1MoKast Adventures

When we started hiking a few months ago I knew I needed to get a new pack. I had come across a series of videos on youtube by John Campbell (desertsurvivalist). One of the videos he did talks about a tactical backpack by Maxpedition. The pack in question was the Condor II. It was a nice pack but more $$ than I wanted to spend on a pack.

After looking around, I found a larger tactical pack made by a company called Condor Outdoor. It is their 3 day assault pack. It was about 1/2 the cost and had decent reviews so I decided to give it a try. So far it has worked out great. The pack has drainage grommets in most of the pockets and a double set of zippers for the main compartment. One of the things I liked most about the pack is all the M.O.L.L.E webbing found on the pack for attaching modular gear.

The pack is available in black, tan, OD Green, and several varieties of camo including ACU, which is what mine is. I discovered the pack on a website called cheaperthandirt.com but ended up buying it at Freedom Military Surplus here in town. It was about $20 cheaper online even with shipping factored in but I liked the surplus store and want to spend my $$ locally in this case, even if it ends up costing me more. I've taken it on two day hikes so far without any issues.

Front of pack with all the molle webbing. A 1lb propane tank for size reference.

Side view with top & bottom compression straps in use. Generous side pockets that swollow 32oz nalgene bottles.

Shoulder straps with moulded back panel. Shoulder straps have adjustable sternum strap, D-rings, and molle webbings. The hip belt is generous with great lumbar support.

Close-up of shoulder straps.

This is how the shoulder straps connect to the pack. Initially I was concerned about the durability of the arrangement but so far it seems fine.

Low-key pocket for CCW or hydration.

Visibe in this shot is the hard plastic plate to prevent whatever is in this pocket from poking me in the back.

Opening for the hydration hose. This pack is designed to accomodate up to two 3L hydration packs at the same time.

Identical opening on the other side.

Visible are the two side openings. There is an opening in the middle as well.

Close up of the middle opening.

Close up of the side pocket and all the molle webbing.

Large bottom pocket.

Lots of molle webbing on the main compartment.

Opposite side pocket.

Inside of the side pocket. Grommet in floor to drain any water that may get in.

There are three grab handles on the pack. One on top and one on each side.

Bellowed map/document pocket.

Outside segmented pocket for gear.

Additional shot showing all the compartments in this pocket.

View inside the bottom pocket. Notice the grommet in the floor for drainage.

Large zippered mesh storage in the flap.

Additional segmented storage in the bottom pocket.

Two large zippered mesh pockets on the inside of the main compartment.

Generous storage and strapping within the main compartment.

Extra large footprint for the main compartment with two grommets to allow fast drainage for any water that happens to get in.

Quick release 2.5" buckle on the hip belt.

We decided to try a different area yesterday so we explored a new regional park only a few years old. Just like the Superstitions, this park is east of the valley, but in this case, south of Queen Creek on the way to Florence. Minus a couple of stops we made on the way out, this park is only about 35 minutes from our door, but has the unique ability to make you feel like you are in the middle of nowhere.

One of the things that appealed to us was the lack of steep climbs - a welcome change from the brutal hike we did last weekend (Peralta Trail) in the Superstitions. We did a loop of about 2.5 miles starting on the Little Leaf Trail and coming back on the Goldmine Trail in about one hour's time. This park has has multiple trails that criss-cross the park offering a nearly endless number of combination hikes of varying lengths and degrees of difficulty.

A unique aspect of this park is that it is shared-use which means in addition to hikers, you are likely to encounter mountain bikers as well as people on horses. We saw a few groups of horses and a couple of bike riders. As a result of this flexibility, the trails are well groomed and anywhere from 8 to 20 feet wide.

One of the constants we have noticed on our hikes is the amount of dogs hiking on the trails with their owners. This is particularly good news for Tommy since he likes dogs so much. It's neat to watch a normally introverted kid go right up to a hiker with a dog and strike up a conversation about the dog all by himself.

Mark's dad Art came along on this hike and had a good time hiking with his grandkids. At the conclusion of the hike we checked out the park's tortise habitat and then sampled a few backpacking meals made by Mountain House Foods, a maker of freeze-dried meals. This time we tried Mac & Cheese and Spaghetti w/ Meat Sauce. We also had instant coffee. The food and coffee was really good and we will add them to our list of backpacking foods...They are kid-approved to, enjoyed by Savannah and Sabrina.

Click on the map to enlarge and see the trails we hiked yesterday: The Little Leaf Trail and the Goldmine Trail.

At the trailhead, a hub of sorts, like a bike wheel with trails taking off in all directions.

We got off to a quick start, spreading out at comfortable distances with everyone hiking at their own pace.

Nice wide and flat trails made for an enjoyable day in the outdoors.

Every so often benches would appear making nice rest stops and good picture opportunities.

Marching up a gradual grade with Tommy leading the way.

Tommy and Granddaddy discuss their hiking boots as they get ready to descend into a small wash.

The topography of the park is gentle with mountains framing the park.

In the distance, you can see the Visitors' Center. We hiked in a sea of creosote bushes.

Stretching out on the trail.

Tommy found a nice saguaro.

This park had a decent amount of ocotillos and this was one of the biggest.

Interesting growth in the middle.

Heading back down the nicely groomed trail.

Everyone was excited about the nice weather, including the cactus. In this shot, two barrel cactus flank a small saguaro.

Stag-horn cholla

Great example of how the cholla will stick to anything with very little effort.

Beautiful backdrops all day long.

Beyond this saddle is a whole other world of trails waiting for us.

Sabrina and Granddaddy sharing some time together on the trail.

Tommy and Sabrina examine a creosote bush. Tommy likes this plant because when you crush the leaves between your fingers it smells like the desert after it rains.