"Yuppie Packs" | Squat the Planet

"Yuppie Packs"

TBone

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I've been hauling an old Alice Pack for awhile now and it's done me good. It's bullet proof ,with different straps it's fairly comfy if the loads not much over 30 lbs and it is also pretty spacious.

I had a chance to try on a Kelty Coyote I think it was and god damn that thing was light years away in comfort and mobility. One thing I always liked about the Alice pack though is it didn't raise any eyebrows in the sense that you don't look "out of the ordinary" or a target for others to fuck with you. I'm just wondering if anyone who has had "nicer" gear like the afformentioned has ever caught any shit or had it been more of a burden than just sticking with a good ol' shit pack.

I may be looking into saving up for one of these just for the fact that I think it will open up ride opportunities. I've more than once missed a train on the fly because that big ass alice pack was sticking 2 feet out behind me flopping around and I didn't have two hand holds and couldn't get up the ladder.

I know a few of you carry some higher dollar packs and am just wondering if the price is worth it in durability, comfort, capacity, mobility whatever.
 
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mr_ugly

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i actually carried a kelty coyote traveling this summer and loved it. i had about 20-25 lbs of gear + food and it was never a burden... i got it from rei real cheap, someone returned it because of a "broken" zipper and it was like $45...

if there is some hobo point system for your gear i must have missed out.. nobody ever gave me shit on the rails because of my pack...
 
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jack ransom

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I think sticking with dark colors (spray paint, anyone?) and a low-profile look (fuck the gadgets, you just need a pack) will help you out fine. the vast majority of serious train riders I've met have made the switch over to yuppie packs rather than alice packs which makes sense. the way the hi-tech shit hugs your body so nicely and the amount of stuff you can fit in one comfortably is totally unmatched and makes getting on and off really easy. its awesome to have a pack that'll do you good all summer long and then when the weather gets tough you've got enough room for extra food and an extra blanket. pretty dope.

the whole "hobos do this, hobos do that" thing is silly. do the things that meet your needs and fuck the haters.
 
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dirtysmellykid

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what doyou mean yuppie packs? like the kind you see at REI for 100$?

i like my green alice pack. Its comfy, my size and fits everything good :) and greens my fav colour..
 

Poking Victim

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Fuck anyone who deliberately uses cheaper gear for punk points. I've never really gotten shit for my pack, though someone threatened to cut the straps off in an unrelated incident. If you're going to pay for one, go to REI and then you can keep exchanging packs when something breaks.
 
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dirtysmellykid

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punk points, thats fucking stupid. be true to yourself not do shit to gain attention by other punks. More likley to be liekd by being yerself than somethin yer not.

i like the mountain hiking packs at REI, theres some good quality stuff with those packs.
 

TBone

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When I said "caught any shit" I meant more as getting it stolen by someone, looks like something worth stealing or something along those lines, not "punk points". I'm usually riding solo so that shit doesn't even matter. I've just gotten off in some areas of Chicago and other cities that I was glad my shit was looking kinda ragged.

I was thinking of hitting it with some flat black or olive though just because I can't stand the colors that a lot of those packs come in and for the "sneak" factor.
 
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finn

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That's a new one, threatening to cut someone's backpack straps... That would be a pain to fix though.
 
i have the awesomest back pack ever its super bright pink really dirty and it sez extreme .....oh ya and it has a spider web made out of duct tape. it fucks with ppls heads hardcore especially when ya can't tell im a chick (it happens fairly regularly)
 
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Clit Comander

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jack ransom said:
I think sticking with dark colors (spray paint, anyone?) and a low-profile look (fuck the gadgets, you just need a pack) will help you out fine. the vast majority of serious train riders I've met have made the switch over to yuppie packs rather than alice packs which makes sense. the way the hi-tech shit hugs your body so nicely and the amount of stuff you can fit in one comfortably is totally unmatched and makes getting on and off really easy. its awesome to have a pack that'll do you good all summer long and then when the weather gets tough you've got enough room for extra food and an extra blanket. pretty dope.

the whole "hobos do this, hobos do that" thing is silly. do the things that meet your needs and fuck the haters.
i have a karrimor condor 65. it some stupid rei pack from the 70's that i got hooked up with.
when i got it it bright red and blue, which is completley unacceptable for hopping so i stole a couple cans of black spray paint and painted it black. but after a while the paint fadded so now my pack just looks like its covered in train greese. but it worked
 
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jack ransom

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Poking Victim said:
Fuck anyone who deliberately uses cheaper gear for punk points. I've never really gotten shit for my pack, though someone threatened to cut the straps off in an unrelated incident. If you're going to pay for one, go to REI and then you can keep exchanging packs when something breaks.


hell yeah. REI's return policy is legendary.

