MLD Packs “Lightweight Suspension Upgrade”

Now this looks like it would work.

With enough air pressure in the pad hopefully most of the pack's weight would be transferred to the hip belt. The only problem I see is the wispy hip belt, It may not be capable of comfortably accepting 85% of a 30 lb. load.

For now my plans are to get the Osprey EXOS 58. It is SO comfortable with a 30 lb. load in my 45 min. "store test" at my local REI.

I like mine but I have it on the Prophet and use it for weekend trips. 25 lbs is no issue.

The shoulder straps are excellent, by the way.

I just got back from a four day trip in the Cascades with my new Exodus with the lightweight suspension. My maximum weight was 26 lbs. and it carried great. I found the shoulder straps, load lifters, and waist belt all worked well. Just a gut feeling but I don't think I'd want to carry over 30 lbs. with this pack, a possibility if having to carry a lot of water.

I've had my upgraded Exodus for about a year now, and have taken it on a good number of trips, including a JMT thru. I am not sure how much weight I've carried in it (my max was on the JMT coming out of Yosemite Valley), but I would probably peg it at 28lbs or so. (I was 26 starting off the second half.)

With the heavier weights, the pack carried quite nicely, and definitely did a solid job of transferring to the hips. (It's worth noting that I probably need a smaller hipbelt, but even with the pack sliding down all the time it still carried well.) I had no issue getting a canister in there (BV500).

The upgrade definitely doesn't make it work/feel like a framed pack, but the combo of the back panel, load lifters, and cushy straps definitely makes for a nice package. In fact, the beefed up belt padding is probably overkill, IMO.

All in all, I really like the pack. I spent 2013 spending a lot of money on gear that I ended up not liking. In 2014, I was really happy with most of my kit, and this pack was one of the reasons.

I'm at least toying around with the idea of a PCT thru for 2015, and I will definitely be taking this pack with me if I go.

Like Dave, I have the Prophet with the suspension upgrade. It's my 4th MLD pack and I finally feel like I have the right one. I've previously owned an Exodus, Prophet and Burn, thankfully all bought on Gear Swap, and ultimately resold. The Exodus was never comfortable, even with custom load lifters. Without the other elements of the suspension upgrade kit, my back ached when loaded over 25lb. The Burn was too tight for anything but overnight trips in the Rockies, and I didn't care for the cylindrical shape – I felt like I had a giant sausage on my back.

The volume of the Prophet works best for my typical three season 3-4 day trips. The inflatable pad adds significant comfort and yet is thin enough that it doesn't take away from the usable space in the pack. I really like the sleeve, it's what was missing on my previous packs to hold a pad in place. The beefier shoulder straps and hipbelt are also fantastic. On the Prophet the load lifters seem like overkill, but on the Exodus I would imagine they round off the package.

Thanks. Does it seem like the Klymit pad is necessary for the pack to work, or have you tried using your own sleeping pad in its place?

The Klymit pad definitely adds a good bit of support to the pack, and without it, the Exodus just turns into any other frameless pack (albeit with really cushy padding and load lifters).

I have tried it without the Klymit with a minimalist pad in its place (1/8" GG thinlight folded ~4 times), and the difference was huge- I felt considerably more fatigued in the shoulders and just overall didn't seem to be getting the same support (because I wasn't). This would probably have been too little support for any meaningful weight, but I can say I was glad to put the Klymit back in when I got home.

That said, I think that some of the more robust "virtual frame" options like a burrito-style Ridgerest or a half-filled inflatable might get decently close. The Klymit is still a bit flexible even when filled to the max, so the increase in performance in using it over one of those options might be more slight. For the 3oz penalty, it's probably worth just keeping in, IMO.

FWIW, I ran into a guy on the JMT who was using the older FS version of the pack (similar, but with more minimal straps and a frame hoop of some kind to be used in connection with the Klymit) who had his Klymit pad fail. He said that the pack as a whole had gotten a lot less comfortable, both in terms of suspension, as well as feel on his back. (Obviously the second point is kind of a no-brainer, because he was getting stabbed in the back with a bear can.) I should also add that his pack had survived a PCT thru and a few other long hikes, so I don't want to raise any durability fears here.

