Transitional Hiker: Australian Mark McLauchlin

Hot off the press :) My article for BackpackingLight will be published next week. Once I have the full link I will repost it. Below is a quick intro.

Transitional Hiker: Australian Mark McLauchlin chronicles his ongoing transformation from former hiker to getting-back-into-it-hiker to ouch-that-hurts-hiker to lightweight hiker. On the way, he becomes a devotee of other famous UL walkers, buys a sewing machine (successfully enduring the teasing of his loving wife), and plugs into the most devoted UL community on the planet in the BPL forums.

Here is the link

Not much of a pack freak!

Today I finished cleaning a second hand pack I bought for use when I take my son out and for an overseas trip in two weeks. Not exactly what you would call light, It's an Osprey Cresent 90 and weights about 3 kg, but I have to admit is it really feature packed (not that I indend to use it other than described previously). It is not only a top loader but also has bottom access and a large zipper running along one of the edges to make it a side loader. There are numerous pockets which Osprey are quite known for.
While I was cleaning this pack I thought about the others I own, so here is the list; Osprey Aether 60, Osprey Kestrel 48, Osprey Cresent 90(new), Golite Dawn, ULA Relay and with my BGT testing I have a Klamath 55 on the way for review, total of 6.