Ohm vs Mariposa plus?

[Bill Reynolds]

I am thru hiking the AT and fell and broke my ankle ( fibula )last Thurs. I was near the 300 mile mark. I am home recuperating now and can't wait to heal and get back out there( has anyone had this break and what was the recovery time? )With all this time, I am thinking about a lighter pack than my GG Vapor. My pack winter pack weight has been running around 27/28 lbs with 5 days food. Summer weight will be considerably less. I have narrowed it down to these two and would welcome any comparisons.

[Andy F]

Try out both if you can to see what works best for you personally. I didn't follow my own advice though, and just went for the Gorilla (similar to the Mariposa) due to the curved frame which fits my back so well and so closely that I actually prefer to use it without any back pad. I can feel the frame, but it's just like sitting in a comfortable but hard-backed chair.

* The wide straps of the Mariposa will take some "personal customization" with the insertable pads to get them to feel right, while the Ohm straps will probably just feel right immediately.

* The Y-shaped top strap is great for securing a sleeping pad, tent, or bear canister to the top, although I've only tried a pad.

* I don't miss load lifters–Ohm has these.

* I'm 5'8", 42 waist, 19" torso, and a medium pack with large belt fits great. The belt seems to have plenty of room available for several layers of winter clothing.

[Keith Selbo]

No experience with the Ohm here, but lots with the Mariposa Plus. I find it very comfortable up to around 28-30lb. I also like the external see-through pockets. Gossamer Gear is very responsive and reasonable to deal with.

[Bill Reynolds]

Any other thoughts?

[two pints]

I like my Ohm a lot. I have not used the Mariposa, so I cannot comment on it.

What I like about the Ohm:
-light weight
-shoulder straps feel great to me
-can easily reach water bottles in side pockets without taking off the pack.
-durable side pocket material instead of snaggy mesh
-rear stretch pocket is wonderful since it provides its own compression on items stored in it.
-I really like the yellow cord compression straps. they work great, are easy to adjust and they don't get in the way of the water bottle pocket.
-The drawstring closure on the pack bag with the over-the-top strap really works well as a pack closure system. I prefer this over the roll top closures that have become popular because it is simpler and quicker.
-The simple pad holder straps on the inside work great.

Detractions:
-25 pounds or less is the sweet spot. Too much above this and the lightweight suspension really starts to bug me.
-Pack cloth against your back. It can make for a sweaty mess in hot weather.
-I like the simple hip belt, but I wish it was a bit more padded.
-hipbelt pockets are an add-on that sort of dangle off the side of the pack…. I would prefer they put a couple more ounces of padded fabric into the hipbelt and then sewed the pockets directly to the belt. I may make this modification to my pack at a later date.

I hope this helps you make a decision. If possible, I would order both packs and return the one you don't like. Get well soon and good luck on the rest of your thru!

[Jeremy G]

+1 on the 25 lbs max for the Ohm. Unless you can carry most of that on your shoulders. From my limited experience, the belt on the Ohm is more designed to stabilize the pack and not carry much weight. I love the pack, but it will definitely be my 3-season pack.

Here is a link to 3 posts in my blog where I talk about the Ohm. The third post has a brief comparison to a Mariposa Plus I used to own.

http://treklightly.blogspot.com/search/label/ula%20ohm

[James Naphas]

Jeremy's blog is spot on: the Mariposa is a larger pack. It will also handle about 5 lbs more weight while staying comfortable. The Ohm is more the size of a miniposa or gorilla from gossamer gear.

One of the mariposa's weaknesses is that it doesn't compress down that well when it's not fully loaded. Not a problem for me, as I usually have a bear canister taking up space, but it can be if you are using ultralight gear and bear bagging.

[Greg Mihalik]

Look Here for some comments.

…start rant
It is absolutely pathetic that an "Advanced Search" does not turn up this thread.

