic. I prefer the hypalon
plastic type of patch on the Dana as this seems much more likely to actually
stand up to crampon abuse. The plastic patches are probably pretty heavy
though.
And now the good news which there is plenty of:
The Bayonet Frame works as advertised. This feature allows you to remove a
section of the pack frame to turn it into a smaller pack suitable for technical
climbs. McHale rates this smaller pack at about 3500 ci, I think that this is
about right. I am amazed at how comfortable the compressed pack is. This is a
super feature.
The By-Pass suspension adjustment system works as advertised. It is very easy
to adjust the pack. Using this system one can quickly and easily distribute the
weight between hips and shoulders as desired. This system is clearly better
than any other which I have tested.
The double-buckle belt works as advertised. You can easily control the angle of
the belt with this system. The belt is not as soft as the Dana Design belt, but
I found it to be comfortable nevertheless. The lumbar pad on the McHale is also
very different from others I have tried, I do not think that it feels as good
with lighter loads as the Dana, but with heavy loads it is much better.
This hip-pack top of the pack is very big, usable, comes with its own hip-belt,
and includes a inner wallet pocket. You may optionally choose to have stiff
webbing sown on to the lid in order to clip it to a climbing harness.
The construction overall is first-rate. This pack is built to last. McHale's
literature states that "as usual, this year the only repairs we made were due
to animal damage." After seeing this pack I can believe their claims about
non-existent failure rates. The pack carries well with heavy loads, feels very
solid and lets one retain reasonable balance. In addition to the snow-shovel
pocket mentioned above I also bought a water bottle holder and a travel cover.
The former is fairly unremarkable, but seems to work, the latter is well made
and designed, easily holding the pack and quite a bit more as well.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Earlier this summer I posted a request for comments to rec.backcountry asking
for suggestions and I got the following responses.
Jeff Deifik wrote:
>My search for a new pack has come down to two finalists, either a Dana
>Terraplane or a McHale Inex. Both seem about equally comfortable to me with
>about 50-60 pounds in them. I haven't tried them with more, but the McHale
>propaganda I have claims that this in one of their strengths. Further the
>McHale literature makes several claims about the strength of their packs v. the
>rest of the industry. What I would like to ask the net's collective opinion
>about is whether or not the McHale is worth the extra $200 for these features.
Their aluminum stay picture is sorta skewed. It has much more to do
with cross section than material 6061 vs 7075. Their 7075 is superior
however.
>For reference I currently have an a TNF Rogue, which I like, but is too small
>for my needs and gets uncomfortable with >35-40 lbs. I do a fair bit of
>mountaineering and backpacking < 1 wk., I am not experienced with expedition
>length trips but am moving that direction.
I had a TNF snow leopard. I was not impressed by its comfort on me,
with around 60 lbs.
>How often have you seen a well made pack like a Dana fall apart; do you think
>that the McHale actually is made better?
My McHale is build like a brick shit house. I carried 65 lbs for 5
days in the grand canyon, and the pack ate it up.
>was thinking that I could get by with about 50 pounds of stuff, but I am sure
>that I would pick up things along the way. How much weight should I plan on
>carrying, and should I go back and try the above packs with more
>weight?
Try the packs with 80 lbs each. Walk around for 30 minutes. It may
quickly show problems that would take hours or days to notice with 50
or 60 lbs.
Plan on carrying as little as you can comfortably get away with. My
ex-girlfriend carried 95 lbs in a small lowe pack (steel weights) for
training. I am a bug guy, so I can hike cross country with 60+
lbs. If you weigh 110 lbs, I would not recommend this.
>regards to McHales bayonet frame, does it hold up well to hard usage?
Seems to work fine. If I pulled them out way often, I could concieve
of some wear. When it is together, it is pretty solid. I had my pack
made in spectra, for lightness and durability. I have returned and/or
repaired a TNF pack, Kelty, REI, Wilderness Experience, Montbell, and
probably more packs that I don't recall. I got tired of it. My McHale
is holding up fine. I am happy with it. It *was* brutally expensive,
but it is pretty comfortable, and well made.
>I had some questions with regard to the spectra cloth that you said your pack
>was made of. Particuarly do you think it is as tough as McHale says that it is
>and how waterproof have you found it. Any other comments as to the
>peculiarities of this material would be appreciated as well.
