Mountainsmith Zerk 40L Fastpack Review (First Looks)

[Andrew Marshall]

Companion forum thread to: Mountainsmith Zerk 40L Fastpack Review (First Looks)

This review of the Zerk 40L Fastpack provides a first look at Mountainsmith’s new ultralight backpack aimed at thru-hikers.

[bjc]

Good description of the pack’s features. Jabba’s intent was to create a pack you could keep on all day while accessing what you needed. Sounds like he and Mountainsmith did that. One note, the GG Crown2 38l hipbelt is removable. I use it that way quite often.

[Andrew Marshall]

@BJC Noted and corrected RE the Crown2’s hipbelt. How do you like Crown2? I was a longtime Blaze AC60 user. Loved that pack.

[Matt]

Does the 28 oz. weight concern anyone if the belt is non-load bearing, or is that within acceptable limits?

[Barry Cuthbert]

Interesting pack, seems to have traded extra weight for extra functionality and efficiency.

Can the foam back panel be pulled out and used as part of a sleeping arrangement?

Does the 28 oz. weight concern anyone if the belt is non-load bearing, or is that within acceptable limits?

I don’t think the empty weight of the pack would be the concern, the total weight of the pack when full would be the issue with a non-load bearing waist belt, and the maximum weight that’s comfortable depends on the person.

[Sam Farrington]

Although much of the packs on BPL are roll-tops, and obviously popular, there are going to be seams at locations all over the pack, including the bottom which often receives the most abrasion and immersion. So if all your seams are well sealed inside, and your BPL kit has been honed to a set volume, and you carry your sealed food outside the pack (on top) in an Ursack with an odor barrier liner, what is the point with the extra weight and inconvenience of a roll top.

Do folks doubt that a water resistant zipper covered by a WP flap near the top of the pack will keep out rainstorms? Always has for me, but maybe am missing something.

[Lester Moore]

Good review of an interesting fastpack. The wider shoulder straps look very useful for quite a lot of pocket storage and likely don’t add much to the weight versus conventional width shoulder straps. And the removable bear can webbing is a nice feature. The cushy frame sheet sounds very comfortable and the weight is not too far off from other popular 30 lbs max framed packs.

what is the point with the extra weight and inconvenience of a roll top

A roll top is not particularly heavy and it is convenient in some ways, but as with most things YMMV. Zippers add weight too, and they add another commonly breakable item to the backpack (the zipper). Zippers also add a little to the complexity of making the backpack. And if there is a high risk of total pack immersion (i.e. canyoneering and pack rafting), then a roll top combined with seam sealing provides the most redundancy in preventing moisture ingress. As for extra seams, not sure why a roll top would have more than a zippered or cinch top pack – the bottom and sides of the pack can be sewn identically regardless of the top closure design.

[Jesus l]

@andrewsmarshall

How has the pack held up?  Is the stitching for the shoulder strap pocket still chugging along?

[Author]

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