Topic

Value of substantial suspension


Forum Posting

A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!

Home Forums Gear Forums Gear (General) Value of substantial suspension

  • This topic is empty.
Viewing 12 posts - 51 through 62 (of 62 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #2040149
    Larry De La Briandais
    BPL Member

    @hitech

    Locale: SF Bay Area

    "A lot of people use the vapor trail or even the nimbus ozone for that reason. it is a simple lightweight pack paired with a heavier duty frame and harness."

    That was my thought, it's already being done. I am one of those that prefer a more robust suspension. 5 lbs is too heavy for a belt-less pack for me. So, I have a vapor trail. ;)

    #2040152
    Larry De La Briandais
    BPL Member

    @hitech

    Locale: SF Bay Area

    "For a 20lbs load you only need decently padded shoulder straps, a fairly minimal hipbelt and maybe a simple UL frame if that's your preference."

    Everyone is different. There is NO WAY I can carry 20 lbs with a minimal hipbelt. 10 lbs, maybe, for a short distance. Even with only 10 lbs I would not want a minimal hipbelt. I can't even carry 5 lbs comfortably without a hipbelt. I'd rather loose a few lbs of body weight that give up a good suspension in my pack. ;)

    Okay, I just realized this is a very old thread…

    #2040156
    Eric Blumensaadt
    BPL Member

    @danepacker

    Locale: Mojave Desert

    "There is no such thing as a comfortable pack. Some packs are merely less uncomfortable than others."

    #2040649
    Sam Farrington
    BPL Member

    @scfhome

    Locale: Chocorua NH, USA

    Jeffs Eleven,

    Nice looking hipbelt. Wonder what it weighs,
    and how it buckles. Does webbing go over it, or is there something else not shown in the picture?

    Thanks.

    #2040656
    Philip Tschersich
    BPL Member

    @philip-ak

    Locale: Kodiak Alaska

    Good call on adding a real hip belt. I used an REI women's Flash 52 this summer. I tried it with the stock hip belt, but decided I needed more support and then swapped to a thicker padded GG Ultralight belt. Did a hard 4 day cross-Kodiak-Island trek. Decided the GG belt wasn't quite enough. Swapped the GG for an old and seriously stout Dana Design belt and did another crushing 4 day cross-Kodiak-Island trek. Life was pretty good.

    My coastal Alaska backcountry solo base weight is 18 pounds.

    #2040664
    MFR
    Spectator

    @bigriverangler

    Locale: West

    I'm all for a true suspension. The weight–I figure it to be about 10-12 oz.–is worth it for me because I find that I like to do a lot of other things besides simply hike: fishing, for example. That, and I usually end up carrying all the shared gear because I'm either with my wife or a heavy-packing friend. Either way, the extra pound or three is worth it for the company and the improved carry.

    For fast and really light summer trips, when I know the weather and the conditions, I'm looking at sewing up a decent frameless pack. But for all else, I really like my HMG Porter, and I wouldn't trade the suspension for anything.

    #2040669
    Jeffs Eleven
    BPL Member

    @woodenwizard

    Locale: NePo

    Hey Samuel,

    IDK what it weighs… REI doesn't have that spec. I'll take it into work and weigh it alone and with the whole pack. It'd be interesting to know for me too.

    As for the buckles, my pack has the plain 1" webbing hipbelt and side release buckle. I just slide the Gregory hipbelt over the webbing and use the buckles on the pack's hipbelt.

    Its meant for the Gregory suspension that has the hard plastic wings- the padded part (the part that I bought) has vertical webbing pieces that slides over the plastic wings to hold it in place. I just slid that over my webbing. ( I feel like I'm doing a terrible job of explaining this)

    If I leave my hipbelt unbuckled the Gregory things can slide right off.

    I'll weigh it and take some pics to post tomorrow.

    #2040840
    Jeffs Eleven
    BPL Member

    @woodenwizard

    Locale: NePo

    So the gregory 3d hipbelt weighs 8oz total for both sides with the pockets cut off. Bringing my total empty pack weight to 2.05lbs. Including pack, frame, 2sections of zlite in there for back padding, ohm pockets and gregory hipbelt. I believe its like 40-45 liters including the big pocket and ohm pockets.

    Measured on my store's digital postal scale.

    Pics will be posted when i get home this afternoon. (Assuming i don't get inthralled by football and forget to take pics. :)

    #2040887
    Sam Farrington
    BPL Member

    @scfhome

    Locale: Chocorua NH, USA

    Thanks, Jeffs Eleven. Don't need pix, I get it.
    I can cut off the belt pockets to lower the weight a bit.
    A little pricey (unlike bargain bins where I usually rummage for MYOG parts), but would probably be worth it, to get the weight over the hipbone crests you mentioned.
    And I can see how attachments could be made for an other than Gregory pack.
    Appreciate the info – very helpful.

    #2040962
    Jeffs Eleven
    BPL Member

    @woodenwizard

    Locale: NePo

    Yeah they have a little crease in them that hangs on the top of your hips. Very comfortable. Yes COMFORTABLE, Eric! ;)

    Glad you dont need pics cause I friggin left my pack at work lol

    They can travel around a bit but once you get em set and tighten the belt they stay put.

    #2040985
    Eric Blumensaadt
    BPL Member

    @danepacker

    Locale: Mojave Desert

    I have a Camelbak "Commander" 2,800 cu. in. hunting pack that I also use for backcountry skiing due to its features, several of which are my own mods.

    This pack came with a cloth "waistbelt" and a plastic framesheet. Both were useless for transferring loads to my hips.

    1. Removed the cloth waistbelt and put an REI Ridgeline padded hipbelt which I slid in behind the pack's lumbar pad. Fits like it was made for it.

    2. Left the framesheet in and bolted on an upsidedown "U" shaped aluminum frame I made from 1" wide barstock. The frame resides in the zippered hydration bladder compartment but bolts thru the plastic framsheet. I pre-curved the vertical stays to fit my back.

    3. Did a few other mods like sewing on 1/2" webbing and QR buckles to the pack bottom to hold a mattress, etc.

    4. Added aftermarket zippered side pockets for more volume. They are held on by the two original QR buckled compression straps on each side so are easily removable.

    And yes, it is more "comfortable" than it was by a quantum amount. Now I can carry 45 – 50 lb. loads (if I have to) in RELATIVE comfort.

    #2040998
    Jeffs Eleven
    BPL Member

    @woodenwizard

    Locale: NePo

    its all relative, baby

Viewing 12 posts - 51 through 62 (of 62 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Forum Posting

A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!

Get the Newsletter

Get our free Handbook and Receive our weekly newsletter to see what's new at Backpacking Light!

Gear Research & Discovery Tools


Loading...