Ultralight Backpack recommendations

“What type of ultralight backpacks do you use and recommend? I just finished Ray Jardine's book and am slowly but surely adopting some of his ideas. The next step is to replace my backpack with a much lighter model (sub 1# ?) Is it better to buy one of the commercially made packs or make my own? Where can I find the fabrics to make one? Thanks.”

“Check out the GoLite packs. Sewing a pack would take more of my time than just buying one.”

“Check out the GoLitepacks. I have the Gust medium which is 19 ounces, 5100 c.i. and cost $105. I've used it on several trips now and it's outstanding!

Why I ever carred a 5 lb. pack is beyond me.”

“I love my GoLite Daypack. 10 oz. Too small for the winter bag, tho.”

“I've been looking at the golite packs on their website. Are they durable?”

“My GoLite pack seems very durable. Not sure of the kind of material, but some kind of ripstop nylon I think.”

“I once read about an older lady who walked the AT in sneakers carrying a cloth grocery bag.”

“The ultimate lightweight packing is nude with no pack. If you carry anything more than that you are carrying too much.”

“Check out the G4 at gvpgear.com. I have this pack, and love it. Plus, it's $30.00 cheaper than the go-lite....”

“Having done some research it's down to the golite breeze or the G4 from gpvgear. I don't need a large capacity and my pack is usually under 20 pounds anyway. The G4 is $10 less than the breeze and has a hip belt. Is it a better pack than the breeze? Anybody who has tried both or anybody with some pointers? Thanks”

“Get a pack that has a hipbelt, no matter how much my pack weighs, I prefer having the weight distributed to my hips rather than hanging it from my shoulders.

IMHO, I think the extra few pounds that some packs have, is negligable and well worth the extra comfort that usually comes with slightly heavier packs.”

“Kelty Tempest is my choice. 2900 ci.
1 lb. 14 ozs.

Golite packs are indeed "light" but the cubic inches is still pretty big (5100 ci). If your going light weight then I suggest a much smaller pack. The more space ya got, the more sh!t your gonna wanna bring.
The smaller the pack the less stuff you can bring.
The Golite packs are just a great way to cut pack weight and still be able to bring a lotta sh!t.”

“You all forget the Kelty Flight! Great pack, Campmor has em for 109.00 and they can be striped down to the main bag w/sholder straps or built up to carry loads up to 50+ lbs. See Kelty.com or Campmor. Kelty has better specs on the pack. It's a lot more durable and versitile than the Go lite breeze.

I chose it because when I hike with my wife I carry heavier loads and she hikes with a day pack. My pace is twice hers and the extra weight keeps me going slow and lets her have a good time.”

“Thinair,
Thanks! I just ordered a Kelty Flight for next season. The Mtnsmith Chimera is ripping at the seams (top pouch) and it was hurting the shoulders, plus the straps loosen up and I have to keep tightening it. SnowDude likes his Kelty Cloud, so I'll give this a try. I'll lose almost 2 lbs with this pack! Glad I waited to buy it! Thanks again!!”

“Heavy packs are going the way of canvas tarps.”

“Buddur is right, don't buy a pack based on it's weight alone.
For example, if you tried out two different loaded packs with around the same loaded weight, say 20 or so pounds, but one of them weighed a pound more empty. Assume you didn't know which pack weighed more empty. Now if you hiked all day with each pack as an experiment and the lighter pack gave you a sore back and neck, less stability and less overall comfort and performance which would you choose, not knowing which pack was the heavier empty pack ? You'd probably pick the heavier pack that had all day comfort to avoid the discomfort of the lighter pack.”

“I dumped the comfortable Gregory Petit Dru (6 lb) for the Mtnsmith Chimera (3 lb 14 oz). Its great with 26-28 lb, but anymore weight and it digs in the shoulders. For solo I carry ~34 lbs, for winter ~38. I went lighter and can't go back. I'm still trying to lose weight.”

“Think more wholistic. What is the entire weight you are trying to get to. Judge all your gear and shoot for the ideal weight. Buy the pack based on comfort and if you must, sacrifice weight elsewhere.

I try to get around 10 to 15 lbs without food and water. Based on how much room that takes and your average trip length you can estimate what size pack you need and thus how much weight you have to play with.”

“I put 340+ miles on my G4 last season... It held up well for me. I really like the way the zrest pad works as suspension for the pack. It's good to have the belt if needed(I didn't use mine) It's very expandable, and weights nothing...It is also easy to beef up the shoulder paddding as the pack has velcro slots for inserting padding...If that's not enough just wrap foam around the strap and slap on a peice of duct tape....”

“How'bout just starting with a pack that's comfortable!?!

Hic!

Excuse me.”

“The only provblems I've hear with the GoLite packs is that the mesh pockets on the smaller ones gets torn up. I think the Flight is a good compromise. It has the best of both worlds, a little heavier but more versital and you have the option of stripping it (and still be able to put stuff back on), and the price is comperable.

