The North Face Verto 26 pack?

i would just like to note that i have taken my dead bird cierzo 25 rock climbing on multipitch runs and cragging …

some of the climb did involve some scrambling, bush whacking, butt scooping on hard abrasive granite … while i was a bit careful to limit the contact of the pack to the surfaces, i was in no way babying it nor were my partners

so far its still perfect … it has 100D sides, 200D+ back and 400D+ bottoms all for 14 oz or so i believe

some of the other packs may not have bottom or back reinforcements

as you all know i am deathly afraid of relapsing into a dead bird yuppay …. but i think it might be slipping with this pack … not that the price for it at mec is the usual dead bird CHA CHING !!!

if it dun last … ill return it to MEC … so far im a yuppay again =(

Dale has given all the info. i'll add some comparison photos with my modified Ion

Good to hear re granite – I find Squamish granite is not all that rough eh – Rockies limestone seems to do a number on many of the UL packs (dead bird included). I think it really depends…

Ken, what do you think of the shoulder straps and fit?

Dale. I haven't had much time to play with it since I got it. I do like the way it fits on me better than the Ion. The shoulder straps on the Ion are sewn too close together for my broad shouldered self. I will load it up with the same load I carry in the Ion tomorrow for the dogs' walk and see how it goes. Quality of construction seems good. Easy to modify as well. I'm pretty sure I'll keep it.

I have a Black Diamond RPM that I modified to get to 18 oz, heavier than the Verto but with more features including a foam back-panel, comfortable foam straps and 2 mesh bottle pockets. There's an overly complicated bungee cord on the front, which I removed (but kept the plastic loops to add a smaller bungee system eventually).

The best site with lots of pictures is Moontrail:

http://www.moontrail.com/black-diamond-rpm-p-11021.php

Only thing is that BD has discontinued this one . . . .

After almost pulling the trigger on this TNF pack I saw that others were weighing it in at 13oz. Pretty light but for 2oz more I can take my Swift and have tons of room (56L) and use the side compression straps to take up the slack. Although I will say I prefer not to use my swift for SUL trips mainly due to it feeling so big. I just bought a yard of silnylon and I'm learning to sew my up a 4oz SUL pack. I pray that the project goes well since I've been getting a lot of greif from my wife and friends about my new "hobby".

Hobby as in sewing or hiking?

That would be sewing. Everytime I get on the machine to practice she takes photos and puts them on Facebook to try and humiliate me. All I can say is when I finish my pack whether it's good or horrible I'll wear it with pride just to show her who's who! But I do have to tone down my hiking trips this summer since we have the new baby. No more hiking 2x a week for a looooong time :(

Went out with the pack today with the dogs. Found the pack to be comfortable. Side pocket is useless for a water bottle as it is totally inaccessible. Was able to fit a fair amount of gear in it though. Here are a couple of pics…

Here is the full pack.

The contents. Duomid in sack, Duomid floor in sack, large Neoair, Cap 2 top XL, Cap 1 bottoms XL, wool hat, merino buff, WM Cloudrest pillow, SP 110 fuel canister, GSI Minimalist, 1 liter Nalgene Cantene, Steripen, mini Nalgene(was in side pocket), TP and trowel, ditty bag with FAK, headlamp, etc…, bag of stakes.

Not necessarily what I would carry in there. Just grabbed some things to load it up and give it a whirl.

I would add a front mesh pocket, and shoulder strap bottle holder.

Would be a good weekend pack.

D. Johnson wrote: "Everytime I get on the machine to practice she takes photos and puts them on Facebook to try and humiliate me."

That's too bad. People shouldn't be belittled for creative, productive tasks. Shameful behavior for a Seattlite!

Here's the gear I was able to stow in the Verto 26. I had no problem getting a full one liter Platypus in the outside pocket, but I would have to drop the left shoulder strap and roll the pack on my right shoulder to get the bottle in and out while underway. Total weight is 14.1 pounds with consumables.

looks pretty promising :) did either of you axe the storage pocket? weight of it?

not having any (not counting the one pocket that doesn't sound so handy) pockets on the outside is definitely limiting- it's basically what makes my Ion doable for 3-4 day trips, but like the Ion they could be added

I do like the top lid pocket (I know some folks don't)

$50 puts it in the "Ion like" cheap pack range as well

No mods Mike. Still debating. A front pocket would be easy. I like the top pocket too.

Sending it back. Gonna sew my own.

Actually, not about a Verto pack, but really now D. Johnson! All that you have to do is sew together a couple of baby slings/carriers and you can be out on the trail with the family 2X per week for sure! Test your new creations out at home before you load up baby and show us the results as you introduce your new family member to the great outdoors. Could be the start of your own cottage business too!

