light backpack for desert crossing

[Thomas Laepple]

Hey,

I’m searching for a light backpack which
can be fairly small but has to handle around 45 pounds (35 pounds water + food + base pack weight)

Up to now I own a Six Moon Design Moonlite frameless backpack which gets uncomfortable loading more than 25 pounds, and an old Dana Design pack which weights about 6-7 pounds, but is able to carry more than 45 pounds. (I used this pack during my last Sahara Tour)

I was thinking about the new Six Moon Design packs where you can insert aluminium stays or a McHale ultralight pack (which is very expensive).

Do you know any small and light pack which can handle large loads ?

Thank you very much

Thomas

[Adam McFarren]

Here’s a trip report and gear list somewhat similar to what you’re suggesting:

http://www.pierce.ctc.edu/faculty/cwillett/deva/index.html

Chris was using a prototype ULA pack and had 14.5 qt of water capacity for a trip across Death Valley.

Hope that helps.

[Jim Busick]

I think that it’s hard to find a 2lb pack that will carry those loads better that a LuxuryLite.

http://www.luxurylite.com/packindex.html

[Thomas Laepple]

Thank you for your fast responses.

The LuxuryLite pack looks quite interesting and strange.
Does anybody own this bag ?

For my purpose one cylinder would be enough and I could try to fix the water in bags or canisters directly on the frame.

Or I ask the ULA-Equipment people if they could make a custom pack with spaces for water bags like they did for the guy who hiked the desert valley.

It is hard to believe that a frameless pack can like the GOLITE GUST can handle 45 pounds comfortably. My Six Moons design pack has a similar design and I gets uncomfortable with much load.

For the weight: I don’t mind to have a slightly heavier pack (2-4lbs) when it can carry the water.

Have a good evening

Thomas

[Mark Verber]

I should start out by saying that I have a lower tolerance than many people when it comes to carry comfort. My experience has been than frameless packs work to around 20lbs, packs with virtual frames (like the moonlite) and light frames like the Granite Gear Vapor Trail can work well up to around 35lbs. Beyond that you really want something that has a strong, stable frame which can transfer the pack weight to the hips.

If external frame packs work for you, then I would strongly encourage checking out the LuxuryLite. It was as comfortable as any external frame pack I have ever used (especially with the front bag which helps counter balance the pack).

If you are really wired for internal frame packs, then I would take a look at the Mountainsmith Auspex, maybe one of the new GoLite unlimited line if they fit your torso well, or a McHale (if they actually live up to their rep).

[David Spellman]

---

“The LuxuryLite pack looks quite interesting and strange.
Does anybody own this bag ?

For my purpose one cylinder would be enough and I could try to fix the water in bags or canisters directly on the frame. ”

---

I’ve got one. I’d have to echo previous comments, that the pack *really* transfers weight to the hipbelt. It’s a very comfortable carry. I’d have no hesitation carrying a hefty load in it, though I’ve yet to carry more than about 40 pounds with it, and this was for a fairly brief period where I simply tied an injured hiker’s pack onto the frame in addition to my own gear. The extra weight was a non-issue.

[Jim Busick]

I bought a LuxuryLite pack last October and have used it for 3 snowshoe trips with loads of about 40# and found it as comfortable as that weight can be. As was mentioned, the pack transfers all the weight to a very good waist belt. The frame only weighs 20oz but is very strong.

[Dwayne Thompson]

I own two McHale Packs a mid 90’s Alpineer and a current 0-sarc UL. For carring any weight you can’t beat these packs and the craftsman ship is impeccable and in my opinion lives up to the hype if you can get by the sticker shock.

[Richard Nelridge]

I agree with Dwayne. If you can afford the entry fee, the custom made McHale Packs are of outstanding design, impeccable craftmanship, strong as all get-out, and live up to the hype.

Though I have a custom made 5000 cu inch plus panel loading pack, made of 420 HT Pack Cloth and Full Spectra Fabric, it is not what would be considered an ultra light pack at about 5.5 lbs. But as a photographer, carrying my cameras up to 4″ x 5″ (camera alone is 7.5 lbs), lenses, tripod, film, filters, meter, and all the rest of the backpacking gear, as well as food, and water it is without question the most comfortable pack that I have ever used.

