Arc Blast

Trying to make some decisions for a Zpacks Arc Blast pack order. Would appreciate some feed back:

1) The most important thing: color ! :)
I lean toward the white or tan… but have never seen either… have you seen both? which do you like best?

2) Joe says they have been taping the seams for just a week or so. Anyone have experience with a taped seam Arc Blas in rain and without a pack cover? Is it water tight? (wondering if the 1 oz of seam taping is worth the weight)

3) Roll top closure. Would appreciate feedback on the relative merits of the roll top closure vs. a draw cord closure.

4) I'm told the waist belt sections are sewn at 9" between them for all packs, regardless of waist size. Anyone out there with a small waist have problems with this?

thanks

Bill Davidson

Edit

I ordered mine in white, I did not care for the tan, although one pair of my REI zip off pants are that color. No more info, I've only used the pack twice now this Spring, it was slow to get warmer to enable me to use it, I was still in post-winter, pre-Spring bp mode.
Duane

Thanks Duane,

you've used it twice and don't have anything to say about how you like it? or how it carries? or features you like or don't like?

Does yours have the roll top? Like that?

thanks

Bill D

Not to cause confusion – this is the non-USA Duane Hall, but I do have an Arc Blast, and like my namesake, I've only used it for a short time. I can attest that this packs handles a 25 pound load very well, and that the arch of the external stays does provide welcome ventilation and rigidity. I would say that the roll top closure is superior to a draw cord closure, in terms of water shedding.
My pack does not have sealed seams, but I always use a liner anyway (just a a trash bag) so this does not concern me at all. The pack material is certainly waterproof, so I have no worries about the thing wetting out and gaining weight. Still, no one really notices an extra ounce, so taped seams can only be a good thing. In any case, a pack cover from Zpacks weighs just a few grams.
My pack is the tan colour, but I would have bought the thing in purple if that's all that was available. I have a 34" waist and I have no difficulties with the waist belt.
As I said, I've only used this pack for a short time, but it's looking to be one the best packs I have owned.

Cheers

Thank you… Nova Scotia Duane !!!

bill

Bill, sorry for the short info. I like it, so small, seems to carry good, I can keep all the weight on my hips, but then I've only had light loads so far, enough food and water for a o/n trip. I got the single belt pouch and two mesh side pockets. After I test loaded it, I thought, this is too big!:) I like the roll top with the Velcro, my SMD Starlight has the same type top and closure. I had one shoulder strap bugging my shoulder, but attributed it to the way I loaded my gear. Last weekend, it felt better, plus I had adjusted the arc in the frame. I carry a trash compactor bag, so I'm not worried about rain. I tried for the lowest weight I could get, maybe down the road after acquiring a quilt, I can get a even smaller pack for weekend trips. I like the white, the tan turned me off.
Duane

thank you Duane from Sierra Nevada… I appreciate the report on your new Arc Blast…

Bill

I have white and like it. I definitely think the roll top is nice, but have no experience with the other closure system, so can't say it is better. I bring a liner, so not worried about water proof. I did see where the raping is meant more for strengthening the seams, which would make it worthwhile. I carried ~29 pounds in it and it felt great.

I have the previous Arc Blast version. And really like it. Although the hip belt rubs a little, but I am skinny with bony hips, so many packs do this to me. Roll top is definitely better for securing from the elements, but it is faster to get in and out of a draw cord like on Golite packs.

No comment on pack color. I could care less.

But I did just have an exchange with Joe at ZPacks and ordered some one sided Cuben tape. I will be seam taping it myself. He told me to inside out the pack (after removing frame) first, and that it would take about 6 of the strips they sell, which I have purchased. It adds an ounce, but then I might be brave enough to go without a pack liner then, which gives me the ounce back and makes packing easier.

Hello Bill,

#1) The tan is actually a really nice color I feel. At this point I am beyond the whole “white symbolizes cuben fiber” factor, so these days I am trying to seek out colors other than white. My only recommendation would be to ask for an “all x-color” as ZPacks is starting to do the back of their backpacks with the gray color they have now, so it turns it into a two-tone color, and personally, I just do not like it. But, you might like that. Just my thoughts.

#2) I am not sure if anybody out there actually has theirs with it fully tape bonded. It was something they just started doing after the owners trip back from hiking the Te Araroa trail. Regardless, you should just never depend upon my backpack to keep your gear from getting wet. You really think if you fall while crossing a stream that water is not going to get in? I have my doubts and I have tape bonded my Arc Blast on my own, but I still place my sleeping bag, down jacket, and anything else that I never want to get wet into an inner packliner.

#3) The draw cord closures are great for the smaller frameless backpacks made with lightweight material. But this heavier hybrid cuben fiber pretty much requires a rolltop closure system. And, I will take a rolltop over an “over the top” any day of the week.

#4) Not applicable for me. I’m a big boy ;)

+John Abela

Bill,

I have one of the first Arc Blasts in tan and rather like it. Some of the new colors look cool but tan would probably still be my first choice. I ordered my Arc with taped seams but have been lucky enough to avoid rain so far so I can't tell you if it was worth it yet. I would definitely go for the roll top, and would request additional side closures if I were doing it over. I have the drawstring closure on my Zero and it is functional, but not nearly as functional as the roll top.

