I found this pack on ebay the other day. Its even cheaper then the used packs from the outfitters. I know it won't be as nice as the others (Kondos, CSS, etc.) but I'm on a tight budget. Chinook Chemun

Whoooo!!!..that is a copy/clone of the Woods,Bill Mason Pack!!!..which go's for about three time that price..China knock off i'll bet..have a look at the Woods site.that one looks good but i would want to kick it around the block a bit before i bought one...i'm going to keep rambling on here for a second..for a bit more you could buy a basic Duluth Pack,the one with the cloth and not leather shoulder straps and have a real portage pack.that one has the "bells and whistles" look,water bottle holder,grab strap and so on that is made to sell the item..but still...maybe..???

If you're tight on budget, maybe you'd rather rent a pack from an outfitter instead of putting out money for a pack you're most likely going to have to replace sooner than later. Never heard of this brand and never seen it mentioned on this site which might not be a good omen. Most cliches are true: you get what you pay for.

Looks ok to me.

Looks ok to me.

Probably be fine my Granite Gear #4 pack was made in Vietman, which surprised me when I looked at the tag after I got it, I figured that they were American made.

I also picked up a Kondos pack (American made) last summer used for $65 at outfitter near Ely. I'm not going to mention their name since they don't advertise here.

I'd check with some of the outfitters on here and see if they have any used packs for sale.


-C

Buy it. It is the Woods Bill Mason pack.

It might have been made in China, but the company is in NY, though Woods is Canadian. It may be that Chinook is the US branch of Woods. [I believe Che-Mun is Ojibwe for canoe]

Looks ok - the water bottle bags will snag lifting out of a canoe - I'd buy used American stuff from an outfitter too. About the same price point.

Chinook Technical Outdoor is the company. Located in Markam, ON and Niagara Falls, NY.

Looks like the old woods Mason pack They went out of business in 2006 or 2007 and must of been bought out by Chinook. They were decent packs for the money. I just checked woods web site and they are back in business but the don't have the Mason pack or a lot of the other stuff the used to carry. If you do a search for mason pack in 2006 and 2007 you may find some of the old threads on them.





tony

Hey guys I am the guy who runs the website for your life outdoors as well as the eBay page for them and I will assure you I have sold a great deal of these packs through my venues and I have has Zero complaints. Chinook is indeed a Niagra Falls. NY based company and their packs are of very high quality. I just sold 115 of these to the boys scouts of America based in CA and intend on continuing to sell them. I get them manufacturer direct through my supply company and would be glad to offer you a trial period.

As you would have it however this pack is out of stock from Chinook until 3/16/2010. I would be happy to offer you some of my other options which you can find under my camping section on my eBay page.

thanks for your visits and happy camping.

Nate Girard

Your life Outdoors

www.yourlifeoutdoors.com
eBay username: alloutd1

Nate..thanks for the heads up.we seldom get feedback from the company's we buy gear from.

Arkman I have never been the kind of guy who buys name brand items.I know you get what you pay for, unfortunately what you normally pay for is mark-up.I always try to do some homework on the product to try to make an informative decision.

I'm gonna give that pack a try.The one I'm using now dosn't have a hip belt.I think you just might have stumbled on to a gem.I'll try to give you a update after my May/June trip.

JB.

I am also glad you found this - I think I'll give one a try, too.

quote Arkman: "I found this pack on ebay the other day. Its even cheaper then the used packs from the outfitters. I know it won't be as nice as the others (Kondos, CSS, etc.) but I'm on a tight budget. Chinook Chemun "

Arkman, Kondos is having a sale and the price is better than the one on ebay. You'll have to hurry sale ends soon.
65bucks I think I'd jump on this instead.

JB

Thanks for the heads up JB. I can't seem to find the pack you are referring to on the kondos site. Which one is it?

Thanks.

You can get the same pack for $50.92:

http://www.bigplanetgear.com/catalog/product.asp?pid=69601&ret_id=1089039

There is added shipping (< $10 to my zip code) and it says backordered until next week, but if budget is a factor you could save $10 or so.

ottertooth forum had one old thread with someone posting their pack like this fell apart on first Quetico trip, but that was some years ago.

Let us know what you think if you get one!

-k.

