What are people's thoughts on panel loader backpacks

All above about the advantages/disadvantages of panel-loaders vs top-loaders is true.  There is no doubt that a panel-loader makes organizing and accessing your things easier, but it does introduce a point of failure and is trivially heavier.  Clearly, though, a lot of people get by just fine with their panel loaders.  You’re just best off not skimping on an ultralight zipper, obviously.  Get one that’s beefy and durable- which adds even more weight.

I hike with top-loaders, for these reasons and for the aesthetic simplicity.  But when I’m living out of a pack while I’m doing other work (I’m in the military) I have a panel-loader.  But it certainly isn’t UL, being 1000D and all.

safety pins for broken zippers(in an emergency)

https://www.google.com/search?q=large+safety+pins&rlz=1C1CHZL_enUS721US721&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjVjpKY2onUAhVs6YMKHZASAyMQ_AUICygC&biw=1366&bih=662

The risk of zip failure is real , so you have to consider the potential consequences.

On a city break – not such a big deal. Pop into a shop and pick up a replacement.

Five days from the next resupply – not so fun. Especially in the rain. And when you do hit a small trail-town then what? It could hold you up for days getting things sorted out.

The vast majority of seasoned thru-hikers go with top-loaders. There’s probably a good reason…

I’ve always used top loading zipped backs because I hate the clips and straps that go with conventional top loading packs.  Re panel loaders, the MS Ghost (which I have a near new one of) was a panel loader and didn’t suffer any issues that I ever heard of.

The panel loader zipper creates another failure mode, and adds weight.

Here in the Pacific Northwest keeping things dry can be a challenge. So I line the interior of my pack with a 3 mil (thick) “Contractors bag.” Basically a 40 liter garbage bag that is pretty thick (you can use it for more than one season, very tough material). Anyhow, since everything in the pack is inside thew pack liner, having a panel loader would be kind of useless cause you can only access stuff in the pack line from the top of the pack.

So, for me, it ‘s top load only!

I have a Mountainsmith Ghost that’s probably 12 years old. It’s a 50L panel loader with a big upside-down U-shaped zipper. I love it and use it on every backpacking trip. It’s great for when I get to camp and can access everything all at once. If it makes a difference, I always go camping with my wife and, for the last four years, with our kids. I haven’t had any issues with the zipper on this one.

I also have a Mountainsmith Spectre (85L pack) that I still use for mountaineering, and have used extensively for traveling, and it had a wonderful front access “J” zip. When done right, the front access is amazingly convenient.

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Released from mod Q
Roger

I had a typical top-loader for several years, the G-4. I found I didn’t like the big black hole for finding gear. I also never cared for the front and side mesh pockets – I didn’t like seeing gear or snacks on the outside.

The Arc Haul Zip has the clean look, volume, and accessibility I wanted. It is water resistant, though not guaranteed waterproof. I can plan what I normally need during the day, and those items fit well in the large front pocket. But, I don’t have to look at it all. I have dry-bags inside to protect my down gear and add water resistance, and cuben cinch-bags for less critical gear, so I don’t think that lack of a large compactor liner bag is a problem. I have a cuben packcover, in case of rain, adding a third level of water resistance.

I am cognizant of how I big I pack each bag of gear, so that I don’t stress the zipper. If the internal cross straps appear stressed, I adjust the bags.

I do find that my gear takes up more space, in the Arc Zip, than in the G-4. The 5 bags of gear create dead space between them. My next idea is to pack the bags a bit looser, so they compress together better.

Overall I prefer the Zip so far.

Kelly

I’ve made several panel loaders.  But the inverted U zip covers only the upper portion of the pack, so that the lower part of the pack is sewn and completely sealed.  This way, the stuff bags can also be compressed in the lower half of the pack without over stressing the #5 zips, which are the water proof type.  Also, there are flaps over the zips as you would see on a pack with non-waterproof zips.  There has been no zip failure or leakage through the zips.  The upper third of the packs has inner pockets for water bottles and misc. small items.  Here’s a pic of a prototype with the top inner pocket removed.  I’m working on one with Easton .340 alloy tent tube instead of carbon, as the alloy can be prebent for an hour-glass or butterfly shaped frame; thus creating less weight overall compared to beefing up the carbon with filament wound fiberglass tubes and alloy fittings:

Unfortunately, I’ve never seen a commercial product with all the above protective features, so it is not surprising that folks sacrifice easier packing and access for top loaders.

