Seek Outside Gila vs Flight Two

[Joey G]

I’m trying to understand the main difference of these packs and which is for me.

The both have a lot of similar features. Can some explain the difference to me?

[Greg Pehrson]

The Gila has an adjustable torso and a hipbelt bolted to the frame that can carry heavy weights–over 100 pounds. The Flight Two has an internal frame that does not connect to the hipbelt, so its max load is much lower, and it does not have an adjustable torso, but you can choose between 2 torso sizes.

The Flight 2 is 3700 cubic inches, the Gila is 3500 ci.

The Gila looks to be about 5 ounces heavier than the Flight 2 when both are made of Ultra. The Flight 2 only comes in Ultra fabric; the Gila has the option of Ultra or the less-expensive EPLX400 Ecopak.

I don’t own either of these packs but I’ve read a lot about them. There are some great threads on here about the Flight series. I don’t remember there being many threads about the Gila, but it uses the same frame system as the Divide and the Unaweep, and I know there are reviews of those on here.

Good luck with your search. Hopefully some owners of these packs will chime in.

[Murali C]

What Greg said. Also Gila platform lets you change bags to Divide or other bigger bags if you need it. Gila/Divide frames also do not have hip belt pockets. So that is additional cost. Whereas Flight 2 has pockets built in. More hip belt sizes available in Gila/Divide platform. Whereas only two sizes of belts available in Flight 2.

I think it all comes down to what your total weight is going to be. If your total weight is going to be below 30 lbs most of the time and sometimes go to 35lbs etc, then Flight 2 will be a good pack to have and probably HMG 3400 etc as well. If your total weight is going to be greater than 35 lbs most of the time and regularly carry 40 lbs, then I would say Gila or Divide is the way to go.

I created a sheet like this for the kinds of backpacking one normally does to see what kind of total weights I might have to carry. Maybe you need to create one such list….

[Joey G]

Would the main reason to get the flight if carrying under 35 lbs be because the weight is lower? In my mind, if the Gila can carry more wouldn’t that be the better pick if you happen to need it?

[Murali C]

If you read Flight 2 specs – it says 35-50 lb hauler followed by the following comment: Flight Series Packs vs. Revolution Frame Packs – judge by your frequent use.  If you often carry 35+ plus pounds or ever need to carry 50+, then a Revolution Frame pack is the best choice.  If you most often carry 20, sometimes carry 35, and may carry up to 50 occasionally then the Flight will serve you well.

I think people get too hung up on weights – that is just my opinion. And when you buy a Gila or Divide – you are buying a platform. So, say you decided to take your kids for backpacking and you wanted a bigger backpack after you bought Gila, then you have several choices as you can change bags (Divide or other bags) using the frame, hip belt you bought with Gila. You can attach all kinds of accessories to Gila – like frame extensions for heavier load carrying if you decided to become a hunter for a weekend. You can change hip belts. You can add lumbar pad etc. So yes, Gila would be a great platform that can grow with you and adapt to several different scenarios. But, adding all of this will increase the weight to 3 to 3.5 lbs.

Some backpackers just want a simple backpack which is what Flight is. It has hip belt pockets. You cannot change bags. You cannot chnage torso length. You can add tons of accessories like you can on Gila.

For me as my weight reduced, my Divide became too much of a bag – even though it would have worked at those lower weights. I wanted to take my backpack as carry on (which you could probably do with Gila/Divide).  I started moving to frameless which is what I have been using for the last 3 years.

It is really a journey I think. You will not go wrong with either pack. You can make 40 lbs work in a Flight 2 as long as it is for a day or 2 etc – or it just works for you. You will not know until you try it. So, either pack will work for you if your base weight is 10.5 lbs + backpack weight.

[Brad Rogers]

I’ve carried the Flight (prototype) and the Unaweep 4800 (which uses the same frame as the Gila) and the frame on the Gila is really unique and special and will allow you to carry as much weight as your legs can handle – It’s really best for loads over 30 pounds however and certainly feels a bit overkill at 25lbs.   The Flight is a more traditional ultralight framed pack and it carried well for me too, but without the frame directly attaching to the belt it’s abilities start to drop off around 30lbs, which is more than enough for most users of this forum.

The flight is narrower and it scrambles and climbs well – better than the lower, wider, Gila frame.  Both are great packs – The Gila is probably near the bottom of the volume spectrum for you to be able to take advantage of the frame’s carrying abilities, but if you need to carry 35-40+ pounds, I’m convinced their isn’t a better frame out there.

If your normal load is 25-30 and you occasionally have to carry 30-40, the flight should be fine.  If your normal load is 30-35 the Gila would be my pick.

[nunatak]

I’m a past owner of the old 3800 Unaweep and a Divide. Fantastic packs, great for winter, pack rafting, climbing missions. Sold them after I made my own big pack, which barely can match up to the legendary comfort of those two.

A year ago I got a second hand Flight One to see what’s going on. I sure hope there are fundamental upgrades to the Flight Two, because this is by far the least comfortable pack I’ve ever tried to come to terms with. From my experience the poor performance is all about the soft, velcro’ed on hipbelt with a very modest sized contact patch tasked with transferring the load from pack/frame to the hips. It is simply too big of a pack to have such an underdeveloped belt. Twenty pounds carry better in most of my feeble MYOG attempts – more than twenty is unacceptably bad.

