Articles (2020)

Introduction

At 4600 cubic inches, the Galaxy is the largest pack in the GoLite Unlimited Series, which is focused on using advanced materials to provide full suspension weight-carrying capacity with maximum comfort and minimum weight. This lightweight pack is like a Lexus truck – it carries the load with elegance, comfort, and convenience.

What’s Good

• Great suspension system
• Comfortably carries heavy loads
• Full-featured
• Shower-proof
• Very durable

What’s Not So Good

• Hipbelt is a little too stiff
• Lacks hipbelt pockets
• Side water bottle pockets do not allow easy access with the pack on

Specifications

Performance

When I backpack with my wife, we go lightweight and take a few luxuries, and I’m the pack mule. The heavier load requires an internal frame pack. Before I started testing the GoLite Galaxy pack, the Osprey Aether 60 was my favorite pack for that purpose, as well as through-hikes and winter camping. The Galaxy has eclipsed the Aether 60 in my pack arsenal. The Galaxy at 4600 cubic inches and 58.2 ounces is the largest pack in the GoLite Unlimited Series, which is focused on using advanced materials to provide full suspension weight-carrying capacity with maximum comfort and minimum weight. If you are looking for a larger-volume internal frame pack, the Galaxy merits your consideration for its high volume and weight-carrying capacity, good organizational features, and comfort.

The backbone of the Galaxy is its innovative corrugated polystyrene framesheet that extends the full height of the pack (see photo below). It has several imbedded 7075 aluminum rods plus two attached 0.5-inch wide aluminum stays. The framesheet slides into a tight, zippered pocket against the pack’s molded foam backpanel. The tops of the stays line up with the load lifter straps, solidly anchoring the pack’s frame with its suspension.

The framesheet comes with a generic contour to fit your back. The initial fit felt good, but on my first couple of trips with the Galaxy, I experienced some pain and numbness in my lower back after carrying the pack all day. At home, my wife and I pulled out the framesheet and went to work tailoring it to my back curvature. We found it a little challenging, but doable. With the aluminum stays removed, it was fairly easy to shape the plastic framesheet by bending it on the edge of a counter (warming it with a heat gun helped). Once the framesheet was molded to my back, we bent the stays to match. With the extra curvature, it was a bit hard to get the stays back into their sleeves. When it was all done, we had dialed in a perfect fit, and the Galaxy has been a pleasure to carry since then.

The harness system includes load-lifter straps to pull the top of the pack against your back, contoured shoulder straps, and a sternum strap that is very easy to adjust and connect. Shoulder straps are padded with Brock foam (a non-absorptive polyethylene closed-cell foam). The contact surface is Schoeller Dryskin Extreme stretch-woven fabric for wicking away moisture.

The backpanel is padded with thermo-molded closed-cell foam with ergonomic curvatures to conform to your back. The Galaxy has GoLite’s Ergo-Flex hipbelt, which is claimed to flex and rotate three-dimensionally with hip movements. The hipbelt and lumbar region are well padded with Brock foam surfaced with Schoeller Dryskin fabric for wicking away moisture. I found that the hipbelt supported a fully loaded pack well, but it is a little too stiff to conform to the hips.

To determine the pack’s comfortable load-carrying capacity I assessed the pack’s structural load capacity and suspension comfort (see related article on Quantitative Analysis of Backpack Suspension Performance by Ryan Jordan). I tested the Galaxy with up to 50 pounds and found no pack torso collapse (and only a small amount of hipbelt slippage). Suspension comfort was subjectively determined by carrying the pack all day with a range of loads. From these tests, I determined the Galaxy’s comfortable load carrying capacity (for me) to be 40 pounds. It easily carried my normal lightweight backpacking loads of 24-30 pounds.

The Galaxy is very user-friendly for packing. It has a roomy top compartment with top access and drawcord closure, and a lower sleeping bag compartment with a wrap-around water-resistant zipper (with double sliders). The baffle between the top and bottom compartments has an opening on one side to allow taller items to pass through, so a fishing rod or tent poles can be carried inside the pack. The upper compartment will hold a 9-inch x 10-inch bear canister and a lot more, overflowing into a 10-inch high extension collar.

On the outside there is a 9-inch x 12-inch front pocket with a wrap-around water-resistant zipper (with double sliders). It’s bellowed out about 2 inches, and provides a good amount of convenient storage, but twice as much capacity would be useful. The side mesh pockets are wide enough to carry two, 1-quart water bottles or a 2-liter bladder. A nice arrangement is to carry water in one side pocket and a fuel bottle or other gear in the other. The pockets are angled some, but not enough to easily reach and replace a water bottle. On the bottom front of the pack there are two accessory straps for lashing a tent or other gear to the pack (see photo). The pocket in the top lid is very handy to store rainwear or other frequently used items.

The Galaxy provides a full set of features for stabilizing the load: four side compression straps, a drawcord closure plus top compression strap, load lifters, and hipbelt stabilizers. With the pack properly adjusted, I find it to be very stable on the trail, staying glued to my body and not shifting when I lean to the side or bend over.

With the Galaxy, GoLite has achieved its goal to utilize advanced materials to provide full suspension weight-carrying capacity with maximum comfort and minimum weight. For a little over 3.5 pounds, you get a lot of volume and weight carrying capacity and most every feature you would want.

What’s Unique

The GoLite Galaxy’s innovative corrugated plastic framesheet with integrated and attached aluminum stays is lightweight and really transfers weight from shoulders to hips for more comfort. The framesheet can be molded to your back for a custom fit.

Recommendations for Improvement

Overall, the Galaxy did not leave me wanting for much. I would like to see the front pocket doubled in size so it will hold more frequently used items. The padding on the hipbelt could be a little softer so it better conforms to the hips. Roomy hipbelt pockets would be a nice addition. Finally, if GoLite really wants to impress, including a padded case on the shoulder harness for a digital camera or MP3 player would be way cool!

Introduction

The Vaude Rock Ultralight 25 has enough options in its 13.4-ounce (380 g) body that it can be used for extended day hikes or short, minimalist backpacking trips. It is rugged enough to handle modest bushwhacking and has ample capacity and functionality for adventure racers. While the Rock Ultralight 25 is far from the lightest 1525 cubic inch (25 L) volume pack on the market, it is among the most versatile and durable at a very affordable price.

What’s Good

• Removable hipbelt
• Bungee cord compression system and external gear storage
• Ice axe loops and reinforced attachment points
• Very water resistant
• Loads compress well
• Versatile

What’s Not So Good

• Compression cords can interfere with mesh side pockets
• Mesh pockets are tight and hard to reach

Specifications

Performance

The world of small-volume backpacks is rife with heavy, very tough, and over built packs, as well as light, minimalist, and more fragile packs. The Rock Ultralight 25 fills a niche in between these two extremes and does so quite well. The pack’s main compartment can easily swallow all you need for an extended day hike, or brief backpacking trip if you pack extremely light. The top pocket is surprisingly roomy; I found it to be a fine place to store items I wanted easy access to during the day like lunch, snacks, my camera, and a windshirt. The two mesh side pockets are large enough to hold 1-liter Nalgene canteens securely. Items can be cinched down against the sides of the pack with side bungee cords and basic cordlocks. In fact, these horizontal cords sometimes are too secure and can get in the way of accessing items in the side pockets.

