Q. I am looking for a pack that can support a three- or four-day winter camping trip. How big a pack do I need? My top three choices at this point are the Kelty La Sal, the REI Great Star, and L.L. Bean’s North Col Expedition. Tell me as much as you can about those and suggest any others that you know of that are under about $225.

Andy Miller

amiller@macalester.edu

Gear Guy: In my experience, you need a bit more volume for a winter pack than a summer pack for a trip of the same length. The reason is fairly obvious - you’re carrying more and bulkier clothes, and a warmer and bulkier sleeping bag. You may also pack a bit more fuel, take a bit more food and carry a few nice extras like a camping lantern. I’d say that 5,000-6,000 cubic inches is about right, although you might get by with less if you pack judiciously.

All the packs you’re looking at meet that size standard. The Great Star, in fact, is about 6,200 cubic inches - a BIG pack. I’ve used REI packs with a suspension similar to the Great Star, and have found them reasonably comfortable with loads of up to 40-45 pounds. While I haven’t used L.L. Bean packs, they seem well-designed and have gotten generally good reviews.

Most promising, though, might be the La Sal ($220). This is a good-sized pack with features such as two big side pockets, an internal pocket to keep heavy, dense items close to your back, and pack compression straps. It also has what Kelty calls its “Lockdown” suspension system, which consists of a stiffened panel that slides up and down the pack and fastens in place with two hook-and-loop panels along the side of the pack. It allows a wide degree of adjustment in the suspension, along with a very stable ride. I think Kelty packs are extremely well priced, and on the whole none of these packs would disappoint you, the La Sal might be the way to go.

Q. Several years ago in college, I purchased an Optimus 323 stove from the campus bookstore, which sells outdoor gear. It burst into flames every time I tried to light it. Since I own SEVERAL stoves, I thought fit to simply chalk this experience up to bad selection and abandon the flaming beast.

Recently, though, I decided to attempt repairs on this, a small and seemingly useful stove. Luckily I am a firefighter by trade. The stove leaks fuel at every conceivable point and fires up like an A&M homecoming bonfire. I have tried to tighten all connections to no avail.

And now, my question: Is this a flawed design?

Charlie Collier

ccollier@em-tech.com

Gear Guy: Oh, this is too rich. I called A&H Enterprises in La Mirada, California, an Optimus stove repair specialist. I told Mary Abbott there about your dilemma, and about your line of work. “That’s a good thing,” she said (about your being a firefighter, that is). “That stove was taken off the market years ago. When it was working, it was fine. But it was a temperamental thing, and would flare up now and again.”

MEMO: Send your questions directly to Interactive Gear Guy Douglas Gantenbein by e-mail at gearguy@starwave.com or check out his twice-weekly column on Outside Online at https://outside.starwave.com