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Backpack recommendations please
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Feb 15, 2017 at 3:11 pm #3450644
First post/ editability
Feb 15, 2017 at 3:13 pm #3450645What are some good 50-60 liter backpacks with thick comfortable shoulder straps and a well executed frame? I’d like to own one backpack that carries well with and without a hipbelt. Big bonus if there’s a removable hipbelt, adjustable height frame, or removable frame. Durability is also very important to me.
The SMD Fusion and Exped Lightning haven’t fit the roll, despite excellent load transfer with hipbelt, as the shoulder straps are thin and use strange (but adjustable) attachment systems.
My 2014 Gossamer Gear Mariposa sagged too much when trying to carry heavy loads on the hips.
Any help is appreciated.
Feb 15, 2017 at 3:51 pm #3450655Sounds to me like you need two different packs. Â One pack would be a big hefty load hauler. Â The other would be your frameless pack with removeable (or no) hipbelt.
Feb 15, 2017 at 4:28 pm #3450663Thanks, Ben. You’re probably right that  separate packs will work out best and I’ve been looking at a frameless pack to supplement the Lightning. My problem is that I find it comfortable to switch the weight between hipbelt and shoulders on long outings where I consume most of my pack weight. I even like to switch the weight for an hour or so per day while my pack is heavy.
Feb 15, 2017 at 5:03 pm #3450673Gossamer Gear changed the Mariposa and Gorilla in Spring of 2016 to make the hip belt sturdier and improve weight transfer. The 2016 models featured a direct connection between the internal stay of the pack and back of hip belt for direct transfer of weight from the pack to the hips. Stiffeners were also added into the hip belts to stiffen them and allow them to hold the weight without sagging. Both pack’s have removable hip belts and the Gorilla has plenty of padding on the shoulder straps.
Feb 16, 2017 at 2:33 pm #3450815Thank you, Lester. I’ll have to keep Gossamer Gear in mind.
My experience with the Mariposa was pretty sour but it might have been exacerbated by a so-so fit in medium (and trying to carry 12 beers.) As a grown man it’s hard to come to terms with needing a size small backpack. :).
More suggestions welcomed.
Feb 16, 2017 at 3:51 pm #3450828What loads are you trying to carry? If you want to carry the load on your shoulders for an hour, why not just loosen the hipbelt and leave it on?
Most ULA packs have removable hipbelts and frames.
Granite Gear packs usually have removable hipbelts and frames. A couple also have adjustable height frames (Blaze AC 60 or Nimbus Trace Access).
The Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor has a removable hipbelt and frame. Not much info on how well it carries yet
Feb 17, 2017 at 1:50 am #3450963I tend to carry a lot of water and that keeps me around 30 pounds  or higher. Up to this point I am just loosening the hipbelt and dealing with discomfort. The Exped harness and shoulder straps aren’t well suited, neither was the SMD. My issue isn’t back or shoulder pain, the straps dig into me too much if the packs are heavy. I overlooked this when I bought ’em.
Maybe I’ll see if I can get a ULA pack on sale.
Feb 17, 2017 at 7:57 am #3450985Why are you loosening the hipbelt if you are carrying 30lbs? Â I would want the frame to put all the weight on my hips at that weight.
Feb 17, 2017 at 9:08 am #3451005I carried a ULA Circuit on an AT thru hike.  While it was OK at around 25-27 lbs, I would not recommend it for any more.  I ditched the single aluminum stay halfway though because it kept trying to come out it’s nylon sheath, stabbing me in the lower back (full disclosure – it was a seven year old Circuit and improvements may have been made).  The hip belt on my circuit, while praised by many, would not take much weight, stay or no stay.  Maybe it’s because I’m thin-hipped, but the slick nylon on the interior of the ULA hipbelts would not grab at all.  The hip belt would slide down to my butt, or until my shoulder straps stopped the descent.  I ended up carrying about 80% of my pack’s weight on my shoulders for the duration of the trip.  I was constantly tightening the hip belt.  I seriously considered ditching it for n Osprey Exos, but after the halfway point I just kept with it.
It sounds like an external frame pack might be what you are looking for with +30 weights.
Feb 17, 2017 at 11:28 am #3451047I “think” the frame and hipbelt could be removed from the Seek Outside Divide and it still be used with the shoulder harness if you really wanted to. Â It’s been a while since I swapped bags on mine so I am trying to remember how it was all attached – perhaps someone from SO could chime in. Â The shoulder strap harness is well padded (more so than HMG or exped).
With the frame and hipbelt it will carry 30 lbs like a dream. It’s frame can keep all the weight off your shoulders.
Feb 17, 2017 at 11:41 am #3451053On the Seek Outside Divide, the webbing to adjust the shoulder straps is sewn onto the hipbelt.