Thanks K. There are a few places online that have these packs listed for about that price. All out until next week. I'm planning on picking up at least 1. I did read that forum post about the pack falling apart, which makes me a bit nervous, I guess I'll give it a shot.

quote Arkman: "Thanks K. There are a few places online that have these packs listed for about that price. All out until next week. I'm planning on picking up at least 1. I did read that forum post about the pack falling apart, which makes me a bit nervous, I guess I'll give it a shot."

Arkman Kondos pack is smaller and has no hip belt my bad.

I did get ahold of Nate and he is going to give me a 90 day trial on the pack.He must have confidence in his product to do this.I also like the fact that he's willing to do this with someone he doesn't know.I'm old school and this means alot to me.Trust is hard to come by in this day and age.

I contacted Nate on ebay.Try before you buy seems like a win/win to me.

JB

Thanks for the update JB. Seems sort of unfair that I spiked the interest and you get to try the pack for free. ;) Just kidding. Let us know what you think.

Nate - I'm open to a trial wink wink nudge nudge.

I have one of the Woods Mason packs and love it. Back when I got mine there was quite a bit of discussion about quality, get-what-you-pay-for, etc, but at the time, the pack was about $50 and I gave it a try. It worked out perfect for me, and seems to be a very well made pack. Very comfortable - I've even used it for winter backpacking when I had to carry really bulky items. Carries a lot of gear, though I wouldn't load it with 6000 cubes of cast iron anyway.

If I didn't already have one, I'd jump on the link kgryting provided, or highly consider Nate just due to such a prompt positive response.

Do not read this if you do not want a manufacturer take on this. But I feel compelled to answer as a sales pitch by the importer has been previously logged.

What about this pack??

How does the ripstop polyester fabric hold up campared to 1000 denier cordura nylon? or other materials?

What is the waterproofing.

Is it double stiched? Thread used?

Does it have taped seams?

Is the shape of the back panel contoured to a back?

What's under the flap?

Yes it is inexspensive. Does the importer/ reseller know these answers.

Other questions come to mind.

Does the manufacturer or resellers support the canoeing/ camping community? Do they go to shows so you can kick test it? Are the people making it earning a living wage?

I just could not let this go unanswered.

Dan Cooke
Cooke Custom Sewing

I checked out Chinook a year or two back and if I am not mistaken these packs are made in China or Hong Kong.

Dan Cooke's point about polyester vs. Cordura is dead on. I would never use the former in the BWCA, the rocks will destroy it. Polystester is a good material when used appropriately but it does not have the abrasion resistance of nylon.

No doubt labor is much cheaper in Asia, but the material prices are not. To get to that kind of pricing, something had to be sacrificed.

Boy scout troops buy on price. My prediction is that they'll find these are cheaper out the door, but, in the long run the replacement cost will add up if they canoe trip on a regular basis. That may be ok for their purposes as scouts move in and out of the troop and they can pass those costs on. I would rather buy the right pack once for my own personal use over the years.

In the good camping goods market :), we generally get what we pay for. I've never owned any of the cheap specials that went the distance. There's a reason why Dan, Granite Gear, Duluth and Kondos don't have to give their packs away.

I am probably biased on this topic as well since I help Dan Cooke with his stuff quite a bit, but I don't have a financial stake in this, he's just a good friend. Take that as you will before you read the rest of this.

Bluewater, you make some good points about this pack, but that is not the case on material prices. A lot of the big textile mills are over in Asia. I know there are some importers out there using Asian textiles where it is cheaper for them to import a finished pack than to sew it out of the same material if they ordered that material on the roll, due to limits on exporting that sort of thing.

When you buy a pack sight unseen you are really rolling the dice. 10 miles into a trip is a bad place to have seams and straps fail.

The old adage is still true, you get what you pay for...

My view is this is alot like buying a canoe.

There are mass marketers like Chinook in packs and Coleman in canoes;


There are specialty lines like Granite Gear, Grade VI, and Duluth in packs and Bell, Wenonah, and Clipper in canoes;


There are also small Mom'n'Pop operations that sell both quality and service like CCS and Kondos, versus Swift, Laughing Loon, and Superior in canoes.

We as consumers must decide where our preference and priority is, thats where we spend our hard-earned money.

I bought a CCS tarp because it was light, tough, had multiple tie-down points, and would clearly last a lifetime if well kept.