Though I have not had the opportunity to use my pack much it will easily be able to carry 50 or more pounds comfortably and the straps and waist belt should not slip as I have experienced with my other packs in the past.

The aluminum stays of the McHale packs can be removed. Many of the lighter packs are designed to function with and without stays and to adjust the size and length of both the stays and packs.

As Dan McHale points out regarding the price of his packs you will not have to go through the number of packs to finally find one that is fit to your size, is comfortable, and may well last 10 to 20 years. In addition, Dan is of the opinion that Pack weight is not where one should lessen the weight to below about 2 – 3 pounds. This is because a full pack will carry better and more comfortably with a frame, better shoulder straps and waist belt. A 1 pound full pack without a frame weighing 22 pounds will not carry as well or as comfortably as 3 pound full pack with a frame weighing 24 pounds.

[Thomas Laepple]

Thank you for your comments,

My favourites in the moment are the McHale Windsauk UL pack as well as the LuxuryLite.
I have to test the LuxuryLite because I like the simplicity and the Frontbag which could carry some of the water.

Does anybody knows if 3 months are enough to get a McHale pack fitted ?
Do you think it would make sense to construct a front bag for the McHale bag to equilibrate the weight ?

Best would be to try both on the same time even if this cost me some shipping and maybe 75 Dollars to McHale

[Dwayne Thompson]

Best way to know if 3 months is enough is to call, not sure of his schedule. But once you make your deposit and get in the “pipeline” you will get a Demo Pack to tryout, which is a plus, especially if your shelling out that kind of money. When I purchased my Zero Sarc UL in 2002 it took about a month to get in and that was in October/November. Anyway I cannot say enough about how well the McHale carries! I’ve been using McHales in the Appalachian Mtns since 1994. I’ve been through several packs prior to my McHale purchase and with the exception of my North Face Morraine circa 1982, I have found no equal. Good luck on your pack search and your trip!

[Richard Nelridge]

Three months may be a bit short on time. Call Dan directly to see what the turnaround time is at this point and what could be done. I know for instance that he had shipped packs as an example for through hikers on the AT.

[J R]

Im a big fan of MountainSmith. Their MountainLight line isnt the lightest out there, but they have a VERY functional waistbelt, good frames, and still have a good weight to CI ratio, and a good durability to cost ratio.

When carrying anything more than a base weight of about 10lbs (or longer than 3 days), I go with my MS Ghost. Its an excellent pack, but maxes its comfortable weight at about 35lbs, however for heavier loads their are a few beefier options – I like the Auspex, and it sounds like it would fit your needs well (light base load, but need to haul alot of water). If you foresee a need for an even beefier pack, the Specter is a very good pack as well – with a quick detach day pack for side trips if you so wish… both of these packs will ride well with 45+ lbs loads, but weigh a good 2 – 4 lbs less than other framed packs of similar dimentions and quality.

[J R]

Im a big fan of MountainSmith. Their MountainLight line isnt the lightest out there, but they have a VERY functional waistbelt, good frames, and still have a good weight to CI ratio, and a good durability to cost ratio.

When carrying anything more than a base weight of about 10lbs (or longer than 3 days), I go with my MS Ghost. Its an excellent pack, but maxes its comfortable weight at about 35lbs, however for heavier loads their are a few beefier options – I like the Auspex, and it sounds like it would fit your needs well (light base load, but need to haul alot of water). If you foresee a need for an even beefier pack, the Specter is a very good pack as well – with a quick detach day pack for side trips if you so wish… both of these packs will ride well with 45+ lbs loads, but weigh a good 2 – 4 lbs less than other framed packs of similar dimentions and quality.

