New member seeking advice: Thoughts on GG Kumo SL?

The Gorilla has a frame and the Kumo doesn't if that makes any difference to you.

It's all going to depend on what type of trip you are going to be using the Kumo on. You stated the Gorilla will carry 10 days worth of food at 3 lbs per day. That alone is not going to be comfortable in the Kumo, let alone water weight and gear weight on top of the 30 lbs food weight. For shorter trips or trips where you are going to be starting out closer to 20 lbs, ideally more like 15, the Kumo would be great.

I've never carried a Kumo but I have extensive use with the 2nd generation Gorilla, which I primarily use without the hipbelt or aluminum stay. In that configuration, it is very similar to a Kumo, as the main pack body is close in volume. I believe the only difference in the pack body is the Kumo has a bit less depth. The length and width are the same, if I remember correctly.

I have to say, out of all the new packs GG has released recently, the Kumo looks the best to me. Mainly because it has a lot less extra crap I would have to cut off.

If you don't find one used, be patient, as GG frequently has sales up to 20% off. The Kumo has peaked my interest as well, as my Gorilla is getting on in age/use but the price point of the Kumo really puts me off. I feel the Kumo is more of a $140 pack, $175 is pretty steep. And the slanted pocket drives me crazy, why couldn't they just make it straight?

A few months ago I found a brand new Kumo at the Flea Market for 20 dollars…
It seemed like a really well made and actually fairly large pack. The torso was much too long for me and I gave the pack to a student that worked with me and was getting into backpacking. I gave him/found him enough lightweight gear that his base weight was around 12 pounds, according to him. He has gone of several trips with the pack and it is working out very well for him. He does not have much to compare it with, but paired with a piece of Ridgerest it seems quite comfortable to him even when packed for a four day/ three night trip. I don't think he has carried any bear canister in it.

I really appreciate the feed back. To clarify, the 30 pounds of food was just a way of saying I have too much room left over for use as my summer pack. I would never carry that, nor would I need too, it was just an example of how much room I have left over. But anyway, I'm thinking it's the right pack for me. The slanted pocket does kind of throw me off, along with the price, but I still think it's perfect. I'm actually stuck in Atlanta traffic right now headed up to do a section hike on the AT and I have too much room in my gorilla. Hopefully I can find a Kumo for cheap. Thank you all and happy trails!

Sam

I too would be interested in the Kumo if it was a lower price. I have a ULA circuit now that I use and love but my base weight is typically 11.5-13#s which leaves a lot of room in this pack. Agree about the slanted mesh, annoying and strange. Hopefully GG will have a 20% off sale in the near future.

The Kumo is a shorter and shallower Gorilla without the frame and belt, and with a slightly different feature set. If you like the Gorilla and are ok with a pack which is designed to mostly carry on your shoulders, the Kumo will suit you well.

Thanks for the replies everyone. Hopefully someone out there has a used kumo to sell. Whether it's the dyneema version or the robic, I'm looking forward to owning one. I saw on the GG site they now sell a Kumo hip belt with pockets. That would be awesome. I just need the hip belt to suck the pack into my lumbar region to take the bulk of the load off my shoulders. That's how my gorilla rides with or without the stay. I sure could have used the kumo on the trip I just got back from. The gorilla worked fantastic, but I didn't need all the room.

Btw, the second day the mtns were socked in with thick fog, high winds and intermittent rain. I didn't use a pack cover, just a liner, but even still, that new robic fabric is seriously water resistant. As of now, I'd say it's water proof. No water made into my main pack, or even the OTT lid pocket. I'm very impressed.

Anyway, thanks for the replies. Happy trails

I'll also use the kumo for more than back packing. School books (once I go back), traveling, walks around town. All that good stuff. So the durability is a huge plus. Hope I can find one for cheaper than retail!