new SMD packs

>> This is not directly related, but the continued chatter portraying American style thruhikers as the most rigorous users (espoused in the SMD product blurb) ought to stop. Absurd is one of the more mild words which comes to mind. Find those people carrying truly light 50+ pound loads and you'll be on the right track.

Dave, I'm not sure why you have such a distaste for long distance hikers. Nor do I care. There was nothing in my Fusion white paper that was in anyway derogatory of any other group. I've nothing but respect and praise for anyone who venture out into the wilds.

I find your comment both insulting and unprofessional. Not something I'd expect from a member of BPL staff. It's certainly not something that Will would have said.

Perhaps in the future, you should stick to analysis and leave the commentary to those better suited.

I'm sorry you took offense Ron. I have no antipathy towards thruhikers, but 120 days of mild use is 120 days of mild use, whether it takes place over 1 year or 5.

Dave, have you ever actually done a multi-month multi-thousand mile hike. If so, when, where and how long. If not do you really think you're in a position to make that judgement call?

I would just like to jump in here and say I loaded up a Fusion Pack last month with about 18 pounds and the way that it transferred the load to my hips was AWESOME and by far the best load transfer/bearing backpack I have ever put on.

I have a hike planned where I will be carry 35+ pounds of water at the start of the hike and I look forward to ordering up one of these Fusion packs to use for that hike.

Ron, I'm happy to discuss particulars, but will not participate in a circumstantial ad hominem argument.

Sorry Dave, you can't weasel your way out of this quagmire by tossing out a few Latin words. The fact is that you made a claim "but 120 days of mild use is 120 days of mild use".

Now claims are generally based either on knowledge derived from experience or conjecture based upon assumptions. It appears that you simply want people to take your word, without offering any explanation. When challenged, you assume the cloak of the aggrieved.

Frankly I'm not sure you're in a position to talk about particulars, if your knowledge is based upon assumptions. If not, please clarify.

Guys, this discussion is going nowhere. Unless somebody has done a scientific study to determine wear-rates for gear between thru-hikers and weekend warriors, while taking into account the variability of care/carelessness between different individuals, everyone's opinion is simply that.

"Ron, I'm happy to discuss particulars, but will not participate in a circumstantial ad hominem argument."

I have always felt that if someone brings up an argument on a public forum, they should be ready to defend their (circumstantial) perspective on a public forum.

Very much looking forward to all the details yet to be released regarding the Fusion series, and congratulations on having Brian (founder of ULA) as part of the SMD team. I agree wholeheartedly with Ron's philosophy regarding comfort as paramount (echoes of Mchale as well).

Yeah, kitty has claws. Let's move on. One person's opinion.

I just want to say I personally really like the design and can't wait to see more photos and get the full specs and price on the fusion line. Looks like Ron and Brian did a nice job and put a lot of thought into these packs.

Some people on this thread have voiced concerns about the weight. To me personally, the weight looks pretty reasonable — about in line with HMG's packs if I'm remembering things correctly. In any case I would agree with Ron that comfort is the most important thing anyway. Weight is just a means to an end. Even carrying 2 pounds I would rather have a heavier but more comfortable pack then an uber light but ill fitting pack.

The write up on SMD's webpage says the packs will have a roll top closure that will be water tight. Does anyone know if that means the packs will be waterproof or at least rainproof? I would imagine the seams would have to be somehow sealed as well for the pack to really keep out the water, and of course the pack fabric would have to be waterproof.

Design looks very promising to me, but the devil will be in the detail:) Weight is same as Exped Lightning 60, so not really an issue IMHO if it carries heavier loads well. If I didn't already have an Exped 60 I would be looking at them.

The true test of ANY pack is in how well it carries your unique gear set.

Will one of the new SMD packs hit the sweet spot for you? Will you be better served by some other source? Load up your gear and try it. If that pack doesn't work, return it and try another. Repeat until you either find Nivana, exhaust all possible pack manufactures, or decide to give up backpacking for professional poker.

Alternative – let Dan McHale custom-build a pack for you.

I think the flight 40 sounds really good. At 44 Litres and sub 900grams, and with such a good looking harness (I find waist belts on framed packs that have a double buckle system tend to be a good indication that it will work well…) it kills most other options if you are interested in "how far can I go unsupported" or FKT type trips.