I have tested the abrasion resistance of the spectra, and found it
quite good. I have a fair amount of literature on spectra from allied
signal (the makers of spectra). It is roughly 4 times stronger than
nylon, and 7 times more abrasion resistant. Dan McHale had the spectra
coated at around $10 per yard, to make it waterproof. Seems to work so
far. It is hard to sew and hard to cut, and the sewing tends to
unravel due to the slickness of the thread. Dan's problem, not mine.
>The lightness of the material is tempting, but I have found that pack utility
>is far more important than weight, further the price really hurts.
I intend to keep the pack for a long time. The extra cost is worth it
for me considering the reduced weight and increased durability. I
spend over a month a year in my sleeping bag, and over 15 days a year
carrying the McHale pack.
Joe Erlich (sta...@holonet.net) wrote...
:For reference I currently have an a TNF Rogue, which I like, but is too small
:for my needs and gets uncomfortable with >35-40 lbs. I do a fair bit of
:mountaineering and backpacking < 1 wk., I am not experienced with expedition
:length trips but am moving that direction.
Your Rouge SHOULD NOT be uncomfortable with 35-40 pounds in it!!!!!
Whomever sold you that pack did not fit it for you
correctly. Obviously, TNF does not make a living off of packs that can
only hold 35 pounds. Please go back to your dealer and get it fitted
right. If you bought it mailorder and want to know who your dealer is,
call TNF at 800-447-2333 X249 and ask.
:How often have you seen a well made pack like a Dana fall apart; do you think
:that the McHale actually is made better?
No and no.
:I a planning on going on a fairly long excursion wherein I will tourmost of
:S. America, including a fair bit of trekking through both theAmazon Basin and
:the Andes. I plan to spend approximately 4 months on this trip with my pack
:being my only luggage. Input would be appreciated from others who have gone on
:similar excursions with respect to the amount of gear you ended up carrying.
:I was thinking that I could get by with about 50 pounds of stuff, but I am sure
:that I would pick up things along the way. How much weight should I plan
on
:carrying, and should I go back and try the above packs with moreweight?
Think around 40 pounds or less. I would say that you need to trim it.
Whomever thinks otherwise is a fool. When in doubt throw it out...
:Any other comments about either of these two pack alone or in comparison with
:the other would also be appreciated. I would especially appreciate comments in
:regards to McHales bayonet frame, does it hold up well to hard usage?
Don't get sucked in to the hype. You already have a perfectly good
pack. Use it. Don't buy any other pack. (And yes, I am a TNF
employee)
Jonathan J. Glover (glo...@sce.com)
wrote...
In article , you
write:
>My search for a new pack has come down to two finalists, either a Dana
>Terraplane or a McHale Inex. Both seem about equally comfortable to me with
>about 50-60 pounds in them. I haven't tried them with more, but the McHale
>propaganda I have claims that this in one of their strengths. Further the
>McHale literature makes several claims about the strength of their packs v.
>the rest of the industry. What I would like to ask the net's collective
opinion about is whether or not the McHale is worth the extra $200 for these
features.
I understand your dilemma. I am currently trying to cost-justify a
big pack. I have received all of the McHale literature and the
instructional video. I have also rented the Dana Designs Terraplane.
I really liked the Dana. I was carrying about 50lbs and was VERY
impressed with the way it carried the weight. I didn't like the fact
that the sleeping bag compartment was a little small. I had a heck of
a time stuffing a 0-degree synthetic bag into it. Otherwise, I liked
the pack.
As for the McHale, the big bummer is that, unless you live in
Washington, you can't demo their packs. I have spoken to several
McHale owners and they love the packs. The fact that you can get
custom colors is a definite plus (your pack won't be mistaken for
another's). The following is an excerpt from a note I received
concerning McHale packs:
>>you dont have to wait for me to log some time with my mchale, i spent 6
>>months in patagonian chile with it! needless to say i love it more than
>>anything else, even my whisperlite!
>>its truly incredible, the pack can hipload everything, really everything.
>>its really comfortable and you'll be able to carry 20 more lbs than your old
>>pack without even noticing! also the bypass system on the shoulder straps
>>are awesome as is the hipbelt which isnt this huge couch on your hip. it
>>hugs and molds itself to your body and that's it, its so comfy!
>>plus, a rainbow of fashion colors! choose yourself. my friend has an
>>awesome pack that is dark blue and dark purple with purple straps and it
>>looks so cooL! really different. i love red so mine is red with yellow
>>straps!
