There is a lot of debate of which brand of portage back is best. I am looking to purchase my first real portage pack, and am looking for people's opinions on, Duluth Pack, Frost River or CCS packs. I am somewhat of a traditionalist, but is that worth the difference to go with Duluth/Frost River over the cheaper CCS? Also any idea on what CCS warrantry might be? Any Pack discussion encouraged! Pack suggestions for family of 4 with two growing girls. Food pack options? Thanks in advance.

Never (personally) used a Frost River or Duluth Pack. I have friends that do. They're beautiful packs, but expensive. I'm sure they last a lifetime. I've heard they're heavy if wet, which is probable in canoe country. I've also heard they're not as comfortable as CCS or GG packs.

I've used CCS and GG packs for the past 12 years and really like them. My GG Superior One and Quetico packs are very comfortable and durable, and they are my core canoe camping packs. I use tough waterproof stuff sacks and liners inside them. If/when they ever go out, I'll consider CCS Hybrid packs. CCS are well made packs and affordable. I suspect they also last a lifetime. I have a CCS Rucksack that makes every trip and then some. It's a very useful pack for canoe camping and hiking. For carrying food, I've been using 30L blue barrels with Kondo harnesses for canoe camping and a bear keg for backpacking. The blue barrel has worked great and it's easy. I cable lock the barrel to a tree in camp and keep it clean.

To me a pack comes down to three things - weight, suspension system, and durability. All three manufacturers certainly offer durability. The CCS will certainly be lighter and have, in my opinion, the best suspension system. I love the old school look of the Duluth and Frost River packs. But since I only go once a year I wouldn't use the old school packs enough to appreciate their aesthetics.

Whatever you decide, those are all great manufacturers. My portage pack is a Granite Gear Quetico and it works quite well. I take an LL Bean Continental Rucksack as a day pack. I think it is a great pack for the price.

If you mean by cheaper, less expensive, by all means go with the CCS. Of all the brands of packs I've owned (CCS, GG, Kondos and Cabela's) , Dan's quality is by far the best. Never owned a Duluth Pack nor a Frost River, but my canoe partner has a Duluth Pack he uses from time to time and it doesn't portage nearly as well as my CCS packs and I try to avoid portaging with it because I hate the leather straps and the lack of padding on the back. I will say that GG probably has the best harness system of any of the packs I've owned, but the Cordura Nylon isn't nearly the same weight or quality as the CCS. I currently own a CCS Pioneer, Explorer and three of his barrel packs because Dan has earned my business. At some point I will need to buy packs for my son and my daughter and I can guarantee they will be CCS.

My Duluth packs are going strong after 40 years of canoe trips. Not one rip, hole or tear. They just keep going and going and going. I’ve never had another canoe pack so I can’t comment on the longevity of other brands. I’ve found there are a lot of people here that do not like them. I’m not sure what to say about this. The pack has always been comfortable to me on a portage. I have added the pads on the shoulder straps.

I have 2 Duluth packs that I bought 1975. They have been going strong ever since. Oil up the straps is the only thing I have ever done. Price 45.00 and I thought at the time, that was alot. For a 18 year old kid I guess it was but worth every penny. I think they are a little more now!!!!!!!!!!

I've used Duluth packs many times and I have to say I find them terrible. They may be tough and they may have a great aesthetic but that's all they have going for them. They're heavy, uncomfortable, hard to maneuver. They remind me of the terrible food packs we had in the scouts when I was a kid. I won't pay a premium to be uncomfortable, no matter how cool it looks.

I've gone with CCS and find my Guide almost as comfortable as a real backpack, while sharing all the preferred canoe pack traits. I also really like the GG packs, and was planning to get a Quetico this spring, but ended up with a CCS Pioneer because I really like my Guide.

Mind, I like portaging, so I do a lot of them and I pack accordingly. That probably has a lot to do with my preferences. But regardless, paying less to be more comfortable makes a lot of sense.

About 6 weeks back I purchased 2 Pioneer Packs and a Traditional #4 pack from CCS, I'm very happy with each. I've used (rented) Duluth Packs in the past, and wasn't necessarily unhappy with them.

My humble opinion is the CCS packs are at least the same quality as Duluth packs, at a much more reasonable price point.

I have a CCS Guide and a CCS 60L barrel pack with side pockets. I love these packs. I also have a Frost River Isle Royal Buschcraft pack that I use for equipment. I do like that pack as well. I find that the CCS packs are more comfortable. The Frost River cuts into your shoulders a lot more and gets really heavy when wet! As said in a previous post, Granite Gear does have a good suspension system but I agree CCS packs are built much better with heavier fabric. I will be buying another pack from Dan and not be taking my Frost River to the BWCA anymore. My wife hated it when she portaged it!

Mike

If you want tradition, go with Frost River or Duluth Pack.

If you want comfort, go with CCS.

CCS it is. I will be using these packs for hunting as decoy bags so I plan on using them for more then just canoe trips. Now is it better to get several pioneer sized bags for my family of 4, who always brings more then we need or learn to pack lighter and try to fit in 1 guide pack plus a kitchen and food bag?...

I'd go with the Pioneer instead of trying to overstuff the Guide. Using a smaller bag has taught me to pack lighter and I've grown to appreciate that.

