Syncpack Frontpack

“Hey Dub, and others, of course

What do you think of this product for backpacking and photography in particular?

http://www.thesyncpack.com/photography.html

I know it weighs 2.2 pounds but the advantage of distribution may be more important. For photogs this may be sweet.

”

“This will be like an election.....Some for and some against.....\\\

MHO....I have one of these and I use mine for winter treks and use with a day pack pulling my PULK sled.
I carry quick gear like, Glacier Glasses, Camera gear, Water close to my core and it does not freeze, Misc insulators like Hat, Gloves and when I am sweating, I will stow some layers here all without dropping my sled.


It's a matter of what you want out of your experience in the bush and what do you want to refine your tools too.”

“Frig - I know you are not human with regards to being able to carry ridiculous weigh but.........lol

Did you find that moving some weight to the front rode well?

Did the frame hold the unit far enough for your chest/stomach?

Would it be a good fit for our Alaska trip next year?”

“When puling my Pulk Sled i found that this fron pack would give me some better balance.
I will say this about the negative....When you need to peel off layers or open up your trunk, there are some obstacles.

As far as Alaska.....I won't be using mine there, I do however have a summer set up on my 7000 cu inck Granite Gear pack that enables me to carry my quick gear all on my harness and my hip belt. I use the syncpack only during the winter time.
Try it out... heck... part of this backpacking experience is trying new gear and finding out what works and what does not work for you. 10 years from now something else will surface better , lighter, and more appealing.

I some time use mine as an external pack straped to my backpack when i do not use my sled.

I like mine.”

“I try to go light, but (good) photography works against this concept.

If I'm going to a once(maybe not)-in-a-lifetime trip to such a scenic place, I want to take the best pictures I can. I know Dub does too.

I, for sure, will be taking my Canon Mark IIN, 17-40, 70-200 2.8L IS, 1.4X, and tripod. That stuff is heavy and my OTHER stuff is even heavier.

I would think the 70-200, with the 1.4X attached, would fit into one of those water pouches perfectly. With it all in front it would be quick to pop the 17-40 off and pop the 70-200 on if some critter came into view.

For the Glacier NP trip in 07 I had a chest strap for my camera body. It kept the camera from "bouncing" around but the pull on my neck was annoying. I would NOT use the chest strap for anything other than a short trip again.”

“Nice camera.....I agree with you. You might want to go back to Alaska when you see it.
It is said that a picture paints a thousand words, but a man with a camera in hand is still small.

Every angle and every step of our past trip , I wanted to shoot a pic.....I do agree about your quality though.... I know my pics are looke dat every day. That's why I need to go back.”

“Just take along your camera crew like bear does.”

“yogi - LOL, GREAT idea.”

“Refrig, did the front pack block your view of where to put your foot down?
In the Sierra, quite often, you have to watch where you put your foot every step.”

“the-naviguesser/ No....You can see every step. When I first looked at this pack..that is exactly what I was concerned about.”

“i guess if you already can't see your feet over your gut then this couldn't make matters worse.”

“This pack is well worth the money for fast needed gear while on the move.
last edited: 9/16/08 5:00:49 PM”

“like side-scanning sonar for stream crossings or the batteries for an xm radio with bass boost?”

“XM radio------NOW you are talkin'

Back to the Syncpack. I'm thinking of getting this thing. What's the worst that happens? I hate it and dump it on eBay?”

“you would prolly make a profit.”

“Hey man, just saw this post. I too have been looking for solutions because I'm pretty much bringing the same stuff you are, the 30D, 10-22, 70-200 and considering buying a 2x or 1.4x after renting both to test. Troy has a 40D now and is looking for a 10-22, he has a 135mm but nothing longer than that. So we'll have a lot of camera gear on this trip. If you buy that pack and try it out let me know! I really would like something that keeps it off my neck and from bouncing around on my chest. I will probably be using the 10-22mm the most. I have no idea about a tripod yet...I talked to WindWalker, he uses a small lightweight one. I'm gonna see how much a carbon fiber one costs.”

“DON'T get the 2X. DO get the 1.4X

I have both. You can carry my 2X if you want too.....lol I hate it.

IMO you get a better file after cropping the 1.4X than you do with the 2X.

That is from 3 years ago. If Canon has revamped the 2X since, I don't know about it.”

“I think they did release a 2x Mark II, I'll find out how to tell the difference. But I'll seriously take you up on that offer and carry it, saves me about $300!”

“i guess if you already can't see your feet over your gut then this couldn't make matters worse.”
Yogisan
3:59:55 PM
9/16/08


Dude mr yogisan dude remember me dude
blisters okay dude? last time i talked to you dude hey you was in tears.... remember dude? think dude really hard hard dude cause u tried to hide your tears pride dude and everyone in my group dude later said that dude totally rocks
dude you are the greatest climber in history and dude you will find out”

“I'm bringing mine along for this trip.”

“I will be as well.”

“Are you able to see your feet while wearing this thing Chin?”

“I was worried about that before I bought it. Once I hit the trail for the first time I forgot all about it. It didn't hit me til about 4 miles into the hike to even consider blocked vision. I found it to be a total non-issue.

I have only used it on one trip and my pack had some weld issues. I'll be getting my new on soon. I was very pleased with it for a first try. Even though it adds total weight, by redistributing the weight it actually feels more comfortable. I might even go as far as to say feeling lighter. I plan to take it to a local seamstress to modify one of the side pockets to accept a 32-oz Gatorade bottle. The two pockets are Nalgene size.

I had planned on using it for trips where I bring my heavy camera equipment only. I could see me changing my mind and using it more often.

Time will tell.”

“Link?”

“Dangit, guess I'll be ordering one as well.”

“Isn't this thing a PITA to hook up every time you take you pack on and off?”

