Granite Gear Vapor Trail vs lidless Meridian Vapor

Hey, Will- I have a regular Meridian Vapor here, but no scale. I can taco it up and weigh it on my scale tomorrow ;)

Honestly, it wouldn't be a big deal at all to just sew a zipper into your VT. Make one straight cut, two straight stitches. Using a #5 it'd add less than an ounce.

I knew a taco remark would find its way in there somehow. Some of us *like* the ability to wrap our framed packs around our forearms like gauntlets. It's multi-use, for bear defense. :)

I have many skills; modifying or assembling physical objects is not among them. Attempts in that area are guaranteed to result in bloodshed and cursing. You should see me trying to put together an IKEA couch.

And thanks!

kinda like Nemo? :)

You wouldn't have to do the actual sewing; any seamstress/alteration place should be able to do the job. Generally people would say to go to a cobbler for pack alterations, but the sil is so thin, any machine will easily sew in a zipper.

We'll see how things go for ya; if you find your VT needing a zip, & local seamstresses obstinate, I can put one in for you. Not saying it'll be the prettiest zipper job you've ever seen! But would be ok.

This site lists the lid as 210grams.
http://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/granite_gear_meridian_vapor.html

Thanks, Brett. If Brad's scale verifies that there isn't the usual GGR official specs-fudgery going on, then we have a new theorem to consider, namely Weight of Panel Access Zipper = Weight of Preposterously Long Extension Collar + .6oz Penalty for Actual Utility. There may be a MV in my future after all.

Good sale price here!!
https://www.prolitegear.com/granite_gear_meridian_vapor.html

Thanks! You must really want my Vapor Trail, eh? :)

Nope,
just bought a Meridian so asked myself the same questions! Great pack, my only gripe is you can't cinch down the main vertical clips very far because the daisy chain is sewn to the straps.

Hey, Will-
The lid is 7.45 oz. The pack body itself is 40.85 oz. Just about exactly 3 pounds combined. If you're looking at stock weights, then, the 37 oz VT versus the 41 oz MV. So an extra quarter pound. 2.5 pounds for a frameless pack sure sounds heavy to me, but…

What about checking out the SMD Traveler instead? 26 oz for a full panel-load pack, 31 oz with the stays. That'd save you almost a pound, & the access would be much better than even the MV.

Have you thought about getting the Latitude Vapor? It's the closest Granite Gear panel loader pack to the Vapor Trail.

http://www.granitegear.com/products/backpacks/ultralight/latitudevapor.html

I have one that I've only used once on a five day trip, because a friend gave me a Granite Gear Virga as a gift. It's a really nice pack, if you like panel loaders. The way I pack, I think I still prefer top loaders.

Best,
VVV

I'm personally partial to the Latitude packs- the single zipper and from the bottom makes the Nimbus packs less versatile in my eyes. But that's mostly because I like panel loaders.

They don't make the Latitude Vapor anymore- or, for that matter the non-Ki Nimbus Latitude. As far as I can tell, the Meridian packs are the Latitudes' successors.

The Latitude Vapors are getting harder to find in anything but short, though they still have quite a few at the Granite Gear surplus/outlet store- PM me if you have any trouble finding one in your size.

A few numbers which may or may not help…

Latitude Vapor = 2lb 10oz
62 L, 70D ripstop + 210D Cordura

Meridian Vapor = 2lb 14oz, w/o lid = 2lb 6oz
52 L, 100D ripstop + 210D Cordura

Nimbus Meridian = 3lb 8oz, w/o lib = 3lb
60 L, 70D ripstop + 210D Cordura

A lidless Meridian Vapor does come out lighter than the Lat Vapor, but with some loss of volume. You do end up getting a tougher base fabric than the Nimbus Meridian or Lat Vapor in return.

Aaron

Thomas, Aaron — thanks for the third option.

Two questions for you guys:
• I keep hearing about the 'internal lid' of the LV. What is this, how does it work, and how much weight would be saved if one removed it?

• Do the load lifters on the LV work better than they do on the Vapor Trail? That was one of the bigger disappointments, moving from the Nimbus Meridian; pictures online make the LV look as though the greater height gives more for the load lifters to work with.

thanks
will

It's a 4-6 L (?) non-compression draw-string sack made of the same 70D ripstop that other bits of the pack is. It's attached with two buckles near the top inside the pack. It has a thin (6 mm) foam bottom with circular cutouts. I'd guess it weighs a few ounces, but I can weigh it tomorrow if you're interested.

I snapped a few photos of the internal lid in my Nimbus Latitude that I can post a bit later if you like.

The only changes I'd make to the LV or Nimbus Lat are:
– Add the zippered stretch pockets on either side on the upper part of the pack like the Nimbus Latitude Ki has;
– Add cutouts in the side stretch pockets on the bottom of the LV/NL so that the compression straps could run under the pocket- the Meridian Vapor and newer Vapor Trail do have these cutouts. Easily done yourself, but it'd be nice if it came that way, done properly.

Intriguing.

Yeah, if all non-lid GG packs came with the Ki-style upper pockets, it'd go a long way towards making up for the lower pockets… that said, I got so used to the over-wrap style on my Nimbus Meridian that I don't even use the pass-through wrap on my new Vapor Trail.

You are not PMable, it seems? Shoot me one with your email, if you would.

Here are those photos:

Inside the pack:
http://meef.us/~rev/f/nimbus-lat-lid01.jpg

Outside the pack:
http://meef.us/~rev/f/nimbus-lat-lid02.jpg

Weight: 2.4 oz (0.15lbs) on a postal scale at work

The foam pad sewn into the bottom of the lid/sack isn't removable as far as I can tell, but it'd probably only lighten things 0.5 oz from what I can tell.