The time and effort wasted by forum members is a huge disservice to the community.
…end rant

[Danielle Williams]

I have not gotten out to test mine hiking yet, but I found the fits very similar between the Mariposa Plus and the Ohm as far as how the load carries. I love everything about the MP, except that the straps on the MP were very wide (measured on a medium they are 4 inches wide).

When I loaded up the pack and put it on, they stuck out like little wings, probably only made worse by my female figure, and then also bunched up above my armpits. When walking with trekking poles, these "wings" stuck out far enough to rub on my inner arms. I hoped using the pads in the straps would eliminate this problem, and while it helped a bit, the wings were still there, and rubbing.

My other issue with the harness on the MP was that the sternum strap was much lower than on any other pack I have, and went right across my business, again probably making the 4-inch wide straps stick out even more. Perhaps a guy wouldn't have these issues, but I really think the straps are excessively wide! I understand that it may be possible to have a modification done by the manufacturer on them, but I ordered an Ohm for comparison.

The Ohm is very comfortable (so far I only loaded it to about 20 pounds) and I feel like for a similar weight it is a bit more fully featured than the MP. I like that it comes with several accessories and that I can configure the pack as I'd like for each trip. For me, I like the hipbelt pockets, and the lack of a beefy belt doesn't bother me, I rely on it for stabilization more than weight transfer. Oh, and the internal pad straps are nice! The shoulder straps are somewhat narrower than on the MP, and the sternum strap is slightly higher (though still below what I'm used to?). I am also a fan of load lifters, as they help me reposition the weight during the day. So I think I'm sticking with the Ohm.

Overall I think the packs are very comparable, and the biggest difference is how the pack fits your body (well, isn't it always). I'm sure the wider straps on the MP fit lots of people well, just not me. Both manufacturers have good return policies so you might want to buy both and see what you like!

Oh, I just wanted to add that both packs are the 2010 models, and I believe I have the correct sizing as I tried my roommate's 2009 MP in small and it was definitely too small….

[Jeffs Eleven]

Hey D!

Glad to see you like the Ohm hipbelt. Me Too! Does the job without being bulky.

Did GoG say anything about the thinner straps ETA?

[Danielle Williams]

Jeff, man, you are on here all the time!

I didn't contact them directly, it was hearsay from you that they might be able to do the mod. I suspect they would, their customer service was great when I had questions before ordering. I decided to go ahead and order the Ohm for a comparison first, however.

So far so good, the Ohm is really nice. I like the simplicity of the MP but I like the "extra" features of the Ohm a lot, without much weight penalty. I didn't find anything I really preferred about the MP over the Ohm, so that's a pretty good reason to keep the Ohm since it does indeed fit better in the harness. From what I've read the Ohm also is more compressible as the load decreases compared to the MP. Since I've had that issue before with my Virga, that is +1 on the Ohm as well.

The MP is prettier (in my opinion) but we know what Todd would say about that…

The first longish hike I have planned is in a few weeks, so I can at least evaluate it fully before the JMT in August, and see what a week of food feels like!

[Todd Williams]

Maybe he'll put some flowers on the Ohm for you! (I'm holding my breath)

[Jeffs Eleven]

Oops- Thats Ironic!!

"Jeff, man, you are on here all the time! "

Does a crackhead not stay in the Ghetto?

[Danielle Williams]

Yes, the irony was not lost. I love it when that happens, I've noticed that Todd's had some interesting posts!

[Del Johnston]

Bill, I hope that you recover quickly!

Thanks for posting this question, as I too am looking at these bags. I have also considered the GoLite Jam (2010).

I know there is a considerable difference in weight, but can anyone comment on the Jam vs these two bags? It looks like between the Ohm an MP, I would go with the Ohm. So, it is now down to the Ohm and the Jam.

Sorry to hijack the thread, Bill.

[Emmett Lyman]

+2 on the Ohm max load of 25 lbs. Love the pack, and this limitation should only serve as an incentive to keep it light. I thru hiked the LT with it last year and wouldn't have had any other pack.

[Author]

Posts