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The new Golite went live today


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Home Forums Gear Forums Gear (General) The new Golite went live today

Viewing 25 posts - 1 through 25 (of 71 total)
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  • #3404886
    Gary Pikovsky
    BPL Member

    @gosha007

    Locale: New Hampshire White Mountains

    http://mytrailco.com

    Was their first customer today. Stuff looks good.

    #3404887
    DGoggins
    BPL Member

    @hjuan99

    Locale: Mountain West

    Yeah, just got the email too. Looks like they brought back the sl5, sl3, jam, umbrella and a few other odds and ends.

    Though…I think their names are dumb….instead of the jam its called the “backpack light 50”?….and instead of Shangri la 3…they call it the pyramid 3 shelter?

    What awful generic names…seems it would be hard to market such generic naming conventions?

     

    #3404894
    Jennifer Mitol
    Spectator

    @jenmitol

    Locale: In my dreams....

    holy cow!  you’re not kidding on the names – poncho.  tent 2, tent 3.  chrome umbrella.  backpack light.

    WTF?

    #3404902
    Gary Pikovsky
    BPL Member

    @gosha007

    Locale: New Hampshire White Mountains

    I got the “Golite” poncho and Zpacks one after all the poncho talk. Love the green color on the Golite one. We’ll see how it works.

    #3404903
    Paul Magnanti
    BPL Member

    @paulmags

    Locale: Colorado Plateau

    you’re not kidding on the names – poncho.  tent 2, tent 3.

     

    #3404904
    Nick D
    BPL Member

    @stumpjumper

    Locale: Santa Barbara, CA

    Wow, I’m not a fan of the website design at all. GIANT photos that feed on their own and way too much scrolling needed to get the info you need.

    I hope they can improve on that asap.

    #3404915
    Adam Kilpatrick
    BPL Member

    @oysters

    Locale: South Australia

    At that price I’m seriously thinking about taking a punt finally on a GoLite Poncho.

    #3404925
    Matthew / BPL
    Moderator

    @matthewkphx

    Ok, so I’m a noob. I’ve only been backpacking for about three years. I’ve heard lots of stories about Golite and I was excited to see their products but now that I see them I fail to see what is so exciting about their product line. They don’t have any shelters or backpacks that seem particularly compelling compared to similar products at similar pricepoints from Gossamer Gear, MLD or SMD.

    What makes Golite so great?

    #3404928
    [ Drew ]
    BPL Member

    @43ten

    Locale: Central Valley CA

    Anyone recall if the Jam 50 was frameless? I’m wondering why this new version weights more than an HMG 2400 WR pack, aluminum stays and all.  It seems like if the Jam has stays it might explain why it weighs 2lbs.

    #3404932
    David Chenault
    BPL Member

    @davec

    Locale: Queen City, MT

    The Jam 50 had a framesheet of dense (and thus relatively heavy) foam.

    The Jam was standard setting a decade ago, but even in 2012 was getting long in the tooth, mainly because the suspension upgrades over the year had a problematic gain per ounce ratio. The design and feature set of the Jam 50/70 was excellent, and if they ditched the framesheet and heavy 3D mesh for stays and a lightly padded hipbelt they’d have a winner for sure.

    #3404939
    HkNewman
    BPL Member

    @hknewman

    Locale: The West is (still) the Best

    heard lots of stories… their products

    On packs, the difference is some like that zippered front pocket (ex-Jam, Mytrail now) some I know like.

    #3404955
    Mo FromBrisbane
    BPL Member

    @ausmomo

    I ordered the poncho. I *think* I was their 3rd customer :)
    (not the greatest bragging rights, but still..)

    #3404982
    Todd Stough
    BPL Member

    @brewguy

    The LT70 pack is already out of stock, due back July 7th.

    I’ve never owned one but I remember looking at them and what attacted me was the low price, you routinely could get them on sale for $99.  Since then there has been a lot of new competition.  They are still nice looking packs.

    #3405004
    Jennifer Mitol
    Spectator

    @jenmitol

    Locale: In my dreams....

    Yeah I think golite was a big deal way back when….and at the beginning their prices were super low. I bought my first quilt from them and I don’t think I even paid $100…and it was a fantastic quilt.

    Now?  I’m a little sad that MyTrailCo appears to be simply a rebrand, possibly to get out of having to pay debtors???  At some point you’d think there would be at least SOME innovation…i mean, GoLite sold these products before (or at least they listed them as for sale…not sure they ever actually were in stock and shipped) and went under.  Why would selling the same products, only this time at higher prices, be a better business model?

     

    [Can you tell I need to get out for a hike?]

    #3405008
    two pints
    Spectator

    @madgoat

    Locale: Ohio

    GoLite initially was a hit because they were selling gear that was loosely associated with Ray Jardine’s ideas.  It’s hard to say how instrumental Ray’s “The PCT Hiker’s Handbook” book (and later revisions) was to lightweight backpacking, but he clearly was one of the people who popularized the idea.  GoLite took some of Ray’s ideas (at first with Ray’s blessing) and made them available to those who did not want to sew their own gear.  They were one of the first companies that catered to the lightweight backpacking crowd.

    Over time, the gear got heavier and started to look more mainstream, Jardine withdrew his blessing, and the company was forced to change their business model after they had opened and closed several retail locations, and went to a direct-to-consumer model.

