Quick look at the Mountainsmith Lookout 45

[OwenM]

This is the middle pack in Mountainsmith's new lineup. The 30 and 35L models do not have sleeping bag compartments. The 45, 55, 75L models do, as does the 40L version of this pack made for women.
http://www.mountainsmith.com/products.asp?categoryId=40&subCategoryID=35
Here is the only review I found before buying it to try out.
http://4alloutdoors.org/reviews/packs/mountainsmith-lookout-45-backpack/

With newer bags, an Esbit stove, and a bivy replacing my tent, it has enough room for a week, even in winter(at least in Alabama). In the video it has my stuff for a night or two, including my summer bag, which is taking up space in the body of the half-empty pack, while my old Cat's Meow 3D was used to show that the sleeping bag compartment will take a larger synthetic bag. I may very well put the pad inside the pack, since there's so much extra room with nothing more than cook kit, food pouch, raingear, and change of socks, underwear, and a wicking t-shirt to sleep in in the main bag.
I've only worn the pack walking around, and haven't hiked with it, so no comment on how it will feel a few hours down the trail. It won't get that test 'til next week.

[youtube]fQ_n6-coyUg[/youtube]
Had to cut off the end, to keep it under the 7 minute thing, but was just talking about being able to get the bivy out. I like that I can open the sleeping bag compartment, go bivy/pad/bag, and have camp set up in about two minutes flat. One of the reasons I bought this pack instead of others in its size range was the separate sleeping bag compartment. Having used a toploading ruck with no bottom access a lot, it's a pain having to dig through a bunch of crap every time you want something out of the bottom of the bag.
I think the trail I'm doing next week is something like 17 1/2 miles, so I should get to see how the pack and my back get along then.

 

[PayetteRucker]

45 liters is a great size, I picked up a North Face Skareb 40 in my christmas haul and it's just the right size for an overnighter or a good long day hike. The Lookout 45 was featured in the Outside Buyer's Guide this month. You simply can't go wrong with Mountainsmith products, unbeatable price, construction and design. They're true user's packs, meant to see mileage. I'm sure you'll enjoy the heck out of it. My Maverick has big side pockets for access on the go, I keep it stashed with the things I don't want to have to dig for in the main compartment. Good side pockets/organization are one of the biggest things I look for in a pack for that accessibility reason. Outside really liked the placement of the straps and loops for mounting stuff like skis or snowboard, maybe they can be adapted for mounting tools like an axe and machete.

 

[OwenM]

Yeah, the only thing I really miss on this pack is a pair of vertical outside pockets. I was used to those on my old TNF ruck, and Dana Design pack. My initial impression of the stretch panel on this pack is that I like it, but would rather have those pockets(or a pocket) in its place, so I could get to stuff without having to undo the lid.

 

[PayetteRucker]

sadly those pockets are disappearing, the big main top loading compartment is all you get on the Ospreys and TNFs and Gregorys and all the other mainstream popular brands out there. They may be streamlined for alpine climbing etc but for cross country backpacking, especially when bushcrafting, they definately aren't ideal. Eberlestock, Kelty and Mountainsmith are sticking to them and they all have some awesome packs for the money. The Approach 3500 was a beast of a daypack they made that was built more for the trail type stuff. Maybe you could add a versipack to the kit, so you can carry trail essentials on your hip-map/compass, flashlight, sidearm, hat/gloves, camera etc. Give yourself an extra couple liters of room and on-the-go accessability.

 

[OwenM]

Reading over this before posting, I suppose the sections I will put in bold kind of sum it up.

My little Lookout 45 did great on its first outing. Made a loop out of four connecting trails for a total of maybe 15 miles(the 17.4 mile trail mentioned before would have put me out almost that many miles from my truck, duh..).
It was supposed to be an overnighter, but things were not going well, and not even halfway through, and I got frustrated and decided to just do it all at once, rather than spend the night.

