Need help narrowing down my selection on 2-3lb packs

I don't know why they branded them floating lids, getting them right is a pain and they certainly aren't light either

Well, surprise surprise, my Osprey Exos came in the mail, and after loading it in 4 different ways with 23 lb of gear, water and food, and then comparing it to my SMD Essence, I found the Essence considerably more comfortable. Go figure! At this point I'm at a loss to explain why, and these are highly individual matters. But I thought I'd share my experience.

A few notes: My gear fits better in the Essence than the Osprey, and the large foam hipbelt on the Essence is more comfortable. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I store my food in the bottom of my Essence, so there is less strain on the shoulders ( don't consider this an option on the Exos because I'd never want to bury my food under my sleeping bag). But I also found the Exos frame pretty confining, and by simply loosening my shoulder straps a bit, I can get some airflow around my back on the Essence. Lastly, the Essence is a simpler design, with far fewer straps hanging everywhere, and it keeps my gear closer to my back. Oh well, 20 oz saved.

This was definitely NOT what I was expecting!!

I've never tried the SMD Essence but will get a chance to check out a friend's Exos soon – I'm curious – what year is your SMD Essence? Because everything I heard about it and Will's BPL review and Ryan and others' comments here http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/reviews/display_reviews.html?forum_thread_id=2088 indicate that it doesn't handle loads well, and from looking at photos of the design, that's what I'd expect (again, remember, I've never carried one so I'm not speaking from direct experience). Will's review on the Exos, and he's pretty thorough, describe a pack that carries much more comfortably and securely. So are you talking about an Essence 07 or newer, improved model?

It appears that all of the reviews in the thread you linked are for the older model Essence. I have the newer blue model with the two long side zippers.

In my experience, how you pack up your gear makes a huge difference in how the essence handles weight. The Essence is the only pack where I put the heaviest items at the bottom, near the waist. Since I use the long padded hipbelt, I am able to secure the bottom of the pack to my hips.

For me this means my inflatable pad goes in the bottom, followed by food (which puts it next to the opening).

My next trick is to put my sleeping bag and insulating clothing in 2 large tube-shaped stuffsacks that I insert vertically (kind of like 2 AA batteries in a Garmin GPS unit). Since the pack is rectangular, These vertical stuffsacks provide the structure in the backpack that keeps it from collapsing onto my shoulders. Top pouch has light accessories.

Lastly, keep in mind that I had 23 lbs of supplies, which is on the high end but not unreasonable for a frameless pack.

Incidentally I also own a SMD Starlite with the aluminum stays, and by packing the Essence this way, I find the Essence at least as comfortable as the Starlite. I keep the Starlite around for my wife and for trips with bear canisters.

EDIT:

Here are some examples. One of the things I like about the tubular stuff sacks (from my GoLite Hex 3 tarp and nest) is that it really removes the pressure on the zippers, sine the sacks themselves absorb the compression strain.

This pack holds more than it seems: In the orange sack is a GoLite Ultra 20 quilt. The Black sack has a Cocoon pullover, cocoon pants, and cocoon pro balaclava. Both sacks are only loosely compressed. I've also got a Tarptent Rainbow and poles in the left pouch, an ID eVent Thruhiker rain jacket in the top right pouch (orange), a BA insulated air core in the very bottom (not visible), an Ursack (the green bag at the bottom opening), and my cooking kit (Caldera Cone) in the small conical sack sitting on top of the other sacks. Since the back panel is flared, the cooking kit fits there perfectly). I also usually have a GG nighlight folded in 6ths strapped to the back (under the two straps), which makes for easy removal at rest stops and protects the back of the pack (and the somewhat exposed caldera cone). I also use a GG SitLite pad in the main pad pouch; it makes everything feel flat against my back. In the last photo, you can see how close to my back everything is.

John,

I also pack my food in the bottom. The more I use this pack the more I like it. The best system for carrying water I have come up with is a pint with my kitchen in the top, a pint on a cordlock on the shoulder strap and quart on top of my hammock fly in the long side pocket.

Excellent pack when you do not need to carry a lot of water.

True, there is not much space for extra water. I hold 1 liter in the bottom right pouch, and backup liter if needed goes above my food sack. If I'm near a dry camp and want 4 liters. I'll just carry an extra 2 Liters in my hand. If I needed 4 or more liters for longer stretches, I'd probably switch to my SMD Starlte.

If the SMD Essence is too small, try its bigger brother, the Traveler. Think “panel-loading Starlight”.

3800 cubic inches (3000 in the packbag itself)
26 ounces
31 ounce with 2 optional aluminum stays
Fully adjustable shoulder harness fits 15 to 22 inch torsos

My wife and I have a pair of them. If you have to carry a bear canister, it’s big enough to take the largest model inside.

See my review at http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=18222

Ron,

Indeed, if I didn't already own the Essence and Starlite, I'd probably get the Traveler for the easy sleeping pad access panel. So much for my PM to you touting the Exos!

Remind me again, you can fit a bear canister vertically into the Traveler, correct? How about horizontally?

John:

Since the packbag is more than 9 inches deep (the maximum diameter for bear canisters), any canister will fit vertically.

With the exception of the Bearikade Expedition – which I have – the others will also fit horizontally with room to spare. Common bear canister heights are:

Bearikade Expedition is 14" tall
Bearvault BV500 is 12.7" tall
Garcia Can is 12" tall
Bearikade Weekender is 10" tall
Bearvault BV450 is 8.3" tall

In reality, I can get my Expedition in horizontally, but it puts a lot of undue stress on the pack seams, and the metal edges are rubbing hard against the fabric. I don't know how long the Dyneema fabric would hold up to that. I don't want to find out.

And my name is Bob, not Ron. You've got me confused with the owner of SMD.

Regards,

Bob thanks for your review of the traveler. You have officially piqued my interest in this pack!

I don't suppose you have any pics of your traveler (similar to those above for the SMD essence)? I would be interested in seeing any pics you have because the only one available on the web anywhere is the one at the SMD website (I think!).

Cheers, A

Bob,

Thanks for the canister heights; that helps in making a decision. PM sent re: my mistake with your first name.

Sorry Ashley; no photos. My camera uses 35 mm film, not digital image cards.

OK no problem Bob. I wish SMD and other manufacturers would make more photos available. Or videos would be even better!

For anyone who picked up an Exos 46,

Can you confirm if most bear canisters will fit horizontally in the Exos 46? It looks like a pretty big pack if you loosen up the side compression straps.

I can see canisters can definitely be placed between the top of the pack and the floating lid.

Being new to N California and the Sierra mountains, I'd imagine that bear canisters are mandatory in many high-human-traffic-high-density-bear areas.

I was able to get the Bear Vault 500 (8.7 x 12.7) into the Exos 34. I did have to shove my 3 liters of water in the hydration sleeve over so it should be no prolem in the EXOS 46.

not horizontally, sorry didn't read carefully enough

I have not seen the Exos 46 but I was able to look at the EXOS 58 and it can carry a bear cannister horizontally. It's an exceptionally comfortable pack.