On the other hand, I prefer mass marketed packs because I do not use them as much as others might. My old Sealine bags are well over 15 years old and working fine. I am considering an upgrade as I have aged and a better suspension might allow me more comfort and capacity for tougher portages. Thats what I am looking at at Canoecopia this year...


hummm?

I have no connection to any manufacturer and just want to chime in on the theoretical question of getting what you pay for...

I do think sometimes that is true and sometimes it is not true. My two portage packs were made by Camp Trails. They are no longer in the portage pack business, not even sure if they make hiking packs any more. At the time I bought them (1996) they were some of the cheapest packs around and definitely not a "name brand". Just this winter (14 years later) I put a little effort into re-stitching some seams that HAD NOT given out, but were showing a bit of wear. Those packs have flown to Alaska multiple times, backpacked into Tettegouche and Split Rock state parks numerous times, tripped BWCA 1-2 times each year, and seen the Mississippi and Zumbro rivers. I'm still using them and they still do the job.

I should note that a friend bought the same pack a year after me, and on her first trip with it she got a nasty hole in the pack - from DRAGGING it across BW boulders fully loaded.

Now, I don't baby my packs, but I don't purposely abuse them either.

On the other hand, I've paid through the nose for GoreTex name brand rain gear that hasn't lasted 3 years before letting in more rain than an ancient nylon poncho.

Hard to judge quality without touching and feeling the product. Get feedback from anyone who's actually used the brand. Make sure you know the return policy. Every now and again you'll get bitten, every now and again you'll find a gem.

Whatever you do, please fill out those online review forms, so the rest of us can learn from you!

Thanks BW - I agree. I have spent my share of money on cheap things that break before their time but I've also found, like you said, some gems. I have no problem rolling the dice. I will certainly test the pack before I load it full of stuff and haul it to the B-Dub.

I have to say Dan, I've debated back and forth on if I should respond to you or not. I've started a couple times but haven't followed through yet. I just read another post along the same lines and finally put me over the edge.

I think you have one valid question in your post. I'm not necessarily saying that its inappropriate to ask all the others but I think its comparing apples to oranges. The answer to all of your questions are probably no. I could be wrong but that is my guess. I would think that just about all people on this site would agree that your pack, the kondos packs, etc. are better then the aforementioned packs. Myself included. But your packs are at least 4 times more expensive. I would be the first to admit that the price is worth it. By no means am I saying your pack shouldn't be that expensive, because I believe the price is probably justified. My point is that these two packs are not even worth comparing. I even say that in the original post.

Back to the one question I think is valid. Are the people making it earning a living wage? That really got me thinking. I try to buy american and support small business whenever I can. Especially that I'm now a struggling small business owner and understand a little more about the difficulties. I also don't like the idea of some poor kid working it terrible conditions getting paid next to nothing (not that those packs are made that way, because I don't know if they are or not). It got me thinking hard enough that I don't know if I will buy one of those packs or not.

I can tell you one thing though. When I buy a pack (if its not a cheap one) there is a good chance it will not be a CCS pack. Maybe I'm over reacting but the last two post of yours have really turned me off. I don't appreciate snarky remarks from anyone, and when a manufacturer jumps all over someone the way you did in the other post, that is a real turn off. I have to say, when I read that post I didn't know who wrote it and scrolled back up to the top, I wasn't at all surprised to see your name. I'm sure you will not miss my business, because you make a quality product and have a lot of support, as you should.

It is not your fault I can't afford your product and I understand that, but don't appreciate being treated that way for trying to buy within my budget.

Arkman, I'm glad you posted this question- I was actually looking at this product a week ago and going back and forth on it. I, like you, am on a tight budget. Can't wait to hear a product review on this pack.

Like Arkman, I'm on a fairly tight budget. The budget is high enough to allow me to do a few of the things I'd like to do, but only if I'm careful and make wise decisions about how I spend my money.

I look at CCS as being a "Cadillac" of packs, and just like the car it's out of my pack budget. I have a great respect for the product and the maker, but I'm not in the target market. I don't require one that's *that* well made, so I can get by with less. Actually, part of my needs are that mine must be versatile to more than just portaging use, so a hybrid style is a wiser choice for me.

When I am able to, I like to support local businesses, and those who sell high quality & high value items. When I'm not able to, I get what I can afford, as the alternative to not getting anything.

If Dan was being a touch snarky, I think it may be from the irritation that any American small businessman has of competing on a un-level playing field. It's not fair.