Instead of using the extended straps to hold the sleeping pad like in my video, I used cord to attach it so the straps could more effectively compress the load. The pack was only ~30lb. and the weight stayed almost entirely on my hips, with the pack being very secure and stable. One of the shoulder straps had gotten extended, so it was lopsided at first. After having some discomfort the first few miles, I dropped it to see what was wrong, readjusted the strap, and tied it off at the buckle so it couldn't come loose again. After that, I took no notice of the pack at all except when crawling under deadfalls, where the pad would hang occasionally.
I climbed rocks, over deadfalls, waded in the river, had a few falls and several near misses that gave me a jolt climbing up steep banks of slippery clay(and a few on the trail where you'd basically go from solid ground to being on ice skates with no warning), and raced the timer on my camera a time or two
My pelvis got knocked out of place in an accident, and has to be forced/popped into place almost daily. It has a permanent twist that makes it very easy for my spine to get misaligned, and this has been a problem in the last few years with other packs, particularly a frameless ruck, and even daypacks, so the Mountainsmith gets an A+ from me for comfort and stability, as my back felt fine through it all.

One of the heavy D shaped attachment points got a carabiner for my sandals, but held my shoes, since the sandals stayed on after a river crossing right at the start of the first trail. I liked this a lot better than having them hanging from a tool loop at the bottom, and constantly swinging around.
The hydration bladder pocket does intrude into the packbag, but I don't care for bladders, and just had a 1L Platypus in there to back up my Nalgene bottles. Wasn't noticeable, especially with the pack only half loaded to begin with.
There are loops in the webbing at the base of the straps for securing and compressing the toplid on the front of the pack which, along with the heavier D rings, make it easy to attach larger items like the sleeping pad with cord or straps and buckles if you don't want to use the pack's compression straps.
I'm very happy with this pack, so far.

Here are a few pics:

 

[brians]

Great pics and review. That looks like a good pack.

 

[hollowdweller]

Good job.

I like the shape of that pack. That's sad you had to miss out on a night in the woods though!

 

[PayetteRucker]

Happy it's workin out for ya. It blows my mind how people so often overlook this company for Greggorys or Ospreys or all the other REI brands out there when they are so much more reasonably priced, and in my opinion, more comfortable.

 

[OwenM]

No doubt. I got this pack on sale for something like $102 shipped from ebags. It only retails for $159, and normally sells for $127.99.
Those are the popular brands that you find at outdoor stores, though.
The 2010 Aether 60 with sleeping bag compartment was ok, but probably not as durable as the Mountainsmith, and double the cost.

I did want to check out the Deuter Aircontact 55+10. Seems decently rugged, and that suspension system looks fantastic. Started to order one the same time as my Lookout 45, and send back the one I liked least, but figured the Mountainsmith would make me happy all along.
What I really wanted was a Mystery Ranch Glacier, and started to call and order one. I don't need a 70 liter pack, though, and wish they made a smaller version. Their assault and hunting type packs weren't what I was after, either. Same for Kifaru, whose stuff is great quality, just not up my alley.

Good job.

I like the shape of that pack. That's sad you had to miss out on a night in the woods though!

Thanks, and don't worry, I didn't miss anything, except trying to sleep with dozens of ticks embedding themselves on me. I got a bunch off while driving home, and took a soldering iron to about seven more when I got here.

It was a miserable experience, and I kind of did it all to myself by not preparing like I should have. I made the mistake of getting directions from google maps and trail descriptions from an internet blog I found on a google search. Everything about it was a bust, from the initial directions putting me 16 miles away from the right trailhead, to the trail descriptions varying from barely recognizable to completely off.
Even the start, that should have been easy, was rough. In the first 1/4 mile I'd busted my butt twice on a steep clay bank, and bent a trekking pole. By 3 1/2 miles was ready to have a violent episode because of the cloud of bugs around me.
The description had the main attractions on a trail(204), when they were actually on an "unmaintained" trail, which shows as a dotted line on the map. Ha, they're all unmaintained...but I passed by almost 1/4 mile behind, and 7-800ft. above where I needed to be to see all that stuff(and the whole reason I was there).
Unbelievable amount of deadfalls, too. Always lots of trees down when they grow over rock formations, 'cause their roots don't go deep, but this was ridiculous. I know there were over a hundred on the trail. Some places there'd be four or five within 50 yards.
I had to get facedown and low-crawl to get under some of them, as I made my way up the ridges and along the cliff on the wrong trail.
Immediately after that was a 5 mile trek through what is basically a narrow ditch completely overgrown with young spruce pine on either side. Like going through a Christmas tree farm with nettles raking you head to toe almost every step of the way.
Maddening stuff.
The remaining 3 miles or so after that was easy, thank goodness.

I got mad and never put my shoes back on after the initial river crossing, never got my bug repellant back out after sweating it off, and just put my head down and bulled my way through. With all the crap in the way, I couldn't keep a pace going, and it took something like 8 1/2 hours to do those 15 miles.

