I'm going to be in Portland next week on Tuesday. Richard Fischel suggested that I visit Cliogear to try on packs, but he said to do so on a Wednesday, and while their packs look very nice, they are out of my price range.

Anyway, my main focus will be trying on lightweight packs. Who should I see?

I know Oregon Mountain Community (e-omc.com) carries a number of the lightweight Osprey packs such as the exos and hornet series. Might want to give them a look.

Don't forget The Mountain Shop (http://www.mountainshop.net/) and Next Adventure (http://nextadventure.net/) (the latter also has used gear). Next Adventure is a dealer for ULA packs. Oregon Mountain Community has already been mentioned.

Also, check out Ron Moak's Six Moon Designs (http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/) out west of town in Beaverton, which makes excellent lightweight packs and shelters. They are a "cottage" manufacturer, not a retail store, so call a few days ahead for an appointment. It is possible next Tuesday that Ron may not be back from the Pacific Crest Trail Kickoff in southern California, but surely someone will be around!

I recently discovered "Only The Lightest Camping Equipment," in Troutdale (east on I-84). (http://www.hikelight.com/index.html) It has been around for years but somehow I hadn't discovered it. I haven't been to visit yet, but plan to go soon. They are mail order and carry lots of lightweight and cottage manufacturer gear. A lot of the "cottage" gear is from Six Moon Designs across town. Again, I'd call a few days ahead for an appointment. If you can't get to both this and Six Moon Designs, hit Six Moon first!

Finally, backcountrygear.com in Eugene is great. I've had excellent customer service from them. Every time I order, "Brown" brings the package to my doorstep the very next day. They do have a retail showroom you can visit.

Box up the rest of your gear and take it with you so you can try the packs on with your gear inside. Ron Moak of Six Moon Designs will insist on this, and I'm sure the other places will be happy to help you, too. There's a lot of difference between sandbags and the gear you're actually going to carry!

Of course there's the downtown (Pearl District) REI. I've never had much luck with lightweight gear there, but it still might be worth a look. Don't bother if you've been to the one in Eugene.

Edited by hikinggranny on 04/24/2012 20:58:09 MDT.

Next adventure carries some ULA packs

http://nextadventure.net/

and i need glasses so i can read the other posts better:)

Edited by onelyte on 04/24/2012 20:34:23 MDT.

Cori, I agree! I keep having to zoom in. It's either that or hunch over the keyboard with my reading glasses! I swear the print is getting finer and finer here!

Edited by hikinggranny on 04/24/2012 20:51:29 MDT.

Good to hear that its not just me.:)

If you've got a limited amount of time, I'm just going to say don't waste your time at Oregon Mountain Community.. imo. Over the years they have moved more and more from a retail shop to an e-shop and their customer floor space has shrunk accordingly. My personal experience has been off-putting, though it has been a year or more since I've been in, prior to that I found them to be somewhat aloof/elitist almost on multiple visits.

Visiting graham at cilo gear is worth the time even if the packs are out of your range for cost. I went there a few years ago and it was a really good time.

Mary, Carl -- most browsers have a way to change the font size on the fly, or set a minimum size.

(He said, peering through reading glassed into the tiny screen on his netbook. I'm using Chrome and "Ctrl +" enlarges the text, "Crtl -" reduces it.)

What browser are you folk using? PM me.

The font size question has been addressed on another forum. Evidently a temporary thing because all seems normal today (i.e. I can actually read what I'm typing here without reading glasses!).

Thanks, Matt, for the reminder about OMC. I've heard this from others--I haven't been there in several years.

Next Adventure, though, is high on everyone's lists in this area. Especially now that they have some ULA packs.

"That Other Jack" (love the username--clever way of solving the situation!), do go out to Six Moon Designs if you possibly can! My pack is from them and I love it!