The front of the Rock Ultralight 25 sports two short and two long adjustable cords which give you plenty of options to stow gear – e.g. rain coat, poncho, sleeping pad, or tarp – to the outside of the pack. There are two reinforced attachment points on the front of the pack where you could attach such hard to position gear as crampons. The two ice axe loops on the bottom of the pack round out the external attachment options that this backpack offers.

A total of four cords provide compression. The two short cords above the mesh pockets serve best to secure items that extend outside the pockets. The two longer cords angle up from the mesh pockets towards the center of the backpack. All the cords have cordlocks that can easily be adjusted to tighten or loosen the cords as pack volume or external gear storage needs dictate. The top pocket can be cinched down to the pack with a webbing strap equipped with a lightweight buckle.

The Rock Ultralight 25 has the Vaude Alpin Light suspension system, consisting of two vertical contoured EVA foam pads sewn to the backpanel, 2.25-inch wide padded shoulder straps, and a 0.75-inch wide webbing hipbelt. I found the suspension system capable of comfortably carrying loads up to 15 pounds. Above that I started to notice the weight on my shoulders. The hipbelt is minimal and mostly serves to snug the pack to your body.

Vaude does not provide torso fit lengths for the Rock Ultralight 25, but says the pack will best fit people between 5’7″ and 6’2″ in height. I am 5’5″ tall with a torso length of 18 inches. I found that the backpack fit me fairly well and I had no problem wearing it all day long.

You get quite a lot of backpack for the suggested retail price of $50 (US). The Rock Ultralight 25 will definitely replace my much heavier, comparably sized, standard daypack. I would have no qualms about using this pack under many off-trail conditions.

What’s Unique

The Rock Ultralight 25 uses durable yet light fabrics throughout its construction. This makes the pack unusual in its weight class. I took it through several miles of dense Michigan forests and the pack has come through without a scratch (which is something my skin cannot attest too). The PU coated fabric is also remarkably water resistant. These features make this a solid, yet very light, performer in many more situations than you might first suspect.

Recommendations for Improvement

• Angling the side pocket openings forward could make inserting and removing gear easier.
• While the hipbelt is technically removable, I found it exceptionally difficult to slide it through the narrow sleeve in order to do so. Making the sleeve a little wider would solve this problem with only a slight increase in overall weight.

Introduction

The Mountain Laurel Designs Spinntex Pro Poncho Tarp is made of silicone impregnated spinnaker fabric weighing only 0.97 oz/yd². Its center seam (four layers of fabric plus silicone-specific double sided tape) is designed for extra strength, and its tapered shape and length give the Spinntex Pro better coverage where it counts. But, this is not the lightest poncho/tarp around.

What’s Good

• Seam on the ridgeline provides extra strength and allows a tighter pitch
• Hood set into ridgeline slit closes when taut and is water tight
• Stronger and larger than competing spinnaker poncho/tarp
• Reinforced corner, ridgeline, and mid-side tieouts
• Good-fitting silnylon hood with front and rear adjustment
• Perfect size for a taller person
• Lighter than most silnylon poncho/tarps
• Mountain Laurel Design custom sews each poncho tarp
• Tarp pole options, including a novel rear hoop system

What’s Not So Good

• Spinnaker fabric is stiff and noisy compared to silnylon
• Narrower than silnylon poncho/tarps
• Not the lightest spinnaker poncho/tarp available

Specifications

Performance

Many readers may not be familiar with Mountain Laurel Designs, a small shop hidden away in Maine that specializes in made-to-order gear for the ultralight adventurer. Their website lists an array of SuperUltraLight shelters, packs, and bivys, often without a full description and photos to depict the product features and quality. In actuality, most products are made to the buyer’s preferences of size, fabrics, and features.

The Spinntex Pro reviewed here is a premium poncho/tarp. It’s loaded with usable features, its dimensions provide good coverage, and its weight is still low. It weighs less than most silnylon poncho/tarps, but more than spinnaker poncho tarps made by Bozeman Mountain Works, their only competitor. To illustrate, the following table compares the dimensions and weights of available spinnaker poncho/tarps with a hood. The Mountain Laurel Designs Spinntex Pro poncho/tarp is wider at the head end, longer, and weighs 0.5 ounce more than the Bozeman Mountain Works poncho tarp.

For a 6-foot tall person, the Spinntex Pro in tarp mode has 18 inches of overhang on each end, while the SpinnPoncho LITE has only 10.5 inches of overhang. The Spinntex Pro is a better fit for a taller person, while a shorter person can save weight and still have good coverage with the SpinnPoncho LITE.

In contrast to the Mountain Laurel Designs silnylon poncho/tarp, the Spinntex Pro poncho/tarp does not have a catenary ridgeline. It’s a flat tarp that is tapered to provide more coverage at the head end (4.75 feet wide) where it is needed more, with less coverage at the foot end (4 feet wide). The ridgeline is a modified flat felled seam designed to provide extra strength when the Spinntex Pro is pitched. (The edge of each panel is folded over and sewn, then the two panels are sewn together with a layer of silicone-specific double sided tape sandwiched between them.) According to Mountain Laurel Designs, their 0.97 oz/yd² spinnaker fabric is silicone impregnated (not polyurethane coated), does not stretch as much as silnylon, and the tarp is smaller in size, so it doesn’t need a catenary curve to help maintain its tautness.

Another unique feature of the Spinntex Pro poncho/tarp is the hood, which is set into the ridgeline rather than sewn into a circle cut into the center of the poncho. The hood is silnylon rather than spinnaker cloth, because silnylon is softer and quieter (spinnaker fabric is crinkly). In tarp mode, a snap in the seam is fastened to close the ridgeline, and the hood is rolled up and secured with a small strap and buckle. This works well in the field to create a watertight seal and hold the hood down so it doesn’t leak or flap in the wind.

The guyline provided for pitching the tarp is a twisted Kevlar and nylon hybrid with a breaking strength of 250 pounds. Because it’s not braided it has a tendency to unravel, and it does not sear well by holding the cut ends to a candle. I solved the problem by putting a little silicone adhesive on the ends and letting it dry.

In tarp mode, the Spinntex Pro worked best in an A-frame pitch because of its tapered shape. It also performed adequately in a lean-to pitch for fair weather tarping, but that configuration makes it more difficult to get a taut pitch to keep it from flapping in overnight breezes. The sewn ridgeline and corner, ridgeline, and mid-side tieouts are all reinforced and sealed with adhesive to provide extra strength so the poncho/tarp can be pitched tight with less concern about fabric failure. The use of expanding thread plus adhesive eliminates the need for seam sealing.

