So I went from having too many packs to only having one right now. A Seek Outside 4800. It’s great for heavy load hauling and high volumes, and it cinches up tight enough that I can use it as a small volume pack. It is still tall and heavy though relative to a lot of the ultralight packs out there. So I’ve been looking at getting a 40 liter pack. I’m picky about gear and have mostly been looking for XPAC bags with well thought out frames and hipbelts. The main contenders were the Durston Drop 40 the SWD packs and the Hanchor Marl. The Marl “tracks” and hipbelt looks a bit more functional than the other two packs and I like the daisy chains found on the Marl (and also the Durston Pack). I love everything about the Marl and was all set to pull the trigger. The only issue is I have a 21″ torso which would put me at an XL frame. The XL frame is actually 27″ which makes it the same size as my SO pack essentially. Therefore I’m saving some weight but not getting many other benefits of a smaller pack. I couldn’t make it work as a carry on bag. It won’t sit any smaller on me than the cinched tight SO for bushwhacking. So I am in a holding pattern right now. Does anyone have experience with the XL Marls and perhaps photos of it rolled down tight? Does anyone have suggestions of other packs to consider? Thanks for any help.
