Gregory Palisade pack lid

[lancer_45]

I have a Palisade pack and need to shed some weight w/o replacing my pack. Would it be ok to remove my pack lid and just use the backpack w/o it. Or does the lid give it structure and stability? Any advice would be appreciated. I leave Monday for a Northbound thru.

[Skidsteer]

I have a Palisade pack and need to shed some weight w/o replacing my pack. Would it be ok to remove my pack lid and just use the backpack w/o it. Or does the lid give it structure and stability? Any advice would be appreciated. I leave Monday for a Northbound thru.

Leave it. It won't hurt a thing.

[lancer_45]

preciate it Skidsteer. That'll probably take a lb off. A pound's a pound.

[bigcranky]

Funny thing about pack lids. The lid pocket is there so you can get to little stuff quickly because it's so hard to get inside your pack. But, it's so hard to get inside your pack *because* the stupid lid pocket is in the way.

Once I got past that in my own head, I've done without lid pockets. My current pack never had one -- just a roll top closure -- but I removed them from past packs. Works great. I usually kept my little junk in a small stuff sack near the top of the pack.

[BitBucket]

I had one of those a year or so back and I could put most everything I own in it...It was a great fitting pack...but was just too big for me to carry up and down the PUDs in GA...

While it certainly won't hurt to go w/o the lid, I'd take a pound or two of stuff out of the pack and take the lid...that's a big 'ol pack to tote 2170 miles....when you get to Mountain Crossings have Winton and the guys go thru your pack and ship about half that stuff back to B'ham...

Hope you enjoy your thru!

[lancer_45]

The thing is I bought my pack first because I found it for so cheap. Now I wish I had waited and got a Mariposa or something. I'm at around 20-25lbs with everything including food and water. I'm sure I can find a few more things I could do w/o before I hit the trail Monday. I'm nervous, anxious, and excited all at the same time. I love it!

[Skidsteer]

The thing is I bought my pack first because I found it for so cheap. Now I wish I had waited and got a Mariposa or something. I'm at around 20-25lbs with everything including food and water. I'm sure I can find a few more things I could do w/o before I hit the trail Monday. I'm nervous, anxious, and excited all at the same time. I love it!

20-25 with that pack? :D Pretty good.

Spend the money. Get a lighter pack. Seriously. You're using a semi to haul a gym bag.

[BitBucket]

How much free space you got left in that thing?

With just 20-25 lbs, I'd run over to Alabama Outdoors on 31 South and pick up a Granite Gear Vapor, Gregory Z55 or something similar at 1/2 to 1/3 the weight of the Palisades..

I picked up a Vaude Cross Ultralight 35L that I got for around $35 on Steep and Cheap that will easily carry 25 lbs and it only weighs about 2lb or less. I use it mainly for day or overnight trips. But for week or longer, I can't seem to get my weight down much lower than about 32-35, and my Gregory Z65 handles that with ease..

If you don't need to carry the extra weight or the space, the Palisades is a gross case of overkill....(but still one heck of a good high end pack).

[OutdoorsMan]

Your post got me thinking....maybe I will shed my Palisades lid too!

[bigcranky]

20-25 pounds in a Palisade is darn good, since the pack itself is about 25% of that. Maybe more.

Just go hike. Don't worry about the pack. You're young, and 25 pounds is very light for a starting thru-hiker. The Palisade is comfortable and will carry well.

At some point up the trail, you may decide it's time for a lighter, smaller pack. You'll have that opportunity at Neels Gap, Franklin, NOC, Gatlinburg, Hot Springs, and Damascus -- all have great outfitters. By that time you'll have a much better idea of what you need in a pack, and be able to make an informed decision.

Have fun, have a great hike. Happy trails.

[lancer_45]

20-25 pounds in a Palisade is darn good, since the pack itself is about 25% of that. Maybe more.

Just go hike. Don't worry about the pack. You're young, and 25 pounds is very light for a starting thru-hiker. The Palisade is comfortable and will carry well.

At some point up the trail, you may decide it's time for a lighter, smaller pack. You'll have that opportunity at Neels Gap, Franklin, NOC, Gatlinburg, Hot Springs, and Damascus -- all have great outfitters. By that time you'll have a much better idea of what you need in a pack, and be able to make an informed decision.

Have fun, have a great hike. Happy trails.

Good to know. I'll mark all those places in my companion. It's hard to part from my Palisade because it's just so damn comfortable.

[jonathanb23]

well you should be comfortable...you only have 35% the load it was designed to haul. That thing is a BEAST. Reality is (at least for me) it is too late in the game to change direction now. I'm with Cranky - just go, but that darn pack weighs 6lbs + in a medium. With a assumed 12-15lb base weight you could get into a MUCH lighter pack. Be prepared to look at some of the outfitters along the way. BTW anything Gregory and UL should never be in the same sentence. Fine packs, some are light, but none are UL :) Best of luck!

Cheers!