Lightweight packs

[ScottM]

I've been a diehard Osprey Talon 22 user for the past, what, almost 4 years?  Oh yeah, I was using it before it was cool.

I still like it, but it's kind of heavy at 1 lb 12 oz.  I am thinking of trying trips this winter with a lighter pack.  Something like this, maybe:

http://marmot.com/products/kompressor_plus

Nearly the same total volume, but it weighs a full pound less.  You get a lot less features (e.g. belt and shoulder pockets) but things can be sewn on, or it might be worth the trade off, esp. with all the great handy bags now available for bikes these days.

Anyone use that pack, or have a similar suggestion along these lines?  I know other companies make similar ultra light packs.  My main concern would be comfort on the bike.

Paging Mr. Plesko...

[donkey]

I was just looking at that pack at our new REI today.....seems like a nice pack for light loads.

I'm stuck on wanting/needing a waistbelt(hopefully with pockets)......which lately has me riding with a Wingnut 3.0 or Enduro.

We just got a shipment of 2011 Talons at the shop. The added a few "features" that add weight and don't increase the functionality of the pack for me(helmet holder?). Meh...

B

[DoctorRad]

The AlpKit Gourdon range might be worth a look:

http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=category&category_id=295

[DesertDog]

A little deviation from the original thought here, but for 2011 I'm going to go with moving the sleeping pad from the pack to the bars and downsizing from my Talon 33 to a Talon 11.  Both the 22 and 33 are bigger than what I need, but I made the 33 work by just folding the Big Agnes AC with a bit of air in it and kinda using it to pad the rest of the pack contents.  Just for a little emergency room, I'll be hand-stitching in a front stretch pocket.  I don't know why they put the stupid bungee system on the 11.  Gotta do the mod myself; Osprey doesn't modify packs and Rainy Pass, who does their work, says the pack design doesn't allow for a mod like that (said it would cost an arm and a leg, so...).  And I can see that if you're trying to do it using a machine.  The pack should give me about a 10oz saving.  Should be taking nearly 2lbs off of my 2010 season ending trail weight.  And the weight keeps dropping!

[AZTtripper]

No sternum strap no waist belt I can see this thing flying all over the place.

I guess you could sew something on.

I have a similar pack and did just that but it just never carried as well as my Osprey does.

[boddunn]

I find loading the pack bottom heavy and loosening the straps so it hangs as far down your back as possible the best for me, keeps the centre of gravity low, makes it less likely to ride up your back or become a hat when things get steep and not using waist or sternum straps helps with ventilation. It also means you can go without a hard frame pack.
 Just ordered an OMM Jirishanca which might be over kill but they encourage you to mod it yourself so you can get the weight down to 600 odd grams.

[sherpaxc]

I've got a contact with the local Osprey rep in town.  He let me borrow a new pack they are working on.  Kind of a scaled down 22.  I'll try and get more info about it on here for ya'll.

[Slowerthensnot]

http://www.rei.com/product/778466  I know chris has used one of these and i have as well super simple and use some blue pad, to pad your back and give it some shape

[wdlandparker]

I second the REI pack, I have got one and it is pretty nice, even loaded with 20 pounds.

[pro_out]

  I am a fan of Vaude backpacks, I have the one listed below. It is no longer made but they are available online. It weighs in at 14.8 oz.

  http://www.amazon.com/Vaude-Mini-Comfort-Ultralight-Backpack/dp/B001QXDK8O

 Was wonder if anyone has used or seen any of Vaudes mountain bike shoes, they look nice online but..........

  http://www.vaude.com/epages/Vaude-de.sf/?ObjectPath=/Shops/Vaude/Categories/bike/schuhe&Locale=en_IN&PageSize=99


                                                                                                                                 Thanks  SS T

[Slowerthensnot]

Or just go hog wild with this!!!  http://sheltercart.com/recreation.html

[bmike-vt]

 


Doesn't look fun to me.


Back OT - a friend loves his Vaude pack. His is not ultralite - and it sits higher on the back than my wingnut hyper, but they are well made. I've eyed a few of their simple lite packs at the local gear shop and feel they'd work for having along to carry food / water / etc. from a resupply to camp, but do not think I'd want to use it all day...

[DoctorRad]

@boddunn - Thanks for the pointer to the OMM packs, they look very good. Back in the 90s, I had one of the original CamelBak / KIMM sacks, which I loved. The first backpack to incorporate a hydration system, I believe, other than the CamelBaks themselves...

[boddunn]

No worries, they seem pretty well thought out and they're tested by the people at the cutting of UL in the UK plus reviews from the public seem to be pretty good. Having said that there's an awful lot of great packs to choose from out there these days. My house mate has a Kimm sack and she loves it.
 It's out of stock (backpackinglight.co.uk told me they spoke to OMM and it would be the end of the month), until the end of the month so fingers crossed it in time to make it a nice birthday present to myself!

[DoctorRad]

I'm not even 100% sure if my KIMM sack ever got thrown out... might still be in the depths of the garage somewhere... hmmm... Mind you, it IS rather spartan in its feature-set...

[Eric]

Not sure if it would sit low enough since it's designed for climbing, but it's pretty light and simple:
http://www.cilogear.com/20lws.html
Easy to rig a waist belt with the D rings.

[boddunn]

I've just missed a trick, I seem to advise everyone to make their own gear when ever I post here so in the spirit of of my normal posts here's a link to some MYOG
 http://www.andyhowell.info/Colin-Ibbotson/skins.html
 You might need to do some googling to understand it and I'm still not sure I've got my head round it but if Colin's made it it's probably alright.
 I quite fancy making a Dyneema harness that you wear on your back that you can chuck stuff in like a dry bag or even a carrier bag. I'd love to show some pics but it's only in my strange head; it be better that way  : O )

[Done]

Or just go hog wild with this!!!  http://sheltercart.com/recreation.html

And I thought that I was silly for using panniers!

[ScottM]

Thanks for the responses and further ideas.  I'll keep looking into it.  I am curious about the new Talon pack, for sure.  The 22 has a little too much capacity than I typically need, so something smaller would be ideal.  Having said that, I do end up jamming it full of food at gas stations... but I think I can deal with that problem.

A couple other ideas:

Arc'Teryx
Aerios 10

http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/packdetail.cfm/ARC7347

Black Diamond
Flash

http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/packdetail.cfm/BD239

I'm pretty sure the last one is what Plesko has used in the past (AZT 300, anyway).

I'd like to try one of the super duper light "stuff sack with straps" style packs, but it seems like comfort is going to be the biggest issue, esp. with a full water load.  Then again, full water loads aren't all that common, and don't last too long...

[JMeiser]

Senor Plesko used a z-packs on the divide.  http://www.zpacks.com/

I've used my Wingnut Enduro series for 3-4 years now for all kinds of riding.  It carries very well on the lower back, but I find the minimalist shoulder straps to be too minimalist for heavy loads (3-4L of water + food and gear). 15-20lbs. of weight.  I made that mistake in the first Trans Iowa I finished, the first Ultra I ever competed in, and have been working towards backpack free ever since.

I much prefer to go without when possible.  Carrying food and water in my frame bag and jersey pockets.  This is more possible on a rigid frame, but will likely be a challenge on a suspension frame.  Going without a pack can sometimes drive choices of what food to buy and carry.  During our California Central Coast Tour this fall I was unable to carry my beloved bag of salty potato chips and was forced to leave them behind.  I didn't have any space.  I could have used a UL pack like the Z-Pack at that point, but didn't *need* it. 

Distance between bike, resupply, terrain, and geographic location/climate all play into the want/need for a pack.  Going without has been more comfortable on the bike, for me.