In a way it was pretty cool, though. I think when you start getting a little bit older you need something to make you feel young and tough every now and then, and remind you that you've "still got it".
Due to my little list of booboos, it was my first time hiking with a backpack in ~5 years, and first time in ~2 years doing more than mow the grass without orthopedic inserts, and I knock out 15 miles in 90 degree heat with near 100% humidity in sandals with one five minute break in the last 11-12 miles, and feel fine before I get back home...
Hell.
Yeah.
That made it all good:thumbup:

I'll write this one off to character building, go back when it's cooler, and do the right trail next time around, like a good little dummy.

 

[hollowdweller]

Ha!

My wife and I had a hike like that once. We did a 4 day 35 mile hike. Normally in the mountains in WV even in the summer it's cool and there's a little breeze going. This was 90 humid and NO breeze. Also we did an 8 mile stretch where we climbed and descended like 8 knobs and actually ran out of water. Was so hot that you couldn't drink enough and if you sat to rest you poured sweat and the flies descended on you

Also involved a 4 mile descent thru blackberry and nettle, so I hear you

No biting insects though. I have those in MY woods. I don't think I'd ever sleep in my woods in anything but a hammock the ticks are so wicked.

 

[fmajor007]

Yeah, there's plenty of reasons i camp *only* when it's cool and mostly after the snow flies. I read your 20, and so you're pretty stuck in the spring/summer, though Fall is prolly quite nice. Nice day out though!!! Sounds like good training - patience and all!!

Glad you like your pack! I really, really hope you get a long service life out of it.

You're probably familiar with this, but on the odd chance you're not here's a tip i give to Folks buying new packs. If you want to extend the life of your pack, buy some McNetts SeamGrip and coat the bottom/bottom edge of your pack with it. SeamGrip "hardens" like the sole of a pair of good boots and you'll never grind you way through it (with normal use anyway).

I've dragged my packs climbing chimney's/scuffed on talus plus just setting them on rocky ground and no visible wear. I also use it to (obviously) seal the seams on my tents and to repair all my g-tex/outer wear stuff from g-tex bibs, gators, jackets, etc.

Incidently, not all the Gregory's are missing separate sleeping bag access. I've had my Denali Pro (and my wifes Petit Dru Pro) for about 12 years and they've given great service all the while being utterly *abused*. Nowadays I mostly go in the winter (*hate* bugs) and my big @ss winter sleeping bags manage to fit in the separate compartment just fine.

 

[PayetteRucker]

I'll throw 303 in there, it's a UV protecting spray used on aircraft that not only prevents the color of the bag from fading, but also prevents deterioration of the nylon fibers.

 

[OwenM]

Thank you both for the suggestions.
I've got some 303 around here somewhere, but was only planning to use it on my tent, and later my bivy. Guess I could hose down the pack, instead, since my shelters and bags get babied while everything else gets the crap beat out of it.
I do kind of like it when stuff gets that used look, though.

fmajor, I have not heard of the Seamgrip trick, but do have some for repairs. My older packs were both 1000D Cordura, with one being double layered at the bottom, and I honestly had not thought of beefing up this pack. Some extra protection on the high wear surfaces sure won't hurt it.

As for patience...I had none after being crawled on by scores of these,

..swarmed and bitten by several of these(interestingly, the squadron of the moment goes away when you kill one-but is soon replaced by another),

..and expecting at any moment to meet another of these eye to eye while crawling under deadfalls.

Sorry, I have no pics of the gnats that I was slapping myself silly and digging in my ears for...apparently they were of whichever species feeds on Deep Woods OFF.

In a few short miles my demeanor underwent a slight change, from my usual outdoor giddiness(you should see some of my goofy videos that I'll only show to a couple of friends!) to...less than giddy:grumpy:
I laughed when I saw that second pic later. All tensed up and mad and stuff:yawn: Looking back, I was lucky. Never saw the first mosquito.

On-topic, the pack was about the only thing that wasn't irritating me!

 

[PayetteRucker]

I really like the horizontal straps across the pack straps as well-makes mounting a knife, GPS/phone/camera/compass pouch etc. very easy and excessable. Gnats ate me up last weekend too, I have bumps all over my hands and arms. They stayed out of my face, probably because it spent 2 days hunched over a smoky wet fire, but man they are a real pain in the ass.