One thing that is a hassle with a poncho/tarp is the guylines need to be taken off in poncho mode. I resorted to using plastic clips for quicker attachment and removal, as shown in the right photo below. However, six clips add 0.18 ounce to the weight, so for those who are counting, that’s 5 grams!

The tarp pitched low provided decent protection from mountain thunderstorms and overnight drizzles. When the weather forecast was generally favorable I used the tarp by itself for summertime shelter in the Southern Colorado Mountains, but during our monsoon season I usually slept in an ultralight bivy under the tarp. With a tarp this small, you definitely get some spray during a mountain thunderstorm, or any rain accompanied by wind gusts. In windy weather, I pointed the foot of the tarp into the wind and staked it to the ground (it has five tieout loops). The tarp’s extra length helps a lot in that situation. Although my prototype poncho/tarp didn’t have it, the production model has an extra tieout loop on the ridgeline 20 inches from the foot end, which enables pitching the rear as a closed box.

Mountain Laurel Designs has two optional tarp pole systems available for the Spinntex Pro. The first is a “pass pole system” ($30, 2.8 ounces), which is an aluminum pole, detachable grommets, and a base line that enable the foot end to be pitched as an arch rather than an A-frame. This configuration does not require a trekking pole at the rear ridgeline, and holds the tarp securely to the ground or close to it. I was not able to test the pass pole system with the Spinntex Pro prototype because it didn’t have the pole sleeve, however I did report on it in my Mountain Laurel Designs Silnylon Pro Poncho Tarp Review. I found that the poncho/tarp sheds rain and spray well in that configuration, and presumably snow too. With the foot end open, wind and breezes readily pass through, so you don’t want to point it into the wind. Staking the foot end to the ground or using a closed box configuration works better in windy conditions.

The second option is a pair of vertical poles for the front and rear ($35, 4.7 ounces). The poles are sturdy Easton aluminum and can be purchased separately. I found the vertical poles to be the right height for a fair weather pitch, but too tall for a rainy weather pitch. The two pole options are very handy if you don’t use trekking poles and like to camp where tree branches are not available to use for tarp poles.

In poncho mode, the Spinntex Pro provided full coverage for me and a medium sized internal frame pack (Osprey Aether 60), and work well in combination with silnylon chaps or lightweight rain pants. There are two snap sets on each side to create “sleeves,” however the sleeves were a bit short due to the narrower width at the front. The extended rear completely covered my pack. I found that the tarp’s ridgeline has a tendency to slide to one side of my pack, so it was essential to use the provided bungee waist cord to hold the back of the poncho/tarp centered over my pack.

Hiking in a steady rain in New Mexico, the Mountain Laurel Designs Spinntex Pro poncho/tarp plus lightweight GoLite Reed Pants provided complete rain protection for me and my pack. The spinnaker fabric is softer and quiet when wet. I especially liked the bungee waist cord to pull in the extra fabric and keep the poncho positioned over my pack. It also helped a lot for off-trail hiking in the rain, because I could see my feet better and there was less of a tendency for the poncho to catch on limbs and tree stubs. For convenience, the bungee cord can be attached to a tieout loop on the lower back end of the poncho.

The poncho’s hood fits well and is full-featured for a poncho/tarp. On the front it has a foam-stiffened bill and thin elastic drawcord with mini-cordlock. Although my prototype didn’t have it, the production poncho tarp has a small strap and elastic cords on the back of the hood to adjust volume and keep the bill from obstructing your vision.

Overall, the Mountain Laurel Designs Spinntex Pro Poncho Tarp provided adequate shelter and good rain protection, all for about 9 ounces with stakes and guylines. It’s lighter than a silnylon poncho/tarp, but it’s also smaller, providing less coverage in both shelter and poncho modes.

Why are Spinnaker Poncho Tarps so Narrow?

If you’re a SuperUltraLight backpacker, the quest is never ending to save a few more grams. For poncho/tarps, the move to spinnaker fabric has reduced weight a few more ounces compared to silnylon poncho/tarps. The lightest hooded spinnaker poncho tarp is the Bozeman Mountain Work’s SpinnPoncho LITE (6.4 ounces). But look at the width – a little over 4 feet – a lot of the weight reduction comes from making it smaller. You better have a good lightweight bivy to go with a 4-foot wide tarp in foul weather!

The problem is that spinnaker fabric is only available in 54.5-inch wide rolls. The fabric is pricey, so manufacturers tend to use one width for a poncho/tarp rather than make it 5.5 to 6 feet wide and incur excessive cost and waste.

So, how did Mountain Laurel Designs manage to produce a 57-inch wide (at the front) spinnaker poncho/tarp? They cut it to length (9 feet) then cut it on a diagonal that gives two identical halves 26 inches wide at one end and 28.5 inches wide at the other. Then they flip one side over end to end and sew them together to create a tapered tarp with a center ridgeline. Clever, eh?

What’s Unique

The Mountain Laurel Designs Spinntex Pro Poncho Tarp is the only poncho/tarp available with the hood set into the ridgeline seam, which avoids a common problem of poncho/tarp hoods collecting water (or needing to be staked out) during rainstorms. It is also larger than the Bozeman Mountain Works spinnaker poncho tarps, providing better coverage while keeping weight to a minimum. Mountain Laurel Designs makes custom ultralight gear, and will tailor their products to your preferences.

Recommendations for Improvement

Since spinnaker fabric is so light, it would be nice to have a larger size spinnaker poncho/tarp available, mainly to provide more coverage in tarp mode. However, spinnaker fabric only comes in a 54.5-inch width and is expensive, so the cost really goes up to make a wider poncho tarp. One possibility would be to add a 15-inch strip in the middle. However the extra seams would almost negate the weight savings from using spinnaker cloth (using spinnaker at 0.97 oz/yd² rather than silnylon at 1.3 oz/yd² only saves about 1.5 ounces per poncho tarp), and makes silnylon look more attractive. Thus the dimensions of the Mountain Laurel Designs Spinntex Pro are as good as you are likely to find, without excessive waste and cost.

Introduction

The Mountain Laurel Designs Silnylon Pro Poncho Tarp is the only poncho/tarp available with a catenary ridgeline, and hood set into the ridgeline. It also has more generous dimensions than other poncho/tarps, while keeping weight to a minimum. Are the extra features (and cost) really worth it in terms of field performance, and how does it stack up against a lighter spinnaker poncho/tarp?

What’s Good

• Catenary ridgeline allows a tight pitch, which reduces flapping
• Hood set into ridgeline slit closes when taut
• Better coverage than most silnylon poncho/tarps
• Good-fitting hood with front and rear adjustment
• Perfect size for a tall person
• Each poncho/tarp is custom made
• Tarp pole options, including a novel rear hoop system

What’s Not So Good

• Heavier than a spinnaker poncho/tarp
• Catenary ridgeline limits pitching options

Specifications

Performance

To be frank, Mountain Laurel Designs is a bit modest (and incomplete) in the product descriptions on their website. Standard sizes are listed, but all products are made to order, so you are actually getting custom-made gear. The Mountain Laurel Designs Silnylon Pro is the only poncho/tarp available with a catenary ridgeline, and the hood set into a ridgeline slit. It’s loaded with usable features, its dimensions are larger than most, and it still weighs less than many other poncho/tarps. To illustrate, the following table compares the dimensions and weights of several available silnylon poncho/tarps.

