Tell me about your Kumo

[dirtbag]

I have tried so many different backpacks over the years from various companies and cottage industries.  My go to 3 season pack for the last 4 years or so is Gossamer Gear Murmur Hyperlight, and finally after some winter trekking and a few packs I have settled down with yet another Gossamer Gear pack, the Mariposa. I love the features of these packs, they carry well for me and my gear and they happen to be outright comfortable while hiking. My son has used a few different packs also and last winter and this winter I had him carry all his gear, minus cookset and food, in the Murmur. He is 13 and the pack is a wee bit big for him, but it works and he is comfortable and he can hike in the snow with it and do some scrambling also.  He is growing quickly too, so now I’m going to buy another pack. I am looking at the Kumo.. Thinking I can try that and he can keep using the Murmur. Of course for winter I will stick with the Mariposa, but 3 seasons maybe I try the Kumo instead of the new style Murmur. So for all of you who have tried the Kumo, loved it or hated it.. And all of you who currently pack with a Kumo, loving it or hating it.. Please do tell your thoughts and opinions. Thanks..

[Matthew / BPL]

I like the Kumo’s size and exterior pockets. It’s slightly wider and less deep front to back than many other frameless packs, which feels stable and improves CG. I think I had the 2016 version (shoulder straps didn’t fit me well) and still have the 2017 which moved the shoulder straps to a better location for me.

I’m not crazy about the materials. The plastic parts all feel soft and rubbery to me compared to the higher quality hardware that MLD/ULA/Zimmer use. I’m don’t like the fabric choices as much as what those guys use. I prefer a pack made in the USA by someone who can customize.

I prefer a drawstring closure over their weird fold/clip/cinch system.

I don’t use mine any more. My son loves it so it’s his now.

My vote is for a ULA CDT (durable, cheap, customizable, excellent fit options, amazing service) or MLD Prophet (very comfortable shoulder straps). I loooooove my Zimmer Pika’s shoulder straps but the pack does not have sufficient volume for me on a longer trip.

[Paul Leavitt]

I’ve been using the Kumo for 2 years on short trips 3-4 days.  It carries well at around 20 pounds for me.   Like the wide shoulder straps.   The waist belt is minimal but works great.  If I have to Carry 25 # for a day or two it would be ok.   It’s perfect for weekend trips

My gear for tarp / bivy camping fits well.  3 season.  Used it for a couple trips with Zpacks solplex. Gear fit but was tight.  That was the beartooths in Montana at 10-11000 ft  highs 50f Lows 33 F so had more clothes and fishing gear

I’ve done some off trail scrambles on sharp granite.  Rear pocket shows some wear but no holes.    I don’t abuse my gear but this is a pretty durable pack.

Happy hiking

Paul Leavitt

[Rick M]

I have an original black Kumo and newish Murmurs so the differences with the Murmur are more distinct for me compared to the current Kumo. No matter as I still prefer the Murmur mainly because of its roll-top closure vs. the over-the-top Kumo lid and its narrower throat opening. Both packs now use the exact same hip belt attachment clips that will eventually tear out if you overload the pack. The Kumo has more padding in the should straps so will be a little more comfortable near its weight limit but both have exactly the same torso size now so no difference in fit. My original Kumo came in 3 torso sizes so its Large torso fits me better. I also find the additional trekking pole attachments more useful than the single ice axe loop on the Kumo.

[James Marco]

For 3 season stuff, I use three packs mostly. The old 2012 Murmur (a stripped down version of the Kumo,) a newer 2013 Murmur, and an old 2006 MiniPosa. Until one of these finally dies, I think I will stick with them.

As you can tell, I believe all are durable enough. I would guess about 600-700 nights out between them. They all needed minor repairs. Usually mesh or the bottoms of the packs. The wast belts are certainly quite weak in the newer models. I replaced the removable or adjustable siamese clips. I added an extra 1.5″ of belt length to the pack for a longer, more durable seam, then stitched it solidly to the pack. Like the shoulder straps, I do enough BPing I don’t need much padding on either, maybe an 1/8″ on the shoulders.

Since I use mostly low volume gear (or things that compress down to very small volumes,) I find that weight is the biggest limitation. The MiniPosa at about 15oz carries about 35pounds easily. I use this for three week outings where spare batteries, extra fuel, and 20pounds of food are needed.
For 2 week outings, I like the older 2012 Murmur (much like the Kumo.) But it is far lighter at 13oz than the current Kumo’s 21oz. It easily handles the 25pounds needed for these trips.
For shorter, week long trips, the newer 2013 Murmur at 12oz works well. All take the same CCF pad, a big plus. The new Murmur series (>2016) with a 6″ body depth, is likely much better than my older ones at 4.5″. The 2019 Kumo remains at 4.5″.

