Transition to a lighter pack

Broken Record Denis here:

In the past Bruce has made some very "enthusiastic" claims about his gear. As far as his LuxuryLite Backpack is concerned, his claims are true. Regarding the pack frame, sholder straps, "hook" waist belt, and Condor Cylinder set: I have used them for every hike from light day-hiking to ten day, cold weather, PCT section hike, for more than two years. This is the best pack I've ever had. No S#%%. I believe Bruce still offers a return policy. Check it out.

I just looked on his website. His "package deal" has stuff I don't use: foam liner belt (I've carried about 50# with just the "hook"), flip out seat pad and front hydration pack. I have a couple of SakPaks and use them at the grocery store.

The Dyneema Gridstop in the ULA Catalyst is pretty tough and overall it is supposed to be a very durable pack. From your description, and your fondness for your Dana pack, I believe durability is probably a major consideration in your selection. Also, the ULA hipbelts are nice, although probably nothing will rival what you had (in weight or comfort). I seriously considered a ULA pack, but they were still a little heavy for what I was trying to accomplish.

I just ordered a Gossamer Gear Mariposa Plus, because for me, weight was more of a consideration. I don't know if the 70-denier urethane-coated ripstop nylon in the Mariposa Plus will be as durable as ULA's Dyneema Gridstop, but it should be plenty durable for my uses.

I have occasionally been using one of the first-generation silnylon REI UL60 packs that I got really cheap. I have found the silnylon to be acceptable for some of my uses, although I have to baby it more than I would like. The second-generation ones are tougher (but still just as heavy). You mentioned that you thought the hipbelts were flimsy on the REI UL packs, but I found the belt to be very comfortable with up to 35 pound loads. You just don't need as much belt with light loads.

Also, I waited to lighten my pack to UL until last (I have only used the UL60 part-time, and it's not really UL). It got to the point, where on my Hells Canyon trip last weekend, my 5 pound Mountainsmith pack was 20 percent of my total 25 pound load, and was heavier than anything else that I was carrying! Can't wait to get that Mariposa Plus – with it my base weight will drop from 15 to 11 pounds!

I've been very happy with my (O2 style) laminate jackets (I've bought several). Of course, if they were more durable, I wouldn't have to buy so many :). You do have to be very careful. It doesn't take much to tear them. There are several brands and I don't have a strong opinion on one over the other. I should mention that some of the "normal" jackets are actually exceeding the weight performance of the laminate jacket: http://tinyurl.com/2go4zs.

I mentioned the jacket because it was the second piece of ultra-light gear I bought. The first was a G4. I discovered the jacket by reading Glen's gear list on the Gossamer Gear site.

Your road to ultralight will vary (everyone has a different way of getting there). For me (and a lot of people), the first step is to get a scale and weigh everything you have. Then ask yourself whether you really need to bring it (or that many of it). Sometimes you end up replacing things, other times you just leave it at home. I was surprised at how heavy most slippers and sandals (including crocs) are, so I replaced them with 1 oz. shower sandals (sorry, I can't find a link). For a lot of other stuff, I made tough compromises (I use closed cell foam which is significantly lighter than an inflatable pad, but not nearly as comfy). My point is that the whole process will probably take a long time and probably never really be over. I don't think I'll get to the point where I say "that's it, I'm not buying another piece of gear unless something wears out". There is just too much great gear innovation going on out there. The best you can hope for is to buy a nice piece of gear that lasts several years before you really feel the urge to replace it.

With regards to a pack, keep in mind that it is an unusual piece of equipment. Everything else (except maybe your boots) can't make your hiking experience more enjoyable. For example, your tent may be great, but while you are carrying it in your backpack it is only making your experience worse (as are all the things you are carrying). The backpack itself, on the other hand, can make a huge difference in comfort. Plus, the weight of a backpack often sits really well (if most of the weight of the pack is in the waste and shoulder straps). The BPL book (http://tinyurl.com/2zvhqu) has a section on pack weight and walking and describes the torque effect of a heavy/bulky load. It gets complicated but a lot boils down to the fact that how your load sits on your back is almost as important as how much you are carrying. A 10 pound set of weights wrapped around your waste is lot easier to carry than a 9 pound load of balloons on your back (to make an extreme example). That is why so many people place so much importance on being able to compress a load. In general though, I wouldn't obsess over the weight of a backpack (as I would other gear). If you shave a few ounces off your tent, you're hiking will be better; if you replace your pack, it might not. I think it is more important to consider overall design (comfort and load compression) combined with where the weight on the pack is. If the pack has a lot of extra straps or is made from heavy material, then you are paying for stuff that won't help your back. While the Granite Gear pack I have is not perfect (I could probably drop 5 or 6 ounces by redesigning it) it has few bells and whistles and is made of pretty light material. Again, it was significantly lighter than my old pack, has a great waste belt and can handle a pretty big load. I'm sure there are other packs out there with similar designs/materials that are just as comfortable and can handle just as much.

I should mention that I wouldn't consider myself ultralight (yet). With food for an overnighter, I carry about 15 pounds. As I replace my other stuff, I may consider buying another backpack (like something from Gossamer Gear).

>I just ordered a Gossamer Gear Mariposa Plus, because for me, weight was more of a consideration.

I wrote about the LuxuryLite because it is a lightweight pack that would be similar to the original poster's Dana Design pack (external frame, lots of volume, carries the weight on the hip belt). When I don't need that much volume or I'm going off-trail, I use a Gossamer Gear Mariposa Plus (about one pound lighter than the LuxuryLite). It carries a 23-pound load without problem (and without stays) and shows no sign of wear after 200 miles. It doesn't put the entire weight on the hip belt as nicely, but then the load is light enough that having a bit on the shoulders isn't as much of a discomfort. I'm still conflicted about which I like better; they each do well for different requirements.