On the flip side, there are many of us in the US who are not being paid a living wage, or at least one whose purchasing power is equivalent to the effort required to earn it. That's not fair either. We do what we can.

I enjoy my Mason pack for now. I also wouldn't hesitate to buy a CCS product if he has something I'm looking for and there's one in my price range. I'd be glad to give him the business.

I realize this may be throwing gasoline on the fire, but I'm trying to figure out what exactly is "snarky" about Dan Cooke's post. He states his purpose up front and even Arkman acknowledges he asks some legitimate questions.

Perhaps one element that has not been mentioned in this thread that should be considered is customer service or customer satisfaction. If you spent any time reading through the gear forum you'd find many people who have brought old CCS packs back to Dan to have them repaired or modified, sometimes at no charge. I've ordered two packs from Dan on separate occasions and both times I had multiple questions that he took the time to answer either via e-mail or phone. He also honored a sale price that he rightfully didn't have to. His personal touch and willingness to stand behind his product has earned him a customer for life even though I also own packs from Cabela's, Granite Gear and Kondos. Anyone can sell you something, but will they stand behind it?

I totally agree with the customer service thing. Again that goes to the "you get what you pay for" I think that is mostly true in the customer service. With that said, I have no expectation in good customer service if I decide to buy that cheaper pack. Thats life, I'm OK with that. Yes, I'd like to buy something and get good customer service but sometimes that a luxury I can't afford.

Maybe I'm off base here but I did feel like his post was a little off-putting. Maybe I'm reading to much into his post but I got the sense of "I'm better then you" Which again, I will acknowledge that is product is much better then the cheap pack. Also, it bothered me that there was just a list of questions trying to prove this back is inferior but never states why those things are important for a back. Take for example his questions "Does it have taped seems?" I read that as "If it doesn't have taped seems its a piece of crap." Any salesman can tell you anything is a piece of crap because it doesn't have this or that. I don't care. Tell me why thats important. Prove to me that it is important, don't just expect that we should all believe you, just because. Now, I'm assuming that Dan has more knowledge on the subject in his little finger then I will ever have, but I'm not going to believe someone just because they said so.

Like I tried to say before, most of my issue with his snarkiness (I'm almost certain that isn't a word...oh well) is in another post he made in a different thread. Although, his post in this thread I do take issue with. I don't like any advertising that tries to sell their product by ragging on other products. In my eyes it should be "My product is great because..." Not "My competitors product is terrible because..." I know thats not how most advertising works but I find it a real turn of when people trash other peoples products. Sell your product on the merit of your product, not at the expense of others. Nate (the reseller of these packs on ebay) jumped in and tried to calm our concerns, not by trashing Dans product but by sayings his was good. But like I said, I was bothered that he didn't say why they were good. I would have already bought my two packs if he would have had a more detailed post of WHY they are good packs. He didn't and I still haven't made a purchase.

I understand his snarkiness to a point, like I said. I'm a small business owner and find it very frustrating when I loose a client to a "Cheaper" photographer just to find out they are not happy and often times spend more in the end.

I'm like Benutzer, on a tight budget if I spend too much on gear I dont get to go. Thats why last year I lugged a 26lb tent around. Its all I had, and didn't have any money to spend on a new tent. Its been suggested that I just rent a pack, which I could do but I'd rather buy the cheap one and finish my collection. After this pack I have nothing left to rent or borrow. Thats important to me.

I don't intend for this thread to turn into a bash Dan thread or anything like that. That is certainly not my intension. I do appreciate his feedback and certainly his support of this board and the BWCA in general. I just feel his comments on this particular thread and one other where somewhat disrespectful.

Arkman,

I can't really argue the budget issue with you; I had to wait until Dan put some packs on closeout to be able to afford them. Thankfully, you also understand that generally you get what you pay for; not everyone does. Having worked in retail what really irritated me was dealing with people who had champagne taste on a beer budget and then they'd get angry at me because they couldn't afford what they really wanted. (Just a word to the wise: when building a house, don't wait to buy your flooring last because by then you've blown your budget on other things and then you're really stuck with garbage for flooring).

