Pack Impressions - P2

“Woohoo! I got my P2 today. It looks great. I hope it will hold all my gear. Those pockets on the hip strap seem pretty cool. I like the built in rain cover. Neat idea and it can be removed if you desire.”

“So I'm sitting there watching "The Bachelorette" and looking at my new P2. My daughter walks by and says, "Dad, are you petting your new backpack?". Then my wife walks by and says something similar. Sheesh.

Anyway, it looks really cool. Has more nice little features than I expected. Maybe I'll try to pack it soon and see what I end up with weightwise.”

“lol

Did ya sleep with it the first night, too?”

“Did you at least buy yout new pack a drink or dinner before you violated it?”

“Phil, it's good you have a wife open-minded enough to allow you to pursue your new relationship with your P2.

I think if I brought home another backpack, my wife would divorce me.”

“LOL - Buddur that's exactly what my wife's quip was,"Are you going to sleep with that thing?"

This year's color is green. I really like it.”

“Phil that cracks me up!”

“I mentioned to my wife that I needed a new tent and pack. I told her it was going to be hard to keep with people who had packs that weighed in at less than 25 lbs. She doesn't seem to understand my concern. What can I do?”

“looks like your gonna have to live up to your name solitary hiker...and go solo...i know you may love her...but your gonna have to get a divorce! It's your duty as a gear whore!”

“I've had that old girl for over 27 years. Can't give her up now because I don't even know how to open the fridge up to get a brew.
Guess I'm forever doomed to bring up the rear and come into camp when all the level tent spots have already been taken.”

“my husband started to count my packs a couple of month ago. He never finished because I interupted with "what are you doing in my closet?"

I now start to store one pack in another pack. This way it doesn't look so bad.”

“Solitary - I declare what I want as a Father's Day, birthday, or Christmas gift. That helps. When my P2 arrived everyone said, Happy Birthday. (My birthday was in July. I ordered it in August and got it in February).

I would include gear on my list of approved Anniversary and Valentines gifts, but it would be too tacky.”

“You know Gemini I've never bought things wihout telling her. I'd almost try it but she pays the bills. She'd see it on my AMX tab and be wise to me. No I'll just have to carry a fifty pounder. Y'all forge out ahead. I'll be along in a while.”

“hmm hike into camp..weighed down by an old heavy pack...no level tent spots left...sounds like you need a new hennessey hammock”

“Phil - have you weighed your pack yet?”

“Solitary--Go lite, it's a whole new world of bpacking.”

“gforce, I am not sure what options phil has but my P-2 has most of the bells and whistles and weighs 3# 4 ounce or so.”

“Sol - I save all my pocket change for camping gear. My wife knows that. Last year I took my cups of coins to the grocery store and ran them thru the counting machine and got several hundred dollars. I then went to REI and bought gear.

gforce - I don't have an accurate way to weigh my pack, but I got most of the bells and whistles also and it seems pretty darn light. The unreliable digital scale in my bathroom says 3 lbs (me with the pack - me without the pack). But it only weighs to the nearest half pound.

I will save almost 5 lbs because of the following:

Backpack savings: 3.0 lbs.
Backpack cover savings: 5 oz.
Camera case eliminated: 3 oz.
Bladder cover eliminated: 5 oz.
Fanny pack/day pack eliminated: 5 oz or 1.5 lbs...depending on which one I would have taken.

I hope to eventually save more with:
New sleeping bag - Save 1 lb.
New sleeping pad = Save 1 lb. 4 oz.
New canister - Save 1 lb.
New tent - save 1.5 lbs.

I already saved some weight with my Pocket Rocket.

That could add up to about 10 lbs.”

“That could add up to about 10 lbs."
Phil
10:46:41 PM
02/27/04

Every step of the way!”

“Cool Phil! Post a pic of you and your new love!!hahaha!”

“So Phil, how much would your pack weigh without food and water for a 7 day trip?”

“Sol - For SierraPalooza my pack (external frame) started out at around 50 lbs which included 7 days of food and 2-3 liters of water. Plus it was top heavy and I had old boots that were not giving me good traction. When we went off trail or had to forge a creek, I was at a disadvantage. I vowed to fix that for next year.

I did buy new boots and have used them several times. WHAT A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE! I can actually go down hill now.”

“So how much do you think it's gonna cost you to get the pack down to 40 lbs?
I won't count the boots, everyone needs new boots but ....
I know the Bearicade is $195.
Tent is $175-$200.
P2 pack is approx. $250
Stove = ?
New sleeping bag = ?
Sleeping pad = ?

