North Face Skareb 55

The Skareb has been popular with some of the local boyscout troops around here because it’s a good size for overnight, pretty durable, carries reasonable well, from a big name company. My memory is that the hip belt is quite narrow (something like 33inches). The pack has a number of nice technical features… if you need technical features.

There are lots of backs which are lighter, have the same or move volume, and weight 1-2 pounds less than the Skareb. I would recommend checking out the granite gear vapor trail, or the packs from six moon designs, ula-equipment, or gossamer gear. For additional ideas see notes on light weight packs.

–mark

It looks like I have quite a bit of research ahead of me before I select my pack. Thanks for the quick review. There are just so many packs on the market to choose from and I just want to make sure I make an educated purchase. Thanks again.

Benjamin, I seriously considered the Skareb series before buying my last pack. I decided against it because it did not have large side pockets and a large convenient lid for items I'm putting in and out all day long. Also, it rides too low on my back. Some people like that though, to keep cg low.. Also, the single density straps on this pack series were too thin for heavy loads (eg. rack and rope), and the waist belt was too thin to transfer that heavy weight uniformly around the waist, instead transferring it to the small of my back.
To make a long story short, I went with the REI Pinnacle 40 as my bomber alpine pack, and a Granite Gear as my light general overnighter pack.
I would highly recommend you consider the Vapor Trail or other Granie Gear models depending on the volume you need to carry.

You all have raised some good points regarding the skareb. Over here in the islands, there are really no specialized outdoor retail stores. Sports Authority is the closest thing Oahu has to an outdoors store, so having the availability to try on a pack is very limited. Thanks for the input and reviews.

..let's call REI regarding opening a store in Honolulu; I volunteer to move there and be the store manager : ) Or maybe Montbell would be interested.. Hmm.

Seriously though, the wet and humid climate there must be tough on gear, and a demanding situation for moisture transport and so called breathable rainwear.

I own this pack. I used it for about a dozen or so days on the trail last year so I had a good amount of time to evaluate it. My decision to purchase the pack was influenced by being able to try it on at my local outdoor shop, a luxury that I didn't have with many of the packs I was researching. While the benefits of the cottage lightweight backpacking industry are that one can get well designed, highly focused equipment, a major downside is certainly that there is almost no access to these products before the purchase is made. Unless the buyer is part of a dedicated local lightweight backpacking community I'd wager that 9 out of 10 pieces of SUL gear out there are purchased sight unseen. In the beginning, this can be a difficult leap of faith to make but its been my experience that this trepdation is usually unwarranted. The gear is nearly always superior to mass market alternatives and, with a few exceptions, the cottage industry manufacturers provide top-notch customer service to offset the limited availability of thier products to their consumers.

In terms of volume, the Skareb certainly has enough volume to hold an average lightweight/low bulk gear load and 3-4 days of food, possibly more. There are things about the pack that I love: the large mesh back pocket; roll top closure; hip belt adjustment; narrow profile; the framesheet/backpanel; and how well it carries loads of 20-35 lbs. The features and design of the pack are well thought out but I had a few quibbles.

For one, I found the straps used in the shoulder straps and waistbelt slipped. I believe this is due to a combination of the width of the straps, which were quite narrow and provide less surface area to grab, and the slick nylon material the staps are made of. This slippage wasn't major but did necessitate periodic strap adjustment. I have not heard this complaint voiced by others, so it might be an issue unique to me.

Another concern was the overall design. While the concept of the pack is excellent, the execution of this design leaves some things to be desired. For one, the side pockets are of solid fabric and small in volume, which I found less useful than taller mesh pockets typical on most packs. Additionally, even thought the pack is designated "light and fast" by The North Face it is still overbuilt. Lighter materials could have been used in multiple areas to bring the weight down without compromising function or raising durability concerns. I'd estimate The North Face could have shaved at least 6 ounces from the weight of the pack by this alone.

The desgin of the Skareb is solid and there are many things I did like about it. When I began looking for an alternative I settled on ULA Equipment, whose designs for their packs are very similar to the Skareb. So much so, in fact, that I believe whoever designed the Skareb for The North Face must have owned a ULA pack. In any event, I found that my purchase of a ULA Conduit addressed the concerns I had with the Skareb while cutting weight at the same time.