On a completely separate note, I thought my tent at 13 pounds was a monster. What do you have that it's 26 lbs--a 10 person canvas World War II military surplus thing? That's a BEAST!!!!

thlipsis29- Ok, I remember it being 26, but I was totally wrong. I just looked it up its 19.5. Not a lot better, but some. ;) Its a nice tent but meant for car camping, not backpacking/portaging. It was nice to have we slept 4 people with gear comfortably. You are right it was a beast! Believe me, I got a lot of crap for bringing that tent. haha.

It sounds like you are speaking from experience with the flooring. I hope I never have that issue. My day job is an Architect, but who knows, I wouldn't put it past me. :)

Someday hopefully I'll have a champagne budget, but I think I will always keep my beer taste. But then I can drink beer and buy nice gear! :)

Looking through the lists of postings here.

For many years I used an old alice pack or two. That and an old army duffel bag.

My first decent portage pack was a used Granite Gear 3.5 pack from an outfitter. It's old, it's beat up a bit but works great - high quality stuff. The pack is at least 12 yrs old.

2nd pack is Seal Line Pro 115 Liter - exceptional. Pack is 8 yrs old.
not a blemish.

This winter I just purchased a couple of tarps and 2 CCS packs on sale - a rucksack on clearance for my kids and a Hybrid Pioneer on significant sale for me.

I haven't used the CCS packs yet but I expect I will like it. They are pricier than some packs available elsewhere but if it lasts me a good 10 - 15 years (and probably longer)as I expect that's a great deal. Huge value.

CCS has stuff on sale all the time. I like supporting small, local businesses whenever I can. You can always wait til they go on sale.

I must say I didn't find anything snarky about Dan's post on this thread or the tarp thread. And if even if it was a bit snarky, it could be from being tired - working a full time job + his CCS business + getting ready for Canoecopia + having to always justify the price and quality of his stuff in a mass market world might make him a bit weary and terse from time to time. He gets a pass in my book.

Arkman - buy whatever you can afford and make it work for you. That is totally cool. But you gotta do something about that tent! :) An architect should know better! :)

quote IBFLY: "Arkman - buy whatever you can afford and make it work for you."

Yes, while we're all "confessing", I am a Coleman canoe owner. 1994, $200 new, faded orange/pink these days, many miles under its belt. BOTTOM end of all canoes (who ever heard of a metal frame? "custom" approach to portage pads required!)... and I'm telling you, it's paid for itself 100x over. I made the portage pads myself from 1x4s, foam, plastic bags, vinyl scraps and furniture tacks (all under $10).

It worked for me, and got me where I wanted to be when that was what the budget permitted.

I also saved for years and finally added a Souris River kevlar Quetico 18.5 in 2005 (used of course). Love it, but I'm not tossing my Coleman in the junk pile yet. I still enjoy paddling it and NOT worrying about beating it up, ha! We also now need two canoes to get all five of us around and I haven't started my second savings fund for another kevlar.

As to Dan, I too heard a bit of snark and defense, but I'm pretty new here (lurking off and on for years) so I'll wait and watch. I know CCS products from BWCA journal and Cliff Jacobson's endorsement during his talks, and love the opportunity to support local should it come along. But with a group of five to outfit over time as needs grow and change, I'm always looking for a deal! I agree that (as in sports) I prefer advocates who promote their product with a passion and don't make people feel bad for whatever choices they make - especially if any consequences of those choices are solely borne by the person making them.

Please let us know if you find out where/how the pack from Nate was made and if you buy one and like it or not.

i have a woods mason pack. i dont know that the one posted is from the same company. i loved the pack. before my first real solo i did question its construction (from comments here).

i took it to a canvas shop for reinforcement (sewing)....they told me no worries, it was well constructed already.

.....for what its worth.

Dan Cooke is the man. He never mentioned his packs. He merely was acting as a consumer advocate so you dont get ripped off, because he actually probably cares about that. How come nobody is ripping the original advertisement post? Wasn't he insinuating that china made packs are just as good as his overpriced competitors? Everyone needs to chill.

quote Arkman: "

I don't intend for this thread to turn into a bash Dan thread or anything like that."

Too many people have first hand knowledge of Dan Cooke and Cooke Custom Sewing products for that to happen.

quote Arkman: "
I can tell you one thing though. When I buy a pack (if its not a cheap one) there is a good chance it will not be a CCS pack. Maybe I'm over reacting but the last two post of yours have really turned me off. ."

