LuxuryLite Gear Modular Frame Pack

[Rand Lindsly]

I love this pack….but admittedly I am an external frame bigot. It is extremely light for the pack volume (under 2 lbs on average). The frame construction is solid. The cylinder sewing and construction is excellent quality. I love the flexibility the system gives you by being able to mix and match cylinders for the length of trip. I can use the external frame design and belt to keep the pack off my shoulders and back and loaded on my hips. I can use the cylinders as stuff sacks as well as removing them for use as other containers around the campsite and in the tent. The only thing keeping it from being a 5 is the price and the fact that the belt buckle lately has had a tendancy to twist/flip (hard to explain), but I think it can be fixed. All in all an excellent product

UPDATE SEPTEMBER '08
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Just returned from 12 days and ~150 miles on the JMT with the LuxuryLite. After an extended trip I have found new religion for the pack. While I stand by my previous comments, I now think they are dwarfed in comparison to the overall comfort and functionality of the pack. It seems like it is MADE for the Bearikade Expedition. In addition, I found that the snaps that help close the cylinders are PERFECT to hang your Crocs from. I can't say enough about how much I love this pack…even the 2005 model….that I'm bumping my original "4" rating to a "5". Here are some pictures from the JMT….wasn't thinking about pack glamor shots….but you can still see the arrangement. Was using an XL, an L, and a M size cylinders all stacked on the Bearikade.

[Denis Hazlewood]

I have just finished two backpack trips using the LuxuryLite Pack. Mine is the all carbon fiber model, with three extra large cylinders. I'm still learning how to pack the cylinders but I think I've about got it cornered. The velcro attachments allow quick removal of the cylinders. This means I can store them in the tent wihtout the frame, eliminating the possibility of gouging the tent floor and walls.

The first trip was a three day in the Sierras North of Yosemite. We were expecting cool weather and thunder storms so I was carrying about 26 pounds. The pack rode very well. The waist belt is one of the most comfortable I've ever worn, and the adjustable frame sets the shoulder strap attachment at the perfect angle to keep the weight off my shoulders.

The second trip was a seven day circuit around the Desolation Wilderness, just west of Lake Tahoe. My girlfriend got sick and I ended up having to carry all of her heaviest gear. I estimate the load was around 50 pounds. It made the hills steeper but the pack was comfortable and again, the waist belt carried the load superbly.

Next week my hiking partner and I leave for an ultralite dash up Section J of the PCT. I'm looking forward to another comfortable trip with the LuxuryLite.

The cons are but two. In heavy rain the cylinders leaked. I suspect that seam sealing the cylinder attachment points will solve this problem. The second problem is with the belt buckle. It consists of a plastic "loop" and a steel "loop". I had trouble with the "loops" getting cocked and locked. One of our party said she heard a "discouraging word" as I wrestled to free myself. I wonder if this fastener can be redesigned. NOTE: As of this posting the fasteners have been revised and the belt works flawlessly.

January 2007: I have now carried my LuxuryLite for two seasons. Of the dozen or so backpacks I have owned, this is, by far, the best pack I have ever carried. The cylinders may be removed with a flick of the wrist and taken into your tent. I even have room for 4 cylinders in my Integral Designs Unishelter Bivy. The pack rides well with minimal loads and when I day hike I just use the number and size of cylinders required for that hike. In the photo attached I was carrying insulation for cold conditions (it rained and snowed) and food for 10 days. During that trip, on a waterless stretch, we each carried an additional 6 liters of water. The load was heavier than any I've carried since our trip to Thunder River, in the Grand Canyon, but the pack carried to load better than any pack I've had.

Tracker and Red Leader with LuxuryLight Modular Backpacks at Middle Velma Lake, Desolation Wilderness, Oct. 2006

There was room for all four of my LuxuryLight Cylinders. I just stacked them in like cord wood.

[Henry Martinat]

In 2005 I thru hiked the AT with a Luxury Lite pack..It was one of my favorite pieces of equipment.
The configuration I used was two large and one medium cylinder. The cylinders really helped with access and organization. They open all the way across so you can get to everything inside. They detach in a snap so you can use one as a pillow of a leg rest.I used the top cylinder as my bear bag.The pack weighed about 2 lb. and provided complete support for my back. I am now 50 years old and the frame helped a lot. The ventilation was great too in the hot summer with heat indexes of 105. I have carried on the plane too,it will fit in the overhead compartment. The pack will stand up on its own and you can tie your wet socks on to the loops at the latches in the back. The counter balancing front pack is one of the best features. My heaviest pack weight was about 33 lb and it felt like nothing! I found the front pack to be incredibly convenient as a feed/water/camera/snack bag. The cylinders were waterproof so I did not need a pack cover.. I did use an oven bag to cover my down sleeping bag and zip locks for my food. The design of this pack allowed me to carry some luxury items that I would have had second thoughts about.. During the summer months though my pack weight was 26 lbs. I believe this pack, with it’s advanced technology represents the return of the external frame pack….

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