I used to own a ULA Circuit and have tried on some Granite Gear packs. I did not like the shoulder straps on the ULA very much, but others do. I remember the Granite Gear packs having nice shoulder straps and hipbelts. I think a large portion of shoulder strap comfort is how good the fit is for you. The shoulder straps on my Katabatic Artemis are fairly thin and flexible, but their cut is perfect for me, so more comfortable than thicker shoulder straps
Feb 17, 2017 at 5:30 pm #3451135Thanks again for the replies, a lot to think about. I’m thinking of adding some shoulder padding onto my current bag. Without a hipbelt, the centralized harness still seems to make a load more prone to swing side to side than shoulder straps sewn right to the bag. I can live with that as long as my shoulders and armpits don’t get gouged as they have in the past.
I’m pretty unscientific and no longer have a scale so I could be wrong about the 30 pounds, maybe more like 25 when I start to unbuckle the hipbelt off and on. Part of the reason is my belly makes tight hipbelts awkward. I have a pretty strong back so shoulder carry is more comfortable sometimes, at least intermittently.
Edit
Evan, thanks for the suggestion below. If I can make something by hand I might go for the Zpacks offering.
Feb 17, 2017 at 7:59 pm #3451160AnonymousInactiveZPacks makes shoulder pads they say will fit over most shoulder straps.
Feb 21, 2017 at 12:12 pm #3451798Check out the Hanchor Marl. It’s sorta like a beefed up a HMG Windrider. The Marl is rated at 42L but seems decently bigger than that if you use the roll top capacity. I’d say it’s more like a 42L + 10L, so a great size for general lightweight use.
Compared to the Windrider, it weighs about 200g more ( total weight is 1050g or 2.3 lbs). For this, you get a lot of added stuff: tougher face fabric (210D vs 50D), load lifters, horizontal frame stay, daisy chains for lashing on extras, a bottom design that stands up, and waterproof fabric for the hipbelt pockets.
It’s also quite affordable given the low value of the Taiwan currency (price works out to $259 US) and the construction quality is excellent. Despite being from Taiwan, it’s perhaps the best sewn piece of gear item I’ve ever had.
I purchased one recently and am very impressed, as were these Whiskey Jacks:
Feb 21, 2017 at 9:45 pm #3451925AnonymousInactiveDan,
What are the dimensions of the pack bag on the Marl and Marble packs?
Feb 21, 2017 at 9:52 pm #3451926Check out Elemental Designs and ZimmerBuilt.
Feb 21, 2017 at 11:57 pm #3451937Evan,
Crudely measured, I get 10.5″ wide and 6.5/7.5″ deep (bottom/top) for a circumference of 34/36″Â (bottom/top). Height is ~23″ for the main compartment and then another 12″ of roll top.
Compared to the Windrider, those Marl specs are very close to the 3400. The 3400 pack is slightly smaller at the bottom (33.5″ vs. 34″), same back width (10.5″), a bit wider at the top (40″ vs 36″) and virtually the same in height (34″ vs 35″).
So if you compare the Marl to the Windrider 3400 (which is basically the same volume) in the tougher black fabric, the Marl is ~100g heavier (1050 vs 950g) but gives load lifters, even tougher fabric (210D vs 150D), daisy chains, horizontal frame stay, waterproof hipbelt pockets, better roll top stiffener, better sewing and a lower price ($260 vs $330 USD). I also think the outer mesh pockets work better – particularly for tall water bottles.
I also like XPac VX21 better than hybrid cuben. The dyneema strands in hybrid cuben don’t really add anything because abrasion kills packs, not outright tear strength, and if you do damage hybrid cuben you end up battling with those fuzzy strands everywhere.
I do wish Hanchor would come out with a lighter 700-900g version, as right now there’s a huge weight gap between their SUL packs (e.g. ASH27) and the Marl. Maybe VX07, smaller gauge webbing etc, would do the trick. The Marl weight is all well spent, it’s still a big jump from my previous mid-sized pack (ULA Ohm).
I don’t have the Marble with me to measure, but I think the Marl is a more coherent pack for lightweight backpacking. The external pocket are better suited and the Marble is overkill in the volume compartment for most trips. Even in the winter I hardly fill it. Per the Hanchor site, the Marble is about 40″ in circumference and similar in volume to the Windrider 4400.
Feb 22, 2017 at 8:10 am #3451965AnonymousInactiveDan,
Thanks for all the info on these packs. They look similar to the Superior Wilderness Designs Long Haul packs Phillip recently reviewed on Sectionhiker.  Both packs are similar to the HMG packs but with better material, load lifters, and less expensive.
Feb 22, 2017 at 9:22 am #3451978Dan the photo of those Whisky Jacks/Grey Jays/Canadian Jays made my day. I’m very partial to Jays – very intelligent and social with big personalities – our local varieties are the Western Scrub Jay and Steller’s Jay – and I seek the local variety wherever I travel (just saw the Eurasian Jay, white version with gray, black and blue accents). When I looked Whisky Jacks up there were a ton of photos of them eating from people’s hands – is that a thing?