Clit Commander said:
i have a karrimor condor 65. it some stupid rei pack from the 70's that i got hooked up with.when i got it it bright red and blue, which is completley unacceptable for hopping so i stole a couple cans of black spray paint and painted it black. but after a while the paint fadded so now my pack just looks like its covered in train greese. but it worked

nicely done m'man.
 
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jack ransom

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TBone said:
When I said "caught any shit" I meant more as getting it stolen by someone, looks like something worth stealing or something along those lines, not "punk points". I'm usually riding solo so that shit doesn't even matter. I've just gotten off in some areas of Chicago and other cities that I was glad my shit was looking kinda ragged.

I was thinking of hitting it with some flat black or olive though just because I can't stand the colors that a lot of those packs come in and for the "sneak" factor.

I think that with the amount of kids who ride trains with nicer packs, you're probably fine.
 

mr_ugly

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TBone said:
I was thinking of hitting it with some flat black or olive though just because I can't stand the colors that a lot of those packs come in and for the "sneak" factor.


my pack came green/grey and i hit the light green parts with black ink.. that made it a lot less conspicuous, and after about a month it was just fucking dirty..
 
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jack ransom

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most traveling kids don't go to big. Ive been reading around on the internet about the pack I use that I consider to be pretty big and most of the people are like "oh its great for long weekend trips or something like that" which is crazy to me because its the biggest pack I've ever had and I can live out of it for months.
 

TBone

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I've been thinking about that too when reading about the packs. I think the difference is though when traveling you'll find yourself in urban areas a lot more often and can replenish food, water, and other supplies. If you were hiking in the back country and had to carry almost everything that would last you the trip you would probably need some serious space.
 

rootsong

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i've got a $30 pack from army surplus that is kinda like one of those nice packs -- straps to strap on bedroll, etc., several pockets, fold over waterproof top -- except it's cheaply made & some things are already breaking (from not too much use) & i'll have to replace it but when i do, goddam it, i'll work and save up some money and get a decent pack. it's worth it to have a pack that doesn't kill your back, (the nice ones are good about that) -- that you can strap your stuff to, organize your shit, and know that it's tough. fuck anybody who thinks your gear makes you fake, not punk, yuppie, whatever. i've gotten some shit in the past not for my pack but my smartwool base layer shirt, which i have coz it keeps me warm like a sweater but it's tiny to pack-- kid thought it was too nice, that i was some fake yuppie traveller, i walked away. i think that's all bullshit. just because i find work & don't blow all my money on booze and drugs to buy something functional that works with my lifestyle, doesn't mean shit except i'm resourceful.

but yea, i'll still dull-down the appearance... not for the punks, but for the potential thieves that might take a mind to jump be coz i've got a good pack, & for the yard workers that don't look kindly on rich yuppie kids riding the rails. & it just feels wierd, having really nice new shit... i like being at least somewhat dirty.
 
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Hoghead Bob

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My at home terminal grip is a Camelbak "Motherload" that was an expiremental USMC pack. It was a give me by my friend that worked for Camelbak, they couldnt sell samples so he was always hooking his friends up with stuff that would have been cut up and thrown away.

Anyway its a good sized pack, and it has a hydration blatter.

My away from home grip is a Tuffbag, but its like a duffle. (Not real rider friendly.)
 

pola negri

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I have a yuppie pack but I don't really have a choice because I have medical condition with my back. I have made my own bags before but halfway through one trip my back hurt so much I had to buy a different bag real quick, and my only option was something fancy. It wasn't cheap, but it was huge and it was comfy. No one ever said anything directly to me but yes, I have caught a lot of shit...it's like everyone judges you by your bag. It's like if I had a piece of dumpstered Filson cloth sewn together with dental floss I would be more 'cool' or something. Whatever. It's lame.

Same thing with huge bags...why judge people for it? Who cares? Sometimes I carry a huge bag because I am hopping to see family, bringing gifts, or carrying film equiptment or cameras. It's always funny when I run into crusties because they assume I am new and don't know anything, when in some cases I have hopped more than them....whaaaaaatever.
 
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kai

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those swiss military packs aren`t as nice as yuppie bags but have the advantage of being two sizes ot meet your needs and totally waterproof which is good. However the comfort and weight of a yuppie bag also makes them totally worthy to own and way more comfortable for long term travel. But of course there`s both disadvantages and advantages to both..after some southern british columbia rains and rain days in 48s I quite like knowing all my clothes will be dry when I wanna be warm, but sometimes the small of my back sure is mad about that awful leather strap digging into it.
 
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