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Which Lightweight Pack?

A

Ankar Sheng

Joined
Dec 5, 2008
Messages
596
I've looked at a lot of lightweight packs and the ULA ones appear to be the best made to me. However, if you're in a hurry for one you can skip these as he's off on his annual fall trip and won't be back until Dec 1.
 
i have the older model mariposa plus...it has the two seperate stays.....i must say im not sure if i like the new design of a single one. nonetheless it is the pack that i bought after doing almost a year of research on what i wanted at a certain pricepoint. i couldnt have been happier. i took it with me on a 2month road trip and it performed excellent. only damage is from a chipmunk that ate through the webbing to get at a muffin! it can be broken down smaller and used as a daypack. also i have never used the Y strap for a bear cannister but i have used it to latch certain items that are bulky and round and it works great! it is not meant to throw around or be used as a seat or anything of the like but if you treat it good it will last a long time... it does have a pocket for a bladder the downfall is that there is nothing to attach to the top of the bladder to let it hang. the stitching on mine was superb and the new owner is a stickler for quality i hear so im sure its just as good. all the bells and whistles are cool too like the removable foam padding (u can use socks or bandana). a bonus which i never got was it comes with the foam backpad, i had to buy my own z-rest and cut it...but it cuts down on weight and is still comfy. id buy it again if need be. ive maxed my pack out to around 36-38lbs. i probably would use something different during the winter.

i like SMD stuff and would like to own some but the price just kills me.

the pinnacle is nice, heavier but still nice. it seemed like it could hold a bigger load than the mariposa+

that FF pack doesnt do much for me, seems heavy and cant hold a load.

you might want to also look at www.mountainlaureldesigns.com great stitching!

oh also check out Joes stuff at www.zpacks.com all hand made and can be VERY customized.
 
I've received around 5 years of good service (several nine-day trips) out a predecessor of that Go-Lite (the Gust model). I'm taking it on a trip Friday. The Dyneema gridstop fabric is really tough.

Shop around some of the discount outdoor places and you may be able to do a bit better on price (although Campmor is very reliable).

DancesWithKnives
 
Im gonsidering the Golite Jam 2 which has 3100 cubic inches and weighs 26 oz or the Osprey Atmos 50, which has 3000 cubic inches but weighs 54 oz. The main difference seems to be a substantially better suspension system and tougher fabric.

-- FLIX
 
I've narrowed my selection down to the GoLite Pinnacel and the Six Moon Desings "Starlite".

Some of the other ones are just too light, I'd worry about going off trail where you literally have to fight your way through the bush. ~30oz is plenty light. Others are eliminated based on availability.

I just cant decide between the two now. The GoLite is quite a bit cheaper ($50 less if you get the stays & hipbelt pockets on the Starlite). It also has greater internal volume, about 800/4200cu in is in the external mesh pockets. But then again, I'm not sure what to think of carrying a good portion of my gear in the mesh pockets, things could dry out better in them, or be fully exposed to rain/dew, plus the mesh is more likely to snag and rip.

The Starlite has optional stays though. I like the idea of that option, I've never used a large frameless pack before. Either might be perfectly comfortable without, but I wont know until I try it.

Does anyone use either of these packs?
 
Sorry to throw another contender into the mix but I thought you might want to know about this one. It's what I use. What is nice is that it is technically an external frame/internal frame hybrid pack that doesn't need of to use a sleeping pad for structural support. I use the largest of the pack sizes.

http://www.ospreypacks.com/Packs/ExosSeriesVentilated/
 
Toucan Oasis said:
As I hear it if you wait at the end of the Appalachian trail damn near 50 % will be wearing this.
My buddy walked it twice in the past 5 years and is currently on the Pacific trail with one.

http://www.granitegear.com/products/backpacks/ultralight/vaportrail.html

I'm not much on light stuff. I'm a pocket freak.
Click to expand...

I have an alpine vapor, which is the vapor trail with sturdier 210D cordura sides, and 420D cordura bottom, panels, & heavy crampon patch for abrasion resistance. The heavier materials make it a few ounces heavier than the vapor trail. I have been very happy with this pack. Very comfortable suspension up to 35 lbs (I haven't tried any heavier).

My only complaints are:
1) the extra fabric at the top roll is a pain when the pack isn't stuffed to the gills. I have monkey arms, so I can reach in easily, but my wife can't hardly reach the bottom of the pack without rolling the collar down.

2) the interior is colored black... you can't see your stuff inside very well, even in bright sunlight.
 