So what are the advantages of a poncho/tarp with a catenary ridgeline? Unlike a flat tarp (rectangular), it has a seam down the ridgeline where two tapered panels are sewn together. The center seam provides the strength for a tight pitch. The catenary curve makes it easy to get a taut pitch with less tension and less effort, resulting in a tarp with better wind resistance, better water shedding, less potential for stakes pulling out, and less flapping in high winds. For technical information on the catenary curve, see Ryan Jordan and Alan Dixon’s article on Catenary Curvature as an Element of Ultralight Tarp Design. For an expanded discussion of tarping techniques see Ryan Jordan’s article on Advanced Tarp Camping Techniques for Inclement Conditions.

Another unique feature of the Mountain Laurel Designs Silnylon Pro Poncho Tarp is the hood is set into the ridgeline, which is a stronger design than the hood sewn into a circle cut into the center of the poncho. In tarp mode, a snap in the seam is fastened to close the ridgeline, and the hood is rolled up and secured with a small strap and buckle. This worked nicely to create a watertight seal and hold the hood down so it doesn’t leak or flap in the wind.

The Silnylon Pro is wider (5.5 feet) at the head end where you need the extra width, and narrower (4.5 feet) at the foot where width is less important (because the foot is usually pitched lower). The tarp is extra long (9.5 feet) so it provides plenty of overhang at both ends, even for a tall person.

The guyline provided with the tarp is a twisted Kevlar and nylon hybrid with a breaking strength of 250 pounds. Because it’s not braided it has a tendency to unravel, and it does not sear well by holding the cut ends to a candle. I solved the problem by putting a little silicone adhesive on the ends and letting it dry.

The poncho/tarp I tested is a prototype made of a slightly heavier silnylon (1.35 oz/yd²). It is 5 inches shorter and has a more voluminous hood than the production model. In tarp mode, it worked best in an A-frame pitch because of its catenary ridgeline. It was difficult to get a taut pitch in a lean-to configuration to keep it from flapping in overnight breezes. The tarp provided good protection from mountain thunderstorms and overnight drizzles when pitched low. I did get some spray on my sleeping bag on occasion. In windy weather, I pointed the foot of the tarp into the wind and staked it to the ground with its five tieout loops. The extra length helps a lot in that situation. There is an extra tieout loop on the ridgeline 20 inches from the foot end for pitching the rear as a closed box.

Mountain Laurel Designs offers two different types of optional poles for the tarp. Vertical front and rear poles are 0.38-inch Easton aluminum, weigh 4.7 ounces, and cost $35 extra. Another pole system (2.8 ounces, $30) is available that slips into a sleeve and detachable grommets at the foot end, creating a Tarptent-like arch at the rear. I used both pole systems and found them very handy for tarp camping above timberline. I liked how the rear arch creates a more solid structure. It sheds rain and spray well in that configuration, and presumably snow although I did not get a chance to test it. With the foot end open, wind and breezes readily pass through, so you don’t want to point it into the wind. I found staking the foot end to the ground works better in windy conditions.

In poncho mode, the Silnylon Pro provides excellent coverage, especially in combination with silnylon chaps or lightweight rain pants. There are two snap sets on each side to create “sleeves,” and the extra width at the front end translates into good arm coverage. The extended rear completely covered my pack. I found that the tarp’s ridgeline has a tendency to slide to one side of my pack, so it was essential to use the provided bungee waist cord to hold the back of the poncho centered over my pack.

The poncho’s hood is deluxe for a poncho/tarp. On the front it has a foam-stiffened bill and thin elastic drawcord with mini-cordlock. The back has a clever system to snug the hood and keep the bill from obstructing vision. My prototype poncho had too much volume in the hood, but that has been corrected in the production version.

Hiking in the rain, the Mountain Laurel Designs Silnylon Pro poncho plus a pair of lightweight chaps provides complete rain protection for me and my pack. I like using the bungee waist cord to pull in the extra fabric and keep the poncho positioned over my pack, especially in the wind. It also helps for off-trail hiking in the rain, because I can see my feet better and there is less of a tendency for the poncho to catch on limbs and stubs. For convenience, the bungee cord can be attached to a small loop on the lower back end of the poncho.

Overall, the Mountain Laurel Designs Silnylon Pro Poncho Tarp is near perfect for providing both shelter and rain protection, all for about 11 ounces with stakes and guylines. It’s a little heavier than a spinnaker poncho/tarp, but it’s stronger and larger, providing more coverage in both shelter and poncho modes.

Why get a silnylon poncho/tarp rather than spinnaker?

The common wisdom is that spinnaker poncho/tarps are lighter, so they are better. Well, yes and no. Most spinnaker poncho/tarps are flat tarps (rectangular), and are smaller in size, barely providing enough coverage for a taller person in either tarp or poncho mode. For example, the Bozeman Mountain Works SpinnPoncho LITE (6.4 ounces) measures 51 inches wide by 93 inches long. That’s fine if you are a shorter person and privileged to have good weather, or use a lightweight bivy (6-8 ounces) to ensure that your sleeping bag stays dry under the tarp. In contrast, the Mountain Laurel Designs silnylon poncho/tarp is 66 inches wide at the front and 114 inches long, and weighs 2.8 ounces more.

A lot of the weight savings from a spinnaker poncho/tarp comes from its smaller dimensions. Spinnaker fabric is expensive and is available only in a narrow width (54.5 inches), so manufacturers tend to make a flat tarp using one width of material. In comparison, silnylon is cheap and comes in wider widths. Using spinnaker fabric at about 1 oz/yd² instead of silnylon at 1.3 oz/yd² saves only about 1.5 ounces for the poncho/tarp in this review. Spinnaker fabric is stiffer and crinkly when dry (softer and quieter when wet), and not as strong as silnylon. The extra strength, softness, quietness, and coverage of the silnylon poncho/tarp may justify its extra weight, and is worth considering. Getting a poncho/tarp with larger dimensions to provide adequate shelter reduces the need to carry a lightweight bivy. So, silnylon is not necessarily “old technology” just yet.

What’s Unique

The Mountain Laurel Designs Silnylon Pro Poncho Tarp is the only one available with a catenary ridgeline and hood set into the ridgeline seam. It is also larger than most other silnylon poncho/tarps, providing good coverage while keeping weight to a minimum. Mountain Laurel Designs makes custom ultralight gear, and will tailor their products to your preferences.

Recommendations for Improvement

• The pole provided for the optional rear hoop system is very stiff. I recommend going to lighter aluminum tubing to make it easier to assemble and lighter weight.