Really? You are writing off the best canoe gear, American made by a guy who, as anyone who has met him is anything but "snarky", because of how you interpret a couple of posts? Yes you are over reacting.

I also have a Woods Mason pack. Great pack for the money. If the pack in question is of similar quality, it will give you many years of service. Seems like you really can't go wrong with a 90-day trial. That should answer all of your questions...and more.

I didn't say I was "Writing him off". I only stated that there was a good chance it would be that pack. There are other options then CCS pack, other good options, some would say just as good, some maybe would say better, I dont know.

I have not had the fortune of meeting Dan so I guess I don't know how to interpret his post.

Also Dan prefaced his post with the fact that he was a manufacture, which is fine, but I think that means he is not a "consumer advocate". I would have thought a world of difference of his post if he would have just said, why all those things are important not just asked the questions if they had them or not. Like I said before, any salesman can tell you your product should have this or that...tell me why.

Arkman
GO back and reread the opening line of Dans post. That should explain everthing. To me it was not intended for you as much as reply to the manufactering reps post for the pack in question.
If that doesnt address whats going on here then everyone needs to lay off the coffee,LOL.
CB

WOW!!! Been gone a few days and holy SH%T.

CCS. Great products, enough said. Customer service from the other posts outstanding.

I take good care of my gear. I dont run mr SR up on shore to keep my feet from getting wet. I dont drag my packs across the rocks on a portage.I protect my fishing rods and reels.So on and so forth.

Times they are tuff for alot of us. I have to make semi educated choice on what I pay for gear. Thats why I come here to the pro's.

Ultimately it's up to me. I'm gonna try the pack out. 90 days try before you buy. If it's a piece of shit I'll let you know, if it's not, I'll let you know. That's just gonna be MHO.


Thank everyone for the input.

Arkman I think we owe it to this forum to try this pack out and report back. I'm sure Nate will give you the same deal as me. Small deposit then run with it for 90 days.

JB

JB - agreed. I'm planning to give this pack a shot. I'll let people know my experience.

Bump. Has the pack showed up yet? Thoughts on quality?? A kid I know in high school is looking for a starter pack - wondering if I should steer him in this direction.

I just got it in the mail last week. I haven't had a chance to use it yet but it seems nice. I think that its decent, as expected. Its not super hi quality but I think it will last a more then a few trips at least (as long as you dont drag it around the ground too much). So far it seems comfortable and all. I'm going to try and load it up this weekend and put it to the test. I'll let you know.

I ordered it online and found a really good deal. $60 including shipping.

Got back from the trip with the pack. It was great. I didn't get to carry it but the group said it was significantly more comfortably then the two duluth packs and a little more comfortable than the Kondos outdoors food pack. I think that is because the food pack is much heavier. :)

It held up well it also seemed fairly waterproof. It rained the entire trip but nothing inside was wet. We did keep it covered most of the time though.

I like the side pockets but didn't use the water bottle holders on the strap. I can still see them getting in the way a bit, but they didn't this trip. It fit in the canoe nice, it actually sat side by side with the Kondos food pack in the same canoe very well.

Now the complaints. Its smaller then I had hoped. I didn't feel like there was as much room in the pack as comparable sized Duluth/Kondos/granite gear packs. I think that is because its taller and more narrow so it felt like things at the bottom got lost and was harder to look through. Not a huge deal since we take everything out of most of the packs when we get to camp. I'm still not sold on the material quality. I font feel like I can load it as heavy as my Duluth pack or the Kondos pack but that could just be me. I feel like its not going to last as long as my kondos food pack I got but at the same time it was a lost less money. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't show any use or anything after the trip and I think it will last for years and years.

All in all I plan on buying another one. So is someone else in my group.

Let me know if you have any specific questions and I'll try to answer them.

Thanks for the update. I have a HS graduation gift to get for a BW camper next spring and this could be the ticket. Nice entry level pack to start him off...

Arkman sorry to say I didn't get one (yet). I got a great deal on a Granite Gear #4 pack 84 bucks couldn't pass it up. Talk about space I think I could almost fit my canoe in there.

Been up twice and am going again in a week and a half for 10 days.Thing is I think I have enough packs,(for now).

JB

Piragis in Ely, MN is an outfitter ans always has gear for sale. Check them out. You may find the pack you've used for sale.

quote jb in the wild: "Arkman sorry to say I didn't get one (yet). I got a great deal on a Granite Gear #4 pack 84 bucks couldn't pass it up. Talk about space I think I could almost fit my canoe in there."