For reference I’m a tall and slim male, and know how to fit packs.

[Murali C]

Hmm…..that seems harsh:-) I did not use Flight 1 that much – just one training hike and I returned it. I mean 20 lbs should be easy peasy in a frameless without hip belt. A pack with a frame and some hip belt should carry more you would think. I think the Gossamer Gear Mariposa had a similar arrangement before they fixed it to connect frame to hip belt. The usual complaint was that carrying beyond 30 lbs (or high 20’s) was difficult without the direct connection and people were asking for a direct connection which they did.

Flight has increased the height of frames to 23 and 25 inches from the 22 and 24 in Flight 1. Though I don’t think it has a direct connection.

[nunatak]

Well, it has a frame and a hipbelt, so the expectations are way different from a Pa’lante or similar UL setup.

With my Desert Pack I anticipate the long term shoulder load from the moment I put it on, unlike the comfort level I expect from a pack with all the bells and whistles.

But, hey, just one user’s feedback – it obv works for others.

[Steve H]

I almost bought the Flight 2 and even visited their shop to check it out.  Ended up going with the SMD Rugged LH.  They spec out the same but the SMD has much nicer shoulder straps and belt in MHO.  Good luck

[Scott H]

I had the flight one, just sold it to one of our fellow forum members.  I ordered a flight two a couple days ago.  I looked at the Gila as well but my preference is to keep my load under 30 pounds including food and water.  I liked the way the flight one carried, I wanted easier access to the bottle pockets as offered in the flight two.  I had even asked seek outside if they would alter my pack in their off season but they were not interested in that which I understood.  I considered other brands reviewed on here, I also had used several other packs over the years including Osprey and Fjallraven packs.  I really feel confident in the seek outside design for my high and low case scenario.  If I were going a long distance expedition pack I would like get a Gila.  But for my normal 4 day range trip in warm weather the flight series suits me really well.  Since getting my flight pack though for various reasons I have learned to compress and dial in my gear load tighter so this is a optimal pack for me, for almost all conditions i am going out in.

[BPLwiia]

I have the Gila (Ultra 400) and use it as my day pack and quick-overnight backpack. When I want to go for a weekend or will be carrying more weight (equipment, which is often), I remove the Gila and put on the Unaweep 6,300(X-21).

I’m surrendering a few ounces for a system that allows me to go from day pack to expedition pack. I’m sold on it.

 

[Kevin @ Seek Outside]

You have more options for fit and a platform on the Gila.

The Flight 2 , is more streamlined, and has hip belt pockets. Many people carry 40 -50 well with it (I am one). Although, our general recommendation is if you are going to be above 30 -35 a lot, the bigger packs have more benefit. Conceptually, there are a lot of similarities, and should feel similar , if you have a good fit. The Flight 2 ..can also be “reduced” to frameless and belt less if desired, though , personally, I simply don’t like frame less, above about 2K volume. I use one belt less, for day hikes , mountaineering often

[Josh J]

Hold on your telling me you can swap out the gila bag with a divide bag and a unaweep bag on the same frame? Basically you can go 3 bags on 1 frame?

[Murali C]

yes….

[Josh J]

Sweet! Now the question is how do you get the bags separately? Or at least say buy the gila and the divide separately?

[Murali C]

You can buy the bag separately from their website.

[Josh J]

Where? I’ve been all over their website and haven’t found them except the complete frame and bag

[Murali C]

Lightweight Backpacks-> Backpack Accessories -> Pack Bags only.

Note they have two suspensions….one is integraged (which is Gila/Divide/some forms of Unaweep) and Breakaway (hunting backpacks…Lanier, Peregrine etc etc). Just be make sure to match frame and the pack bag.

[Josh J]

Thanks!

[Alex Wallace]

I had a Flight One, liked it enough, but never really did push it to its weight carrying limits. I used it on a few 4-5 day long trips, w/ bear can, and it felt good. Probably never over ~30 lbs. though. I ended up selling it to my friend because he tried it on one of our trips and really liked it.

Flight Two comes out with the new Ultra400 and I couldn’t pass it up. I’ve only had it out on 2 trips so far, an overnight in the Sierra and a 3 day coastal winter trip. Again, I haven’t really tested the weight carrying capacity, but at ~25 lbs. it does fit & feel great. On my overnighter, I had a bit of class 2-3 scrambling and the taller frame (plus taller pack due to extra insulation and bear can) did interfere when I would lean my head back, which I didn’t like at all. Since that trip I did try the pack w/ less stuff packed, which is how it will be used in summer, and it didn’t interfere as bad when tilting my head up. Time will tell.

The pack is a bit more refined, including in the hip belt shape and attachment, but mostly the same. I want this pack to work because I’d like a pack that I can use on overnight to weeklong trips plus some pack rafting and family “pack mule” duty. On paper it works, but in the field, we’ll see. I really like the fabric, layout, quality, and carry. I do wish the hip belt was attached in a more confidence inspiring manner, but it seems to work for me.

[Charlie Brenneman]

Curious if you still have this pack and how do you feel about it? I’m curious if a BV475 can fit in the pack horizontally. The specs look like it should – at least in the middle – but the fact you describe it as tall makes me second guess that.

[Author]

Posts