[Mike Storesund]

I like my Mountainsmith lumbar bag. It is extremely functional and I can easily use it on an overnight. I primarily use this as my First Aid bag with the scouts on a 3 or more day trip. While it is a bit on the heavy side, the adjustments make it very comfortable.
However, when I was looking for a lighter full size backpack, I looked at their Specter and Achilles and was extremely disappointed. Both weighing in over 3.5 pounds (Specter 4.2 pounds), the cords on the Specter literally fell apart when I chinched it down one time.
Then I looked at the Gregory G and Z packs. Both of these come in right at 3 pounds (+- a few oz.)
With the added weight of water crossing desert, I would want the hip belt, so out with my GoLite Breeze (14 oz.) and here comes the GoLite Speed (2 pounds) or the Gregory Z pack (3 pounds).

[J R]

Mike, Which year were you looking at when you were looking at the MountainSmith bags? (Or if its easier, what color were they? Blue-Gray or Coppery Tan)

[Anonymous]

I have the MS Phantom 04 model and love it. It weights in at 3# 1 oz. It has very comfortable suspension, roomy side pockets, front mesh pocket, bungee system, top pocket, and more than enough room to carry a weeks worth of food and gear including a bear canister.

[Mike Storesund]

Joe,
They were the coppery colored ones at the local REI store in Denver. The employee placed it back in the pile with the rest of them too!

[J R]

Mine are the BlueGray bags, and are rock solid durable. Ive had some minor reservations about the coppery ones with regards to size to weight ratio (vs the blue bags), but your post is the only one Ive seen of a problem with quality.

[Craig Shelley]

I have a Nimbus Ozone that I would use to carry 45 pounds. I like how it carries loads so well. I have two of these packs with different belts. They weigh 1405g and 1430g. As I recall Granite Gear states the weight as 3 lbs.

That’s a lot of water to carry. I hike in the desert routinely. I mark water possibilities with a GPS and sometimes cache water in empty containers that are buried. This can reduce pack weight.

[Bruce Warren]

The thing about carrying 4 gallons of water is that the pack gets a lot lighter each morning you put it on. So the 45 lbs is there for only a day. If your pack is hurting a bit the first day, it will probably be OK the second day.

I did a 3 day hike with my LuxuryLite pack two months ago and my filter broke a mile from the trailhead. I hiked back, drove to a store and bought 20 of those 16 oz water bottles. I attached a fourth Cylinder and also crammed them into spaces in the other three cylinders. The pack weighed about 45 lbs including the water in the Front Pack. It was nice hiking and never having to think about which mudhole or murky creek to get water from.

The LuxuryLite pack frame will carry a lot. I have a test rig now with 220 lbs of weights sitting on the frame for a week now, nothing breaks or bends. The only limit on the pack’s carrying capacity is your body’s comfort. You cannot have any bumps around the waist where the waist band presses. (With 45 lbs, I can notice wrinkles in my shirt, belt loops are a big no-no.) The waist band feels best with no clothing at all under it, pants down low and no shirt. I have a flight suit that works real good under the waist belt… but gets some funny looks.

[Thomas Laepple]

Yes the pack is getting lighter each day.
But the problem with the Sahara desert trips is that you never know before you get to a water hole if there will be water and if you will find it.
Last time we didn’t found 2/3 of the water holes which where in the Russian and French military maps.

Therefore you always have to carry the double of water to go back to your last water supply and therefore the base pack weight is high.

Last time, we wanted to hike from one oasis to the next and had to turn back after 100 miles because we didn’t found water. (And we carried 6 gallon of water).

By having lighter gear and a better backpack I can carry more water and enhance the chance to thruhike to the next oasis.

Dan McHale will try to make me a backpack. I’m looking forward to see how the sample bag will feel.
I’m thinking of trying a Luxurylite to see which one fits better. I like the front bag of the Luxurylite, maybe I can also combine a frontbag with the McHale bag

[Wayne Packer]

Those of you that own it: How would this bag fare in the Mojave desert – walking dunes is one thing, but dropped down an incline,squeezing through narrow canyons,etc. is the reality that proves a good bag. My MS Ghost was great in those respects but carrying over 30lbs (with water) was uncomfortable. Any experience with that type of actual use with the Luxurylite? Can the frame parts bend,snap,etc? Also – the Osprey bags aren’t mentioned yet their load suspension and quality craftsmanship is always highly praised. Any thoughts on that?

[Author]

Posts