I only use a single MYOG trekking pole, at around 4oz. So, all the plastic do-dads were removed. Same with compression straps, and, gear attachment loops. All were cut off.

Anyway, the Kumo’s front pouch is odd in the sense it is slanted. I much prefer a straight one for socks when I am hiking. I really like the over the top closure. I stick my rain jacket and fleece under there when I am hiking. Keeps stuff sort of dry. And, they are real handy when needed. Overloaded, though, the over the top closure tends to barrel the pack into your back. There isn’t really any need to overload it on a two week trip with no resupplies, or, a thru hike where you can resupply on a weekly basis.

[Dennis P]

I have the new version, purchased last fall.  I love this pack. The shoulder strap mesh pockets are perfectly sized for my phone, and the belt pockets are large enough to actually hold bars, etc., unlike my older Murmurs belt pockets. My Tarptent Norch Li fits nice and snug in one of the outside water bottle pockets, leaving ample room inside. With my base weight of 10 to 12 pounds depending on expected temperatures, it handles total weight of around 18 to 20 pounds just fine. I have no problem with the slanted front pocket, as it is huge anyway. I’ve used Palante V2 and The Burn, and this carries better than either one, although you won’t get so many thumbs up from the “cool kids” on trail. The only possible downside would be if you do a lot of bushwhacking (I don’t) you may want an HMG or some such.  Good folks, good pack, good price. You will be happy.

[dirtbag]

Sold! Just pulled the trigger on the Kumo. I will continue to use my Murmur as I do love it so much, but when my son comes with me he can use it and I will try the Kumo..

[Dennis P]

Glad to hear it, Dirtbag. BTW, I like to hike alone, like to hike with others, but the best of all is with my son. Hope the two of you enjoy your packs.

[dirtbag]

So I got the Kumo yesterday. I’m probably gonna pack it up and take it out next weekend in the Catskills. My initial impressions are exactly what I expected. I removed the waist belt as I never use them on any of my packs and I switched out the back sit pad with Gossamer Gears air lite sit pad. With that being done.. I’m loving it so far.  The shoulder pockets are exactly what I have always wanted on all of my packs. Just perfect for my cell phone and my Garmin In reach explorer + . The shoulder straps are definitely thicker and more padded then the Murmur.. So I shall see how I like them after a few trips. (I love the Murmur shoulder straps, no complaints at all). The back mesh seems perfect.. Do people really piss n moan about the ever so slight slant of it?? It seems just fine to me and hardly even a factor.. Again, I guess that’s something I will judge after a few trips with it, but seeing it now I would say it is a non factor for me, I like it. The material is fine.. Pack, pockets and mesh.. Seems like usual good quality i always get from Gossamer Gear. I am loving the over the top closure lid!! Another reason I was drawn to the Kumo over the newer Murmur. My old Murmur has the over the top  closure which I used all the time .. Lightweight shirt or jacket wedged under there without having to open and close the pack.. I personally like it and use it. A big plus for the zipper pocket.. Like on the Mariposa, no not really for storage, but it’s perfect for maps, handwarmers, liner gloves, fleece hat.. Little things like that. I love the side bottle pockets, great size and I believe it should be easy to reach and replace my water bottle without removing the pack..like my Murmur and Mariposa.. I shall see when I use it next weekend. I like the side straps.. I guess just extra holding enforcement on the sides of needed.. My chair?? My tarp?? I’ll figure that out when I pack up.. Air/dry out some socks while hiking?? Shall see but I’m pretty sure they will come in handy at one point or another. Then 36 liters is definitely plenty for my needs, as is my Murmur, so no concern there at all. Pretty much I will just have to see how it carries my gear but in relation to my Murmur and Mariposa, my Quiksak and my Minimalist, I am guessing it will be just as comfortable and I will easily fall in love with the Kumo. I will update any thoughts and comments after I use it on the trails.. Thanks again everyone who commented and specially thanks to Gossamer Gear!!

 

[Matthew / BPL]

I’ve always liked the slanted pocket. I have smaller things and larger things that I put in the pocket. I also have things that I want more secure or more accessible. The slanted pocket seems to accommodates all of this really well.

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

I’ve always had a sort of love-hate relationship with Gossamer Gear packs. They’re good packs, made well. The padding in the back thing doesn’t seem to work very well if you can’t get the pack stuffed super tight, so I’ve struggled with that. I’ve also struggled with sweaty back syndrome. And their hardware/webbing always seems so fiddly and kinda too small, easily tangled or whatever. Other than that, it’s just a big bag for your stuff like a lot of packs and works fine. I managed 1800 miles of the PCT with one of them (a G4) and after I got over caring about my gear I never thought about the pack either negatively or positively anymore. I tried a Kumo prototype once but it was not the right size for me. Otherwise I liked its slim line.