I got one of those $84 Granite Gear Trad #4's, too. I took it on a trip this spring and really liked it. I did not stuff it completely full, but mostly full with the compression straps pulled tight. Worked great! I too think I'm set for awhile.

I have a Cabela's Boundary Waters Pack that I got for $70, and it's actually very waterproof. When I got it, i sank it in a tub for different amounts of time and never got any water inside.

Hey all, I was wondering where these $84 Granite Gear #4 packs are coming from. I would love to get one for that price!

Come to think about it I've never thised before. But if I do, you will be the first to know.

Got mine at o2gearshop.com, but you need to keep checking for the price break and the $20 off every $100 special. They had it a couple times in the previous year...

I just got one of these packs for $53 and was surprised at the quality. I'll stop back next month after I use for a full report.

Good to know Nigal - do tell how it holds up. I have it in the back of my mind for a HS graduation gift next June. Love to hear how it performs.

quote nels2379: "I have a Cabela's Boundary Waters Pack that I got for $70, and it's actually very waterproof. When I got it, i sank it in a tub for different amounts of time and never got any water inside. "

I also have the large pack of this type. Ive only had it on one trip so far but it performed very well. Can fit a lot of gear inside and is fairly compfortable to carry. For the price it is a great pack. And as for customer service...Cabelas is top tier as far as Im concerned.

Sorry if this topic has already been exhausted. I recently joined BWCA.com and am spending a couple lazy afternoons before school starts reading through these message boards.

I began BWCA tripping in the fall of 2000 with a Mason/Woods pack. My husband and I wanted more packs, so we chose these Chinook/Chemun packs for their price and were comparable to the Woods. We have 3 of them that we purchased in 2003.

We live 4 hours away from Ely or Tofte, and being I work in a school, I have summers off. We typically take five or six 3-4 day weekend trips every summer. So these packs have taken about 40 trips, not to mention car camping and other types of travel. They are well used and look it, but I think they have many more years of use in them.

They hold quite a bit and even if you over-stuff, the compression straps hold it all together well. No matter how the pack is laying in the canoe, there is at least one handle or strap you can grab to pull it out.

The hip strap is the key factor for me. I can carry a full pack all day long if I get the weight on my hips instead of my shoulders. It's usually me carrying the food and gear, since hubby carries the canoes.

We rarely use the water bottle pockets on them for water bottles. They do work well for rain gear and toilet paper, both items you may need to grab in short notice!

Just thought I's add my 2 cents anyway. Happy canoeing!

Thanks Sue, always welcome real life experience with gear here! Good to know you can still get decent quality packs for decent money.

quote BWPaddler: "Thanks Sue, always welcome real life experience with gear here! Good to know you can still get decent quality packs for decent money."

BWP, does having my book bag from 1985 being used for a food pack count?

Camp Trails.

What are the dimensions - really? Descriptions say 22x18x2 and that doesn't make 6300 cu. in. that is advertised. Chemun owners, what is the approximate depth or gusset measure? Thanks.

That's got to be the dimensions of the shipping box.

I haven't measured mine but I do know many times the final dimensions include any pockets. I got it packed up for my trip and while it isn't HUGE like some portage packs I did get everything I need in with no problems.

quote SevenofNine: "

quote BWPaddler: "Thanks Sue, always welcome real life experience with gear here! Good to know you can still get decent quality packs for decent money."

BWP, does having my book bag from 1985 being used for a food pack count?

Camp Trails."

Oh yeah... if it's Camp Trails that's good to hear. My 1996 packs by same are still going strong with only minor stitching reinforcement in the last year or so and some small holes from abrasion on an airplane. That's "character".

Book bag in 1985? I think mine was red nylon and folded up into a pocket sized thing. Didn't last much past 1985.

Brik847;

This one has a 60 liter barrel in it!

butthead

Thanks - picture helps a lot.

The Chinook Chemun worked perfectly on my recent trip which included seven portages. It swallowed everything I fed into it and always had some type of odds and ends stuffed under the flap. I like the fact that it has so many handles on it. No matter which way it is sitting you always have a strong point to pick it up with. I think my favorite feature is the water bottle pockets on each side. I used them a lot while paddling.