Introduction

The Mountain Laurel Designs Prophet 25 backpack has a volume of 1525 cubic inches and weighs just 4.4 ounces. We tested an early version of the Prophet 25. Since our testing the volume of the Prophet 25 has been increased slightly and it has been renamed the Prophet 30. Materials and features on the Prophet 30 are the same as discussed in this review with upgrades to the production model Prophet 30 as noted.

What’s Good

• Very light at 4.4 ounces without options
• Versatile with removable waistbelt and bungee system, and optional chest pack and shoulder strap water bottle mounts
• Top Y-cinch strap is secure and compresses loads well
• Front pocket is useful and holds items securely
• Good size for SuperUltraLight backpacking or dayhikes

What’s Not So Good

• The sternum strap is too short (but this is fixed in production models)
• The outer pocket mesh is fragile (changed in production models)
• Shoulder straps are lightly padded and narrow, making the pack uncomfortable for “heavier” loads

Specifications

Performance

The Mountain Laurel Designs Prophet 25 is a frameless pack that can be used as a lightweight daypack or as a compact overnight pack for SuperUltraLighters. Without a frame, it relies on a “virtual frame” achieved by using a stiff sleeping pad as a frame inside the pack or filling the pack to capacity (easily done for an overnight trip). The suspension consists of lightly padded shoulder straps, a sternum strap, and an optional ¾-inch unpadded nylon waistbelt.

With a volume of just 1525 cubic inches (25 liters), the Prophet 25 is a small pack. However, the extension collar can provide up to 11 inches of extra capacity, and the outside pocket provides additional capacity. The bungee system can be configured in a variety of ways, to create more load carrying options. The optional chest pocket provides additional space, if needed. I loved the size, finding it perfect for SuperUltraLight (SUL) weekend summer trips; however, the Prophet 25 is strictly for minimalist backpackers and day hikers.

With padded shoulder straps only 2 inches wide and thin 3/8-inch Evazote padding, the Prophet 25 is not comfortable for many hikers with loads above 12 pounds. However, I found it capable of carrying loads up to 15 pounds for brief periods, such as when carrying extra water into camp. For SUL trips, where a full pack can easily weigh less than 10 pounds at the beginning of a trip and less than 5 at the end, the Mountain Laurel Designs pack is really in its niche.

The Mountain Laurel Designs Prophet 25 is a simple but well thought out pack. The main body is narrow, adding agility on the trail, and expands and compacts to load size easily with the extended collar. The Y-compression strap is secure and compresses loads evenly. It snaps to the outside pocket to secure the pocket, and easily unsnaps to provide access.

The outside pocket is low for better weight distribution, and gives plenty of room for fuel, two small water bottles, lunch food, and a wind shirt. Elastic is sewn into the top hem for additional security. Even when holding the pack upside down and shaking it, I was unable to make items fall out, adding to peace of mind on the trail.

The pack’s fabrics are highly water resistant. Combined with the roll-top closure, the pack kept contents dry during several 30-minute sprinkles. Heavier and more water resistant fabric against the back kept contents dry from my sweat, despite 14 hours of hiking on warm summer days.

The sternum strap is not adjustable horizontally and is not removable. The strap hit me too low and I rarely used it. A single ice axe loop is included.

A simple ¾-inch waistbelt is included with the pack and is removable. It helps with heavier loads or to control pack movement when running. A bungee system is also included and can be set up in a variety of configurations (or removed). Along with the top strap, this system effectively reduces pack volume. It also provides a good place to carry gear outside the pack, for example a larger foam pad. An optional chest pocket was included with our pack but it seemed a little large for the attachment points and didn’t fit snugly. However, it did offer easy access to small items and sat away from the chest, which helped with ventilation on hot summer days.

Spinnaker cloth is not as durable as silnylon, especially when it comes to abrasion, and it needs to be treated gently. This is not a pack you sit on or throw around. That said, I did not baby this pack during multiple nights of testing. I dropped it, kicked it, overloaded it, and hiked through overgrown alder thickets to test its durability. It survived and it is still in good shape. The Spinntex Pro 0.97 oz/yd² spinnaker cloth is surprisingly durable and shows no wear. The back and bottom of the pack use a heavier 1.7 oz/yd² silicone nylon that is more abrasion resistant (for sitting with the pack on), less slippery (for sweaty backs), and more water resistant (for keeping items inside dry). Heavier pack cloth and 1.7 oz/yd² silnylon are used in stress areas like shoulder strap and waistbelt attachments. The material selection is a good compromise between light weight and durability. The pack is sewn using very few seams, minimizing seam failure and leakage and further increasing durability.

The only durability issue I found was in the 1.0 oz/yd² bug netting used in the outside pockets. While strong enough when the pocket was crammed to capacity, sharp-edged items like a full Platypus bottle easily tore the fabric when being shoved into a full pack. Mountain Laurel Designs has addressed this issue by using heavier 1.6 oz/yd² netting in production packs.

Purchase price for the production Mountain Laurel Designs Prophet 30 is $105, making it an excellent value for those looking for a high quality SUL pack. It is a well thought-out design and built to last, even with a manufacturer stated weight of 4.25 ounces (volume 2130 ci). The prototype Prophet 25 we tested held loads securely, expanded its utility with a variety of options and configurations, and was comfortable with lighter loads. If you are looking for a compact pack for SUL trips that can double as a daypack, the Prophet 30 will be hard to beat.

What’s Unique

This is the lightest pack that offers a wraparound mesh outside pocket, making it easy to retrieve small items or water bottles. It also has a host of options that add to its versatility. Further, its Y-cinch strap is easy to use and secure.

Recommendations for Improvement

The issues of a too-short sternum strap and fragile outside pocket fabric are addressed in production models. A sternum strap that could adjust horizontally or be removed would also be nice. Wider shoulder straps would distribute weight better and increase the pack’s comfortable load carrying capacity.

Introduction

At first glance the Thompson Peak Pack appears to be a clone of the (now discontinued) GoLite Breeze, but when you look more closely, there are some significant improvements. In several ways it’s a “better Breeze.” but there are a few refinements we would like to see.

What’s Good

• Balance of light weight and durability
• Side compression straps
• Dual drawcord closure
• Optional hipbelt

What’s Not So Good

• Narrow shoulder straps
• Too much extension collar
• No top compression strap
• Needs two more side compression straps
• May not be suitable for abusive bushwhacking, off trail scrambling, canyoneering, etc.

Specifications

Performance

The resemblance of the Thompson Peak pack to the GoLite Breeze pack is probably not coincidental. The two packs are very similar, as shown by comparing manufacturer’s specifications in the following table (both packs in size large and without a hipbelt) and the photos below.

Basically, Fanatic Fringe has tried to improve on the classic GoLite Breeze. Is the Thompson Peak a “better Breeze”? Well, yes and no. There are pros and cons to both packs, so read on.

Here are the main differences: the Thompson Peak is made of lighter fabrics and weighs 5 ounces less, it has a second drawcord on the extension collar, it has two side compression straps, the shoulder straps are narrower and less padded, and the pack body and outside pockets are smaller.

