Gifted a Granite Gear Trad #4 - should I keep it?

[Waterdog]

Like YC, I can’t portage a solo canoe with a back pack. The seat is in the way. Even the pack in Johnny 5’s picture wont work with my solo canoes, the seat is pretty close to the gunnels. I also use deep dish yokes vs. the sling pads because they don’t work for me. I use a 4200 cu. In Gossamer Gear back pack and Osprey for backpacking with ultralight gear. On a paddling trip with my dog and a tandem or just me and a solo I can’t fit all my paddling kit in a 4400 cu. In pack. My two biggest portage packs can hold over 7000 cu. in each and I can carry it and the canoe at one time whether solo or tandem canoe. That bad boy weighs north of 70 pounds on a 10 day trip and I carry it with a 60# wood canvas prospector for the first trip and come back for my food barrel the second trip. I turn 53 this weekend and am happy to report that I’m exactly as tall as I was at 17 when I joined the Army! No doubt those Voyaguers lost an inch or two per decade with those loads.

I personally prefer a portage pack exactly because it is a never ending abyss that I can never fill, lays flat in the canoe, has no hip belt, no sternum strap. I can pack it any way i want and everything fits and carry’s the same as it did the day before. Even my day packs are nontechnical canvas packs with no hip belt or sternum strap. We all have different styles though, and I would paddle with someone who only uses back packs, but they have to use their own canoe.

I have 7 canvas and 3 codura canoe packs and they all get used every season so I am a functioning canoeist and don’t have a gear problem. .

Cheers,
Barry

 

[Robin]

Short answer yes, for me. But you are entering controversial territory here. There will be opinions with no "true" "correct" answer. For example:
blue barrels-hate em or hate em?
packs-leather / canvas or petroleum products?
crocs-are they shoes, sandals or a sign you've given up?
tripping packs-canoe packs or hiking pack?
...

Your wife did some excellent research Tsuga. I like the brand, the material, the design, the size, and especially the thought behind the gift. But this is all just my opinion.

That's a great list Odyssey, LOL funny...... I've given up! (canvas canoe packs too, makes it easy for this novice)

 

[scratchypants]

The holes in Crocs are there for your dignity to escape.

 

[Robin]

The holes in Crocs are there for your dignity to escape.

Tough crowd, but spot on! HaHa

 

[Woodpuppy]

I don’t know anything about the pack, but the wife is a keeper fo sho!

 

[Odyssey]

No-one in the family took me seriously when I put Crocs on my Christmas Wish List this year. Instead I got books. Was that a win-win? I don't know. Looks like I'll have to buy them myself. I have plans for them though.
They'll start off as my summer gardening sandalshoecryforhelp, and likely find themselves on my feet in canoe camp. FWIW I relate to shoes and giving up, it's sandals I can't stand.

 

[Woodpuppy]

I tried to like crocks. They’re too bulky for my “low volume” feet, and they’re far too expensive for plastic cheese-whiz. I stick with Chacos for now.

 

[yellowcanoe]

I used to like Crocs a lot. But on lichen they are slippery and a broken hip is not on my shopping list at my age. They are useless in the Everglades ( empirical knowledge). They get sucked off and sink into the depths never to be found again or accept Sandburs too readily . Those go right through the soles. The plus is they are light and float if in water.