The new Golite went live today

[James holden]

david …

its been argued to death on here so i wont rehash it … but the short is cuben may be less durable in the long run due flexing and abrasion, sil you can just recoat … and the stretch/slickness of sil may be useful in some cases such as snow loading, or having some give in high winds (so it doesnt rip) …

a search on google will show all the past arguments for and against cuben

as to the hybrid cuben packs … read this review by OGL .. they test their gear pretty hard

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Mountaineering-Backpack-Reviews/Hyperlite-Mountain-Gear-3400-Ice-Pack

;)

[Nick Gatel]

I bought a GoLite poncho about 10 years ago. Like all their products (except maybe the SL), it wasn’t anything special except for the price point. At the time, I was also upgrading my sleep system where quality was more important than price, so I bought a Western Mountaineering Ultralight and a Nunatak quilt. GoLite wasn’t even on my shopping list for a quilt or any other product. Back then, people seemed to like Coup, as if he was some sort of leading edge UL messiah; he struck me as being more “full of himself” than even Jardine.

GoLite had a store in the outlet mall near the PCT in Cabazon, CA. I stopped by a couple times during long hikes and there was nothing special for sale. The thing that still sticks in my mind about that store is, Coup who has an MBA, didn’t know how to lay out a retail store.

IMO, Coup entered the market at the right time when UL was a fad. Like any fad, GoLite had its fanboys. The fad is over. Someone needs to inform Coup of this fact.

[Paul Magnanti]

Not sure with the “thumbs down”.  I think Nick has an accurate  assessment.

UL/SUL/LW/BINGO was a fad in the sense of labeling. It is now just simply GEAR.

Mainstream gear is getting lighter and lighter after all.

 

(As a side note, the thumbs up/thumbs down works well for Reddit. It is pointless on this forum IMO other than letting the anon vox populi reenact a virtual scene from Spartacus no doubt.)

 

 

[James holden]

theres plenty of “mainstream” gear that is exceptionally light these days approaching or equalling some “UL cottage” brands

except for perhaps the poncho tarp i dont think much on the new “golite’ site has any real benefit weight wise over other brands (including some mainstream products)

at a certain point perhaps lighter gear isnt better … theres probably a sweet spot between weight/practicallity/durability/comfort … beyond that point you can no longer just buy the gear to get lighter but need to rely on friendly conditions and/or better skills/conditioning …

the mainstream manufacturers are approaching that limit on their light offerings … in fact much of the gear folks use here are from mainstream brands … the clothing, the shoes, often the pad, etc ….

;)

[Ian]

MO, Coup entered the market at the right time when UL was a fad. Like any fad, GoLite had its fanboys. The fad is over. Someone needs to inform Coup of this fact.

Whoa Nick.  Be careful when you insult a zealot’s religion as you already have two thumbs down.  I gave you a thumbs up so your comment is temporarily balanced.

I do agree that a few of us could meet up at a local watering hole and hammer out better names on a cocktail napkin and still be home in time for supper than what they came up with.  I suspect it’s for one of two reasons:

1. The original names have a legacy and they are keeping the nomenclature vanilla until they’ve paid off the right people and can use the names they’ve built their legacy with; or
2. The GoLite high command are an unimaginative uninspired lot who are fueled by Nickelback, outlet malls, and 30 syllable Starbuck drinks and are doomed to die a second and equally horrifying business death.

[Nick Gatel]

I just gave myself a thumb’s down to balance the score at 4 to 4.

Reason being is that backpacking is just a few day hikes without going home, that is — it is simply walking. All this gear talk is usually boring and I shouldn’t have posted, I should have went for a multi-day hike instead. Actually, that is such a good idea, I am going to put some boring gear together and will leave in the morning.

[Paul Magnanti]

, I am going to put some boring gear together and will leave in the morning.

Now that was helpful. No thumbs up icon needed.

 

[Nick Gatel]

Hey! Someone removed my un-helpful button score. Not fair. So I clicked the thumb’s up button in protest and it changed from 5 to 6. So there!

[John S.]