Getting mighty steep. And with all this new gear I know you won't be backsliding and carrying your lightweight frying pan anymore.
How ya going to cook trout in one of those little 4inch diameter titanium saucepan tops? Not good Phil......not good at all.”

“Solitary - Like I said, Christmas, Birthday and Father's Day. And yes, it is going to add up. But I went so many years without new gear, I am just doing it. Maybe having only one kid still in college has helped a little.

I carried my frying pan on SierraPalooza. At Big Arroyo, Tarbubble made tortillas for us. They hit the spot. Then at Hamilton Lake we cooked three pans of trout in it.”

“So you spend $1,000-$1,200 for gear. It will last you what? 50-100 nights? That's pretty dang cheap entertainment. Compare to a hotel-$100/night; dinner and a movie-$50; date-$75. Hey, think I'll go buy something new.”

“"How ya going to cook trout in one of those little 4inch diameter titanium saucepan tops? Not good Phil......not good at all."

Never heard of planked trout?

Friggin' amatuers!!”

“Shawn - excellent point. Just think of all the money we are saving our families by backpacking!!”

“Shawn,
Your estimate seems accurate. (About $100 per lb. to go from 50 lbs. down to 40 lbs.) Not sure if the costs would hold linear as you further reduced weight.”

“Solitary - Yep. $100 per pound to go lightweight. More to go ultra-lightweight unless you just leave stuff at home and do without.”

“Just looked at the ULA site again. The P2 I got had some extra features. It was because I got the new model.

One of the new features are accessory/compression straps on the bottom. The would be great for carrying a rolled up thermarest pad (if it wouldn't fit inside).

The pockets on the hip strap are nice. One should hold my camera. The other should hold my GPS and compass. I should be able to fit some other stuff in there as well. Kinda cool.

There are three mesh pockets...two on the side and one on the back. I can see carrying my water filter and rain suit in the side mesh pockets.

The top of the back has a very generous expansion collar. That could come in handy for winter hikes where you have bulky clothing to carry.

My wife inspected the seams and was impressed with the construction.

Now, let's hope that it is comfortable on the trail.”

“Just looked over that site. What's with the "Made in Canada" business? I thought it was a couple o guys in Utah.”

“They satred getting some of the componants premade sometime last year, as they couldn't keep up with demand. But, they still assemble everything themselves I believe. For instance, the hip belts are all assembled, etc.”

“Serratus packs are made in B.C......a contractor?”

“Oops, sorry. I thought this was where I got do my impressions of Ray Nitschke, Bart Starr and Bret Farve.”

“#66......bad-ass!!”

“I was wondering about the made in Canad also. My pack came from Utah.”

“Great pack and yes the side pickets are great. I put light in one side and camera in other. I did order a lid and it is nice. The reson he started having some stuff made in canada is that he can't keep up with the demand. If you call him and talk to him, he always is there he will discuss with you. He even made me a custome inside pocket for my water. Tube will go out either side. Those mesh pockets are nice and big. I LOVE MINE. Stove: I saw the new JetBoil at Binks store last week. It will boil water, a cup, in 40 seconds. I times it. Really different all fits inside the cookpot. You need to see it to appreciate it.”

“The one complaint I have on the pack is that the top bag/compartment flops around. I saw Get-a-Grips pack and got an idea. The strap that comes up from the bottom and clips to the top bag can also extend OVER the bag and clip to the center clip right behind your head. This is one of the three attach points for the top bag. The two side clips remain, and the strap can be snugged down so the top bag stays neatly in place.

Am I the only one who discovered this, or the only one so slow?”

“Shawn,

My top bag on my P2 never flopped around, but I see what you mean. It must have been intentional because the top bag is removable and you would need somewhere to attach that strap.

I love my P2.”

“Are you referring to when the pack is open or when it is closed and packed and cinched up?


I notice that the lid on mine is rather floppy when I have it unclipped and have the pack open. When everything is closed and cinched down, I don't have a problem at all.

I didn't get the lid initially. After I did, I just happened to go on a trip with Birch and Sass and Birch put it on my pack for me properly. I suspect that might be part of your problem. It can be attached at all the points and be cinched down pretty snuggly at all four connection points.”

“Shawn, the top lid on my P-2 does flop around if its not full, but thats more of the contents shifting. I have the dry bag style top on the main bag so I rarely carry the top lid (I have actually acrried it stuffed in the packs bottom). I find that I dont really need the space...”

“My pack is seldom stuffed full, but if I break down and by some primo Mountian Hardware rain gear to replace the cheapy stuff I have, it may fill up more. When the pack isn't full, I find the top can't be secured even when the straps and attachment points are fully tightened and it flops around. I like the top bag as a place to keep all the little things I need frequently during the day, but I guess a stuff sack inside would work also.”