Modded HMG Windrider 3400

Sounds great, Doug.

Post some pictures when you get a chance; always good to see new gear.

Are you heading back to Trinity Alps in a few weeks?

Pics:

Looks like a standard Windrider from the front

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The internal stash pocket

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Internal pocket draped in the pack

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Narrowed pass-through lumbar pad (the lumbar pad is generally around 9" wide, this one is 5 1/2 inches wide).

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Hipbelt in the pass-through lumbar pad

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When I saw the pictures of the Windrider when they changed to a full wrap around hipbelt, I thought that's how it was originally attached, but it wasn't. My previous pack was a Circuit and after using my Windrider for a bit, the only thing I would change is having a ULA hipbelt on there. And now here's the option, tempting to get a new pack.

Looks like a great pack. Wonder how much weight the extra nylon and velcro add.

Is that an HMG belt? It looks enormous.

That is a ULA hipbelt, specifically one that ULA uses on the ULA Ohm 2.0.

I may be wrong, but pretty sure that's what Doug has passed through the lumbar pad.

"That is a ULA hipbelt, specifically one that ULA uses on the ULA Ohm 2.0"

And the Circuit as well, I think. But yes, it's the ULA hip belt, my favorite of all hipbelts. It's the main reason I asked Mike if he'd mod his pack for me, I wanted to use the ULA hipbelt.

One of my favorite bits of my SMD Starlite pack is a small zippered pocket at the top of the pack (on the SMD it's on the side, inside), so I wanted that as well if I was 'creating' my wish-list pack. When I saw it was offered on the Ice pack, I asked to have it included on this pack as well. So, thanks to Mike's willingness, I've got the pack material I wanted, with the hipbelt I wanted, with the included small pocket I wanted! I'm thrilled with the pack, and will be getting it out on the trail for its maiden voyage Sept. 22.

"Wonder how much weight the extra nylon and velcro add."

Whatever weight the velcro adds should easily be offset by the much narrower lumbar pad. The internal velcro strip is only about 2"x4" – smaller than the amount of lumbar pad removed, I think.

Not sure about what you mean about extra nylon – unless you're talking about the internal pocket. That's actually made out of the same cuben hybrid material the pack is made out of.

That looks like a great setup! The best of both worlds. I wonder how it would cary a bear can. It looks like it would carry one vertically, but how about horizontal?

Hi Russ,

The only bear can I have is the Bare Boxer Contender, and it'll hold that easily on its side. Not sure about anything else.

Doug got a white pack to make himself look tan.

"Doug got a white pack to make himself look tan."

True! Unfortunately, next to me, the pack looks tan. sigh.

"Not sure about what you mean about extra nylon…"

There'd have to be another layer of fabric behind the 3D mesh, you can't sew velcro straight to mesh (or it would be a very bad idea, and induce a lot of stretch into the anchoring of the belt).

The belt looks interesting. My own recent experiments have me thinking that given good design (shape, lots of surface area), padding on a hipbelt is superfluous for loads under 30-35 pounds.

"There'd have to be another layer of fabric behind the 3D mesh, you can't sew velcro straight to mesh (or it would be a very bad idea, and induce a lot of stretch into the anchoring of the belt)."

Ah. Didn't realize you were talking about the belt setup. Actually, the lumbar pad is pretty robust by UL standards. It's not just nylon or mesh and nylon, there's some padding in there as well. Not a lot, mind you. Mike would have to tell you exactly what the pad is made of. But more robust than you're thinking.

"padding on a hipbelt is superfluous for loads under 30-35 pounds."

We'll agree to disagree. ;-) My aging hip bones like a bit o' padding. Ah, you youngsters……

"padding on a hipbelt is superfluous for loads under 30-35 pounds."

That is a reasonably obtuse comment. I was going to say dumb but I didn't want to offend.

Do any trips with the pack yet? Thinking of following suit and getting the same mod done. I just find the stock hipbelt lacking on my Windrider.

So, What is the final weight of this pack?

"So, What is the final weight of this pack?"

No idea. I don't have an easy way to weigh it.

"Do any trips with the pack yet? Thinking of following suit and getting the same mod done. I just find the stock hipbelt lacking on my Windrider."

I have. It carries great, is very comfortable, performed exactly like I hoped it would.

On the Circuit hipbelt, there's a strap that goes from near the back of the hipbelt to the pack, to pull the pack closer to your back. Is that strap still useable? Basically like this: http://www.hyperlitemountaingear.com/catalog/product/gallery/id/31/image/336/

Chris, if I understand what you're referring to right, that buckle is made for 3/4" webbing. It's the one on either side of the belt that lets you snug it against your back.

Thanks to Doug's idea, I had Mike do something similar on a 3400 Porter, except I had him shape the lumbar pad for the Granite Gear Crown hipbelt instead. It's also designed to find the Circiut/Ohm 2.0 hipbelt as well, but I haven't tried to fit it in since I don't have one anymore. I just wanted that option if I chose later.

FWIW, I've been pretty impressed with the Ice Pack belt that Mike sent with it. It's not as comfortable as the GG belt, and a couple ounces heavier, putting it about the same weight as the ULA belt. But it carries heavier loads (say +25 lbs.) better, so I see no reason yet to have the ULA around.

So far, I've been very pleased with the mod. Keep in mind that I've only taken it out a bit given the winter, but early test results are very positive.

Which Windrider do you have? The belt on my wife's 2400 Southwest is a lot less padded that the Porter models I've seen.

/*/Edited to fix webbing/buckle size/*/

2400 Windrider. It has the wrap around style hip belt, and it's sparse. Do you have any shots of your pack with the GG hip belt? I'd probably opt to go with a 3400 Porter this time around.

I'll try to get them up for you some time tomorrow evening. Busy week for me at work.

FWIW, I think a 3400 Porter with the Ice Pack belt would be really nice. I can't say for sure, but I'd guess that that would still allow for the ULA belt. You'd have to get the measurements between the padded sections to see if it still would. If it's 10" or more, the ULA belt would fit. To fit a GG belt, the lumbar pad's shape definitely needs to be modified.

Personally, I wanted the full 10" at the top of the pad, the way HMG does it and the way GG did it on the Crown. I find that the extra length at the top (four more inches than the ULA Ohm 2.0) gives the hipbelt better purchase with the pack, facilitation load transfer and control. It helps keep the pack hugging your back without losing the wrap-around feature, and it spreads the load over a larger area.

If this doesn't make sense, I'll try to be more clear when I put up some pictures tomorrow.

Oh yeah–one more thing you'll need to deal with is the velcro issue. HMG and ULA have totally different systems. ULA has a vertical strip and HMG a horizontal one. With HMG, the hook side is underneath the lumbar pad, inside the pass-through section (i.e., the loop is on the back of the Ice Pack belt, facing toward the pack's backpanel). I can't remember which is where with the ULA. Even if they don't match up, I'm not sure it matters so long as you have the belt reasonably snug with its dedicated ladderlocks.

Just something else to think about. ULA owners, which side is the hook, and which is the loop on your belt?

As promised.

Lumbar pad with no belt

Lumbar pad with Granite Gear belt

Lumbar pad with the HMG Ice Pack belt