Nobody can give a thumbs down anymore..lol

[Justin Baker]

I have to say, I think their website is poorly designed and obnoxious. Huge text, tiny text, lots of wasted white space, huge photos that take up more than my entire screen, a slideshow of photos that can’t be paused and controlled. A quote from the company president that takes up the entire screen… Why??

They should strip down the new jam and put a light hoop stay in there. A 70 liter frameless pack does not seem like practical design.

[James L]

“They should strip down the new jam and put a light hoop stay in there. A 70 liter frameless pack does not seem like practical design.”

That would most likely be wasted effort.

Such a pack would basically be a foreign made version of the already classic ULA packs which were perfected during the time Golite’s management was dithering with their retail expansion instead of staying on the cutting edge of the UL marketpace.

The “mytrail” version would have the disadvantages of being foreign made. Probably even heavier without the great side bottle and hipbelt pockets standard on the ULA..

Given their current pricing structure, the “mytrail” version would also probably be close to the price of the US made ULAs.

So, why bother?

 

[Ken Helwig]

For me Go Lite was a saving grace when it came to lightweight backpacking. I went from 60 pounds in my pack for a weeklong trip to 23 or so for the same duration (food included)….I am glad to see a re-branding and that prices are decent….we shall see what happens

[Armand C]

I’m always happy to see a new player hit the scene.

Will be interesting to see their clothing options…jackets especially.

 

[K L Sinizer]

My guess is that MTC can’t afford to hire expensive marketing & web design personnel.

Kelly

[Stuart .]

“If MTC in any way is operated as to appear that it is at all associated with Golite, anyone with a claim against Golite may attempt to recover from MTC.”

I notice that the name associated with MTC’s customer service email address ([email protected]) is “GoLite Founder”. Coup is either spending his money on lawyers rather than designers, or he’s being arrogant. And goodness knows, the latter was never his reputation of old… ;-)

[Anonymous]

Andrew Waight said: “I picked up a Big Agnes Yahmonite (re-branded Shangrila-3) from campsaver when they were in stock with a 20% coupon for less than 250$. I use it for family backpacking with my wife and two little ones, and have wanted to recommend this tent highly to others, but they have been unavailable. Although I agree that some of these original Golite designs are now outdated, I can’t find any other 53oz 55 sq ft shelters (with a bug nest) for around $300. (The Rainshadow 2 comes pretty close). Let me know if I’m wrong but I think this is still a pretty good deal for a bombproof and spacious shelter.”

Justin Baker said: ““No cuben fiber = can’t compete with other companies that are more up to date (HMG, ZPacks, etc.).”
Their 50 liter pack is $150 and made with a very durable fabric. It looks like they are going for good and affordable rather than premium and expensive.”
I am having thoughts similar to these, maybe some one can show me what I am failing to consider?

But first let me say: I was a pretty big fan of a GL Ultra 20 TQ and Pinnacle pack. So much so that I bought one for my grand son as his 1st pack, probably at one of those really low prices that I saw near the end. It seemed to me that frameless pack carried amazingly comfortable with the loads I was putting in it, and I did not have to worry quite so much about volume as it was not as small as many packs. But then once the bankruptcy was announced, I was tempted to load up on some more equipment at great prices, but I did not do it for fear of things that could go wrong with that: what if I did not get the product, or what if there was a problem with the product? Who was I going to get customer service from? So I passed. And maybe these things should make me wary of the resurrected company, even though with a different name. But same people?
Anyway, just considering the equipment right now: I am reading many comments about how much behind the times this stuff is compared to other companies like HMG. So I look up the 4400 ci (72L) HMG ( plus 600 ci outer pockets ) at 35 0z ( 2.2 lbs). Since this has removable aluminum stays, I guess it is “better” compared to the Mytrail 70 liter at 2.2 lb.  And I assume it performs better with those stays if you are going to need to carry heavier weights, and it is waterproof. So it probably is a better pack, but at the same weight and and approximate volume, the price is $179 (Mytrail) vs $365. The HMG cost nearly double. And with no weight advantage, though maybe there is if you remove the stays? But not huge.
So it seems to me the Mytrail is probably pretty competitive unless you want to pay twice as much? Don’t get me wrong: I am now salivating over the HMG and might treat myself with one next time I think I deserve a present. But this new version of a Goliath ( EDIT: freaking auto correct, I wrote “Golight”) Pinnacle ( or Jam? ) still looks pretty good for the price. But, I’m wondering if the 70L rating of the MyTrailCo includes the mesh pocket? I do not know. HMG specifies the main compartment is 72L, plus the pockets.
Do you think this HMG pack would also be more durable than the MyTrail 70, with both seem to be made from Dynema? ( I’m trying to justify the price to myself LOL! ) ( from HMG: “Voted Backpacker Magazine’s “Best Ultralight Pack,” the Windrider Packs are made from 100% waterproof Dyneema® Composite Fabrics (formerly Cuben Fiber).” From MyTrailCo: ” It’s tough: the white Dyneema® threads are 3x stronger than Kevlar and 15x stronger than steel.”. So is Dynema also Cuben? I’m confused!

