Guide’s Gear Award No. 1: Gossamer Gear Mariposa Backpack

[Inaki Diaz de Etura]

My comments were all about desing features, not weight

[James Marco]

Jeffs, theoretically, these are the numbers for the categories:
XSUL <3 pounds
SUL <5 pounds
UL <10 pounds
Light <20 pounds

Your are correct, these are all BASWEIGHT numbers.

30oz for the Mariposa is a reasonable number for UL people. Of the big three, 2 pounds for a pack, 2 pounds for a shelter, 2 pounds for a sleeping bag. Works fine for most of three seasons. The above numbers are and remain a fine starting point for building experience and your kit. Yes, for me, I would consider it a long distance pack, three weeks or more, due to the volume.

But as others have stated, the region often dictates heavier gear… For short weekend hikes you can go much lighter. For long duration trips you want more BECAUSE you are out longer… Look up M-SUL by Will Rietveld. Or the http://gossamergear.com/wp/trail-ambassadors-3/lightweight-backpacking-conundrum if you are not a full member here.

[Jeffs Eleven]

I guess I just get hung up on saying any pack (especially a 2lb 60liter one) isnt UL.

What if I pack my 2lb Mariposa and my baseweight comes in at under 10lbs or 12lbs or whatever. Its still not a UL pack even though in within the magical number?

My pack is 2lbs and I can make 10lbs. UL or not?

I guess what I am getting at is yeah, you can have lighter than 2lbs pack, but at that volume (60L) … IDK that a lot of pack for only 2lbs

seems silly to label any one item as non-UL (or UL, for that matter) After all, its the baseweight that determines whether or not you are UL, right?

And I guess that yea, its heavier than other packs. It has external pockets, Tha Harra' Tha Harra'!

I am intriguing myself because I think defining UL and that stuff is pointless. Why I care what "class" a pack is beyond me. Its just for the sake of argument, I suppose…

evs

[James Marco]

Calling it a UL pack is only because it weighs less than 2 pounds. I suppose in the UK it would be 1kg. I believe they use a 5kg number for defining ultralight. Anyway, if you tried to carry a 3 pound pack, a 3 pound shelter and a 3 pound bag, you really cannot be UL. So the <2 pound rule pretty much works. At least the pack is capable of this even if the camper is not. He may still be carrying a heavy synthetic bag at 3+ pounds, a heavy stove and maybe a complete cooking set that gets him to 13 pounds.

I agree about the definitions. They are learning tools, and, not strict. I believe Ryan Jordan was out with a very light pack but he did NOT count a Gränsfors Bruk's hatchet he was testing nor did he count camera gear taken for the write-up. Should these have counted? Why? Why not? With experience comes a loose definition of what the categories mean. This is hardly the first time this has been mentioned. (Nor the last, no doubt.) This is of interest to most who debate philosophy. But, that is all it is. In the woods, it just don't matter what it is, you are the one carrying it.

[jim logan]

While everyone else has focused on the Mariposa Pack — which is very useful discussion — I would like to add that I like the concept of the Guides Gear Awards. Giving attention to the tried and true and explaining WHY it is "tried and true" has great merit and I appreciate trying this new direction in rating equipment. The additional comments, such as those above, should be plentiful on items earning this kind of award. They add a great deal to the initial information justifying the award and improve the whole process.

Great job! Keep it going.

[Anonymous]

I never understood the heirarchy when joining in 2006. Ryan Jordan appeared to be the owner along with well respected staff spread over the western U.S. Along with others hither and yon. What happened? Did he sell the company?

[James Marco]

No, he ran out of money, closed the magazine, closed the gear shop, added other adds to make the site a paying concern, and worked other jobs to make a living. He scrambled when the economy fell apart in 2008 and it is still alive today thanks to some pretty good decisions. Bloggers, other lists, other publications have failed, expanded advertisement drastically or are virtually no cost to their owners. Our interests here are a limited market without a huge population base. It works.

I don't think anything needs to be rewritten or changed. The people involved chose the Mariposa. It has been in continual development since about 2006/7. Modern materials, newer philosophies, put this pack on top for a one pack hiker. Yes. It is a compromise. But, it remains true to the lightweight goals of the site. I don't understand the furor about updating the definitions page. Nope, it is not a SUL or XSUL pack. (Categories come in handy for discussions.) It works for UL and Lightweight packers. It even works for UL people on long distance hikes where food, fuel, and water become the vast majority of the weight. Example: 2pounds per day (food and fuel) for 2 weeks comes up to 28 pounds, more than the maximum recommended weight, but doable.

"Guide's Gear should represent products that are at the very top of their category in terms of their performance-to-weight ratio. Such products should be versatile and adaptable to a very wide range of environmental conditions and activity contexts, durable enough for rigorous use over an extended period of time, and embody state of the art design, materials, and manufacturing techniques. Guide's Gear should reflect a simple and beautiful design aesthetic, address core functionality through exceptional performance, be intuitive to use, and contain no significant flaws or deficiencies. Guide's Gear should reflect the unequivocal recommendation of experienced guides that is based on proven, long-term experience with the gear, complete with an understanding of the limitations of that gear."

It fits just fine.

[Ken Thompson]

I meant that the Mariposa should ba added to the paged I linked to. Just dot the i's and cross the ts sort of thing.

[Anonymous]

I was using the opening provided by Kenny's comment to ask the question and your response James was the type of history I was looking for. Even though I have been checking in here at least once a day since '06 I never knew the story.

[John Coyle]

Looks a little floppy to me without side compression straps, but my hiking buddy has one and he loves it and is trying to talk me into buying one, but I am resisting because I am not Daddy Warbucks and already have a larger pack. I have a second generation Gorilla for lighter summer loads and like it, except for the back pad, which makes my back sweat too much, but it's not a deal breaker. For larger loads I use a Granite Gear Crown 60; they got the back pad right on that one, the extensive channel design really works to reduce sweat, at least on my back. It needs wider shoulder straps though. No pack is perfect and fit is a personal thing with backpacks so due your research and the buyer beware. Due to my good experience with the Gorilla, I would have no problem buying a Mariposa if I didn't already have a large volume pack.

[Mike In Socal]

I love the outside pockets on my Mariposa Plus. I can pack all my stuff in the main pack body then pack the tent/poles in the long outside pocket, on-the-go snacks and extra water bottle in the other two pockets.

[sean neves]

Many of us would not be caught dead without whiskey for a week. This is a pack for real people. I need a hip belt and I live in Utah, so many times I need to carry a gallon or two of water. I don’ think I need to suffer under shoulder loads for a fifteen mile day to consider myself a “legit”  UL guy (whatever that means). You can keep your definitions to whatever you want them to be. I’ve been known to rough it with a twenty pound full weight for a week (food, shelter, sleeping). I’ve also been known to haul a guitar and 5 liters of wine to 13k feet. Both are legitimate outdoor activities, both involve a certain amount of pain and neither is the only “legit” option.

I’m buying a Mariposa today. Too many people love it to be wrong.

[Author]

Posts