>>summit pushes, i took everything off and bayoneted it to the small size and
>>we were off! everyone was jealous but noone else could use it cause it was
>>custom for me only!
>>i cant say more good things about any outdoor equiptment manufactuer, i
>>really cant and i know them all...
>>save up its worth every penny!
>I am planning on going on a fairly long excursion wherein I will tour most of
>S. America, including a fair bit of trekking through both the Amazon Basin and
>the Andes. I plan to spend approximately 4 months on this trip with my pack
>being my only luggage.
If I were in your position, I would spend the money on the McHale.
These packs don't break (according to Mr. McHale himself). They are
light-years ahead of anything else out there. The "bayonet" feature
spoken of above allows the pack to break down to a smaller, summit
pack. You actually get several packs for the price of one.
Spend the extra money on the McHale. Four months of use will make it
well worth the extra money. Hope this helps!
Hakan Delic (sorry I lost your address) wrote...
> How often have you seen a well made pack like a Dana fall apart; do you think
> that the McHale actually is made better?
My Terraplane is virtually indestructable as long as I don't
deliberately try to destroy it. If you are really concerned however,
you can buy a Terraplane Overkill made of 1000 denier Cordura, which
makes the pack almost bulletproof. The Overkill version costs only
$30-40 more. I don't think the McHale is worth the extra money unless
you must have a customized pack. I doubt you can find anything
sturdier than an Overkill Terraplane or Astralplane.
Gen M. Kanai (Gen.M...@dartmouth.edu) wrote...
After having owned a Terraplane, my Inex Alpineer Bayonet is
mostDEFINETLY worth the extra cash.
Durability? How about 6 months of mountaineering in Patagonia in the
Campos de Hielos Sur and Nord. How about 100+ pounds for more days
than I'd like to remember, but I had a much better time than my
friends with other packs. The McHale is just light years ahead in
terms of design, construction, quality, materials and just plain
philosophy. There isnt really a competition. Dana's competition is
Gregory or Osprey. McHale is on a higher plain, because its better
and more expensive. The bayonet is bombproof as mine is more than 2.5
years old and still like new.
the bayonet mechanism is quite durable. i dont use it every trip but
when i want to use it everyone else is insanely jealous! its really
the only pack with the "bypass" shoulder straps and that fact alone
makes Mchale the best. but then there are so many other things that
make it the best that its really the only one in its class.
mine is an older model not spectra, and i really dont believe that the
spectra model is worthwhile, at least not at that price. you should
be able to save that weight elsewhere. my inex is the 7000 and with
the sidepockets, i'm at over 8000 cis. the dana is about 6000.
those 100+ lb packs were a 16 day ration of food and full
mountaineering gear- ropes, snow anchors, dual ice tools, rigid
crampons, 4 season tents, lots of white gas etc... it adds up fast
please please please do yourself the favor and buy the mchale- it is
my most favorite piece of gear- tops my whisperlite and i really love
my whisperlite. it fits so well (give it a few days to get used to
carrying the load wholly on your hips, i've got callouses on my illiac
crests) no other pack on the market can place 100% of the load on the
hips. this pack can. its also so well thought out, high wear areas
replaceable, fastex buckles replaceable if broken, etc.
other marvels of the mchale is that it carries weight like no other
pack, just as if it were an external frame- that's how strong that
7000 series aluminum is. you dont bend his stays like you are asked
to do with other companies- you cant- at least not without breaking
them.
plus you get a sweet video from dan himself, a
how-to-use-my-pack-and-my-philosphy, the first 45 min is one cut- he
just has so much info and imparts it very well.
basically i am psyched to pay money for the best and his stuff is by
far the best. i'll just shut up now...
e-mail me with any more questions if you want
gen
cheers
gen
From: ra...@carson.u.washington.edu (Ralf Keeler )
My wife and I both own McHale packs and have since 1985. They're
still as good as new also (except dirtier!!) We drop in on Dan
McHale every now and then to see what's new. He's constantly updating
and rethinking his designs. He has the advantage that he can make a
design change instantly since its a small shop.
Go for the McHale!
From: p...@netcom.com (Paul Rubin)
Note that Dana makes an extra-strong version of the Terraplane,
called the Terraplane Overkill. It is made of thicker nylon than
the regular Terraplane, is available in black only, and weighs
a few ounces more.
From: "Kevin S. Klenk"
Dana packs are nearly indescructible, but McHale packs are really
better (hence the higher cost). I can't imagine either pack just
blowing apart. Your decision is really should be made on what pack
feels more comfortable.
