Gossamer gear G6 and water?

[D G]

For users of the G6, how do you handle water, since the G6 has no side pockets?

I have various platypus containers, including a 1L Hosier, 2L Big zip with hydration hose, plus some 1L and 2L platypus.

I can get by with 1L for hiking and then another 1-2L for camp (2-3L total capacity).

Thanks!

[paul johnson]

most i’ve carried at one time is 3L.

1L Platy hoser inside of the pack with the tube exiting from the top which is then rolled closed around the tube.

2 1L Platy bottles secured via bungee from the shoulder straps. i’ve tried two diff positions: secured tight either chest height (adv. racing style) or down low at the bottom of the straps.

[Bob Gabbart]

I just kept a 1L platypus inside of the G6. I would then stop once an hour or so and have a drink.

I then had a 2L which I filled up after making camp.

[kevin davidson]

So, Paul, how do you get the 1L platys and bungees to stay in position on the straps—or do they slide down?

One thing I like about my brand spank’in new MLD Prophet 24 UL pack, is that there are loops on the shoulder straps specific for bungees and bottles.

But I now also have a G6 and have been wondering about how to make a modification on such light material. I also would love to throw a sternum strap on the pack—with these 2 modifications, the pack would be good to go for me.

The much smaller MLD pack will be my preferred UL
long weekend pack ( sternum strap, lash points, out of the way cut) but, much longer and the added volume of the G6 is needed.

[paul johnson]

ok. i have two G6’s. one purchased directly fr/GG, the other from BPL.

each is slightly diff. from the other.

the older one fr/GG has three webbing loops on each of the shoulder straps – primarily/originally intended for routing a drinking tube (two loops on the outside & one on the inside of each shoulder strap – this one also has more of the “pack cloth” on the bottom)

clearly, i use the webbing loops to loop the bungee through – this prevents the vert. slide you mentioned if the Platys are stowed Adv. racing style.

if carried down low, gravity just pulls them down as far as possible. i can slide them up to the buckle & then remove them from the bungee. reverse the process, somewhat, to stow them again.

on the newer G6 purchased from BPL, i made loops of 1/8″ bungee & looped them through the doubled over sewn webbing that holds the shoulder strap buckles on. this keeps the bottles from sliding vertically. the bottles don’t really get in the way of the buckles since my thumb & fingers enter from the outside to loosen the shoulder straps.

Platys are carried down-low in an identical fashion as on the older G6.

BTW, on the older pack the inside webbing loops on the shoulder straps, together with a bungee & an Altitech II (with carabiner type of attachment) serve as a poor-man’s sternum strap. on the newer G6, another length of bungee looped through the same area of folded-over and sewn webbing and the Altitech II form sternum strap. the carabiner of the Altitech II is used to “join” the loop at the end of the bungee to the webbing loop on the older G6 or another small loop of bungee on the new G6.

due to the very rocky, uneven terrain i’m often on, i find the pack more stable if i “kludge” up a sternum strap.

was this explanation clear?

haven’t tried this, but for a light duty (low tension) sternum strap, i bet you could sew some lt. wt. webbing loops to the webbing b/t the buckles & spin fabric shoulder straps (or just loop the bungee through the folded-over and sewn webbing holding the shoulder strap buckles on – just like described above). then, you could use some 1/8″ bungee to form the sternum strap. no Altitech II to join the two sides of the bungee sternum strap together? just take one length of bungee & tie it to the newly sewn on attachment webbing loop and make a small loop on the other end – just large enough to squeeze a mini-toggle through (don’t put the toggle in yet). take another length of bungee & do the same on the other – except the free end, you might attach a mini-toggle by passing the bungee through it & then knot the bungee to prevent it from pulling back through the mini-toggle. now you can “thread”, so to speak, the mini-toggle through the loop at the end of the other length of bungee. tension can be adjusted by drawing the knotted end bungee further through the mini-toggle. the idea here is similar to,…what’s it called?…a Stadium Coat (???). you know, those 3/4 or full length hooded wool coats with a series of wooden toggles that pass through loops to close the front of the coat. you prob. have seen these – they were more popular 30-40 yrs ago.