At the price point, it really doesn't matter to me if the pack is a couple ounces more, so I probably won't do more than remove the waist belt, which is a non-destructive option. The inner/stow pocket would be handy for day hikes, so I'll keep it for now. I'm going to look for a mesh stuff sack that can be zip-tied to the bungee cord loops to make another side pocket.

Bump. Any reports back from people modifying one of these to add an additional water bottle pocket or front pocket? Father's day is right around the corner and I'm contemplating getting one of these for summer in the Smokies. My Jam is just too big for weekends now.

sad to say that my dead bird cierzo did not pass the test … a few more multipitches blew a hole through the side

sad as other than that it was the perfect climbing pack for me … but 1-2 months of constant climbing will destroy many UL packs

time to return it to MEC

@Eric.

Check out Cold Cold World Ozone.
1680D Ballistic nylon

http://www.coldcoldworldpacks.com/ozone.htm

Need less space?

Black Diamond Shot
840D Ballistic Nylon

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/climbing-packs/shot-pack

I've been fortunate to test that 100D-420D Ballistic Nylon is not durable enough for climb.

TNF Verto 26 looks like a excellent replacement to the TNF rucksack, which sorely lacked in the shoulder strap department! Look forward to hearing the trip reports with this pack!

thanks but a kilo for a lead/multipitch/alpine pack is much too heavy

what i really need is a durable climbing 20-25L pack around the 500g range made out of either dyneema ripstop or 500D+ fabric with a no questions asked warranty

climbing 4-5 days a week on granite seems to destroy most packs ….

Sorry to bump a semi-ancient thread, but I just picked up a Verto 26 and was curious to hear if anyone had made any of the discussed modifications.

I've not done anything but remove the waist belt. I'd considered removing the inner/stow pocket, but instead will try stowing the pack at night and using it as a pillow. Seems soft enough. As for the various loops and straps that dot the bag… well, as much as I like shaving weight, I can't do it. This bag is pretty. And I was thinking I might incorporate them with the mods I have planned.

The three functions I'm trying to add to this bag are:

1. Accessible water bottle. (On shoulder perhaps? Will probably use a side pocket 1L Platypus as Dale described above, but I'd like to have an additional exterior bottle option as well.)

2. Outside storage for wet shelter/ground cloth/etc. in morning. (Some sort of mesh pocket, probably as seen here unless I can find a more elegant solution.)

3. Some way to hold a 2-piece fishing rod. (Would like to avoid the weight of a case. Could possibly run each piece vertically through bungee loops and/or velcro strap. Feasibility probably unknown until the rest of the pack is settled.)

4. Accessible snack pouch. (On shoulder?)

I realize this post is more me thinking out loud than anything else, but again, I'm mostly just interested in hearing if/how others have added functionality to this pack. I'm in the early planning stages here.

I'm glad to see these details on the Verto 26, it has caught my eye as well. I've been using the Black Diamond RPM for long dayhikes and the Verto looks like a nice way to cut some weight.

I have looked at TNF's Flyweight Rucksack which is of similar volume and weight. It has pockets on both sides (1 mesh, 1 solid fabric) along with a mini-shoveit pocket on the back. But, the shoulder straps are more minimalist and shorter.

I look forward to seeing more feedback from those who have put the Verto through its paces.

Dale, in your spreadsheet you are listing 1L of water at 70.5 ounces…?

Has anyone found any pockets that could be attached to the Verto, and a method?

James, I've been considering both the Verto and the Flyweight for it's pockets. But I have the same problem as Dale, most shoulder straps are too short for me. Do you know how much shorter the straps are on the Flyweight? I'm not in a location were I can see either pack.

Anyone, do you think it would be easier to add length to the Flyweight's straps, or pockets to the Verto.

I have only seen the Flyweight in person, not the Verto, but I think I can help you a little here.

I too have a thick chest (46") and shoulders. When I tried on the Flyweight with about 15 pounds in it, the buckles on the shoulder straps dug right into my armpits. If not modified, this would definitely be a no-go. Plus the Flyweight's straps are thinner and a bit narrower than the Verto's from the pics I've seen. The Verto straps have the needed "infrastructure" for a sternum strap and to hang a water bottle on there. The Flyweight straps are just thin stretch foam with no webbing anchor for a sternum strap or water bottle attachment.

James, You wrote:

I too have a thick chest (46") and shoulders. When I tried on the Verto with about 15 pounds in it, the buckles on the shoulder straps dug right into my armpits.

You also wrote that you had not seen the Veto.

Do you mean when you tried on the Flyweight?

Thanks for the info. I wear a 48 jacket, plus you said the straps kind of collapsed under some weight, so the Flyweight is a no go for me. I got the impression the Verto was all together a more robust pack.