[dirtbag]

wow.. So here we are, late October. Finally got to use my Kumo on a quick trip thru the Catskills, NY. I did a solo overnighter over Windham hi peak and thru the Blackhead mountain range. It’s been some time since I went backpacking \ camping because I was soaking up the warmer months whitewater kayaking and camping!!  In this thread I said I would respond back after I actually used the pack..so here I am. Too start off.. There she is packed and ready to go.It weighed in at 13 lbs .. That’s with my creature comfort helinox chair! The temps were going down to low 30s at night so I packed my 30 degree underquilt and top quilt for my hammock. I also packed my large Hammock Gear DFC winter Palace tarp… There was a chance of rain and it would be a little windy at night. My past experience with the Blackhead Range and wind was documented in another post here.. It gets windy there and gusts can be real strong, so I packed it for some extra protection. That’s it.. My clothes and food and water.. Weight ended up at about 17 lbs total. The Kumo carried well. I liked that my Garmin explorer plus fit right into the shoulder strap pocket.. Big plus for me. The zipper pocket on top worked well also, as planned. I kept my first aid kit in there and my zpacks rain mitten shells.. Fit well with problems at all. The side pockets are just fine too. One side I carried the Helinox chair and the other side my water bottle and be free soft bladder. I couldn’t reach back and grab the water bottle, but honestly.. I did not really try to either. I just automatically unbuckeled chest strap and slid shoulder strap off one side and grabbed bottle.. Drank and replaced.. The pack was light enough and not bulky so it was a non issue for me while hiking or stopping.  I used the Gossamer Gear sit light pad in the back of the pack. I still got a little sweaty but I was also doing some climbing and moving pretty quickly, so I believe any pack would have created a little sweaty on me… Keep in mind I run very hot and I sweat a lot. I actually liked that when it was cool and breeezy on my stops.. i Looked forward to putting the kumo back on for the warmth, really, it felt nice and comforting.  The outside back mesh pocket was also may I say, perfect. Kept my TP in there, my back up battery charger, my rain pants and jacket, my palace tarp, and I also stuffed my Houdini wind shirt in there when I was heated up from hiking. After the 2nd day of hiking, the shoulder straps were a little tough on my shoulders, but I will attribute that to me have not backpacked in months, it’s a brand new pack and I was bouncing up and down off rocks while moving pretty qhickly. It was nothing of a concern to me and I know as I use the pack more and more she will break in and mold to my body like every other pack I have ever used. Over all, I think for my 3 season pack the Kumo is what I wanted and what I will be happy using for a long time, along with the Murmur.  There is nothing I can complain about or say I dislike. I am a little concerned about the small buckles on the straps for the over the top lid.. I guess time will tell how they hold up but I’m confident they will be fine and I’m confident that gossamer gear knows they will hold up.  It’s a solid, comfortable pack that should work well for my needs and I am happy with so far.

[Bill in Roswell]

I bought a used Kumo from another long-time BPL member and have now used it on a few hikes. Having used various Ospreys, Gregorys and ancient designs for 3-4 day trips over the years, my expectations were fairly high. In particular, I wondered if the Kumo would be hot on my back here in the hot, humid mountains of Ga/Tn/NC considering the mesh back designs now popular. Quite to my amazement, the standard GG egg crate style foam pad works great (I ordered the GG Sit Light pad which is more supportive, also noticeably warmer on my back). My back has never felt hot wearing this pack even on long uphill slogs. In fact, after 20 minutes on the trail I totally forgot I was wearing a pack. The Kumo disappeared on my back, the foam straps and back conforming to my body. I do use the waist belt to minimize pack sway and to make use of the pockets, but the belt contributes nothing to sharing the load and that is NOT a problem. A 3-4 day 3 season trip will never exceed 20 lbs. for me, so the Kumo gets it done.

Mods I will make: adding daisy chain to front side of shoulder straps so I can add the accessory pockets I want to use or a camera clip.
Improvements: off white straps are a dumb color choice – they just look dirty all the time. The buckles are too small to use with gloves and a problem for those with large fingers. Minimal weight gain to use next size up but huge gain in usability. Shoulder strap pocket diameter is too small for modern phones, .75 liter Smartwater bottles and bear spray canister. Over top pocket zipper should be waterproof type. GG did tell me that updates are coming in a new version of the Kumo coming soon (the ubiquitous, indefinite soon).

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