Backpack Comparison Question

No one has experience with both of these excellent packs?

I have experience with both these packs and the bottom line is the Starlite pack is best for the pack and the Vapor trail is best for the belt and I knew that before I went on a 9 day hike, so I put the Vapor Trail belt in place of the Starlite belt. I also had http://www.thriftyoutfitters.com sew the strapping down the lateral middle of the outside of the belt so that when the belt strapped itself to the pack, it gave a lift of about 1/2" to the pack so it rode about 1/2" higher. That made the pack fit even better. I went 9 days with base gear, food, and water weighing about 34 pounds and the pack carried fantastic. But be sure and get the two SMD stays for the Starlite — it makes a world of difference. I used the Z-lite pad for the pad. I found out this year you can take a regular length Z-lite pad and cut it down to 5' and it will still fit nicely in the Starlite and a 5' long pad is much more comfortable for me than 4'.

I have always used my Starlite with the stays. I have carried between 22 and 32 lbs in it in comfort.

Gentlemen – thanks for your insights.

Roleigh — can you elaborate more on the comfort of the Starlite pack in comparison with the VT and why you believe the former is more comfy? Also, is the Starlite belt actually uncomfortable — or uncomfortable enough that you feel compelled to swap belts?

The advantages of starlite over VT: (1) more volume, (2) less weight, (3) ability to quickly remove Zlite while hiking but not having to break into pack, (4) the aluminum stays which make it more of a frame pack than frameless, (5) because of #4, the load lifters lift the shoulder straps from weighing down on the shoulders far better than the VT. (The VT does not have stays, although one can order the stays from SixMoonDesigns for the Starlite and adapt them to fit into the VT, but then the weight of the VT is significantly more than the weight of the Starlite then.)

On the other hand, the VT belt is much more comfortable and having the VT belt modified as I did (horizontal strapped sewed into belt horizontally), when it attaches to the pack, the belt plays a more integral weight-diffusion part into spreading the weight of the pack to more around the whole waist, instead of all the weight basically riding the back part of the belt. I'll try and get a photo of the setup posted if I find time this weekend. The VT belt can be bought for $40, it is not an elaborate expense to modify the Starlite with the VT belt (I did surround the middle back 4" of the belt with a 1/8" foam wrapp to make sure it did not slide sideways back and forth through the back of the pack though—the belt has snug fit where it slips through the back of the pack.

ps – in my avatar is the Starlight with the Vapor Trail belt but it's hard to see details. I'm walking up Mt. Whitney on day 9 there from the Western side.

Ben,

How about I do you one better and just show you both packs in person? I only live about twenty minutes away from Pasadena. Lemme know.

p.s. my personal preference is for the VT but I do think the SMD carries weight a little better. Roleigh, is dead on about the strengths of each pack IMHO.

I have been using the SMD Starlite for a few years now, and swapped out the stock belt for a ULA belt. I can't compare it to the Vapor Trail, though, as I've only tried one of those in a store.

I've tried the Starlite with and without the stays, and now just always use them. They make the load lifters work properly, for one thing, and just add enough support to the load to make it carry noticeably better. (Plus I use a Thermarest pad, which is less stiff than a Z-rest or similar.)
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Beyond that, I'm in agreement with the above — great pack, very convenient to use, and comfortable with 30+ pounds. It's my year-round pack.