Drew, by "additional side closures", do you mean for closing the roll top at the sides, as on the HMG and ULA packs, for example? I thought of that, but it seems to complicate things unnecessarily. What advantages would it have?
Bill, I had an Exo with the hipbelt sewn to the pack 9" apart as you describe. I have a very slim frame, and last summer, after the winter fat had burned off my belly, I found that with the pack loaded close to its weight limit (a lot of food and water), I found I had to tighten the belt tighter than I would have liked to avoid it slipping. This problem is exacerbated if packing the bag has given it a barrel shape as it will pull the hipbelt away from your back at the sides.
In light of this, when I got a medium Zero made, I asked for the hipbelt to be attached to the pack at 7" apart. This has given it a great fit and also, I feel, spreads the load across the whole back more, rather than more on the hip bones. I also found that it means I carry the pack slightly higher on my hips than I did with the Exo, which I found suited me better.
I recently had the Exo adapted to an Arc Blast. I got this with the possibility of adjusting between two torso lengths, so I can try carrying it set higher on my hips and see how that works. I haven't had it out on any trips yet, but have a few trips of more than a week coming up in July, so I'll see how it goes.
If you need the small belt length on any ZPacks pack (I think the small length is now shorter than previously offered), I would suggest you seriously consider having it attached closer to the centre of the pack.

Drew: Could you tell me what you mean by "additional side closures"? Thanks for the rest of your response… it was helpful.

William thanks for your response. I triggered some more questions that I have for you:

What do you mean by "Exo" And what do you mean by Exo "adapted to and Arc Blast" ????

And what is your waist size? Mine is 30", but on a week or so backpack I may lose and inch and having no hips probably cinch the pack an additional inch tighter to try to keep it from slipping past my phantom hip bones… so I may be a 28" after those two compensations… so I ordered the Small waist belt on my Arc Blast which they say is "for 26" waist and up" The medium belt is for a 30" waist and up.

Were you able to compare a 9" distance between waist belt attachment points with a 7" distance on the SAME PACK? But not an Arc Blast? Closer attachment points would leave a greater distance between those points and the lower corner of the pack and I'm wondering if that would make the pack less stable side to side as the Arc Blast does not have lower corner stabilizer strap option like some packs… and one reason Joe mentioned for not having that option is there is only about 1 1/2" between the 9" attachment points and the lower corners of the Arc Blast.

Thanks, Bill

Just Did 750 miles on the PCT from Campo to Whitney with this pack.

1) mine is the Tan color and the side water bottle pockets are a very dark tan. Wished these pockets were white. I found that in the So Cal sun the dark color absorbed the sun light more and heated my water bottles up making for hot nasty water to drink.

2) Mine does not have taped seems and it never rained the entire 6 weeks I was on the trail so cannot comment on waterproofness. But I did carry a pack liner if it looked like it was going to rain or for when I was going to have to ford.

3) Roll top closure worked great.

4) my base weight was 9 lbs. with average food and water it was probably about 20 lbs. I found that I only used the waist belt cinched up about 20% of the time. I am somewhat of a big guy so 20lbs on my shoulders was barely noticeable.

I met two other through hikers on the PCT with this pack and they loved theirs.

The additional side closures I have in mind are as William described – so you can clip the top buckles to them instead of each other. I think that if the side buckles were on a bit of adjustable ribbon or strap it would be much easier to close the pack when you have it filled up to the top. You could probably accomplish the same thing by putting adjustable cinch strap behind one of the top buckles.

Bill,
The Exo was a pack from ZPacks with an external carbon fiber frame. The discontinued it when they brought out the Arc Blast. Joe adapted mine to take the Arc Blast stays.
My summer waist size is between 29" and 30" (like yours, it decreases over a hike). I think the 26" and up is a new option; when I got my packs, I got the hipbelt made shorter as a customization.
I have only compared the 9" hipbelt on the Exo with the 7" hipbelt on a Zero; different packs but the same hipbelt, if you see what I mean. I find the 7" carries better for me, but as a poster elsewhere points out, the stays on the Arc Blast (and the Exo) attach close to the hipbelt, which might be a plus for the 9" setting. I haven't had the Arc Blast out yet (got it a couple of weeks ago).
I haven't had a problem with lateral stability with the 7" belt. A double quilt goes in the bottom of the pack and fills it out very tightly; consequently, I'm not sure that stabilizer straps would make much difference.
Hope this helps.

Thanks William… that's good information… and comes at a critical moment in the ordering process… very helpful. !

Bill

Quick report back on the DIY taping.

Just finished taping the inside of my Arc Blast with cuben tape supplied by ZPacks. All went well. It took 4 and 1/3 of the 1 inch cuben tape strips that ZPacks sells. I covered all seams as well as all stitching into the main pack compartment. I have no test data yet, but the pack feels really waterproof now I'll maybe fill it with water and see what happens next. But I feel pretty confident about going without a pack liner this way. The process added 1 oz to the pack. But I save 1.2oz on the pack liner. So it is a wash on weight, but less hassle to deal with on the trail. Definitely worth considering if you have one of the older Arc Blast packs. As a side benefit, the stitching, at least, feels like it has been reinforced as well, so I think there is a incremental gain in durability as well.

I just taped my seams too.

Went canyoning six month ago, swam for several kilometres with the Arc Blast towed behind me on the end of a piece of string. Because the gear was packed tight in three aLocksac compression bags I found the pack only let in about a cup of water so the added weight of it leaking wasn't a problem and could have been remedied with a small drain hole in the bottom of the bag.

I've had the pack two years now and have noticed minor amounts of delamination along the seam stiching has begun. I really hammer this bag, its great.

The seam sealing was to prevent any of the cuben fibre getting loose/fraying and pulling on my gear as well as to reduce the amount of water that gets in when I use the pack as a dry bag on river crossings.

I don't have much to add in the way of experience with this pack. I've only owned a Zpacks Zero that I had custom made for my needs. I love it. This thread is timely for me, because I'm selling an MLD Exodus that I'm not going to use cuz of injury. Once I recover, and have some extra dough, this is the pack I'm looking at for my longer forays, and fingers crossed if job and ankle permit, a thru-hike of the AT next year.