Reader Reviews

Rating: 4 / 5

I bought my first McHale in 1994...A Std. Alpineer...back in the days of the "Monster Pack" craze. It performed just as advertised but you had to be in great shape to carry those "Monster Loads". Wanting a smaller volume pack, I purchased a UL 0-Sarc W/Zipper in 2002 and love it! I opted for the Zipper becuase I like having access to the lower part of the pack and was use to it since I've carried the Alpineer since 1994. I have not made the jump to "Ultralite" as yet, I guess you can consider me a "Reasonably Lite" Backpacker. Anyway if you are going to carry any weight at all a McHale can handle it! The quality is second to none. I give it a 4 rating because of it's price.....you have to be passionate about Backpacking to pay that premium but in my humble opinion you definitely get what you pay for!

Edited by atonat on 08/05/2005 14:54:39 MDT.

Rating: 5 / 5

Unlike that other guy I'm not going to downrate my McHale 0-Sarc because of it's price! This is the most amazing little pack, especially considering the simplicity. At the point where most of these other packs start to get uncomfortable my zero feels like nothing.

Rating: 5 / 5

The McHale pack is the best pack I have ever used and I have tried many brands from many parts of the world. Yes they are expensive but you get what you pay for, and given that I need a framed pack, I cannot go past a McHale.

They fit, they carry a load well and they are robust.

Rating: 5 / 5

My zero is not the lightest since it was made to be tough for climbing. It always carries so well it does not matter what it weighs to me. If I lost this pack for some reason I would not hesitate to get another. Expensive? When so many things are artificially inexpensive, who can say? Give it a high 5.

Rating: 5 / 5

I have the SARC Chasm version and would recommend this pack to anyone who has suffered with ill fitting mass produced packs. It's a tad on the heavy side, but for me, that's not a problem since I'm over 6 feet tall and have a large frame. The smaller UL packs just don't feel comfortable. With my choice of options, this pack weighs in at 48 ounces.

I have the front pouch, the removable summit bag lid, and two water compartments on either side. Over all construction is beyond rugged - this is a tank of a pack that has withstood rock scrambling, bushwhacking through a dense pine grove, and still manages to look brand new.

The absolute best "hidden" feature of the McHale packs is the removable back rest pad. A quick tear of the hook and loop and it's a nice cushioned seat on a cold rock. The collapsible design allows for minimal weekend trips or longer journeys thanks to the removable frame bayonets that support larger volume loads.

The unique shoulder strap system is useful on heavy loads, but I have removed the slide through load lifters. For small loads, they are of no benefit and the pack easily handles the load without the needed assist. When a larger volume load is carried, it takes a few minutes to slip the strap system back in and effortlessly takes control of the added load.

The difference on my first trip with the pack was very eye opening. I could not believe how much more enjoyable backpacking was since I wasn't stopping every few minutes to fiddle with the straps to find a new place to inflict pain. If you have a large frame and can't seem to get a store pack to fit, a McHale pack is work a look.

Edited by asciibaron on 04/27/2009 17:36:59 MDT.