I used panel loaders for a couple of decades and really liked them. When I went to a myog top loader I made the bag with a fairly large circumference to replicate some of the panel loader’s ease-of-entrance.
Here’s some circumference comparisons:.
**Jan Sport panel loader zippered entry = 54″ perimeter total ( 13″ x 14″) (These panel loaders typically zippered only a portion of the pack bag’s full dimensions)

*McCale Top Loader = up to 50″ (or more probably)
*My myog top loader pack = 48″ (This is big enough to put 2 or 3 of the largest bear cans in the pack bag sidewise)

*Hyperlite Porter Top Loader =37.5″

I use these figures to illustrate the point that the panel loader ease-of-access doesn’t have to be totally abandoned when going to a top loader.  The McCale and myog gear pack bag circumferences are closer to panel loaders than they are to the popular Hyperlite top loader (and others).

After liking the original Vapor Trail (2006 model) foam frames pack but not their multi roll-top closure, … I bought their panel-loading Latitude Vapor 3800 Pack to get to fleece and storm base layers fast. OK, but everything had to get packed in one of 3 or so stuff sacks to minimize falling out (Granite Gear put some internal straps to secure the stuff sacks). Sold it after a couple years sporadic use as I just felt uncomfortable with the light zips, not knowing if my belongings were strewn for miles behind me. I switched to a U-zipped Osprey travel bag for non-backpacking trips with heavy duty zips and stay with top loaders for 2-season trips.

I could see a top J-zip or something similar for winter trip access to more clothes, but, like Sam F., I’d want the bottom with no zipper to cram the sleeping bag into.

I have first gen ULA Camino. My husband used it for some overnights locally and loves it. I’m an artist so I have to carry pochades and tripods with oils and pastels which can be heavy and the pack handles it all well. The panel zip opening is perfect for loading and unloading painting supplies and sketchbooks. BUT I would never take it on a long hike or thru hike even though I know some have and the zipper shows no signs of failure.

I used panel loading packs in the 1970’s, including one 2.5 mos long trip on the AT.

Personally I prefer a single “Bloody Great Sack” with no zippered access to the main compartment, and have zero use for other designs. It’s far easier to pack a single sack than a panel loader as you can jam gear into every corner while not compromising zippers. KISS. I feel this is especially important with smaller, lightweight packs where it’s important to utilize ever square inch of space.

<p style=”padding-left: 30px;”>90% of ul hikers are too young to see backpacks in the 60s & 70s  evolve from top load  ext frame to int frame with front load zipper. A move toward higher function. All current problems with front loaders (weak zippers, weight, h20 proofing int. compression systems) will be sorted out and there will be no reason to top load at all.</p>

Never had one. Would be open to trying one if there was a back up system (say a hook and loop) should the zipper fail. However, that would add weight and complexity, that to me, the little extra convenience of a side loader doesn’t outweigh a top loader.

All in all, kind of meh about it conceptually/logically.

It’s a pain when you have to pull everything out of the pack to find the thing you want at the bottom, but that’s okay. Most good packs are top-loaders and I’m fine with that. Once you’re in the flow of a trip, you find yourself all dialed in and your pack becomes like a cockpit. After a trip, I always feel so lost without the ability to get to everything I need immediately in my little walking cockpit.

You have to be organized with top loader.  Have several bags to contain small things.

A gram counter might calculate that it would weigh the same to have some pockets on your pack to contain small things.

I prefer a top loader because I tend to cloud pack and things expand and a panel loader is harder to close under those circumstances. However- Osprey makes hybrids. I have an Osprey Aether AG 70 for heavier loads and it has both a panel and a top load option. The panel isn’t 100% convenient because you have to undo the straps to access, but it’s there. It’s an option for you, just not a light one.

I use our exposure panel loader for more travel stye trips and top loaders backpacking. The exposure is fairly similar to Sams MYOG except it has exterior pocketing. It is a 3/4 inverted U , with a number 10 zip. It does have a flap and using the GK you can compress over the flap to naturally close it or on the outside for speed of access. Outside it has two bottle pockets a zippered pocket and one mesh exterior and two internal zippered pockets. Even though it uses  420 D / 500D fabrics and a number 10 zip, and 6 pockets it is still less than 4 lbs which while not UL, is less than most of the big backpack companies. I keep a couple set up as loaners as well. because you never know what type of backpacker may be using a pack and they don’t have to be super organized. I would not hesitate to use one a trip at all .. for me it just comes down to saving a few ounces usually.

