Ultralight Packs

“OK, I'm down to choosing between the Equinox Katahdin or the ULA P1. I'm tending to favor the ULA pack because of the solid back, unlike the mesh of the Katahdin. The listed weight is the same, 24 oz. Any of y'all have any experience with either or both of these packs???”

“I think MM is using the ULA on his through hike. I've hiked with him twice since he purchased it. He seems to like it, but I don't have any first hand experience myself.

I love my Gearskin. It weighs 20oz.”

“I'm going into my second year with my Granite Gear Vapor Trail - 2 lbs and it has a frame and padding. It's wonderful.”

“I think Snafu has the Katahdin, and I think they changes it so it is no longer mesh. Golite has some new packs out as well. I think that this year we are going to see a real expansion of the ultralight gear.”

“That Vapor Trail is awesome! I've seen it in action and it's very appealing.

FG - I would go with the ULA. I don't have one, but a lot here do, including Sass and birch. They seem to really like there's. The only draw back I see is that they take some time to get, but I've heard it's well worth the wait. Plus, you can customize it to yer needs!”

“That Vapor Trail is awesome! I've seen it in action and it's very appealing.

FG - I would go with the ULA. I don't have one, but a lot here do, including Sass and birch. They seem to really like there's. The only draw back I see is that they take some time to get, but I've heard it's well worth the wait. Plus, you can customize it to yer needs!”

“Northern Mountain Supply has the Golite Speed for $69.”

“I just talked to Brian of Ula yesterday. It depends what pack and what size you want. In some cases (mine) they are shipping within a week. He's also coming out with a new, as yet unveiled pack called the Fusion in the next few weeks. Don't know what the weight and specs will be, but it might be worth looking into as well.”

“FG - MM bought his pack at the gear store at Neels Gap on the AT. It's one of the only stores that actually carries the thing. He picked it up on the way to a trip we did in the Smokies in Sept.”

“I've seen picks of the ULA Fusion, it looks real cool. It appears to utilize a z-rest for structural support. The pad would attach to the outside of the back (i.e. directly against your back).”

“Ahem, this is a dating, religion, bash-the-freemasons (WTF?) political, lonely hearts, etc. site. The last real backpacker left years ago.”

“I own an Equinox Kathadin and love it. It's one of my most versatile packs. I have yet to find a pack that is more versatile for me. If you are only carrying a ultralight load (less then 20lbs max with food and water) you can save yourself 1/3lb and just leave the hip belt at home.

The pack itself is pretty darned big and feels larger then it's 3300ci suggests. 30" section of ridgerest unrolled around the inside and keep my 3/4 length self inflating pad rolled and protected on the inside (the 3/4 length and the ridgerest section gives me a full length when I get to bed). I then have a silnylon bag liner I use on the inside. I've used it for a total of 14 days on the trail on various hikes and it looks as good as the day I bought it. The shoulder pad and hip pads are very well padded and quite comfortable. Once you get everything in the pack and compress it down with the compression straps it creates a very solid structure and carries quite well for a frameless. I have also used a semi-inflated self inflating pad folded into a rectangle across my back as a frame wit good results.

Strengths:
-Compression system
-very light!
-removable well padded hip belt and compression system makes it a great pack for low volume low weight loads too
-Great mesh side pockets that will hold a 32oz Nalgene and have a drawstring to help secure items in the mesh pockets
-Very simple design
-Small zip pockets on the side are perfect for carrying small items like LED's, couple of power bars, keys, etc
-Silnylon body does not absorb any water so if you pack everything in a liner bag you can leave the pack cover off and not have to worry about the pack gaining a bunch of weight from absorbed water

Weaknesses:
-Hard to get a bottle out of the side mesh pockets. Would be great if they were angled forward a bit
-Though I have not had issues with durability, the ultralight silnylon construction does not leave the user with a air of confidence over the robustness. I usually baby the pack, avoid branches, careful where I lay it down, etc.
-Draw String top leaves a small "hole" in the top that water can leak into, but the whole back is mesh so it's a moot point if you use a liner bag which I suggest.
-When carrying all the load of the pack on the hips, if your load compresses any vertically from when you pack it the stiff mesh back will wrinkle and you can "feel" it. Though this doesn't bother me I thought I would mention it.
-Suffers from a little bit of strap diarrhea

I got mine from binks off of Ebay before I found this site.

The Katahdin.

Hip Belt and Bottle Holde.r

Zip side pocket and load lifters.You might be able to make it out, but the shoulder straps are sewn into a peice of nylon webbing behind the mesh for added strength.

Pack on my back. I completely loaded the bag up in these pics for demonstration. I'm 5'9" with a 19.5" torso (long for my height). It's a large looking pack when filled to the brim!

