GG Prototype

He told me it'd be rated for up to 30# (capable of more) so it could be used for 4 seasons (!) and that there will be only one compression strap contrary to the two on the prototype.

If i think of more i'll let you know.

oooo and the curved stays are permanently shaped but can be molded if you really want to put in some effort. He told me the shape they chose has fit every model they have tested without need for modification.

No volume reduction on the bottom, but i think if we hound them enough we might get some form. Suggestions?

bump

****edit. sorry to get excited, but I thought a brand new pack design would be big news and people would be very interested.

My only suggestion is to use a removable hipbelt.
For a 21.5" inch torso and a 32" waist, it's really hard to find a pack that fits.

Was that bump really necessary? It wasn't even 12 hours old and was like halfway down the main page.

The belt used for the Gorilla is from the Mariposa and is indeed removable.

I feel you on the pack sizing. I have a 21.5" torso too but a 33" waist. The belt is sized separately:

http://www.gossamergear.com/cgi-bin/gossamergear/Mariposa_Plus_Hip_Belt.html

That way you can get a large pack and medium belt.

I'll have to wait until the Mini is released. I can say that the ULA Conduit and the GG Mini were at the top of my list for packs this spring. This one is on there was well now.

when asking about the mini, Grant told me that it too will have the Mariposa Plus removable hipbelt. Which in turn means it can be ordered in a medium with a large pack also. Hope that helps.

and made sense? too many cookies and it's late :)

Man,that is really cool looking. I wish they would stay with the two compression straps. Is that a hip belt pocket in the bottom picture? It looks huge! It doesn't look like the pockets they currently sell. That mesh looks great. Much less likely to snag. I'll have a hard time not buying one of these.

I want that monkey on my back!
With the stays in I can haul all the water I need for my Guadalupe Mtdesert trips and then pull them out on lighter trips. Grant has already used it to to hual 10 liters of water with out a problem.

Now it just need to be in production. I here around Feb for the first production model.

So what niche is this filling that the Miniposa doesn't fill?

Tougher material and probably a beefier hipbelt. Sort of like the difference between the Mariposa and Mariposa Plus.

From what I understand the Gorilla is a super miniposa.

This is from a email from Grant

It's a smaller volume pack, based on the Miniposa but with heavier more durable materials and a less pockets. It will be all 210 denier fabric with one pocket each side and the large rear pocket and the pockets will be in a new powerstretch material, the pad holder pocket will be a wicking 3D mesh and it will have the curved stays standard. IT's kind of a climbing, bushwacking, thru-hiking kind of pack, heavier (around 23 oz) than anything else we make at this time and the most bomber pack we've made. It will also have one compression strap on each side.

Is GG trying to compete with ULA and MLD and their Dyneema packs with this pack? It sure looks it to me.

What is the volume (with & without the outside pockets)?

I don't have confirmed numbers but it is based on the miniposa. The mini volume are 3300 total; 2320 main, pockets 550, extension 480

I just talked with Grant about this pack and other things. As reported, the pack is made of 210 Denier ripstop and is intended to really compact things for ease when bushwacking. He described it as an "athletic" approach because the contents is intended to be held closer and tighter.

In other news, apparently GG is switching their pad/foam vendor to something very similar to what they use now. The big difference – pads will be available in longer (and possibly wider) sizes.

I don't think Grant told me any of this in confidence, so I don't have a problem with sharing it. If there is one thing about GG, it's that their customer service and desire to improve things is always paramount.

As I live in Austin and salute this fine local brand, I've seen, worn and tested the pack. I also have the '08 Mariposa Plus to compare it to, side-by-side. I love both packs, and they each have their prescribed uses and strengths – most of which overlap.

Though I've written a brief BPL review on the pack, I'll say here that the mesh is very elastic and very strong. The body fabric is extremely tough, and the Miniposa-esque build gives the wearer the benefit of a slightly more streamlined, hugging fit than the M-Plus. As we all well know, UL is constantly getting both lighter and more compact, so the Gorilla is extremely relevant and current with this trend. What can I say, it makes me smile.

Any questions, just PM me. I'm glad to answer.

I have the new Miniposa and confirmed with Grant that the Gorilla is the same size, dimensionally, as the Mini. The difference is the fabric and the aluminum curved stay.

The tougher fabric allows one to cram more gear into the same volume w/o fear of "busting" a seam. The Mini's silnylon is delicate and you must be cautious as to how far you stretch the material/joints.

The Gorilla looks like it'll be a great piece of gear! :)

– Dana

I missed this post when it first came out. I saw the Gorilla on the GG site. What I like about this pack is the fact that it is cut narrower. I have a Mariposa Plus and since I rarely use all of its volume it would be nice to have a pack.

What I really like is the "narrowness" of the pack.

I'd get one if I had the dough.

Maybe I need to see a person next to it, but it looks huge to me.

Diane,

If you think a gorilla is a big pack remember that a G4 is a very large pack. My son sewed his own and cannot come close to using its capacity. I have the same issue with my Mariposa Plus.

G4- 4,600 cu
Mariposa Plus- 3,800 cu
Gorilla- 2,800 cu

I like the slim cut of the gorilla. My only holdout would be whether or not I wanted to carry a bear canister inside. The Y strap will also hold the canister on the outside.

Diane,

ask and you shall receive:

It's a picture of Grant, from GG, with the prototype on. What do you think?

– Dana

Edit: I must credit the Gossamer Gear facebook page for the picture.

Just got my Gorilla in today. This pack is definately going to become my main alpine climbing pack and the go to for any long distance hikes. The aluminum frame allows for it to hug the back quite nicely and the load stays very firm and stable. The fabric seems very durable and the new back pocket mesh is quite stretchy yet also seems bomber. I will have to take it out for more testing but right now its looking very sweet!

Travis,

Glad you're into it too. I received mine about a week or so ago. I was planning on heading out last weekend but something came, up so i still haven't had a chance to really test it out either.

The curved stays fit my torso just right. I have a 21.5" torso and the large pack is perfect.

What size pack did you get and did you find the curved stays to be positioned correctly?

Just a general question b/c it seems like a preset curved stay could either be problematic or a god send. We'll have to see in the long run.

In my quick once over on the pack I think the fabric is going to be bomber. The only issue I noticed is that the compression strap is a bit high for my likings.

Check out the two straps on the prototype (on my first post). I wish the final strap was more centered between the first two original positions. I find that the higher strap position is not as effective with loads that do not require the full collar extension to be utilized.

My other suspicion for the higher placement is that the band that runs along the front mesh pocket provides a bit of compression where i would prefer the strap to be placed. This could be sufficient in the field.

Again, i've not had a chance to get out and bang it up a litte, but those are my first impressions.

– Dana

I purchased the size large and the curved stay fits me perfectly. I have never had a pack that seems to ride so snugly against my body as this one does. All of the other internal frame packs I have owned have always required some stay bending or reconfiguration. Not so with this pack. Hopefully the frame will hold up over time and will continue to feel the same as it does right now. I am taking it on a trip to costa rica tonight so hopefully i will get a sense of what it's like to carry it around for some longer periods of time. My load is about twenty five pounds (not backpacking gear) so i will see what happens with this much weight in the pack.
Travis