The Marl looks like a fantastic pack, love the materials, volume, build quality, etc. and looking forward to trying it out. You’re right they could bring a similar volume pack in a little lighter. I’d also like to see Hanchor offer a larger pack in the size range of the Marble but with the external features of the Marl. The Marble pockets just look inconvenient.
The Superior Wilderness Designs Long Haul 50 that Phil at Sectionhiker reviewed looks nice and is lighter but takes many shortcuts I wouldn’t want, such as far less durable cords and straps. If they were to beef those up it would be more like the Marl and closer in weight.
Feb 22, 2017 at 12:05 pm #3452022“They look similar to the Superior Wilderness Designs Long Haul packs Phillip recently reviewed on Sectionhiker.”
Thanks for the info on the Superior packs. I hadn’t seen those before. Based on a quick browse of their site, the Long Haul is indeed similar. The design looks a bit more rudimentary and it uses lighter materials, which fills a good niche. Similar to the Long Haul, Hanchor could shed 4-5oz off the Marl by switching to VX07, using thinner webbing and ditching the horizontal stay, but there would be performance losses as well. It’s good both options exist. I’ll try to post up a good “First Impressions” thread for the Marl once I get more usage on it. It’s got some neat features that aren’t that apparent at first.
“I’d also like to see Hanchor offer a larger pack in the size range of the Marble but with the external features of the Marl. The Marble pockets just look inconvenient.”
The side pockets on the Marble work reasonably well, but I do like the mesh better. The biggest con to the Marble side pockets is the overlapping side compression strap, which can interfere if it’s not loose enough.I like the Marble’s rear pocket, but also miss having a mesh rear pocket. An enclosed, waterproof and handy pocket is a great spot to store dry clothes you might use and keep small items dry like maps, books etc, but it is quite large and I miss the benefits of mesh, like easily being able to see what’s there, quick access without a zipper and drying wet gear. There are benefits to both, and having both would be nice (but heavy). Overall I do prefer the Mesh though. If the Marl sells then maybe Hanchor will make a lighter version and a larger version.
“The photo of those Whisky Jacks/Grey Jays/Canadian Jays made my day….When I looked Whisky Jacks up there were a ton of photos of them eating from people’s hands – is that a thing?”
Yeah they are quite bold birds and this is only reinforced as more people feed them. As soon as you pull out food, they come from everywhere. They’ll land on your hand pretty easily. I put a little piece of bread on the pack to get these shots:
Feb 22, 2017 at 12:16 pm #3452028Dan, beautiful shots. What are you shooting with?
DC, another pack you might consider is the Granite Gear Crown 2. I have not handled one yet, but the interesting thing is that, just like with the original Crown 60, you can remove the plastic back support from its pocket and replace it with a lighter, stronger U-shape stay from Gossamer Gear or anyone else who offers them. They fit well in the pocket.
http://sectionhiker.com/granite-gear-crown-2-60l-backpack-review/
http://gossamergear.com/aluminum-curved-stay.html
One thing I found you had to look out for on the original Crown was the placement of the shoulder strap attachment points – I found quite a bit of variation in width/height on same-size packs at my local REI, so you had to try a few to get the best fit. Maybe that’s been resolved on the Crown 2.
Feb 22, 2017 at 1:32 pm #3452045I’m not shooting with anything great – just a Nikon AW100. Key is just taking a lot of photos and having some work. Might buy a Panasonic ZS100 soon. but don’t know if I trust myself to keep it dry.
Feb 22, 2017 at 4:14 pm #3452082<div>I’d check out Elemental Designs packs. That’s what I was going to buy until I got a good deal on an HMG porter. It’s been working out well for me with light to heavy bulky loads.</div>
<div></div>
You might like a Seek Outside pack, they have a ton of positive reviews. I really wanted to like my Seek Outside pack. Their packs are made in the US, cottage business, the load transfer is great, and I really liked the hip belt. Unfortunately I didn’t have a good experience with my Seek Outside Pack. After going on a couple of light conditioning hikes with about forty pounds in the pack the stitching started coming undone on part of the frame. I contacted them and eventually a replacement part was sent out. A brief time later more stitching starting coming out in a couple of different spots on the frame and on the mesh part of the talon. Eventually Seek Outside sent me another frame. I paid a lot of money for the pack and was super disappointed having to constantly replace parts on a brand new pack. I was also getting annoyed by various problems I was having adjusting the pack, especially things coming loose. I eventually just got fed up with the whole thing and sold the pack.Feb 22, 2017 at 11:14 pm #3452182“The photo of those Whisky Jacks/Grey Jays/Canadian Jays made my day….When I looked Whisky Jacks up there were a ton of photos of them eating from people’s hands – is that a thing?”
Yeah they are quite bold birds and this is only reinforced as more people feed them. As soon as you pull out food, they come from everywhere. They’ll land on your hand pretty easily. I put a little piece of bread on the pack to get these shots:
*****
It’s a thing that shouldn’t be a thing. They’re supposed to be eating ticks (or something like that) off of some other animal. It’s fun and exciting, but don’t do it.
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