I ordered my LBP 40 about a year ago from Dan McHale and was delighted with the pack we settled on after a few months of testing with a "loaner" pack. Since I've received the pack it has gone on trips in the Sierra, Utah, Argentina, Chile, Montana, Alberta, and Washington state. This is simply the best backpacking/trekking/mountaineering pack I've owned. I only wish that the best lightweight materials didn't cost so much.
Who it's for:
This is not a pack for a dedicated UL thru-hiker. It's a pack for a lightweight backpacker who is also a ski mountaineer or into canyoneering or international trekking with airports, taxis, and all the other travel situations that can be hazardous to more gossamer packs. Or maybe you go on group expeditions where you can't bring your UL gear and instead are hauling around 8 pound tents and old heavy bear barrels. The fantastic waist-belt that Dan uses means that you can tolerate a little more pack weight and gain a ton of flexibility. Which in my mind, is the only way to justify the price.
Likes:
– Very modular pack that can be stripped down or beefed up as needs require
– The "brane" converts to a nice satchel for day-hikes and general day-use while traveling. Mine is large enough to hold a 750ml water bottle or nalgene, auqamira, wind shirt, sandwich, and sunscreen. Really love this feature.
– When the P&G stays are in this pack can really carry and feels much better at 45 pounds than most other packs do at 30 pounds.
– Standard hip-belt pockets are huge and combined with the tilted water bottle pockets ensure pretty much anything you need is in reach while on the trail.
– The dual hip-belt buckles really ensure a good fit and can be adjusted to different tensions (I know, I know, Dan you said not to do this).
Dislikes:
– I'd really like to have ordered mine with a lighter fabric than cordura but then the pack would have cost over $1,000 USD and that's just a bit much.
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