Sorensen Massdrop Pack

I can’t think of a more interesting pack for $50. I might pick one up just to see how a chest harness fastpack works for me. Bummer they don’t show up until next March. I suppose March 2019 Matthew will be happy that August 2018 Matthew bought him a neat new pack…

If only March 2019 Matthew could send back winning lottery numbers to August 2018 Matthew . . . .

Best wishes Aaron. Count me in.

“If only March 2019 Matthew could send back winning lottery numbers to August 2018 Matthew . . . .”

Wouldn’t matter, he’d inadvertently delete the email…. :-)

So, BPL still pre-screens Aaron’s posts??!?

Sad.

Killing your best free content, Ryan.

Edit: this will be my first massdrop purchase

Aaron,
Can you clarify the sizing. How large does the med/L model adjust to around the chest?

Certainly interesting at that price point.

Weight looks great.

A little more front storage is what I’d ask for, if I were getting greedy.

Nice work, Aaron.

$50 is a great deal on that pack. I don’t need another running pack – I’ve got 3. Or maybe I do….

Ryan

How different would this be from the UD fastpack 20?  Is there anything meaningfully different that would change the performance when running with 10lbs?

It looks like it has a little more rib strap so that might help but still has the clip to connect the harness to the pack at the bottom unlike say the Bawkin 3.0 which is sewn.

I already own a UD 20 so don’t really need this pack and would love a low cost 12-14L version but the value this pack offers looks really good

I’ve never tried on this type of pack. Assuming I’m not running (because my tendons won’t let me), is this an improvement over a pack of similar specs with just regular shoulder straps and no hip belt?

The pockets on the shoulder straps are nice for both runners and non-runners. It’s a good way to keep more items at hand and thus less need to stop and take your pack off.

It seems to me that the bottom pocket offers lots of accessible storage for food, gloves, etc. diminishing the need for tons of storage up front. Individual preferences vary but I do not like the feeling of a “crowded cockpit” and many running vests seem cluttered up front.

I’ve never tried on this type of pack. Assuming I’m not running (because my tendons won’t let me), is this an improvement over a pack of similar specs with just regular shoulder straps and no hip belt?

I have a ZPacks Zero with no waist belt, which is basically a sack with shoulder straps attached to it. I also have a handful of packs similar to Aaron’s (UD FP20, FP25 and FP30).

I find that the Zero works great on trail, but not as great off-trail, due to the way it can swing and alter my CG during heroic talus leaps (note that this could probably be fixed by a <1 oz waist strap; I haven’t tried, due to the lack of front storage on the Zero–more on that below.)

So, I take one of the FP options if I am either a) going to be doing any running, or b) going to be off-trail.

The situation where I’d consider the zero–on trail, multi-day fastpacking–hasn’t come up in the last couple years. I might take the zero, but I have to rig my own front storage on it, which ends up being kind of kludged together. In that case, I might just the pay the small weight penalty (few oz) and go with an UD (or Aaron’s) pack.

It seems to me that the bottom pocket offers lots of accessible storage for food, gloves, etc. diminishing the need for tons of storage up front. Individual preferences vary but I do not like the feeling of a “crowded cockpit” and many running vests seem cluttered up front.

I’ve never tried a pocket like that, so I can’t comment based on experience. It will be a blind pocket that you can’t see. I can see shoving one or two things in, but not lots of little things–fishing them out might be a pain. I’d probably just stuff trash in it, and after you stuff one piece of trash in, getting anything out that isn’t that piece of trash might be a pain.

I’m speculating mostly, because again, I haven’t tried a pocket like that before.

So, two bottle holders + that is still not the front storage I tend to like on multi-night trips: Snacks, phone, water, water treatment (if not integrated into the water bottle), camera, maps, sunblock, hand sanitizer, chapstick… in a perfect word, Delorme Mini and pole storage, too.

Interesting.  I prefer no waist belt when my load is under 20 pounds (but hesitate to cut them off of packs that have them).  And the more vest-like shoulder straps are intriguing. The best-equipped carpenters, police officers, and backpackers keep their most used items handy and spend less time packing-unpacking everything.

There seems to be a typo, “1cm HDPE sheet backed to 1cm 5lb EVA foam” because I doubt it’s 1 centimeter of HDPE.  ***1 mm*** of HDPE bonded to 1 cm of foam would create sort of a “foam-core” construction that would be much stiffer/weight and more impact resistant than the foam alone.

I think the bottom pocket and front pockets serve different purposes. The nice thing with a bottom pocket is that it can accommodate items too large to fit in most pockets. Things like maps, windshirts etc. You only want to put larger stuff here so it’s easy to find. Then the front pockets handle the smaller stuff like bars, sunglasses, sunscreen etc. I think a bottom pocket is great, but comes at the expense of durability.

I like hipbelts are pretty much every pack even if it’s not for load carrying. It just like the pack to not move around when I bend over to tie my shoes or am jumping talus. But the double sternum straps on this might do well enough.

Is Aaron able to reply to this thread?

Aaron has been very active on the MassDrop discussion.  If you have a question for him you should ask it there.

^^ thanks. I have his email as well.

Is Aaron able to reply to this thread?

Aaron is a member and can post on the forums at BPL, except when I accidentally delete his posts.

Looking forward to Aaron’s posts getting into the details instead of being bombarded with sizing questions like over on Massdrop.

How do people feel about reflective bits on clothes and packs? I see this pack has a bit. Is that a plus or a minus for you?

How do people feel about reflective bits on clothes and packs? I see this pack has a bit. Is that a plus or a minus for you?

Slight positive. I prefer to be seen rather than not seen.

My days of wearing camo are over (as are my days of being ineligible for VA loans).

Kind of wish he would’ve put SORENSEN in big reflective block letters down the back. That would’ve earned a hearty chuckle from me.

“Kind of wish he would’ve put SORENSEN in big reflective block letters down the back. That would’ve earned a hearty chuckle from me.”

Lol. Sounds like an easy update for V2.

Ryan

Looks good – I am in as well.

Congratulations Aaron on 200 packs sold so far!