I've never seen nor used the ULA, but it's one of the few bags out there right now I'd consider buying to replace my Kathadin. You might also want to look at the Osprey Aether 45 on sale for $59 at backcountrygear. I have one of those as well and it's a exellent bag for $60. It has a lot of great features the Kathadin doesn't have (hydration port and cool hose clip, roll top, interesting lace compression system, and uses regular high strength pack cloth and has a simple stiff foam pad suspension system at only 2lbs 4of for my large even though it's supposed to weight 2lbs.) Even though I like the design better on the Kathadin, I find myself leaning towards the Aether more and more because of the stronger material.”

“Hip belt and bottle holer pic here:

I always screw up my html”

“DeoreDx, do you have any problems with the shoulder straps coming loose all the time. That is the only problem I have with the pack. I solved the problem by using some office binders (one on each strap).”

“On my Equinox? Never had a problem with that.”

“be careful with packs that don't have a frame - my Golite Trek caused me mucho back pain even when using a thermarest for support along the back. It would be fine out on the trail, but then my back would hurt for days after a backpacking trip. That pack was retired after I bought the Vapor Trail.

Anyone interested in a GoLite Trek. You can have it if you pay shipping.”

“...so here I am at the computer.

Ron Moak of Six Moon Designs was kind enough to send me some info on one of his new packs called the Starlight. This looks like a really good option as well; http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/store/shopexd.asp?id=23

Thank you all for your input.”

“"be careful with packs that don't have a frame - my Golite Trek caused me mucho back pain even when using a thermarest for support along the back. It would be fine out on the trail, but then my back would hurt for days after a backpacking trip. That pack was retired after I bought the Vapor Trail.

Anyone interested in a GoLite Trek. You can have it if you pay shipping."
wingding0
11:10:14 AM
03/12/04
ignore this user

I may be interested. Send me an email and let me know what you want for it.”

“Forgot to ask. What size is it?”

“Uh, zac;
"You can have it if you pay shipping."
wingding0
11:10:14 AM
03/12/04

Clear enough??? ;-)”

“Meant to type let me know how much shipping will be.”

“Iffin' zacky don't want it, I'll take it off yer hands, wing.”

“I'll take it!”

“I leave for lunch at Fatdaddy's and miss out on a new pack. DAMNIT!”

“just bought a kelty flight off ebay, main bag is just over a pound.....”

“The actual weight of the Flight is 4.65 lbs fully dressed. I don't think you would have a functional pack at less than 3 lbs.”

“AdventureMaster, you paying attention to any of this???”

“It's a small - 16 to 18 inch spine. I'd assume shipping will be less than $10, but I'll have to weigh the box to know for sure.

Will a small fit either of you?”

“Down to the ULA1 or the Starlight (thanks a lot, Ron ;-) ). Decisions, decisions...”

“It might fit me, but how could I pass up a free pack. I'll send you an email with my address.”

“If it doesn't fit I know people that it will.”

“I think that I shall go with the ULA1 based on the fact that it has a reinforced foam framesheet, making it less dependent upon the sleeping pad for rigidity.”

“Good choice, Father! I don't think you'll feel sorry for it!


Wing - I'm looking fer something for my sis. Zac's got dibs, so no worries!

Anything changes, please let me know!

Thanks!!”

“>>> ULA1 based on the fact that it has a reinforced foam framesheet, making it less dependent upon the sleeping pad for rigidity<<<

Not sure what you are expecting, but the framesheet on the ULA is 1/4 length. i.e. it only extends above the shoulders.

The Osprey Aether uses a removable foam frame sheet along the back. The Kathadin doesn't really need one. I find that when a load is compressed in the Kathadin it turns into a very solid and stiff structure, sorta like shoving your sleeping bag into a stuff sack gives you a hard solid ball. The reason I put a sleeping pad against my back in the Kathadin is because if give me a nice smooth surface to rest against my back, instead of having little bumps and uneven portions of gear sticking me in my back. Either way, the ULA P1 is a greak looking pack. I imagine you'd be very happy with either pack.”

“Sorry Q,
Tell you what; if for some reason I can't use the pack, it's yours.”

“zac - no worries, ma man! Sounds cool!”

“Seems to me that the framesheet would be right against the scapulae where it needs to be...”

“Father Goose, you have mail”

“Oh scheiss, I'm in trouble now...”

“What the hell is a scapulae? I'm an engineer... only thing I know of that sounds remotely close to a "scapulae" is probably some porn starlet's name I downloaded from Alt.binaries.multimedia.erotica when I was in college.”

“The scapulae are your shoulder blades.”

“Exactly, bit BTW, is that a duck or a goose???”

“Goose...cooked...”

“I was born with my goose cooked, lol.”

“lumberzac - I'll pack it up on Sunday and ship it out Monday.”

“Cool. You West Coast people are all right. I don't care what the other East Coasters say.”

“SCHEISS!!!!!!!!!!

I just went to place my order for the P1 and there's a THREE MONTH backlog!!! Oh, woe is me...”

“Looks like Ron Moak is gonna sell a Starlight...”

“I'd call'em, Father, if you haven't already.

Trust me, it's well worth the wait!”