Stripped Down HMG Windrider weight???

I'm guessing you'd save 3 oz or so by trimming it. Maybe another oz. or so by trimming other stuff.

In my opinion the hipbelt is worth keeping, especially if you have the frame stays in the pack, and even more so if its the newer model with the wrap around hipbelt and lumbar pad. I don't know how much weight you carry and how much of your experience with this pack has been hiking, but even a less then perfect hipbelt is really nice if you carry more then 10-15 pounds.

If you do not have stays in your pack, and you have the old model (with the hipbelt attached on the sides) then you have less to lose by cutting it off. If you do I would NOT try to open up the seams and resew them. That is just too risky and in the best case scenerio it will weaken the pack (I have done seam ripping to open up packs and its not worth it). Just cut off the hipbelt close to the pack but be careful not to nick it.

Would love to see a picture of the pack with all the miles behind it and signatures on it. Not sure how to lighten your pack behind shortening straps.

Please do not cut off your hipbelt. It serves the purpose of placing most of the weight on the largest bones and muscles of your body and off your much more vulnerable spine.

When you're in your 50s and your spinal disc cartiledge is thinning form age you'll be VERY glad they aren't compressed even more from carrying all your pack weight on your shoulders. Take it from a geezer who just today went to physical therapy for, you guessed it, help for my bulging L3 disc. Do I hike W/O a hip belt? Never!

Hey Guys, I do have the updated windrider. I clip the hipbelt behind me actually, I find it unnecessary. I've grown to not liking a hip belt when my load is less than 17lbs and I just don't see carrying that much weight again. Ehh, just getting excited..maybe I will and maybe I won't. Would like to hear from someone who has trimmed one up…

Im really considering cutting off the vertical compression straps that attach to the roll top.

Not to save weight, but just to make things a bit simpler. The compression straps seem a bit cluttered to me.

If i do it, I'll just clip the buckles sewn to the top to each other and use more rolls of the top to compress vertically.

Probably wont save more than 2-3 ounces though