MLD Zip Pack?

[Michael Fogarty]

Anyone using this pack, with the optional winged, mesh hip-belt?

If so, how do you like the pack, so far?

[Michael Demchak]

I've been using this pack on the AT (1100 miles so far this year) and im heading back out in a few days to finish the rest. i do have the optional wing hipbelt, and really enjoy it and recomend it if your going to be carrying some extra weight. i'd say the wing hipbelt is great when your carrying over 20 it really helps. for me the padded part of the hipbelt goes all around my hips (i wear a size 30" pant waist) and if i was an inch or 2 skinner, i'd be out of webbing. i've probably carried 30 pounds at max with this pack (carrying beer)and while my shoulders were a little sore after a few miles, the pack did well enough (beer helped with the pains aswell :/
overall, highly recomened!
mike! (also known as beershake!)
(p.s. sorry about the spelling..)

[Ron Bell / MLD]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the info. You're more than halfway there! Congrats.

You've got one of the first Zips. Glad to hear it is working out well for you. I've since beefed up the loop and strap material so that is fairly bomber now.

If you can from the trail, you can return the pack for the upgrade. Other wise, I'd love to see it at the end of your hike!

-Ron

[Michael Fogarty]

Well I hope nothing pulls out on my pack, after I've received it, sometime around the 3rd week of August, right Ron? LOL

[kevin davidson]

I'm waiting to zip along with one of these, myself. Hint, hint, nudge, nudge, Ron.

Per above, always glad to hear that MLD's gear is constantly getting tweaked.

[Michael Fogarty]

Michael,

Thanks for your comments on the Zip pack. Just how new, is this pack anyway? I figured more people at this site, would have had this pack and put it through, at least a few trips?

I doubt, I'll ever carry more than 22 lbs with the Zip. I would think loads of 25 lbs or more would start to be a little uncomfortable?

[Sven Klingemann]

Hey Michael,
do you think that the Zip is big enough for 7-10 day trips?
S.

[Michael Demchak]

Sven, hmmm of course, depending on your gear and everything, i do believe you could get 7 days out of this pack without to much problem, i carried 7 days when i started with a 30 degree bag, solo poncho tarp/bivy, torsolite, minimal clothes, solo pot etc. and fit it all in (though tightly) so in the summer, if you got a low volume kit, you might be able to get 10 days in.

Michael, ya your correct, i mean i'd say with any frameless pack, over 25 pounds your pushing it. and the only times i'd push it would be for a dry camp, or carrying stupid stuff out of towns, and i didn't worry about things ripping off. personally my average load was in the high teens and i'd forget i'd have the backpack on.
mike!

[kevin davidson]

and we wants it! And finally now we are going to gets it!

Long, long, it was forged by the Appalachian Trail Elves of Roanoke, woven of purest sil-mithral…

The Gear Lord, Ron-Bell of the ultralight realm of MLDor, has informed me via a winged e-nazgul that it is on it's way!

SULlum! SULlum!

[Colleen Clemens]

kevin, you freak, i'm laughing my fool head off.

[Michael Crosby]

Kevin,
Most excellent responce-your true nature must be showing through!?

[Brett .]

Kevin, freakn' hilarous. SULlum! ha ha..

[Michael Fogarty]

So how long did your order for the Zip pack take? Was it close to "as promised"?

[kevin davidson]

I think it was something like 9 weeks.

[Michael Fogarty]

Thanks for the info. Ron said 8 weeks on the 3 items I ordered , the Zip, Grace Solo Spinntex tarp & Bug Bivy.

I'm still debating on whether to order the small sternum strap pocket.

I'm not counting the week, I placed the order, so, I hope to have the gear, by the end of August?

Post some Pic's of the Zip, loaded-up and wearing it too.

[kevin davidson]

…y zooms.

Shipped to my secret (and stylish) command center, deep in the mtns. of Oregon, I've already loaded it up to 20 lbs. and have even gone for a trail run with it. Great set of materials and typical high MLD quality. There are a lot of compression and lashing options which I'll need to work out to find the best for my needs. The suspension system (for such a light pack–10.5 oz.) is much more sophisicated than the GG Packs and perhaps only rivalled by the ULA Amp.

Veredicto? ¡Es muy bueno!

¿soy un modelo pobre de la conducta, verdad?

ahhhh, la Habana más pura

This will be the pack I'll be using on a long off trail backpack a little later this Summer and with much more confidence that my pack will survive ambushes with granite, fir and willow.

The People's UL Revolutionary Front will zoom to the alpine heights with the Zip and send the reactionary slogging dogs of trad backpacking back to Suburbia.

All hail to our feckless leader—

[Derek Cox]

hey kevin, would you mind sharing what gear (just the main, larger items) you either have packed in the zip pictured or what you plan on using generally with the pack?

[kevin davidson]

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/xdpy/forum_thread/8261/index.html

I won't be taking the axe—-conditions have changed for my next foray.
I did not pack the consumables but roughly simulated volume.

[Michael Fogarty]

Kevin, thanks much for posting the Zip pictures. I've probably got another 5 or 6 weeks before my Zip is finished?

How does it fit? does it match your torso size correctly, seems to fit well, by looking at your pictures.

One nice thing Ron does offer, is if you find your pack to not fit properly and want another size, he will make you a new pack, within a weeks time.

I'm thinking the Zip will end up being my Go-To pack for most trips of 4 days and under. Although, now that I'm packing much lighter, I could possibly push my GG whisper, into 3 day trips, and save 6oz.

[kevin davidson]

Judging from my packing of the Zip, I could go for a pretty long UL trip, indeed.
10 days is perfectly imaginable (by me).

The pack does seem to be a good fit but I'll do some fine tuning. I'll lower the sternum strap a notch. I might see how I like using side compression as opposed to how I have it rigged now. I will be chopping off excess webbing, too.

[Michael Fogarty]

Kevin, Did you purchase the MLD sternum strap pocket as well. I see BPL now offers a shoulder strap pocket, but the MLD pocket, is advertised as being water-proof?

[kevin davidson]

Nope. But I plan to use a Simblissity Un-Slack Pack which attaches to either the shoulder straps or waist belt. This will carry digicam and more.

I have an older spinn nylon version of the pocket which never gets used as such —I find it bounces around too much.

[Ryan Faulkner]

dang,

the zip looks alot like the mariposa
im thinking MLD borrowed a few design ideas form GG on this one :P

[kevin davidson]

Kinda superficial.
Different materials, MUCH better harness on the Zip. No frame (none needed) and it's smaller volume wise than even the Miniposa. Ron lifted the "Y" strap from GG, though :-)>.

There is a form factor that GG, MLD, Fanatic Fringe, Six Moons, etc. share—-top loading, roll up closure, tall and narrow, provision for shock cord compression, mesh pockets. It's a combo that works well for most UL and SUL packs.

[Michael Fogarty]

and………….the Mariposa weighs a little more than 10oz too? Not that its not a great pack, as I have a Mariposa too!

Y strap, did MLD add a Y strap to the Zip or are you talking about another MLD pack?
Personally, being that I hike in areas that don't require a bear canister. The Y strap isn't a benefit, over a plain single strap.

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