I would purchase the McHale if I had the money (I just love
custom-made gear :-) ), but I would also love a Dana. Currently I
have a plain Lowe Contour IV which has suited me just fine for several
years.
From: Larry McVoy
I have an old Astralplane, a pretty big Dana designs, maybe their
biggest, I dunno. I'm pretty happy with it, certainly structurally it
is quite sound. I can carry a lot of weight in that pack, more than
with most other packs.
If you are travelling around partially by vehicles and partially on
foot, you might consider the following buy a big canvas duffel bag and
shove the pack inside the duffel bag before handing it over to someone
else. The drawback is that you have to carry the bag around but the
extra protection for your pack is probably worth it. Packs are not
designed to be thrown around by airline handlers/etc. Unless the
McHale stuff states specifically, I mean specifically, that their
packs are heavily designed to handle being tossed around off of your
back, I wouldn't think that they are any better.
From: wit...@tc.fluke.COM (John Witters)
This doesn't directly answer your question, but I've owned a McHale
Alpineer STD since around 1986. I go backpacking just about every
weekend during the Summer, and occasionally during the Winter. During
the Summer, I go on at least two nine day long outings. I hike an
average of about 400 miles per year. Last Summer I went on an eleven
day outing. My pack weighed about 65-70 pounds at the beginning of
that trip. It held the weight well, and was fairly comfortable
(though heavy!) One weekend I went on a climbing field trip with
about 75-80 pounds in my pack. (Uff Da! Wet ropes are heavy!)
Again, the pack carried the weight well. (I'm sure glad the approach
was short, though!)
The only signs of wear on my pack are that the nylon is fading due to
sun exposure, and there is some rust on the shoulder buckles caused by
my sweat. I did manage to break one of the zipper pulls once when I
was trying to cram something really bulky into my pack. The zipper
itself was still O.K., so I just replaced the pull on it. I noticed
that McHale uses a different kind of zipper now, so maybe this is less
likely to happen.
To summarize, I'm happy with my McHale. It's a rugged, comfortable
pack that can carry a lot of weight. Several of my friends have
bought McHales and they're happy with them too.
Ralf Keeler (ra...@carson.u.washington.edu) wrote:
>> I also have had a McHale. It has lasted through jungles in Asia, and
the northwest mold. My older Northface fell apart in Timor. Do not know
about Dana (spl?)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Image]
Rob Kleine
--
Rob
Rob Kleine
and ordered both packs. You're right about the wait time: he
predicted mid to late june delivery. I'd be curious to hear your
reactions to the pack after you've had a chance to give it a work
out. Rob
Oh, ya, thanks for including the stuff from the Backcountry page.
I stumbled across it several months ago and found it very
helpful.
--
Rob
James Lane
I own three McHale packs; a Zero SARC, a Super SARC, and a Alpineer INEX
Bayonett. The zero is my day pack, the Super for weekender climbs and the
INEX for expeditions. The packs are high quality, and the Alpineer carries
heavy loads much better than my old DANA Terraplane. What's best though,
is that Dan is a climber, and most of the folks who work for him are
climbers, and tons of climbers here in Seattle own his packs; everyone who
owns one of his packs that I know loves it. So Dan is out in the field
testing, and has other climbers testing. He gets great feedback. The packs
are spendy, but they are built to last. And made to fit.
Actually the SARCs I think are a great deal: 275 for the SARC with the
guide harness. Now this is just a barebones pack but I love them for
climbing. I formerly owned a Dana Bomb ($210) pack, and the frame was
totally unsuitable (too light and flexible) for carrying bivy and climbing
gear. So as a day pack, it was worthless to me. The zero SARC is perfect.
When packs are custom fit, they carry so much better than packs you buy
off the rack.
If you're backpacking, I'd recommend the Alpineer series (with the
bayonett, yes it works great!) or one of the other packs with the beefy
harness.
Call Dan and talk to him. Or if he's not there, talk to Mike Burns, a real
nice guy who knows his stuff.
I highly recommend his packs.
In article <3o7ft0$5d4$1...@mhadg.production.compuserve.com>, Rob Kleine
<75141...@CompuServe.COM> wrote:
> Hi all-I'm on the verge of ordering McHale packs for my wife
> and myself. Would like to hear pros/cons form folks who own
> them. Thanks! Rob
>
> --
> Rob