Hi All:
I am planning my first thru-hike and will be replacing my Gregory Deva 60 with something lighter. ?I will also be getting some sort of minimal communication system to be able to let family know where I am and that all is well.
I would love to hear from women who are in the 5' 1" to 5' 5" height range on packs they have liked. ?On 3-4 day trips I have spoken with people who have loved their ULA Circuit and their Z-packs. ?It seems Nunatak Bears Ears and Gossamer Gear Mariposa are highly rated on the Gear Lab sites. ?The issue with all 4 of these packs is that they do not seem to be offered at REI. ?So, the only way to test these out is by ordering them, loading them, trying them on local walks, and deciding. ?I would love to hear from women about their favored thru-hike backpack so I can short list. ?If you have had a bad experience, I would like to hear about that as well, since that will help me watch for things and maybe remove something from my list.
And, on a separate note, I am also looking into getting something for communication. ?I do not need anything fancy nor should it have exorbitant monthly or usage charges. ?Something where I can send a message to family letting them know that I am okay; and something for an SOS (though I hope I do not need to use it).
I am hoping this is a good year for the JMT -- we did not have the crazy snows of last year, but it was wet enough, so I hope we do not have crazy wildfires like we did in 2020-2022.
Thanks in advance,
CJ?