“I've used one of those small waist packs on several trips. I was able to wear it just above the hip belt on my regular backpack without any discomfort. It's great for accessing items you want handy without having to remove your pack to get at them.”

“My 10mm GAP will be setting on top of mine with a GPS and Iridium phone. Maybe some toilet paper too.”

““Isn't this thing a PITA to hook up every time you take you pack on and off?”

rosey - piece of cake. Like 2 seconds.”

“you can fill it with lead shot... counterbalance the 80 lb pack on your back. if you go to sears i bet they will spin balance you before free if you let them inspect your cars battery.”

“Veddy intahresting. Thank you.”

“i wuz just poking fun of chinmusic... he knows (i hope)”

“Fridge carries a phone?”

“Like I posted before, I got it so I could carry my heavy camera equipment with comfort and quick access. I'm taking nearly 10 pounds of camera equipment to Alaska.

I don't intend to use in on "regular" backpacking trips. But since I have it I may test it out for some of the longer trips.”

“I have rigged daypacks out front on several occasions. Y'all carry on as if this is some kinda superingenious invention or something.

Bastages!”

“It IS a "superingenious invention" if you understood how it connects are redistributes weight while allowing air flow between the pack and your chest/stomach.”

“Hey Chin, how's the Prius doing? Test drove a new Insight yesterday. Thinking of getting a Hybrid as my commuter car.”

“I carry an Iridium DORK”

“Love the Prius. I got over 40K on the thing in less than two years. I'd get a new one if I were in the market.”

“The 2010 Prius looks pretty sweet, solar panel roof, 50mpg, and they are supposed to come down in price to match the price of the new insight you can get fully loaded with nav for $23K.”

“hehe fridge said iridium dork”

“hehehe Yogi said fridge said iridium dork”

“hehe he said it again”

“yo yogi.....i have some climbing gear I would like to give to somebody you may know who is starting out climbimg. 10.5 mm Blue Water rope, Harness....D rings.....figure 8 rescue system. Know anyone?
I am looking also at 2010 Alaska in a very remote section near Denali, Interested?..Early planning...just looking for the few who like beimg on the edge.
last edited: 3/27/09 3:49:33 PM”

“Yogisan...I also have one othose platforms climbers use to set a tent on hanging from a wall, allsorts of cams, and some of this gear I will have to go to MountainGear.com to figure out what it is....I have all of my daughters gear and since she has passed away I think she would want someone to have all this stuff and use it than set and collect dust and decay. She has packs, chalk bags, seems she had it all......Looking for someone you may suggest in need.

Also have several other ropes and at least 30 some cams, and accenders, helmets, and man I have truck load.

Thanks.
last edited: 3/27/09 4:11:33 PM”

“great story...

i sold my jeep cj-5 on ebay to a total stranger. it broke my heart to sell it but given it was broke down in the garage and basically never recovered from the last rebuild attempt i couldn't justify keeping it. i sold the lot on ebay and this dude bought it ALL at the "buy it now" price.

he drove to my place in a uhaul from arkansas and was about the nicest guy you ever met. turns out he was a hard core hiker and had TONS of good g2 on the nankoweap trip i am going on in the canyon this next october.

anyway, we had talked on the phone before he arrived and it turns out he was a RETIRED climber (back problems). well when he got to my place, after we loaded up the u-haul a bit, he pulled out an old military pack (steel frame! i still have and use it on climbing trips!) and he said he wanted me to have it... loaded with climbing gear (cams, stoppers, biners, ascenders, tons of stuff.)

he said as long as i promised to introduce new people to climbing it was mine. now i needed a new set of cams like i needed a hole in the head, but i was so touched i accepted and have kept to my word. a climber builds their rack out of personal preference, their pocket book, ingenuity, and the types of climbing/type of rock they climb. it's as personal as a fingerprint. so this was a big thing for me and it meant a lot that he would choose me.

i don't teach climbing, of course. i doubt i am qualified to teach anything... but i do know that my passion for the sport rubs off on people and i love to take people out for their first time climbing.

anyway, two seasons ago i think i took a pretty bad fall stemming up a grimy chimney. my foot slipped and i was way above my last piece of pro. not a problem normally but there was a ledge below me... rookie move not thinking of the consequences of a fall (which not long after you start climbing isn't hitting the ground...) anyway, i hit this ledge on my a**, flipped backwards, and fell the balance of 30 feet upside down. i wound up staring along the line of the rope (between my legs) looking up at the yellow yales quadcam... one of the ones he gave me. beyond a doubt that piece holding saved my life. now it was a bomber placement and i should have fixed another piece... overconfidence hurts a lot of climbers.

i HOPE AND PRAY that as i age into retirement i have 1/2 the grace and style this guy has. and so here i am thinking, "what are the odds of meeting someone like this... a total stranger... that you connect with at such an intimate level... on ebay for crying out loud."

life is funny that way.

anyway, fridge, hold onto that gear. given the crowd you hang with you WILL find that person. some random climber whose name i give you would no doubt love the windfall of gear, but it wouldn't be the same. you might as well part it out and sell it on ebay and make a tidy sum in the process.

as for alaska in 2010 i think i am going already! meangreen is planning a trip to gota next year... a pipe dream really. going with you to denali would be... well... beyond cool. i was looking at pics of that mountain and it is one of the most amazing places on the planet.
last edited: 3/27/09 8:16:11 PM”

“I ordered mine today, should be here early next week.”

“Damn, had the order screen up for it and a Moose Polarizer then went backpacking/training with the baby and the computer shut off and forget to submit it...gonna do it tonight.”

“i like that! looks like decent air circulation too.

i wonder how sturdy those things are? can they withstand impact? and how bad would those pivot thingies hurt when i land on them?”