Pa'lante Pack

Ugh. Too bad I didn’t proofread more carefully. I wish I could edit my spelling in the first post.

Personally I was quite shocked by the price. A lot of money for not a lot of pack, but I could be wrong, off course.

My KS Ultralight KS50 is Xpac TX07. It’s light and very waterproof (seams aren’t sealed so I still use a packliner) but the biggest benefit it doesn’t seem to soak up water.

It dries really fast.

There’s an interesting breakdown on X-Pac on Bedrock and Paradox.

I pulled the trigger on one last night. Obviously haven’t gotten it yet, but will gladly post an initial assessment after I get it. I felt like it was a bit expensive too, but was happy to pay more in order to support them in their startup phase. I intend to use this pack for shorter overnight or weekend trips; but I would love for it to become my go-to pack for longer trips too.

Arne, thanks for the link.

Marcus, I’m looking forward to hearing your impressions. Did you get the shoulder strap pockets?

Yeah, Matt, I did get the shoulder pockets. I went with the 40L version too. I am a big guy, so everything of mine takes up just a little bit more space. My go-to pack right now is my ULA CDT, but my biggest complaint is those bottle cords on the shoulder straps. I love having my bottles there, but I feel like an ultralight pocket would be a better solution. That is one of the things I am looking forward to most on this Palante pack. Will definitely post my thoughts about it here once I get it.

The bottom pocket looks like an interesting idea for keeping stuff accessible, but at first sight it seems like it will wear badly when you put the pack down on the ground. Am I missing something?

Geoff,

Don’t think you’re missing anything, I’m pretty skeptical of the bottom pocket too. It’s a neat idea but placed where it is I expect it to quickly develop holes and fail. John Z (from Pa’lante Packs) responded to the question “Is the stretch mesh on the bottom the same as the back?” with:

The mesh is different. I used the same mesh on the bottom for much of the year but we ended up deciding to use a heavier super stretchy bottom mesh that is really similar to cycling shorts

It’ll be interesting to see the durability but I don’t have high hopes. Quote is from comment section on an instagram post found here: https://www.instagram.com/jawnzee/. You need to login to see comments.

I find I don’t put my Kumo on the ground at breaks because I’m not carrying much weight in it. When I do put the pack down, it’s usually on the front of the pack because it’s too narrow to stand up unless there is a rock/tree in just the right location.

A bottom pocket is probably a better idea on a pack like this than a fully loaded Catalyst with 12 days of food in the bear can.

Here’s an updated version of the post @arnel shared.

I think the fabrics selected are appropriate and a coherent match.  VX07 is quality stuff, but needs to be treated with some respect, just like the bottom stretch pocket.  Put snacks or layers in it and don’t drag it across rocks and it should last fine.

>200 dollars for a pack which only comes in one size is tough to justify, however.  Jardine’s theory that a beltless pack doesn’t benefit from variable torso sizing had I thought been thoroughly debunked.

Months ago I saw their prototype and asked one of the Pa’lante makers what mesh they were using. I wanted to use it for a shoulder strap project. The mesh then, was Quest.com’s 1209C heavy lycra mesh. It’s sturdy stuff, more so when doubled over. Current Pa’lante videos make it looked doubled up, so I would have no reservations about getting good use out of it.

The bottom pocket looks like an interesting idea for keeping stuff accessible, but at first sight it seems like it will wear badly when you put the pack down on the ground. Am I missing something?
If you put anything in the bottom pocket, I think you will be missing something fairly soon ….

The X-Pac fabric is very good stuff: I use it on my packs.

Cheers

Will they offer a Velcro closure on bottom pocket? So you are less concerned about loosing things on the go.

Have you received the pack yet?  Any thoughts on it?

I’m about ready to pull the trigger on one but would love to hear your thoughts first..

Same!

siempre pa’lante!

One last bump of this thread before I make my purchase. Has anyone received a pack yet? I’d love to hear some first impressions or reviews!

Damn. So sorry for be late to reply to this thread. Just been caught up in a bunch of other crap.

I have not taken the pack out on the trail yet, but here are my first impressions:

• I love the build quality. This thing feels like it is really going to hold up. The seams are well sewn, and the fabric choices are really stellar.
• It fits well, but for someone with long arms, it is going to be tough to reach those side pockets without taking it off. You can easily access the bottom pocket, and I love it.
• There seemed to be some concern about the bottom pocket, but my feeling is it is probably going to hold up quite well. I tend to be careful with all my equipment, and try to set my pack down in the dirt rather than on jagged rocks. The bottom pocket mesh is different than on the back of the pack, and it feels like it is a little bit more bomb proof. As part of my setup, I usually wear a fanny pack, where I keep my food and other items that need to be accessed without taking my pack off. This bottom pocket is a really nice innovation that will be great for stuffing jackets, hats or other stuff that you need semi-regularly. I am interested to see how it will hold up over time.
• Love the pockets on the straps. My go-to pack so far has been my ULA CDT, but my complaint has always been those rubber bands that hold the water bottle on the strap. When a bottle is full, it really shakes around with those rubber bands. The mesh stretch pockets on the Palante pack are just the solution I was looking for. I have only tried a smart bottle in it, but it seems to work really well.

I think this pack is a great option for people looking to go UL, but don’t expect it to be full of bells and whistles. This is a bare bones pack, but the bones it does have are good and well thought-out.

If you have any specific questions about the pack, fire away. I am happy to answer any of them.

Whoa! I’m surprised to hear the shoulder strap pockets hold a water bottle. I didn’t think they were that big. Are they removable? Is there a daisy chain underneath?

They are not removable, and no daisy chain beneath.

The other thing I forgot to mention is the lack of a hip belt. I am a big fan of the hip belt, as it keeps the pack from bouncing so much.

Thanks for your write-up, Marcus!  Just curious, does the 40 liter spec feel accurate?  How do you feel about the shoulder straps?  Pretty plush?  Is the sternum strap all elastic webbing, or is it a combo of static and elastic webbing?

Sorry for all the questions.  There’s just not much in terms of detail on their website.

I was pretty set on downsizing from a prophet to a burn (hard to fill a prophet all the time with a 7lb base weight) until I saw this pack.  Knowing how great MLD’s shoulder straps are, I’m nervous about leaving them behind.  Either way, going to give hip belt-less a serious try.  Thanks!

JupiterHikes has a review

Looks like they have closed up shop for the year.

Can’t order anything now.

The Colorado pack is interesting and strange. I can’t imagine wanting to access the main compartment of my pack from underneath but I don’t hike like John does.