I definitely like the lighter weight of the Thompson Peak Pack. In my opinion, 1.9 oz/yd² nylon ripstop and 200 denier Oxford are adequately strong for a pack designed to carry less than 20 pounds. Sure, it is less durable than the Breeze, but does an ultralight pack need to be made of bombproof fabric like Spectra Gridstop? (The answer is yes if you’re into serious bushwhacking or canyoneering. Durability was one of the great strengths of the Breeze.)

The body of the Thompson Peak has a little less volume than the Breeze (3600 versus 3950 cubic inches). Frankly, I don’t like the volume proportions of either pack. Both packs have way too much volume in the extension collar. The purpose of the large extension collar is to provide extra room for food after a re-supply. With the extension collar loaded up, both packs are very top-heavy and a burden to carry. The extension collar could be reduced by a third (or more) to put it into better proportion with the rest of the pack.

The Thompson Peak has two drawcords on the extension collar. The lower one is the main drawcord for normal loads, and has a metal grommet that allows it to be tightly closed. The upper drawcord is used when the extension collar is needed. With normal loads, it works well to fold the extension collar inside the pack and only use the lower drawcord. I sometimes found it convenient to put gear (like a jacket or rainwear) in-between the two drawcords so it was handy when I needed it.

On the exterior, the Thompson Peak has less pocket space than the Breeze. I’m disappointed with that change, and would instead prefer to see larger outside mesh pockets to provide lots of convenient storage even though that would add to the pack’s weight, since mesh is relatively heavy.

A really nice feature of the Thompson Peak is the addition of side compression straps. They help a lot to reduce pack volume as load volume diminishes on a multi-day trip. They also make the pack more usable as a daypack on a trek from camp. While two side compression straps are good, four are better. I suggest adding a second pair of compression straps below the side pockets.

One feature I would like to see on the Thompson Peak (and the Breeze) is a top compression strap, so I can roll down the top and secure it. My wife added one to my Breeze and I love it. The present Thompson Peak design allows the top of the pack to expand without constraint. I would readily trade the two drawcords for one drawcord and a top compression strap.

I carried the Thompson Peak on several trips, with loads ranging from 12 to 18 pounds. With lighter loads it rides high on the shoulders and is comfortable to carry. It becomes less comfortable at about 15 pounds because of its narrow (2 inches wide) shoulder straps with thin (3/8-inch) padding. At that weight I found it more comfortable to let it ride a little lower on my shoulders, rather than tighten the shoulder straps and put more pressure on my shoulders. Wider shoulder straps are definitely desirable on a pack without a hipbelt as they increase the comfortable load carrying capacity.

My assessment of the comfortable load carrying capacity of the Thompson Peak Pack without hipbelt is 15 pounds. Carrying loads greater than 15 pounds with this pack depends on the strength of your shoulders and ego. I recommend getting this pack with a hipbelt if you intend to carry loads heavier than 15 pounds.

What’s Unique

The Thompson Peak Pack hits a sweet spot between light weight and durability. It is a third lighter than a more durable pack like the Breeze but it is considerably more durable than spinnaker fabric packs.

Recommendations for Improvement

Overall, Fanatic Fringe designed some significant improvements into the Thompson Peak Pack over the GoLite Breeze Pack. However there are a few places where some further improvements would help its utility:

• The shoulder straps need to be wider to better distribute weight
• A top compression strap should be added to allow the top to be rolled down and secured
• Two more side compression straps should be added just below the pockets

Introduction

I love frameless backpacks, especially the really light ones. With a volume of 3800 cubic inches and weighing 8.1 ounces, the Gossamer Gear G5 Hyperlight backpack has a volume to weight ratio of 469 cubic inches/ounce. The Hyperlight achieves this remarkable statistic through the use of spinnaker fabric, which seems like tissue paper, but is surprisingly strong and durable.

What’s Good

• Very lightweight (huge volume to weight ratio)
• Spinnaker fabric is waterproof and strong for its weight
• Wide shoulder straps and hipbelt distribute weight
• Lots of outside pocket storage
• Very comfortable to carry with loads up to 20 pounds

What’s Not So Good

• Lack of compression straps makes it impossible to compress small loads
• No load control other than tight packing
• Roll top with Velcro closure does not secure well
• Too much volume for its comfortable load carrying capacity
• Inflatable sleeping pad slips out of the pad sleeve

Specifications

Performance

The Gossamer Gear G5 Hyperlight is basically the same design as their classic G4 pack, except it is smaller (3800 cubic inches versus 4600), lighter (8.3 ounces versus 17.3, manufacturer specifications), and constructed of lighter materials (0.96 oz/yd² spinnaker ripstop nylon versus 2.2 oz/yd² urethane-coated ripstop nylon). It’s a tried and proven design, with many refinements over several years.

Like most frameless backpacks, the G5 is designed to utilize a sleeping pad to stiffen the fully expanded pack to create a “virtual frame” to transfer some pack weight to the hips. On the G5, there is a mesh sleeve to slip your sleeping pad into to create the pack’s padded backpanel, as well as a virtual frame. I found that a stiff closed-cell foam sleeping pad works best for that purpose, much better than a limp inflatable pad, which adds little rigidity to the pack. I also found that the weak thin mesh allows an inflatable pad to slip out at the top.

With a total volume of 3800 cubic inches (2800 in the main pack body), the G5 had too much volume for my ultralight gear. I tried using up the excess volume by placing a partially inflated sleeping pad (Therm-a-Rest Prolite 3 Short) inside the pack against my back. That configuration solved my excess volume problem and resulted in a tighter, stiffer pack that carried better. However it does not eliminate two other basic problems, and introduces a third issue.

First, the G5 has no side compression straps to stabilize the load and adjust volume. As the volume of pack contents diminishes during a multi-day trip, the user has no means to reduce pack volume and keep the pack rigid. A partially inflated sleeping pad inside works, but many users of this pack will use a closed cell foam pad instead of an inflatable pad, and logically it should go into the pad sleeve. Placing a partially inflated sleeping pad inside introduces another issue: it moves the pack’s center of gravity outward, which increases torsional stresses on the body.

Second, the G5 roll top/Velcro closure does not secure the top of the pack very well (see top photo). The closure has Velcro hook tabs that attach to loop patches extending down into the side pockets. Gear (in particular a self-inflating pad) inside the pack inches up, pushing it open. The pack needs a top compression strap to secure the roll down closure, and to hold a sleeping pad packed in the interior in place.

The upshot is that the G5 works better if your gear volume matches the pack volume. One solution to the issues discussed above would be for Gossamer Gear to add an intermediate sized pack between the G5 and G6 Whisper Uberlight, with a volume of approximately 3000 cubic inches. A more tightly stuffed pack would transfer weight without the need for side compression straps. For a longer trip, the pack’s extension collar can provide the extra volume needed, and as pack volume decreases, the lower pack body can be packed tight and secured with a top compression strap. This is one approach to the pack volume issue, but bottom line, there is a need for an effective way to control pack volume other than owning multiple packs, and that means compression straps.

