Topic

Granite gear arête pack

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George Summers BPL Member
PostedMar 9, 2009 at 3:39 am

I'm looking for a new pack (betcha this hasn't been asked before).

I'm currently using a Granite gear vapor trail, which i quite like. I recently received a virga and it needs to much tweeking to carry comfortably and it's still to large.

I'm into long distance hiking. Most of the time i carry a max. of 3 to 4 days of food. I use a TT rainbow (thinking about changing this too but most of the time i don't carry hiking poles which limits the choice for a significantly lighter shelter), use a poe max thermo reg (TM neoair looking good) and an alpkit Pipedream 400 sleeping bag. Cookkit is brunton crux or homemade redbull stove, with a trangia 1l pot. Don't carry much spare clothes.

I would like a pack that really transfers the weight to the hips and don't like strapping stuff to the outside of a pack or bulging outside pockets. And one that's affordable, and i say this because adding shipping and taxes amounts to a hefty increase in price (for example a ula ohm would cost me 265$). Where getting the GG gorilla over the pond in about a month.

PostedMar 9, 2009 at 5:33 pm

"And one that's affordable, and i say this because adding shipping and taxes amounts to a hefty increase in price (for example a ula ohm would cost me 265$). Where getting the GG gorilla over the pond in about a month."

Hi George,
I'm a bit mystified about your cost estimates. The Ohm is $130 and ships for ~$10 in the USA. The Gorilla is $165 and I don't know what it ships for, but it can't be much more than $10 in the USA. At that rate, the Ohm is $35 cheaper. Do you live in Oz or some other equally exotic land? Or do you suffer under an onerous tax burden? Or both? I'm perplexed, but, even more, concerned that you are missing out on one pack(Ohm) that I know is good and one pack(Gorilla) that is highly likely to be good, given that it is manufactured by Gossamer Gear.

George Summers BPL Member
PostedMar 10, 2009 at 3:12 am

Sadly nothing exotic around here, Belgium. I suffer from both, high shipping costs and taxes. ULA Ohm costs 154 (with hipbelt pockets and handloops) then they (over)charge 45$ for shipping, over here they first add 4 or 5% import taxes and on this total another 21.5% added value taxes. And to top it all of i have to pay another 13$ pick up charge at the PO.

PostedMar 10, 2009 at 11:00 am

That is sad situation, indeed. Just a thought: Have you investigated packs made in the UK? They have a thriving UL community and a fair number of cottage gear makers. You might find something there with less of a tax and transportation hit. Good luck.

George Summers BPL Member
PostedMar 10, 2009 at 11:33 am

Yes, i've been checking omm packs, but they work with a strange sizing system.

And i've found a bag pretty near to my place, http://www.decathlon.be/FR/forclaz-37-ultralight-33653424/
I could trim this pack quite a bit. Take out the 175gr frame and replace it with a corugated plastic one, take of the top lid, take out the front zipper and a front mesh pocket and mesh side pockets. Remove some other bits and bobs.

Still, it's not an ULA Ohm, which i really like.

The gg gorilla will be available in the uk in about a month, only wait and see about the price.

I'll keep looking, but seeing i don't have a computer at home and need to go to the library to surf, it might take me some time.

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