I loved my panel loader (smd traveller) but for one thing. If it wasn’t full everything sunk to the bottom. Internal compression was a need for me. I guess if you gear volume matched your pack volume just right but…

i did rig up some strings and stuff to rig compression but it was too fiddly. If there were two side release buckle straps with some material for ‘wings’ between the straps to compress and hold everything tight i would love it

In the PNW keeping things dry is paramount. So, I line my pack with a single large 4 mil bag. So, a panel for me would be a waste, I can’t use it, and it adds weight, and adds a failure mode.

I just pack stuff at the bottom that I won’e need during the day (like sleeping bag, sleeping pad, camp clothes, etc. It would be nice, however, if I could find some white bags cause black does make things a little hard to see.

Paul S   Trash compactor bags are tough and white.  Not typically 4 mils thick but tough enough to last quite a while.

It’s too bad that RipstopByTheRoll’s Mountain Silnylon fabric isn’t available anymore, as a simple bag made out of that would make the ideal backpack liner (once the seams were treated with silicone), and would last many, many, many times longer and be world’s tougher than any trash bag or the like (it would be like pitting no weapon Rocket against infinity stone laden Thanos…).

Rex’s test question cracked me up!

I’m currently running an Osprey Aether 60 for multi-night, technical, or hunting trips, and an Osprey Kestrel 32 for everything else.  The panel zip on the Aether is very nice, but the Kestrel is by far my favorite pack I’ve owned so far.  It has the clamshell / inverse-U design, and I freaking love it.  All the benefits of a panel-loader on the top half of the pack where my I-need-it-fast items live, but it’s inherently still a top-loader with a big top opening.

That said, I’ve been eyeing a Mystery Ranch Sawtooth for multi-day and hunting trips.  The load shelf and the big panel zip are pretty attractive to me.  At 5+ lbs it’s obviously not a UL pack, but I’ve been leaning away from the UL style recently anyway.

I use a Granite Gear Nimbus Latitude Ki (they were reviewed on BPL some years ago, if you’re not familiar). Mine is somewhat smaller than the ones used in the review. The pack is heavier than I’d prefer, but I love the zipper arrangement so much that I’d never consider giving it up. For one thing, I can carry a small BearVault low in the pack, with the lid facing the opening, and get into it for lunch without unpacking anything. In fact, I can remove anything in the pack without disturbing or even opening the rest of the pack.

I don’t worry about zipper failure, having never had a zipper fail on anything in my life. There are internal compression straps that take the stress off the zippers, and they run straight, unlike the ones on packs with a U-shaped opening. I never overstuff my pack anyway.

I did swap out the stock hipbelt for a lighter model. I have considered the possibility of making a few other mods to lighten it a bit, too.

“Never had one. Would be open to trying one if there was a back up system (say a hook and loop) should the zipper fail.”

” I just felt uncomfortable with the light zips, not knowing if my belongings were strewn for miles behind me.”

“All current problems with front loaders (weak zippers, weight, h20 proofing int. compression systems) will be sorted out and there will be no reason to top load at all.”   Amen to that.

With most folks switching to top loaders, some of the design features of panel loaders may have been forgotten.  Would not make a panel loader without upper and mid horizontal cinch straps across the front to deter zipper failure.  (Lower portion of pack has no zips, so no strap needed)

The straps also serve to hang sox and such out to dry while hiking, and to secure a folded camp chair to the pack.

Many panel loaders on the market have nothing on top to support the inverted U-shaped zipper, making it difficult to open and close.  But note from the photo posted earlier that it is easy to extend the frame to form a top shelf that supports the zippered panel, and also can be used to carry a food sack on top.  The food sack is the one item that will vary the most in size depending on the length of the trip and distance between food caches.  Attaching food and a few other items with criss-crossed shockcord up on the shelf make food odors much less likely to attach to the pack and the food can be quickly separated from the pack if dangerous critters are about.  And variations in food volume don’t require squeezing stuff into the pack or having to get a larger pack.

The kit can be reduced to a few cylindrical stuff bags (bag or quilt, clothing, stove with kitchen items, and tent) that are designed to fit the pack and stack horizontally, below a compartmented zip bag that hangs inside under the shelf and is designed to hold small items where they can be accessed quickly. It is no more difficult to use a trash bag liner with a panel loader.  Raingear goes in a zip pocket inside the panel where it can be grabbed quickly,  A lower zip pocket inside the panel is for flat items like maps and notebooks.

So with organization there is none of the stuffing and expansion pressure created by a toploader.  But if there is still a concern, there are larger waterproof zippers that will not burst open.  So there is no reason to carry what is basically a dry bag with trimmings on your back.  A dry bag is good for trips on water, though, and the pack goes into one behind me in the kayak.