Like the G4, the G5’s shoulder straps and hipbelt are made of pack fabric and are wide (almost 4 inches) for distributing weight. Each strap has an opening (with Velcro closure) that allows the option of either placing clothing inside the strap for padding (thereby saving weight), or inserting lightweight foam pads (weighing about 0.2 ounce each) into the strap. The weight of the four foam pads adds up to 0.77 ounces (my measurement). I found them to be very lightweight and comfortable, and a better alternative to inserting and removing clothing items into/from the strap pockets.

Voluminous outside pockets on the front and sides of the G5 provide lots of convenient storage. The front pocket is mesh and the side pockets are spinnaker fabric. All have an elasticized hem at the top and plenty of bellowing for easy entry and lots of storage space. I stuffed an entire Tarptent (sans poles) into one of the side pockets (bottom right photo above). The side pockets have a mesh panel at the bottom for drainage.

The G5 is designed to stuff your sleeping bag into the bottom of the pack. The bottom balloons out when stuffed full, creating a “compartment” for a sleeping bag and insulated jacket. Nice idea.

For bear canister users, a 9-inch x 10-inch (650 cubic inches) canister will fit into the G5 if it is dropped in lengthwise, then turned to horizontal.

In my test of the G5’s structural load capacity (see related article link in right column on Quantitative Analysis of Backpack Suspension Performance by Ryan Jordan), I found that 1 inch of pack torso collapse occurs at about 20 pounds, shifting much of the pack weight onto my shoulders. Suspension comfort is very good because of the G5’s very wide, padded shoulder straps and hipbelt, sternum strap, and the hipbelt conforming well to the hips. My assessment of the G5’s comfortable load carrying capacity is 20 pounds, which is similar to many other frameless backpacks with a hipbelt. The actual amount will vary from person to person.

I consistently found that I could comfortably carry 15-20 pound loads in the G5 all day. With higher pack weight (and greater pack torso collapse), I tended to let the pack ride lower on my shoulders. I could have shortened the shoulder straps, but that made them tighter and increased the weight on my shoulders, which made it less comfortable to carry the pack all day. Carrying the pack lower on my back places the pack center of gravity close to my body center of gravity, which is less than ideal (its better to have the pack center of gravity a little higher), but I found that the pack was simply more comfortable to carry all day by letting it hang back some.

Many of my hiking friends referred to the G5 as my “tissue paper pack.” It may seem that way with its crinkly thin spinnaker fabric, but in fact the G5 is reasonably durable and will last a long time with prudent use and care. In several months of testing, I collected a few abrasions on the G5, mostly on the side pockets, but no serious damage.

What’s Unique

Through the use of spinnaker fabric, the Gossamer Gear G5 Hyperlight has the highest volume to weight ratio (469 ci/oz) of any commercially available frameless ultralight pack we are aware of. (This excludes the low volume SuperUltraLight packs.)

Recommendations for Improvement

My primary recommendation for the G5 is to add some type of compression system to adjust pack volume as load volume shrinks during a multi-day trip. For the top closure, I suggest adding a lightweight top compression strap (perhaps an inverted “Y” strap). For side compression, providing loops for a bungee compression system (like the loops on the Mariposa Pack) may be a solution. Sewn in foam padding in the shoulder straps and hipbelt will remove the weight reducing option of using carried clothing in place of foam pads, but will slightly reduce pack weight for those who prefer foam pads over clothing in the straps. (A weight savings of 0.77 ounce is not attractive enough to many hikers to bother stuffing and unstuffing socks into the straps.) Finally, the sleeping pad sleeve needs to be re-designed so an inflatable sleeping pad does not slip out.

Introduction

The Gossamer Gear Spinnshelter is the lightest full-protection one-person shelter on the market. Sure, a spinnaker fabric poncho/tarp is lighter, and doubles as rainwear and pack cover, but it doesn’t provide full weather protection.

What’s Good

• Ultralight shelter for one person
• Catenary ridgeline
• Quick setup
• Multiple pitching configurations
• Two vestibules

What’s Not So Good

• Limited headroom in standard configuration
• Much of the floor space is not usable
• Can be damaged in unexpected strong winds

Specifications

Performance

The Spinnshelter, as the name implies, is made of 0.9 oz/yd² high thread count spinnaker cloth. There are a lot of different spinnaker fabrics available, and the trick is to find one that has the right balance of waterproofness, strength, and weight for use in a shelter. Gossamer Gear claims that their Spinnshelter fabric is equal to silnylon in its ability to handle wind stress and rain, with a significant reduction in weight.

In the standard pitch (edges to the ground) the protected area in the Spinnshelter is 38.3 square feet including the vestibules, and 27.8 square feet in the main section. That is as big as many two-person tents. I measured it and checked the math, and the area is there, but frankly it doesn’t seem that big. The angled walls and minimal headroom (40 inches at the entrance) limit the usable space and make it seem much smaller. It feels and functions like a one-person tent. In the raised pitch (three guylines on each side, edges raised above the ground), the Spinnshelter is distinctly roomier, and can provide shelter for two, but in that configuration it functions more like a tarp.

The beauty of the Spinnshelter is its ease of setup and numerous pitching options. One very clever feature is the use of base lines (a thin cord clipped between the corners, one at the front and one at the rear) to set the width of the shelter, making it easy to pitch in the standard configuration (full protection, with edges down to the ground). To pitch, simply lay out the shelter (front and rear ends are color-coded), stake the four corners while stretching out the shelter and base lines, lift the rear peak and attach it to a pole or stick and stake it out, lift the front peak and do the same. The Spinnshelter is designed to utilize trekking poles or sticks found on-site (optional aluminum or carbon fiber poles are available).

There is a vestibule on each end of the Spinnshelter. Each has two doors with a Velcro attachment in the center. The doors can be pitched fully open, fully closed, one side open, or in a beak configuration. To minimize condensation inside the shelter, it’s best to open the doors as much as the weather and bugs will allow. My favorite configuration is the rear doors completely open (or the top closed to produce a beak), and one front door open for easy entry/exit. To get more air circulation in hot weather the Spinnshelter can be pitched so the sides are raised above the ground. This gives a larger protected area and more headroom. It requires three short guylines on each side and two additional stakes.

On cool nights during bug season, I closed the doors to keep the bugs out, and did not have any problems with mosquitoes coming in under the edges of the Spinnshelter. However, fully closing a single-wall tent is an invitation for heavy condensation. I opened the doors later in the night when it had cooled off enough to chase the skeeters away. For situations where bugs are a problem all night, Gossamer Gear has a mesh bug canopy available ($19, 3 ounces) that clips to loops inside the shelter. It drapes over the top of your sleeping bag and creates a protected vestibule around your head area. It works quite well, and can be left attached for repeated use during the bug season.