As a former lightweight nerotic, don't get too caught up in the movement. 8)”

“Snow Nymph--I hope that pack is not too long for you. My white pack is the shorter one and it is almost too long for me. They are not adjustable.”

“I guess maybe I should stick with my Kelty Moraine. It weighs a little over 3 lbs. My total base weight including fuel but not food and water is 11lbs. The Kelty is a really tough pack with a 3200ci capacity. I'll use it some more and maybe try to make something ultralight as a test. Thanks for all the info.”

“netcelt--have you cut off all of the excess straps and dohickeys on your pack?”

“I'm gonna start cutting like crazy tonight. That should free up several ounces :)”

“I'd say you're getting good advice about finding a comfortable pack first, regardless of weight. I use an Osprey Ariel. Its a medium volume panel loader (int frame) originally made for jungle expedition use. It's also US made if that matters to you. I bushwack mostly so it's close body contour doesn't snag or hang. The biggest weight saver is a tent. If you live in the West you can sleep under the stars most of the time. I just carry a 6X8 nylon tarp (~20oz) in case it rains. I realize there may be bug and weather issues for the East. For sleep, NF Blue Kazoo and ThermoRest camprest LE. I like to be comfortable when I lie down. Also, I don't carry a stove except in Winter. If I must have something hot, I'll make a twig fire. Tin cup and AL foil for cookware. You can live in the forest for 3 days just on snack food (cheese, crackers, almond butter, bagels, honey, tea and water). I treat myself to a good steak before I go in and when I come out. A lexan flask of schnapps and a good novel, too. I usually cover 25mi. in 2 night 3days. Some may think this rather spartan but it allows me to carry some camera gear for wildlife photography and 30m of climbing rope.”

“Wow-
Snow nymph did I read you carry 34-38 lbs? Does that include you snow board and snow shoes & food?
You mentioned this was for solo- Do you & Snow dude pack as a team?

Willks-
Can you get enough calories with your menu?Do you have a protein source?
I always go overboard with food-but that is my thing-love to cook in the woods.”

“Ever looked into a PackLite?

After an arduous mission to find a lighter pack, I settled on the PackLite Backcountry - 4400 c.i., 3 pounds 11 oz., internal frame, 5 exterior pockets of various size.

$159.99”

“I hope the Flight isn't too long. I wear my hip belt low so it doesn't rub the belly ring.

Josh, The snowboard weighs over 6 lbs. I only carried that on the New Years trip. I didn't count the snowshoes because I was wearing them.

SnowDude and I pack as a team when we go together. That's when I carry less weight. On my solo trips, I carry 34-38 lbs, which includes tent, thermarest, sleeping bag, bear canister, Canon Rebel 2000 & film, etc, chair, stove & cooking gear, trekking poles, raingear, clothes....”

“thats about where I'm at, I try to be closer to the 35lb mark, thats usually pretty good for me.”

“With a tarp instead of tent, down bag instead of synthetic, and 1 lb. 3 oz. pack instead of 5 lbs., I usually manage to keep my total pack weight in the low to mid 20s (with food and a 2 litre water bladder).”

“I went from a lighter Mountainsmith Mountainlight 3500 to an Arc Teryx Bora 62. The Arc Teryx is 6 lbs, which is about 2 1/2 pounds more than the Mountainsmith, but it is so much more comfortable. The Mountainsmith was tall and narrow, so I had trouble fitting the bear canister in. The staps were always coming loose and the pack would hang down on my butt. It killed my shoulders. The final straw came when the seams started to rip. I don't know why backpacker raved about it.

Anyway, the couple pounds I gained when I traded the Mountainsmith in for the Arc Teryx were well worth it. The Arc Teryx Bora 62 fits, is strong and doesn't kill my shoulders.

Other than the pack, I'm really careful about the weight of the items I carry because it's hard for me to carry much over 30 pounds.”

“Most ultra lite packs are murder on the shoulders even with light loads. Without a waistbelt to take up the load, even a light one, is asking alot of ANY pack.

Would love to loose a instant 4 to 5 lbs. by carrying a lighter pack, but comfort is higher on my list”

“Looking at tarps lately - zeroing in on sil nylon. 8'x10' seems to be the most popular one-man option from what I've read. REI has the Integral Designs for $110, Campmor has one for $64, and then there's Oware at $77.

Think I'll go with Campmoor but not sure about the color. I will use that with the Walrus Trekker Tarp insert for bug season which is almost year-round here. The insert will eliminate the need for a ground cloth as well.”

“That is definately a good deal on a tarp at Campmor. Best I've seen. I was going to make one but the material was going to cost $30.00 to $40.00 and for $64.00 I'd be happy to do without the work.”

“I insist on a waistbelt to keep the pack stable. It is no fun when you are going one way and the pack is going another.”

“the G4 is homemade for a reason---you can customize the thing to fit you and your needs.cliff”

“The g4 is a very comfortable pack...It never made the trade off between weight and comfort. Best of all it is super light..and I'll tell you there is no better feeling than putting on a 15 lb pack and realising this is all your having to carry..That and pass smucks with 60 lb packs and misery written on their faces.”

