Originally Posted By BrianLe
Since you said you're doing long distance hikes, inevitably an ultralight pack isn't going to last forever --- they can hold up well (I'll use the GG pack from the thru-hike again this year), but they're not going to last for decades of hard use. This for me might change the cost trade off. I.e., if you can get a Mariposa Plus for half the cost of an MLD or SMD pack, I would be inclined to go that route.


I'm not overly harsh with my gear. The mariposa plus i can get over in the UK is the 2008 version, with the two carbon fibre stays. I could get some aluminium or delrin rods to use these instead of the arrow straight carbon ones as these would actually take the form of my back.

Was the weight concentrated on your hips with the mariposa plus ? Did you use the foam inserts for the hipbelt or did you just stuff it with some spare clothes ?