Pack Comparison

Alright the GoLite is out. I talked to my local outfitter today. He saw two people on the Colorado Trail a couple weeks ago with GoLite packs that were falling apart. He confirmed what I was thinking…that a 3000 cu. in. pack would be fine for me. So that narrows it down to the Gossamer Gear Miniposa or Granite Gear Vapor Trail (what he uses and recommended). Any opinions on these two? Thanks!

http://www.gossamergear.com/cgi-bin/gossamergear/Miniposa.html
http://www.granitegear.com/products/backpacks/ultralight/vaportrail.html

Roman, you would be hard pressed to find any truly negative comments on the vapor trail. It's a big bag with ultra comfy suspension. I've owned the Vapor Trail, Alpine Vapor, and the Latitude Vapor. They all have the same suspension system and they are a dream to carry. I have no experience with the gg packs.
Hope that helps,
Steve

I just bought a Mariposa, and I'm really happy with it. GG has some Miniposas on closeout if you're a big guy. I'm surprised at the Jam2 comment, I know a lot of people with the Jam2, and I haven't seen any falling apart.

nm

The choice may come own to just how low you've got your load down to. If you'll carry a total weight of mid 20's and under go for the Mariposa (or even the Miniposa), above that you may be better off with the Vapor Trail.

If ULA had some packs in stock I'd recommend them, but it might be a wait before you can get one. You might pick one up from someone with one for sale (Circuit for much over 20 lbs and Conduit under).

I agree the Jam2 is a solid pack, never heard of any problems. If you are going lightweight then 3000 cubic inches is huge…I can not imagine the need for a 4K pack. Base weight is a big determining factor as is length of trip. I own a granite gear virga and I think its a great pack, I would assume the vapor trial scales up equally as nice, but is a heavy pack if you are light or ultralight. Any details on what else you are carrying…load weight? sleeping pad type (helps with understanding framing options), etc.

Jamie

Roman, Interesting I reread your original posts…"there are no outfitters in you area the sell the golite jam2"…I'm paraphrasing, but the local outfitter (who I assume does not sell them) sees multiple people who's Jam2 packs are falling apart. How many people would you have to come across in a single trip to find 2 people using the Jam2? and inspect them long enough to see a problem with their packs. And be people who would continue to use a pack that is falling apart.

Just doesnt make sense.

He didn't give me a lot of details on the GoLite packs. He just said that he ran into a couple on the trail that were both having pack failures. The man's was bad enough that it was giving him back problems.

I've been backpacking with a cheap 2k day pack. My last trip my pack was at 15lbs before food. I still have a few items to replace that will drop the weight quite a bit though (backpack, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, etc.).

I'm definitely a big guy and could use the Miniposa. (I could lose enough weight to make my pack weight a freebie! lol) I'm just a little worried that I would exceed the weight limit with a weeks worth of food in a bear canister. Anyone got a feel for the durability of the Gossamer packs?

Roman,

Where in SW Louisana? (I was born in Lafayette, but am a successful northern transplant:-)

If you can get by with 3000ci, you might find the vapor trail a bit roomy. Vapor Trail is 3600ci while Granite Gear's Virga is 3200ci and has worked well for me @ 5 days hardly extending the collar (which is huge). You'd have to get over the idea of padding though. Any idea what your max pack wt would be?

My Virga is packed and in the car ready for a long weekend on the SHT.

I'm in Lake Charles. The outfitter I mentioned was Pack & Paddle in Lafayette. I could probably get away with the Virga. The 20lb weight limit worries me a little bit though.

I'm hoping to have everything by the spring to hike the AT through SMNP. That way I can get an easy test before I hit the JMT in the summer. Both hikes will require me to carry about a weeks worth of food and I'm going to use a bear canister (for practice on the AT).

I'll see if I can post my list of gear and weights after I put my kids to bed. I think I've researched everything pretty well and made good purchases for being new to backpacking. :)

I have an ULA Amp right now – 2600 cubes, 11 oz, and I have a few qualms with the shoulder straps. Some folks have had them widened with some success. Perhaps a better pack for smaller folks.

I am looking at the MLD Exodus/Ark – 3200/4200cubes for 13/16 ounces. Another option to consider. Both are recommended to about 25 lbs.