you know, i’ll have to look at the pack upstairs (i’m in the den downstairs typing this – no pack in sight) to be sure, but you might even be able to “sacrifice” a bit of the velcro opening by sewing 1/4″ to 1/2″ wide webbing loops to the lower end of the velcro opening in the shoulder straps. the velcro would serve as sufficient reinforcement to prevent tearing the spin cloth. use 1/8″ bungee as the sternum strap. use a mini-biner, AltitechII, or the bungee loop & mini-toggle arrangement to secure the two lengths of bungee-sternum-strap together. the 1/8″ bungee when stretched (if sized the right length) exerts minimal stress, so i don’t think you will do any damage to the pack fabric.

[Belay this last suggestion. just checked my newer G6 pack. the lower end of the velcro opening is a bit too high – unless you like your sternum strap higher. On me it would be mid-way b/t the “nips” and the hollow of the throat. way too high for my tastes. not sure where it would be on your pack, but prob. too high also. Stick with how i implemented the sternum strap on my newer G6 – use the folded-over sewn webbing holding the shoulder strap buckles on.]

the purpose of the “poor-man’s” sternum strap is just to lightly keep the shoulder straps from sliding off the shoulders when bending & twisting. it doesn’t take much to keep them on me. also, if you are a “chest” breather (like most adults) vs. a “deep abdominal” breather (young children, martial artists, Zen Buddhists, Tai ji quan practioners, etc.), then the bungee also allows easy chest expansion.

[Graeme Finley]

I have 2 1L platypus canteens that I use with my G6 (and G5 for that matter). I usually carry one full in the rear pocket and one rolled up and empty inside the pack (for use while camping). I have been able to fit both platypus inside the rear pocket in a pinch where I needed to as long as there’s not much else needed to be carried. I suppose it goes without saying I don’t mind taking my pack off to have my occasional drinks.

[kevin davidson]

Thanks, Paul. Some good info and ideas. I also emailed Glen at GG about this. If he has some suggestions, I’ll pass them on.

BTW I’m an abdominal breather, although not a martial artist or zen buddhist—although I am a sort of “jew-boo” by dint of once having had an audience with his holiness, the Dalai Lama.

[paul johnson]

>>”jew-boo”

never heard that b/f, but understood your meaning. should have known the first part – “ben Da-vid” (me too, on my mother’s side; you’d never guess it fr/my last name).

glad you understood the “deep abdominal breathing”. in my experience, not very many people have heard of it (including many American Martial Artists). it’s great never getting a runner’s ‘stitch’.

if you hear back from GVP, i’d appreciate any suggestions. to paraphrase the comedian Milton Berle, “i know a good idea, when i steal it”.

[kevin davidson]

and you can steal this one, Paul. fresh from the Archives of Gossamer Gear—-

http://www.gossamergear.com/gossamergear/images/water_bottles.jpg

Glen suggest I sew on an oxford cloth backing on the shoulder straps for the loops to receive bungees and/or the sternum strap.

Who knows,Paul, perhaps your last name was once something like ben Yochanan (Johnson)
In the more recent !9th cent past,mine was once Davidsohn.

and a belated Shana Tova!

[paul johnson]

thanks. take care.

[Dondo .]

I also stole this idea from the Gossamer Gear site. Having used it on my last two trips, I can report that it works very well. Almost as convenient to drink from as a hydration system but without the expense and hassle. At the end of a trip, you can just recycle the bottles. If you don’t need the capacity of the 700 mL Propel bottles shown in the photo, the 500 mL bottles will also work.

[paul johnson]

nah…on father’s side was Johnstone (pronounced “jawn-son” by the Scots). changed by an immigration agent who figured grandpappy couldn’t speak english properly and was saying the English Johnson. so…just mother’s side. Shalom a lachem.

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