The best carrying "light" pack I've tried, the One Planet Shadow (Australian) comes in at 1500grams for a 50L pack, but is no where near as functional as this. Heck, if its as good as I think I might have to pass on the shadow and get a Flight 40.

Great work Ron :-)

"The write up on SMD's webpage says the packs will have a roll top closure that will be water tight. Does anyone know if that means the packs will be waterproof or at least rainproof? I would imagine the seams would have to be somehow sealed as well for the pack to really keep out the water, and of course the pack fabric would have to be waterproof."

I'm curious about the same thing.

Reading the frame description, I wonder what the stays are like. Ron writes that the stay is for "stabilization" not weight transfer. He also states that when you bend stays to fit the wearer's back, they become more like springs and lose a lot of their ability to transfer weight. Does this mean that the stays on the new packs are straight? I take stabilization to mean that the compression straps pull toward the frame and the pack body and contents don't sag away from the frame and bounce up and down. They look like interesting designs. I'm just trying to understand them since we can't handle them.

Judging by the description, and especially by this "….the compression straps terminate at the Spine. When tightened they work to PULL THE PACK BODY AWAY from your back and increase air flow." I suspect the following:

The stay is straight, the load lifters follow channels in the "spine" and terminate at its bottom. Upon pulling them, they essentially pull the bottom of the pack up, thus bending the stay outwards, resulting in the pack body moving away to improve airflow. Imagine the design of the Zpacks' Arcblast, only the stay is not 2 rods at the pack's periphery, but a single bar in the middle. The "load lifters" are thus not load lifters, but serve as a "back trampoline" along their length inside the "spine" , and the stay serves to keep them taut.

Of course, not having seen the Fusion pack in person, this is all speculation at this point. I have thought of such pack design before, but never had the inclination to entertain MYOG in packs….

Ron,
If you might be kind enough to respond, I was just wondering what the mechanism of torso length adjustment is on the shoulder yokes of the Fusion packs? From the pictures you have posted on your website, it looks like it might be a sliding velcro type mechanism, but I can't tell for sure. Thanks for your info!

I agree with Mr. Abela, I have been looking for a smaller volume water hauler and I'm thinking the 50 may work for me. I am also a little old school in that I like compression straps on my packs, and it looks like the Fusion series has a nice compression setup. The one thing I am questioning is the durability of the side mesh pockets. My old water hauler was a Granite Gear Blaze AC 60, which handled 35+ lbs awesome, but the mesh side pockets were shredded in very little time. I am also interested in a volume breakdown, I'm hoping the main pack body will be somewhere around 42L or less.

I just noticed SMD uploaded some videos on the packs: http://www.youtube.com/user/SixMoonDesigns

This Fusion pack has me very interested and exciting…….but I'm gonna hope that some of you will by the guinea pigs before I make the purchase. I want a light technical gear hauler (35-45 pound loads) for long adventures this summer and until now I've been eying the exped lightning 60 and Paradox packs…….the hip belts on the paradox and this one really intrigue me b/c my skinny hips often have hip belt issues. The lack of external organization and easy stash pockets on the exped lightning are what make me reluctant about it. However, I'm surprised how the spine/pad rather than stays can be stiff enough for load transfer at higher weights (above 35 pounds).

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcbSfaE0nJdLgFruH94r8EA

This looks like it has the chance of being my dream lightweight heavy hauler to replace my EMS Summit 5500 that weighs 7.5 pounds! The EMS pack (1000D Cordura and heavy ripstop nylon) still looks like knew after 8 years, but after just one month of heavy mountain use in Colorado with a Golite Quest 80 as a perspective replacement, it fell apart . The weight and price are what drew me to the Golite Quest (120 dollars and 3# 13oz.), but the loads/and or abrasion were too much for the 210 D Ripstop (they use 210 D Robic only in "critical" areas, but perhaps they should have used more of it?) to handle. The construction of the Fusion with nearly all 420d Robic sounds very promising, especially since it's more than a pound lighter than the Golite Quest. I know that a Mchale could do the job…….but that's just too expansive for my budget, so I hope that it's "reasonably" priced.

The Fusion looks mighty tasty!

Do the claimed volumes only refer to that of the main compartment or do they include pockets ?