Just got an Exodus. It is a thing of beauty, well worth the wait…flawless construction, I will likely get an Ark for larger winter loads or trips longer than 5 days.

>>I could probably get away with the Virga. The 20lb weight limit worries me a little bit though.

I use the Virga and love it. It can carry more than 20lbs. comfortably. At least 25 I'd say. That pack is wicked comfortable if you pack it right.

If you do a week on the JMT with a bear can and an average of a liter of water, you're looking at 13-15 pounds right there. Closer to 18 if you don't have any extra fat to live off of. You'll be eating it down of course, but I think you would be pushing it with the Virga. The Vapor Trail would be a better choice for comfort.

For what it's worth, I hated the Vapor Trail for anything more than 25 pounds. It's designed pretty poorly too. Of course, I am in the extreme minority on this one.

I picked up a ULA and hiked in comfort for 300 miles in the Sierra two years ago. I'll be using it again for a similar trip this summer.

Maybe they'll get the bear bag (don't remember the company) approved, and you won't have to carry a canister. One good thing about the GoLites, you can buy two of them for what one of some other packs cost. I'm really thinking about trying the Osprey Exos 58 they're testing on BPL, when they come out. Of course, I'll have to sell my Mariposa, G5, Jam2, and REI UL60.

Joe, bear bag: Ursack

Roman, I, too, am surprised by the Golight comment. Having owned the original Jam for a few years now and beating the snot out of it, it seems none the worse for the wear. The reason probably is that it's made out of Dyneema cloth. Think the once super secret military only Spectra cloth. Stronger than any other synthetic fabric. Stronger than steel, even. Kelty used to make the spectra White Cloud and it sold for around $700, so for the Jam 2 to use the same material and sell for around $100 is a scream'n deal! It's a good product for loads up to 25 – 30 lbs.

As for Gossamer Gear, they make a good product also. But, as they warn on their website, the fabric they use (spinaker cloth) is verrrry delicate and shreds easily. As an example, one time I was stuffing my windshirt into the front pocket of my Whisper and a fingernail sliced right through it! But hey, the whole darn pack weighs about the same as the windshirt. Sometimes they'll make a run of a certain pack using silnylon, which is sturdier, just ask 'em.

The Mariposa Plus is made of a heavier ripstop nylon now, and it only added 3 oz.

Monty…

The material you are referring to is Grid Dyneema which is a totally different thing than pure Dyneema. Those spaced thin white lines in the material are the only thing that's Dyneema… same as used on ULA packs. I have a custom pack from McHale made of full Dyneema and the upgrade in material alone added over $200 to the cost.

John H is 100% correct in that full dyneema and dyneema grid are two completed differant fabrics. I also own McHale packs that are 100% dyneema and this is an upgrade option that is not cheap.

The newer generation dyneema x fabric will start being seen very soon and this looks to be a very nice material. The dyneema x in gray will make for a beautiful pack. I will have mine soon and will post a picture.

Any word on who will be making packs with this new material?

George, If your referring to the new dyneema x fabric I know Ron, at MLD, will be using it on his 09 packs. You can read his comments on his site under fabrics. I would guess that other pack manufactures will follow suite but time will tell.

Dyneema "X" is the same material that ULA has been using for the past 2 yrs as well as Go-Lite. Go-Lite offset's their pattern layout at 45 degrees to make it look different but it is the same stuff.

The only difference between regular Dyneema Gridstop (like Six Moon Designs uses) and Dyneema 'X' is an additional diagonal weave of 210 D nylon that goes across the Dyneema Grid at 45 degrees.

The bottom line? Increased abrasion resistance, increased ripstop, and a slightly different appearance. Other than that it is the same stuff.

ULA

I've decided to go with the Alpine Vapor. It has extras like tool loops and crampon patches, so I'll be able to use it when I start mountaineering too.
http://www.granitegear.com/products/backpacks/technical/alpinevapor.html

I use the Virga and love it. It can carry more than 20lbs. comfortably. At least 25 I'd say. That pack is wicked comfortable if you pack it right.

That's my experience too. I'm not particularly aware it's there at 25lbs. I DO know it's there at 30lbs but find it tolerable knowing that I'll be eating/drinking my way to under 25.

Of course the fact that I provide my own sub-cutaneous padding probably helps the comfort situation.