I did post about my experience with the Skareb on Whiteblaze.net. Here's the thread: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=19915

Overall, I did like the pack and I wouldn't discourage anyone from trying it out but in the end, I found there we better alteratives.

The site looks kinda lame but I found a FreeThinker jacket through them too http://www.north-face-outlet.com

Benjamin,

I also own the Skareb 55 in large. I got it at the North Face Outlet for $80 on sale last year, when I was getting back into backpacking, before I had discovered BPL. It was a huge step down from the 6-7 lb EMS pack that I had previously owned. My large tips the scales at 3lbs 6 ozs. That would not qualify as a lightweight pack here for summer. I'm new here myself, and wish I'd found it sooner.

This summer, however, I am replacing it, with either a Gossamer Gear Gorilla or a ULA Ohm.

First let me tell you about me experience with the Skareb.

For the price I got it, it is an excellent pack. I will certainly keep it as my winter pack, as the volume of the two packs I am considering will probably not be adequate. (I can't convert to UL for both summer and winter in the same year.)

I've used the Skareb on 8 trips so far. It carries up to 45lbs semi-comfortably (2nd snow camp, 4 bottles of red wine in nalgenes, if you're wondering) for me, though it needed to be locked in, and I was only going 3 miles (1,000 elevation gain), and when it wasn't locked in(which required constant recalibration – my straps slipped like Russel's), my shoulders hurt. At 37 lbs on my first trip, it was fine. It's ideal comfort range is 30-35 lbs, in my experience.

I've found it quite durable, and I didn't treat it lightly, dropping it on granite, ducking under downed trees, pushing through scrub. I found one tiny tear in the extension collar, and I suspect that was inflicted by a snow shoe crampon when it was stacked in the back of a mini van with 5 others gear.

The volume (3600ci in my large) is cavernous for one person. Remember this rule: your spending always rises to meet your level of income; Your packing rises to meet the volume of your pack. I overpacked last summer. A lot. The Skareb had plently of volume for a 2 night snow camping trip in which I carried the tent for 3 (BD Megamid) and the aforementioned 4 bottles of wine. For summer, it would be practically empty now that I'm learning to pack. (Volume is the big reason I'm downsizing after weight) In Hawai'i, with the warm weather, unless you've been elected sherpa in a group of 3 or more, the volume will be more than you need; and you will figure out ways to fill it, to the detriment of your back/shoulders/knees. If you can only get North Face, maybe the Skareb 40 would be better. My local Sports Authority carries it.

That said, it is a comfortable pack. I'm not unhappy with my purchase (though if I'd paid full price . . .). You won't be displeased if it's what falls within your budget. Pack well and it will serve you well. You won't likely notice the extra 2 lbs so long as you're not carrying 40.

As far as these cottage industry packs and buying them sight unseen. It's harder for you in Hawai'i, as shipping is more. But, if you take into account sales tax, and that you won't be paying it on ULA, Gossamer Gear, or whomever, the shipping might even out. It does for me and more. And the packs don't cost more (if not less) than a retail North Face.

I can't speak to the Ohm of the Gorilla as they don't arrive till Wednesday and Thursday next week. But there are plenty of reviews available. If you're going to backpack a lot, and you pack is something you don't plan on replacing every year (like I'm going to because I didn't buy as well as I could've the 1st time) an extra $20 in shipping to get the right one will save money in the long run. In fact, the 2008 Gossamer Gear Mariposa Plus is on sale now for $125, and it has the same 3600ci volume as my Skareb. (Tho the Skareb's volume is only for the pack body, not the pockets, which make it closer to 4000ci or more) It's made of the the same 70 denier nylon with 210D reinforcments as my Skareb, but weighs 23 ounces to my 54.

That's my 2 cents. Summarizing, the Skareb is a pretty good pack; you wouldn't be disappointed. If you need any pictures, let me know. Any more specific questions you have, I will answer the best I can. Next week, I can even take pictures of the Skareb, Ohm and Gorilla all packed with my summer gear list.