I have used Duluth Packs (DP) for a very long time and they are made to last the long haul. Yes thy do get pin holes here and there and seams can separate, I stuff them to the max with heavy things and they're thrown around. I am very tough on packs. Granite Gear (GG) packs are well made but lighter and seem to be "less tough" than they were maybe 5 years ago. I heard GG changed how they make packs, a rumor, but I have hauled a lot of GG packs of friends of mine on trips. Frost River is the tip of the ice berg for old look and traditional pack with their waxed canvas at I believe is 18oz canvas, which is a heavier thread count than DP. So weight wise FR is by far the heaviest, I live in Duluth and have been to the store numerous times. You hold up a large pack (5000cu/in) and it weighs a ton, now its waxed canvas and will repel some water. FR makes one hell of a beautiful pack, but too heavy for me to lug deep into the woods. DP also makes a bomb proof pack and does have some weight. Now both DP and FR rely on the pack sitting below the shoulder line with the majority of weight on the shoulder straps and the pack rides low on the back. Both are aesthetically very traditional and appealing to the eye sitting along side a canoe. Both with a heavy load on a rough portage with cause a lot of should pain and sore back. The "tumpline" does offer to displace the load to the top of the head and lighten the load off the pack. But for me with a heavy #4 with a tump line and another one on top of that one across a portage, not good on the neck. If your a traditionalist and pack very light they are good packs. DPs when wet take a long time to dry out, Fast fwd to modern times and enter CCS and GG packs. Both are super light and both have a suspension system.. GG to me seem a little less durable in my own opinion over CCS. I bought my 1st CCS pack about a month ago and loaded it heavy and there is a big difference. The pack rides a little higher, has a hip harness to help transfer weight of the pack and once on and secure their are suspension cinch straps to pull it closer to your back, along with a pad that is in the pack against your back. CCS and GG are basically the same with the CCS pack having a few details that are tweaked over the GG. CCS does have a zippered top flap that is accessible when the pack is closed. You have to decide to either go with aesthetics, added weight, long drying times and poor mechanics or jump out of 1800 and lightweight, fast drying, and complete ergonomics. Tough choice, all 4 are good packs and will last. I know FR and CSS are lifetime warranties. I personally have switched from the traditional bag and bought a CSS pack. Good luck and safe paddles.

Thanks for your great insight Jezbo. I am planning on purchasing two pioneer sized CCS bags. I really like the old school look of DP and FR but comfort wins out over tradition on this purchase. Thanks for all the info on bags to everyone!

I guess I look at the Duluth pack as a it was nice in the day pack. But for one I question if the current owner would be as friendly as in the past if you had issues. It's all about the money for him. Frost river is more intriguing, but CCS is good to the point it's like the only choice for me. I aquired a granite gear that I may have to try out.

All the packs are different. The modern packs with backpacking type suspension systems are really really nice to carry and I love my CCS packs. If I have a bunch of long portages, that's what I want.

That said, the thin leather straps on a Duluth pack work well under my Spring Creek portage pads and I can sling on a #3 Duluth Pack standing in the water, get my canoe up, and be down the portage path pretty quickly. Plus, unless the packs are loaded too heavy, you can double carry packs easily on top of a Duluth. If I'm dealing with a bunch of portages and getting in and out of my canoe a lot, I like the Duluth.

However, the prices for new Duluth Packs are insane. There is no way I would pay $300 for a canvas pack with leather straps. If you want one, find a used one. They last forever and Dultuh Pack will repair them very reasonably.

Don't forget Kondos- packs of comparable quality to CCS and also made in Minnesota (Ely). Love my CCS (Pioneer and Bushcrafter) and Kondos (Outfitter Special) packs.

WhereRwe: "There is alot if debate of which brand of portage back is best. I am looking to purchase my first real portage pack, and am looking for people's opinions on, Duluth Pack, Frost River or CCS packs. I am somewhat of a traditionalist, but is that worth the difference to go with Duluth/Frost River over the cheaper CCS? Also any idea on what CCS warrantry might be? Any Pack discussion encouraged! Pack suggestions for family of 4 with two growing girls. Food pack options? Thanks in advance."

I was in the same boat as you. What I wanted was waterproof WITH external storage for water bottles and other easy to reach gear.

Love all the bags you mentioned but none fit the bill of a canoe bushcraft hybrid.

Ended up buying the 100L Swiss Army ruck sack from the 80s. Gonna mod the straps and I’ll be good to go

Banksiana: "Don't forget Kondos- packs of comparable quality to CCS and also made in Minnesota (Ely). Love my CCS (Pioneer and Bushcrafter) and Kondos (Outfitter Special) packs. "

Love my Kondos Outfitter Special, especially in a solo canoe

I have a Seattle Sports Canyon Bag. It's not made any more, but it has the dry-bag waterproofing ability plus the comfort of a hiking backpack, with beefy shoulder straps, a very comfortable hip belt and a decent suspension.

REI still has a link on their website, so you can at least see what I'm talking about. It's made of material similar to the North Face super duffels. Actually, here's a link to an Australian website that still claims to have them in stock... I'd jump on it if I were you!! ;-)

Canyon Pack



Now if I was buying a new portage pack, I'd probably go with this:

Seal Line Pro

I have a GG Superior One and love it. Its comfortable, adjustable, and voluminous. I have not used the CCS packs, but based on my experience with other CCS products, I am confident the packs are excellent.