I cannot coment on how it compares to the Arc Blast in terms of weight distribution, but I can in terms of breathability:

It can't come close to the Arc series in this regard, for obvious reasons. Not sure if that matters to you, but a cooler back is nice!

Yes, saving the 3 oz is one reason I asked, since I always carry a small foam pad for my dog. The other reason was for "what if the Klymit pad gets a leak?" (not too concerned about this though)

I can't imagine getting a hole in the pad. I think the fabric is pretty robust and feels like a 100D at least.

"I can't imagine getting a hole in the pad."
I agree, as long as the pad is kept inside the pack. From first hand experience I can say that once outside the pack it is not impervious to sharp thorns!

Indeed. But on the MLD pack upgrade, there is a dedicated pad sleeve inside the pack that is fully backed by fabric so it is protected quite well.

I feel pretty comfortable about the durability of the Klymit fabric (especially since it spends most of its time snugly wrapped in Dyneema, but I'm not 100% convinced of the valve area- I've had the various parts of the little "hose" thing that connects to the pump bulb (definitely worth carrying, IMO) pop off at various times, and even though I've been able to just put them back on without consequence, it does worry me a bit. I would say that this is probably the weak point, if anything.

Also, I forgot about this before, but since the 3oz weight of the pad came up, I should add that I definitely think it's necessary to carry the pump bulb (+1oz-ish) on any kind of long/longish trip. The inflation is definitely worth freshening up every now and again.

"But on the MLD pack upgrade, there is a dedicated pad sleeve inside the pack that is fully backed by fabric so it is protected quite well."
Yes, indeed, it was 100% user error.

Thanks William.

I'm gonna be hypocritical here:

I would worry about the pad failing and the pack carrying miserably while on a trip. I say I'm a hypocrite because I carry a NeoAir to sleep on!

I did not realize the bulb was needed. It's an interesting comparison for me:

ZPacks Arc Blast 60L: 17oz
MLD Prophet: 17 oz (23 oz with suspension upgrade, maybe add 1 oz bulb)
Old Gossamer Gear Gorilla: 26 oz
New 2014 Gossamer Gear Gorilla: 28.6 oz (estimated, size Medium)

Besides the additional livability features of the Gorilla (hipbelt pockets and small lid included), I'm not sure what the extra weight gets you.

Todd – it does come with a patch kit….; )

When Will Rietveld reviewed the EH Aduro SL (http://southwestultralight.blogspot.com/2013/03/first-impressions-elemental-horizons.html?m=1) he found that a framesheet made from corrugated plastic or closed cel foam, or a folded Nightlite pad, worked as well as the Airbeam – in that pack. Has anybody tried this with one of the MLD packs?

Patiently waiting for an upgraded Prophet pack…

Plan to experiment with both the included Klymit pad and one or two segments of a Z-Rest pad in the pad pocket. Curious how much of a difference it will make.

I think SMD had it right with their starlite pack suspension. A folding foam pad or partially inflated air mattress fits snugly into a zippered pocket that locks it into the pack structure. Too bad they don't make it anymore and no one seems to use that design.

Yes, I think the zippered pad pocket was a good idea too. My first UL pack was an SMD Swift and its zippered pad pocket was one of my favorite features. MLD's design seems to be a different take on this.

I'm now thinking of buying a Granite Gear Virga 2 (19oz, $140) and sewing in a zippered pad pocket

The pad pocket with MLD has a top flap that secures. The pad does not move at all once secured because it is fully enclosed in the pocket.

Have either of you actually used the pack?

I'm looking at the Exodus with suspension upgrade for my next pack. Information and experiences shared on this thread have been tremendously helpful.

I will say that my current Prophet sans suspension upgrade transfers weight reasonably well when my Pro Lite 3/4 length pad is folded against my back and I blow a puff or two of air into it.