I'm looking for a good +/- 4000cc 3 poundish pack to start my light weight gear collection.

Thanks,
Levi

Hi Levi,

I've got a prototype pack called the Northern Lite made by ElementalHorizons. it has served me well and only has a slight cosmetic tear in the fabric(just a tear in the fabric that covers the stay pockets.... purely cosmetic, does not effect function at all.) that I'm looking to 'unload'. not sure if it's exactly 4000cc but it is pretty room for a pack of it's weight and VERY well built. It's actually too roomy for me and that's the only reason I've moved on....to a smaller, unfortuneatly not lighter pack.

Matthew, the maker, works with George of AntiGravityGear.com so it's got some good backing.

here's the web page:
http://elementalhorizons.com/packs.html

Anyways, lemme know if you're interested. btw, being a 'prototype' mine is actually a tad lighter in weight i think.

REI had the Deuter ACT Lite 65+10 on sale for $125 last week, but I don't see it now. I already have one, and wish I had a second. You may want to look around on the web some - the 08-09 models should be available as close-outs.

Andy

I've never seen anyone else talk about these packs, but we got a couple of Eureka Getaway 3900 packs that have served us really well for over 200 miles, and show almost no wear. They weigh 3 lbs 6 oz, and cost us under $65 retail.

Quite a deal, if you ask us!

I love my stayless GoLite Pinnacle.

You can get this, if male, for about $140.

$40 more for 400 more cubic inches than what you wanted ain't bad.

Or if you're a female, for about $98.

I used to make fun of GoLite, now I embrace them.

Mind me asking how the Pinnacle works for you? I've been really close to ordering and trying one, but I'm in the process of shedding weight and really need to lose my 7 lbs Kelty Redcloud. Then I read a few reviews that the pack isn't comfortable once you get around 30 lbs because of the lack of stays. Any comment on this?

ADKDustin:

Well, the whole point of this forum is shedding pounds. And my last bp with it I was down in the 28-30 pound range at the start of the hike. Despite having no stays, I was VERY comfortable with it at the start and even more so as the pounds went and the food was eaten over the course of the hike. I've used it for a couple dayhike snowshoes with it over the winter, and even more impressed. I've got a camera keyhole gizmo that replaced the sternum strap, and lug a DSLR Canon Xsi on the front straps, and still find it performing well. I'm sold on a stayless pack -- others might not be.

I had a 6-lb-plus Kelty RedCloud a while back; it seems like ancient history now and I'd never go back to a pack that heavy. I've used a bendable kitchen cutting board as a sort of removable stay thing placed in the pack that works as a multitask dinner food staging board/cutting board at dinner. That's the only support I've needed.

I have a Gossamer Gear G4 pack that has worked well for me. 4000ci, frameless, weighs in at 16.1 oz with hip belt padding (I use spare socks for shoulder strap padding). Found it on sale at GG's website for $80 a while back, and if you're a MYOG kinda person, Glen has always posted the plans for it on the website.

Is this the Dustin from the adk forums? If so, hey. Regardless, welcome to backpacking.net.

Thanks all for the replies, I am suprised to get so many quality responses so quickly.

Look at the Six Moon Designs Starlite and Traveler. Be sure to get the "optional" (mandatory, IMHO) stays. With those these packs will easily carry up to 35 lbs. I've done up to 37. I have the discontinued (and smaller) Comet (the Starlite's little brother), and absolutely love it! It's of course over your budget, but there are often used models of one or the other floating around.

Of course pack fit is almost as individual as shoe fit, so Your Mileage May Vary!

What exactly are "stays"?

Stays are either carbon fiber rods or aluminum bars/rods that go in the back panel of the pack - many ultralite packs use these instead of the big complicated frames you see on name brand packs.

I have a Gossamer Gear Mariposa Plus - the previous models had carbon fiber rods and a foam pad (either your sleeping pad or a sit pad) for the back panel. Now they use an aluminum rod shaped to the curve of the back. It handles up to 30 pounds and 4200 cu in of volume. It weighs around 22 oz. Very nice pack. My sweet spot for it is right around 20 lbs but it will only start to wear on my (girlie) hips after 25 lbs.

stays are structural supports added to increase the support of the pack. They are usually made from either aluminum or plastic. They serve a similar function as their namesake from antique womens' corsets.

Just another pack out there to consider for an additional $25-- Gossamer Gear's G4. It has a 66L capacity, carries 30lbs and weighs about 1Lbs. This obviously has no stays, but you can you use your sleeping pad as an additional frame.

As mentioned previously, a correctly fitting pack is a personal decision. What works for any one of us, may not feel right to you and vice-versa. Head out to your local outfitters, get measured and load up some packs to get a feel of what is comfortable for you.

I talked with the guys at GG, and mentioned putting Mariposa stays in a G4. They said it was easy, when you are building the G4. All you need to is to make a "sleeve" out of 1 1/2 or 2 inch nylon webbing and sew that into the bag as you make it.

They cautioned that you need to "smooth" the end of the stays with something to keep the stay ends from rubbing their way through the nylon web sleeve.

If you try to put stays in an already built pack, you have to usually do some disassembly and reassembly in order to sew the sleeve and stay into the back of the pack.

Levi, if you haven't already found them, there are lots of excellent articles for beginners and on gear selection listed in the left-hand column of http://www.backpacking.net/, the home page of this site.

Another good site for gear selection is Mark Verber's website. Lots of ideas for gear, including low-budget alternatives.

These articles will tell you lots about packs and their structure and fitting and different types!

You guys and gals are awesome.

Another vote for the Pinnacle. I modified mine slightly (removing the inside water reservoir pocket and shortening the straps) so that the mens large weighs just 24.8 oz. Even with the thinly padded straps I find it to be more comfortable than my Osprey Aether and significantly lighter. I use my sit pad/sleeve as a back pad (inside the pack) which also provides some rigidity.

rionada

My Pinnacle gets pretty uncomfortable at 30. To go that route, you need to have the rest of your gear a lot lighter too, and then the Pinnacle is way too big (you'd need a Jam2). I put a piece of coroplast in the backpad of mine and it transfers weight better. You've got to look at what you carry as a lightweight system, and it's probably easier to buy your pack last. Sunnyside sports has good deals on GoLite from time to time, or GoLite was having a factory sale a week or so ago (and SAC had the z-65 earlier today for $109). Watch the forums, and try to buy used and make sure you like it. Personally, I've gone to ULA when I have a lot of water to carry, or Gossamer Gear when I don't.

Thanks so much for all of the information, I bought the Golite Pinnacle for 120 and it will be delivered in time for my weekend camp next week!!

http://www.rscycle.com/GoLite-Pinnacle-Pack-Mens