“I'm having a hard time making the change to the Kelty Flight pack.

The suspension is about what you get from a technical climbing pack. With over 35lbs, the shoulder straps begin to cut in and there's not much hip support.”

“Uh oh......”

“Tekapo, you might want to take it to your local backpacking store. They'll give you help if you need it.
You have to get that aluminum supports inside the pack curved the right way or you won't like the feel.

Have you used the load lifter straps on the sholders, or the stabalizer straps on the hip belt?

Also try loosening your sholder straps a bit to allow the weight to transfer to your hips.
I noticed that the gel hip belt once formed to your body needs to be tightened again after a few minutes of hiking.”

“MP, what kind of pack do you have? I need a short one. I will be curious to know if the Kelty works out for you Snow Nymph.

Big Coop, hey that's my idea. But what about the trekking poles you need to hold up the bug tent? I can't find any cheap, light ones. Did you?”

“Have any of you folks seen Backpacker Mag's Gear Guide that they just sent out? Daaaaaaammmmmmm are there lots of differrent packs out there now, and with all kinds of different smells and flavors.

I seriously don't think I'll ever need another pack, I mean, I doubt if one of my packs will ever wear out enough to warrant a replacement. And I'm happy with them and feel lucky that I didn't buy a pack that I wasn't pleased with.”

“Biz - well I think you have a darn good idea. My idea is a slight variation of the setup that BS mentioned here. I currently only use a wooden hiking stick and plan to either find a stick or tree in the woods or - if that doesn't seem to work well - convert to the trekking poles.

I'm not sold on trekking poles yet...”

“Biz, the Mountainsmith Chimera is a great pack, as long as its around 25 lbs. I only have a problem with it when I backpack. Its great for snowshoeing and dayhiking. I guess if I left the camera, chair, and other things at home, I could get the packweight down.”

“I rarely see anyone post that they, too, have tried the PackLite... but I gotta tell ya, including water bladder - but no food - my pack weighs in at 27.1 pounds. That's really paring things down, and I could add another 3# without flinching...

For those short hikes, I'll carry it. But longer hikes cause me to adopt more practical strategies.

Most other packs - and I haven't tried them all - don't seem to have what I seek... low weight, pockets, good capacity, and easy access. I'm paying attention to the posts here, though, and am seeking another, slimmer pack with some testimonials behind it.”

“wsdavies - 15lbs? Post your gear list. How many days worth of food? That seems almost too good to be true for anything other than an overnighter on a perfect summer weekend.

Biz, the woods are littered with cheap poles to hold up your bug hut. Or, just buy a used pair of ski poles.”

“Biz, Snownymph and anyone else who is short waisted, take a look at the pack that Obi
recommends. It is a fairly lightweight panel loader, but with one uniqueness. The
shoulder straps are fixed and the waist band is adjustable. This means a short waisted
person doesn’t have the pack way above their head when adjusted properly. This is most
important when x-country skiing or snowshoeing or anytime you need good balance
control.
Again it is not the lightest [3lb 11oz] but for short waisted people it’s the best fit.”

“thinair,

Yeah, it'll take some experimentation. It's really a nice pack. I haven't given up on it.

The bearikade canister really makes the pack stiff too. The stiffness seems to overwhelm available padding and fit. I'll experiment more with the aluminum support. Maybe there's some custom work that can be done too.”

“a gear list huh..Lets see..here's what I had on the JMT last year.

Clothes:
2 pairs of socks(Smartwool)
2 pairs of underwear(Rei) poly
1 short sleeve shirt & 1 long sleeve shirt(CoolMax)
1 pair of shorts & 1 pair of warm-ups
1 fleece jacket & one shell windbreaker
1 skull cap & 1 mosquito head-net
1 mini camp towel & rain poncho
1 mylar emergency blanket/ground cloth

Toilettries:
Lotion & Sunblock
Toothbrush & Paste
1 plastic comb
Camp soap & Bug repellant
Tylenol & Advil/ cold medicine
1 generic 1st aide kit
Toilet paper & Trowel


Food Preparation:
?1 Cookpot & lid
1 lexan spoon, cup & bowl
2 Photon stoves with stand and windscreen
1 H. P. bottle with Denatured Alcohol
1 one cup measurement and Tablespoon
1 water filter, & water tablets and vitamin c crystals
2 Platypus waterbags(one with hose)
1 mini sponge

Various Gear:
1 G4 pack with sleep pad
1 Small Kelty Tent
Rope for bear bags
1 home made sleeping quilt & stuff sack
Dark glasses & sun hat
?1 Minidisc player and 3 discs(2 batteries)
1 microlight & 1 small knife tool
1 compass, map, & directions
1 small paperback book

disposable cameras
extra ziplock bags

Shared Gear:
Sleeping quilt and tent with my wife.

Alc stove and cooking gear
Water filter

I carried the Quilt and the stove setup...My pack weight varied between 12(low food and water) to around 27(8+days of food full water) Most of the time my pack was between 15-20 lbs. Maybe with 4-6 days off food on average”