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ultralight pack that will fit very small woman well
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Jun 1, 2014 at 8:07 am #2107690
Have you looked at the ULA SHORT ADJUSTABLE PACK (Torso Size 12" – 18")?
All four of my female grand children use this pack with Torso Size ranging from 14 – 16"
Jun 1, 2014 at 8:39 am #2107698nm
Jun 1, 2014 at 11:17 pm #2107937If @Roger Caffin called heads, and @Jake S called tails. I'm going to call heads again.
The argument that an extra 8oz of pack weight will cause your knees and legs to ache is a specious one. That's 0.5% of a 100 pound adult's body weight. If that weight is riding comfortably it's not even going to move the needle.
IMO, backpacks are the last thing people should try to cut down in weight.
My advice is to make sure your pack is comfortable at the maximum weight that you will be carrying. Hiking for even 1 day with a pack that can't transfer the load's weight to my hips is misery to me, but of course YMMV.
Jun 3, 2014 at 1:03 pm #2108458"The argument that an extra 8oz of pack weight will cause your knees and legs to ache is a specious one. That's 0.5% of a 100 pound adult's body weight. If that weight is riding comfortably it's not even going to move the needle."
Yes, thank you.
Even on an overnight trip, the total weight of a pack will vary by several pounds with changes in water and food, much more so on a longer hike. Walking away from the trailhead my pack can easily weight 12 pounds more than when I cruise into town six days later. I'm quite certain that my knees will never notice the difference in pack weight between, say, an ULA CDT and a Circuit, but my shoulders certainly will.
Jun 7, 2014 at 2:55 pm #2109640Can anyone comment on the Granite Gear Crown VC 60? The reason I ask is that I can get a killer pro deal on it, and it seems to meet a lot of my needs (women's cut hip belt, frame, and 1 pound 4 ounces lighter than my current pack…) At 60L it's probably a bit bigger than I need most of the time, but the roll-top looks like it would roll down and compress well…
Or any idea on re-sale value on that pack if it turns out to not be right?
The other advantage is that REI carries the men's version, so at least I could get a feel for it there (though they don't have the short version or women's hip belt.)
Jun 7, 2014 at 3:16 pm #2109644I used the Granite Gear Crown VC 60 for a little while, and it's definitely a great pack.
What I loved about it the most was the fit. The hip belt and shoulder straps fit nice and snug, for one. You can remove the frame, which is nice, and it fits bulk and weight (or lack thereof) sufficiently.
The roll-top does roll down and compress well, without awkward excess.You say that you are 5'3" and 100 lbs.; I am 5'7" and 120 lbs which is still fairly small.
Being on the smaller side, I don't have a lot of strength in my upper body. A well-fitting hip belt means the world to me since I carry weight better in my legs.
I have sold my GG Crown VC and tried out a couple other packs in the mean time. I tried a MLD Exodus with the women's-specific shoulder straps. The pack didn't fit great on my hips and constantly wanted to linger up over my hip bones. I sold that pack, though it's definitely a great pack (just not for me until MLD makes more women's-specific models).I now have a ULA Circuit and let me tell you…I have never experienced a better fit on my hips! Not to mention everywhere else!
The hip belt uses two different adjustments for an absolutely perfect fit on the hips. Everything about the Circuit is amazing, but the fit is definitely unprecedented. Of the numerous packs I have tried, this one tops them all.Jun 8, 2014 at 11:37 pm #2109917Based on a lot of your suggestions (and a whole lot of reading), I bit the bullet and just ordered a ULA Circuit, small, S-curve. There were lots of good suggestions, but the overwhelming pull of my reading was towards the Circuit. Hoping it arrives for my 6=day trip late next week, and that it fits as ordered. Thanks for your thoughtful input, everyone!
Jun 9, 2014 at 5:36 am #2109926I think you'll be very happy with it! :)
Jun 12, 2014 at 7:55 pm #2111132Wow, talk about fast turn-around; I ordered my ULA Circuit on the 9th just after midnight, it shipped the same day, and arrived on the 11th via FedEx Home Delivery (not even 2-day shipping!)
Today I loaded it with All The Things, and wow, it fits great and feels on first impression as good as any pack I've owned. I can't wait to try it out in the trips I have planned next week and the following week, first on a two-nighter, and then on a 4-nighter (both in Washington's Olympic National Park.)