[Franco Darioli]

So is Dynema also Cuben? I’m confused!
Dyneema is a brand (like Ford) not a single product.
It took over Cubic Tech (the maker of Cuben Fiber) some time ago and now is selling Cuben Fiber (a line of products) under the Dyneema name as Dyneema Composite Fabrics.

[Anonymous]

Thanks! So the Dynema fabric in the MyTrailCo is different that the Dynema in the HMG, which is essentially water proof Cuben Fiber, while the Dynema in the Golight resurrection is NOT CF?

 

Still, though the HMG may be a superior, and costlier, product, there is not much difference in weight. In fact almost none, unless you remove the HMG stays

[Franco Darioli]

Let me quote myself
Cuben Fiber (a line of products)

There were MANY types of Cuben Fiber products (now called Dyneema Composite Fabrics)
One is no more Cuben Fiber (now Dyneema Composite Fabric) than another just like one Ford car is not more Ford than another…

http://www.dsm.com/products/dyneema/en_GB/technologies/dyneema-form-factors/fabric.html

[Nick Gatel]

Do you think this HMG pack would also be more durable than the MyTrail 70, with both seem to be made from Dynema?

To further confuse you…

The MyTrail is made from Dyneema Grid. Look closely at the fabric. The white grid lines are the only Dyneema threads in the material. Many companies mislead consumers by not making it absolute clear that only the grid is Dyneema. There are different grids… Smaller grids have more Dyneema per square yard.

Very few companies make packs out of 100% fully woven Dyneema (often called Full Dyneema). Most notable are McHale and CiloGear. I think one HMG’s Smaller packs might be made from 100% woven Dyneema, but I am not familiar with their products.

Another fabric that is the same as 100% woven Dyneema is Full Spectra, which is manufactured by another company. As far as I know, only McHale uses this material for backpacks.

So a short summary…

• Dyneema Composite Fabrics = Cuben Laminate
• Dyneema Grid = Fabrics with a small amount of woven Dyneema comprising the grid lines
• Full Dyneema (or Full Spectra) = 100% woven Dyneema (or Spectra). A 50L pack made of this material is probably going to cost at least $600, a full featured custom McHale well over $1,000. The material is waterproof and virtually indestructible.

 

[HiLight]

“If MTC in any way is operated as to appear that it is at all associated with Golite, anyone with a claim against Golite may attempt to recover from MTC.”

I notice that the name associated with MTC’s customer service email address ([email protected]) is “GoLite Founder”. Coup is either spending his money on lawyers rather than designers, or he’s being arrogant. And goodness knows, the latter was never his reputation of old… ;-)

____________________________________________________________________________

Even better, check out the MTC – Our Story page. Short of product names, there’s little apparent space between the two companies: http://mytrailco.com/pages/our-story

Frankly, the tight association with GoLite seems a little pathetic at this stage. I hope they’re able to make good on their goals before they burn through the cachet of the old label, and the cash of the current investors.

[Author]

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