Well... no wonder they need so many, if they'll small. How're ya sposed to pack stuff on 'em if they can only carry little bitty packs?
How's he feel about llamas? Llamas are big, and they simply *live* to carry stuff. They really seem to get off on it. Llamas actually *like* having jobs... dunno how Alpacas feel about it. Sorta like shepard dogs... their whole raison d'etre is all about having a job to do. Look at Border Collies... they gotta have a job to do or they go totally nonlinear... a border collie would *completely* be into the idea of carrying really important stuff in a backpack. At least... that's what you'd tell him.
He had two llamas for awhile, that he rescued at an auction. He found other homes for them at a llama refuge of some sort. They're magnificent.
He got alpacas because they are small enough for Jesse to handle in 4H.