I've found that I don't need stays on my Go-Lite Gust. I take my sleeping pad and fold it to the width of the pack. I slip it in first, then pack other gear behind it. It acts as both a stay and cushioning without adding weight.

On my seven-day backpack about a week ago I hauled waaayyyy too much food and started off with close to a 35 lb pack (counting water). The pack performed fine but was definitely more fun to carry after 10+ lbs of food had been eaten. Next time I'm just going to toss out that 4lbs of fresh fruit in the fridge at home rather than take it along (I had dried fruit for later in the week). Scrimping through school made me reluctant to let any good food go bad. In addition, I had about 5 lbs of food left at the end of the trip and considering my built-in emergency gutpack, probably a pound or two was plenty of safety margin.

Pack should have weighed closer to 25 lbs with food and water.

I don't know about those mesh pockets/panels on the Starlite. I suppose that they would work fine if you used gallon zip-loc bags on whatever you stored in them.

DancesWithKnives
 
those look pretty heavy to me......any chance i can get you to try a Sil-nylon stuff bag with silnylon straps attached to it? only 1 oz
 
Bushman5 said:
those look pretty heavy to me......any chance i can get you to try a Sil-nylon stuff bag with silnylon straps attached to it? only 1 oz
Click to expand...

YOu sure could get me to try it if you want to donate one :D

I could definitely get by with a smaller (and lighter) pack in the summer, but I don't want to have to buy another one for the winter when I need the extra volume.

In my limited ultralight experience, once you get to around 20lb saving more weight makes a negligible difference, it's already super light and comfy to carry all day long. I'd rather carry a few more ounces that I wont even notice than sacrifice too much durability in my gear.
 
I'm assuming your TOTAL weight including water is going to be 20lbs. or less? Otherwise these ultralight packs are uncomfortable, and you are better off with a 4lb. pack that will make your load feel lighter.

If you are really going ultra light, I know Boomstick has seemed pretty happy with his golite, and the golite brand in general.
 
tenkara said:
Sorry to throw another contender into the mix but I thought you might want to know about this one. It's what I use. What is nice is that it is technically an external frame/internal frame hybrid pack that doesn't need of to use a sleeping pad for structural support. I use the largest of the pack sizes.

http://www.ospreypacks.com/Packs/ExosSeriesVentilated/
Click to expand...

Another vote for Ospreys. I use an Atmos, and when it wears out, I'm planning on replacing it with an Exos (Or whatever else is available when that time comes in a few more years.) The Atmos is fairly light weight and the most comfortable pack I've ever used.
 
I've reconsidered the GoLite Pinnacle. Seeing as winter is around the bend I want something thats light, but can still haul some weight and I dont think a frameless will cut it.

Now it's down to the Osprey Exos 58, VaporTrail or the Starlite.

The Starlite is the lightest overall and in terms of weight/volume, easily accessed pockets, and said to handle loads up to 35lb well with the stays. However it lacks compression straps so smaller loads might be an issue...

The Osprey looks like it has the best suspension, can probably comfortably carry the heaviest loads of the 3, and the best ventilation. Can't seem to find what it's made of though, so not sure how it would compare in durability. It's the heaviest and most expensive.

Dont know too much about the vapor trail, other than it's very popular. Doesn't seem to have any easily accessed pockets, and the 70d ripstop nylon seems awfully thin. Even the lighter Starlite is made of 210d dyneema nylon.


I'm on the fence here, but I've gotta make a decision soon so I can get this thing before my thanksgiving hike in 2 and a half weeks (i'd better allow two weeks for shipping too).
 
Of those three, I'd be leaning a little toward that Starlite if you are really thinking about setting up an UL rig. I know you wouldn't go wrong with the Osprey either but the Starlite seems a bit more focused on the lightweight approach.

DancesWithKnives
 
I have the Vapor Trail. It is an awesome little pack. I usually run it between 25-29lbs. I wouldn't want it much heavier than that. The storm collar is a pain, but it helps in one way. It adds room to your pack when you start out. At a certain point, you have to add weight in order to reduce volume, like with stuff sacks. With the storm collar, I can add plenty of food for the trip. It is a little bulky at first, but you are in good shape after a day or so. No need to carry a larger, heavier pack, and no need to stuff a bunch of sacks or have special gear in order to fit the smaller pack.
 
I am partial to Osprey. Their packs are plenty light for me while still providing a good amount of structure, ventilation, and organization. I would rather have a slightly heavier pack that makes the weight feel lighter than wear a light pack that's uncomfortable.
 
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