    #3405015
    Gary Dunckel
    BPL Member

    @zia-grill-guy

    Locale: Boulder

    I don’t understand some of this GoLite hate. As mentioned above, they indeed did indulge in a bit of feature creep on some products, which increased the weight ( the Jam packs come to mind). However, some of their early offerings were products that performed well, were comparatively lightweight, and were not expensive. The Shangri-la tent line comes to mind here.

    There were also some unique products that became rather iconic–the Reed WP/B pants for one, the Ion pack, and the Bitterroot parka. We here in Boulder enjoyed the luxury of scoring their equipment and clothing at rock bottom prices during their semi-annual warehouse sales, which taints my opinion a bit. I also got to know some of the employees, and it was a fun group of people.

    The only problems I have had with the company were (1) they went cutesy toward the end with their casual apparel line, and (2) Coup had an impenetrable ego where he wouldn’t listen to any suggestions relating to product improvement, or ideas for new products to consider. One time he told me, with a wry smirk on his face, “Oh, we already have it all figured out.” Well, that was obviously not at all true. Time will tell whether they can make the new company work. I hope they do, but I won’t bet on it.

    #3405016
    Paul Magnanti
    BPL Member

    @paulmags

    Locale: Colorado Plateau

    .  Why would selling the same products, only this time at higher prices, be a better business model?

    I think a combo of the  brick and mortar stores and selling “lifestyle” clothing is what did them in…

    Having said that, not sure what GoLite 2.0’s market is currently.

    We’ll see…

     

     

     

    #3405024
    Dale Wambaugh
    BPL Member

    @dwambaugh

    Locale: Pacific Northwest

    Those product names belong to the GoLite creditors now — corporate assets I’m sure.

    Glad to see the poncho available. I was surprised that no one really stepped into that part of the market. The distinctions being that it is very light and the back is longer to cover your pack and still protect your backside. Good value too.

    #3405028
    Dan @ Durston Gear
    BPL Member

    @dandydan

    Locale: Canadian Rockies

    I imagine MTC will come up with actual product names at some point. If they can make this business viable hopefully they can start some innovation too. I’m sure right now they can’t afford to redesign stuff.

    #3405033
    Stuart .
    BPL Member

    @lotuseater

    Locale: Colorado

    From @paulmags blog post: “If GoLite can rediscover an earlier ideal of “champagne gear at beer prices“, (as opposed to “good white wine at expensive craft beer prices”) with perhaps some good innovations, they may regain their footing.” – I think this describes perfectly why I’m so underwhelmed by what I see on the 2.0 website. That and the sour taste in my mouth from the creditor mess Coup left behind.

    It’s a subset of the same old same old, at higher prices. No doubt he had to pay the contract manufacturer up front for the launch order. Perhaps he has to pay a license fee to use the designs. Which were good, once upon a time. But the material choices worsened over time. These specs look identical to the last generation that GoLite and then Big Agnes sold.

     

    #3405039
    Donna C
    BPL Member

    @leadfoot

    Locale: Middle Virginia

    The products seem pretty Neanderthal. Nothing light about them, either.

    “Ugh, me make bad website. Ugh, me make tent. Ugh, me call them tent 1, tent 2, tent 3.

    ugh…

    #3405043
    Paul Magnanti
    BPL Member

    @paulmags

    Locale: Colorado Plateau

    Too bad, really. There is a market for good, solid and affordable lighter gear. Something in between the cottage stuff and the heaiver, more mainstream gear.  Doesn’t have to be cutting edge or the lightest, just has to be what I call “bread and butter” gear: Simple, functional, affordable.

    The *old* Jam, the Bitterroot when it was on sale, the Shngri-La, the Reed pants and so on.

    If this was any other company launching gear it would be even more “Meh” than it is now. The only reason why there is any interest is because GoLite, a well known and once-influential company, is trying to pull a Lazarus and rise back from the dead.

    #3405044
    Window walker
    Spectator

    @2-2-2

    “That and the sour taste in my mouth from the creditor mess Coup left behind.”

    I do not remember the details, but it is hard for me to give business to Golite after how things went down. Bad business practices. But what do I know. Poncho sounds nice…

    #3405046
    James holden
    BPL Member

    @bearbreeder-2

    if they can mass produce an updated (lighter) version of their quilts and price em within 10% or so of EEs prices … which they should be able to do if they make em overseas, sell direct, and with the low price of down bags these days …

    with no wait times …

    they could be selling em like UL marmot flavored hotcakes

    they should also have updated and brought back the SL 1/2 …

    ;)

     

    #3405049
    Gary Dunckel
    BPL Member

    @zia-grill-guy

    Locale: Boulder

    Yeah, it’s all pretty strange. Coup has an MBA, and then he let this happen. I have trouble respecting him after the way he stiffed his creditors, but I’m glad that I stockpiled some gear when I could buy it cheaply. The 2009 Jam 2, when they added hip belt pockets (and to which I extensively modified to add an external titanium rod frame and did other hacks), is still my favorite pack at 1# 13 oz. Then there’s the SL-3, the Reed pants, my “de-ionized” Ion, and the beloved Bitterroot parka–all great stuff.

    We’ll just have to see whether they can come up with anything better that is functional, light, and cheap. The market is there, newer materials exist, and simpler products are popular (e.g. HMG). It will be interesting to see if MyTrail can return to its roots.

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