Jun 12, 2014 at 8:13 pm #2111141Look at the Osprey Sirrus 36 (2,200 cu. in.).
Osprey's packs are VERY comfortable, with a mesh trampoline back and soft hip belt and shoulder harness. I strongly recommend against a frameless pack for comfort reasons.
If you need more space on a longer trip you can always add side pockets for about another 400 cu. in. I think Granite Gear and one or two others make lightweight side pockets. They are great for keeping stuff you need to get at quickly like 1st aid kit, water purifier, potty kit, toiletry kit, etc.
Or there is the EXOS 48. The Small is 45 liters, Medium is 48 liters, hence the name.
I plan on getting the EXOS 58 in Large this summer.Jun 12, 2014 at 9:13 pm #2111160Lots of options but hey, what do you buy and do you want to pay top dollar when you really don't know?
I wasn't sure, so I looked for a cheap pack and found the Osprey Hornet, certainly a winner but not perfect.
http://www.campsaver.com/hornet-46-pack
Edit: I just noticed the above link is for mens, I thought they were unisex.
Jun 25, 2014 at 9:45 am #2114542I am 5'5", 112 lbs. I like the Deuter SL series, the ACT lites in particular, but they ARE heavy.
The Osprey Tempest is a women specific version of the Talon. It adjusts much smaller than the talon and the sternum strap is shorter. The 40L version has an adjustable back like the Deuters. I bought the XS/S and I have the harness adjustment about as long as it will go — maxed out. This pack would fit a much smaller woman.
Weight: 2lbs 2 oz/0.95 kg (The top compartment is removable.)
Yes, the hip belt is a BIG DEAL.
Stay away from the Osprey Exos/Atmos/Aura series. They have an exposed metal frame that flares out at the hip. This will bang against a bony pelvis. Been there!
http://www.ospreypacks.com/en/group/multi-use_womens/tempest_series
Jul 2, 2014 at 8:31 pm #2116974Spent a week with my new ULA Circuit last week, first on a 3-day trip with my parents on the far NW coast of Washington State at Cape Alava, and then on a 4-day solo trip into Olympic National Park's Enchanted Valley and Anderson Pass. Verdict: I love it!
For the first trip I nearly maxed the pack's weight capacity with around 32 pounds, as I was carrying a bear canister and all of the food and kitchen for three of us for 3 days (my folks are older and can't really cary a lot of weight anymore.) The pack handled that volume and even the unforgiving shape of the bear canister quite well, and even at that weight on a first trip, I was able to adjust the pack to a comfortable fit.
For the second trip I ditched the bear can and started out with a more reasonable 25 pounds total pack (including all consumables for 4 days.) At that weight it was totally comfortable and I had no problems carrying it 15 miles in one day. By the hike out, it felt fantastic.
Although at a ~15lb base I know I'm still not "ultralight," but my pack was by far the smallest and lightest I saw on the trail, and I was pleased.
The only error was in overpacking food: my food bag still weighed 2 lbs when I got home. Whoops!
Anyhow, I was totally satisfied with the Circuit. The minimal frame was totally adequate to transfer weight to my hips, and the hip belt and shoulder straps were adjustable enough to get a good fit. And I love the huge external pockets. A really great pack.
Thanks to everyone who offered suggestions!
Jul 3, 2014 at 2:44 pm #2117181Dawn, thank you very much for the follow-up. Many times, people don't report back once they've made their decision — and the reviews would be so helpful.
So thank you for sharing your experience! :^D
Jul 16, 2014 at 9:36 am #2120210Dang… this topic is great. I am new to backpacking in general and currently an ultrarunner by habit, and finally got a paid membership here! :-)
I *thought* I could pick a good sized pack for doing fastpacks with a lot of hiking and a little bit of jogging, so I grabbed an Osprey Tempest 30L (actually 32L). But now looking at folks' gear lists, I might have gotten exactly the wrong size – too big for running, too small to do 8 or 18 day treks (my estimates for JMT and CT, respectively). I'd probably go unsupported on JMT, and self-supported on CT, but unsupported if I could fit my food.
So…. should I just size up to the 40L Tempest (or the Exos 38) while I'm still in the Amazon return window? :-)
I know that I'm supposed to get the pack last, but I like using it now with heavy gear stuffed in during day hikes to build my strength, and I thought that if I had a small pack I'd "make it work". But 32L might just be tooooo small.
Thanks again!
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