I weathered a number of Rocky Mountain thunderstorms and overnight rains in the Spinnshelter, and it faithfully kept me dry and secure. As recommended by Gossamer Gear, I seam sealed the ridgeline with silicone sealer to ensure there is no leakage through the stitching. At least eight stakes are needed for a pitch secure enough to withstand normal winds (seven if you don’t stake out the rear vestibule). I went to ten stakes during the monsoon season so I could also stake out the middle of each side.

I found the Spinnshelter to be wind stable in “normal” breezy/windy conditions. Its catenary ridgeline helps to obtain a tight pitch and reduce flapping in the wind. The pointed vestibule on each end helps to deflect the wind; it’s a good idea to point the rear of the shelter into the wind. Gossamer Gear recommends the Spinnshelter for sub-alpine use, or alpine use by experienced ultralight backpackers. Our Pacific Northwest Editor found out what that caution means. Camping at timberline, he encountered winds estimated at 45 mph, which resulted in the front pole connection being torn loose. That unfortunate experience indicated the upper limit of the Spinnshelter’s wind stability. In our estimation, the Spinnshelter is adequately strong and wind stable for normal backpacking conditions, assuming it is properly set up and secured, and used as recommended. However, don’t treat it like a bomb shelter, because it’s not.

The condensation situation in the Spinnshelter is the usual drill for a single wall tent. The warm, moist air from your breath hits a cool surface (the tent wall) and produces condensation, just like car windows on a cold day. The trick is to maximize ventilation as much as conditions permit – the more ventilation, the less condensation. It’s best to have both ends of the tent somewhat open so air can circulate throughout. Condensation is unavoidable in some situations (like a rainy night, or a calm/humid night where it cools down later), so it’s a matter of not brushing against the wet tent walls. I frequently packed up the Spinnshelter while wet on both the outside and inside, and carried it in a mesh side pocket of my pack. The following evening it dried out quickly after I set it up.

What’s Unique

The Spinnshelter provides full three-season weather protection for only 11.2 ounces complete with guylines and stakes.

Recommendations for Improvement

Offer a two-person version of the Spinnshelter, and offer more options like a sewn-in floor and no-see-um netting in both ends. This is starting to sound like a Tarptent, but why not borrow a few ideas from Tarptent? To make the Spinnshelter stronger for withstanding wind, sew a strip of grosgrain into the ridgeline seam.

Introduction

The Feather-Lite is a hoodless, zipperless, summer weight down mummy bag using state-of-the-art materials. It’s available in six different sizes, so short or thin people can save weight and stay warm.

What’s Good

• Loft is 1.5 inches more than manufacturer’s specifications
• Pertex Quantum shell is lightweight, soft, durable, and downproof
• Shoulder girth (in size tested) allows room for wearing clothing inside
• Elastic drawcord at neck opening allows you to reach out of the bag without adjusting anything
• Conservative temperature rating

What’s Not So Good

• Zipperless design may not provide enough ventilation on warmer nights

Specifications

Performance

The Feather-Lite is a no-frills, ultralight, summer-weight, mummy-style sleeping bag. It has no hood or zipper, just an elastic drawcord that snugs the bag at your neck. It requires a hat or balaclava to keep your head warm, which allows those items to do double-duty. The only extra this bag has is a baffled foot opening to stick your feet through and increase ventilation when needed.

Especially for short or thin people, one way to save weight (and sleep warmer) is to get the exact size sleeping bag you need. GoLite offers the Feather-Lite bag in six different sizes: three lengths (short, medium, and long), and two girths (trim and regular). Most other manufacturers’ bags are available only in regular or long lengths, and one girth for each.

The medium length, regular girth bag that I tested had 1.5 inches more loft than the manufacturer’s specifications and the weight was right on the money (at least for current GoLite catalogs, older catalogs list the weight 4 ounces higher than actual weight). This is a bit unusual for GoLite because they are usually right on with their specifications. Loftier than the specification sounds like a “sleeper” to me!

Let me say up front that I have nothing but praise for the GoLite Feather-Lite sleeping bag. It is not the absolute lightest 40-degree rated sleeping bag to be found (sleeping quilts, top bags, and bags with ultra-thin shell fabrics get that honor), but its design and state-of-the-art materials optimize performance, weight, and durability.

The outer shell of the GoLite Feather-Lite is Pertex Quantum, considered by many to be the best shell fabric currently available. It is soft, durable, water-repellent, breathable, and downproof. I found the claims to be true, but emphasize that water-repellent means just that. With extended exposure to water, the fabric wets through and the bag gets damp. I had this happen several times while sleeping in a bivy or under a tarp in rainy weather.

For the cool night conditions under which I tested the Feather-Lite, I have no reservations about the bag’s hoodless, zipperless design. The issue for me most of the time was keeping heat in, not venting off excess heat. The bag is easy to slip into and out of, so that was not an issue. I liked not having to mess with a zipper and hood.

Most of my bag nights were below the Feather-Lite’s temperature rating. That was intentional; the bag was used as part of a SuperUltraLight backpacking system, where my base pack weight was less than 5 pounds. My technique was to use a minimal bag, and wear clothing inside as needed to extend the warmth of the bag. It worked beautifully, and I had no problem extending the Feather-Lite down to 30 °F wearing micro-fleece long johns and an insulated jacket. The 62-inch shoulder girth (in the size tested) was just right to allow room for extra clothing without being too loose or too tight.

One simple feature I really liked is the bag’s elastic drawcord closure for the top opening. It allowed me to snug the top of the bag around my neck like a gasket to seal heat inside, yet I could stretch the cord with my arm to reach outside the bag to get something (see photos above).

The bag’s foot vent is sealed with overlapping baffles. On one warmer night (55 °F) I tested the foot vent and found that it ventilated through the bag fairly well. The obvious alternative for really warm nights is to sleep partially out of the bag, then slide further in as the temperature drops. On colder nights, I did not have a need to use the foot vent for ventilation, and was happy to find that it does not create a draft or cold spot. Basically, the feature is there to use when you need it.

There are a lot of factors that affect a bag’s warmth, not the least of which is the shelter system used. For example, sleeping under a tarp with a nighttime convectional breeze is a lot different than sleeping fully enclosed in a double wall tent. I used the Feather-Lite with several different shelter systems and clothing systems, and had no problem staying warm below the bag’s rating by adjusting the amounts of clothing worn inside.

Missing from this review (and for all sleeping bag reviews published here, for that matter) will be an assessment of whether or not the sleeping bag performs adequately at temperatures near its manufacturer-reported temperature rating. Click here for the complete Backpacking Light Position Statement on Sleeping Bag Temperature Ratings.

What’s Unique

GoLite uses state-of-the-art materials and a minimalist approach to hit ultralight backpacker’s needs squarely on target with the Feather-Lite bag, and it’s available in six different sizes (three lengths x two girths) so most people will find a good fit.

Recommendations for Improvement

A 30-degree version of this bag would be really nice; just add a little more down. A nitpick: one of the hang loops could be eliminated to save a few grams.