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  1. #41
    Clueless Weekender
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    I put hundreds of miles on a pack that I got for $70 at an REI garage sale, before I decided to get a Granite Gear Crown VC60 (large). It's a good bit more space than I need in hot weather, fairly tight in shoulder season, and in real winter a lot of stuff has to ride outside. I decided on it rather than something from ULA (or even more exotic) because I had an REI gift card, and it looked to be the best fit for my hiking style among the stuff that REI sold at the time I got it.

    I have no aspiration to be a thru hiker, but I note that a typical thru hike begins and ends in the shoulder season. I'd be hard put to cram the gear I'd want for early spring in Georgia or early autumn in northern New England into a 45-litre pack, even if I'd have no trouble with a pack that size at high summer. That said, I'm not an ultralighter, partly because I think I'd go slightly daft having nothing to do Out There but walk. (Having other things to do means bringing a few extra toys, and needing the pack space to hold them.)
    I always know where I am. I'm right here.

  2. #42
    Registered User
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    11-18-2015
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    Atlanta, GA
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    I'm rockin a Gossamer Gear Kumo. It's only a 36L pack including the outside pockets. I've done several long distance hikes and with it and I can fit 4-5 days worth of food no problem. I pretty much just take the bare minimum on my hikes. For cold weather hiking where I need warmer gear, I just throw on my front chest pack and that frees up the room needed for cold weather gear

  3. #43
    Registered User
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    06-10-2005
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    Bedford, MA
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    Quote Originally Posted by foodbag View Post
    I guess that my pack doesn't qualify as ultra-lite - I still have my trusty Vapor Trail purchased back in 2005!
    Mine is a bit newer (2006 or 2007) but still going strong.

    I bought a Nimbus Ozone at the same time more or less, and that one has more miles on it. But for those situations when I can keep the total load to 25 lbs. or less, I take the Vapor Trail.

  4. #44
    Registered User jjozgrunt's Avatar
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    06-22-2014
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    Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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    One thing not mentioned when people talk about pack sizes is your size. I'm 6'3" big build and all my gear is large and/or wide, therefore I need more room than a slightly built 5'6" person, just to fit the extra bulk of quilts, pads and clothes. Be realistic about your particular needs. Personally I hate carrying anything dangling off my pack, it catches branches and you risk it getting ripped off or damaging the pack, I like everything inside where it belongs.
    "He was a wise man who invented beer." Plato

  5. #45

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    Zpacks Arc Blast 60 size small

  6. #46
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    11-28-2015
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    Westport, Massachusetts
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    I have the following packs: a GG Murmur, a GG Mariposa, a North Face Casimir 36, and a custom-featured HMG Southwest 3400.

    I enjoyed using the GG Murmur. I used it on my rim-to-rim-to-rim hike in 2016. A great pack. It's frameless and requires users to pack it just right. I had about 22-23 pounds in it; it supposed to max out at 15 or so in the comfort range. GG is right. With 22, although I loved the pack, it wasn't the most comfortable pack in the world either.

    The HMG is brand new, so I literally have no experience with it just yet; I ordered it with an inner zip pouch and an internal frame sheet (in addition to the aluminum stays).

    The GG Mariposa is by far the worst pack of the bunch. It's uncomfortable, clumsy, doesn't hold weight well, doesn't transfer weight well to the hips, and sags on the user's rear.

    The best pack of the bunch? The North Face. It's comfortable, transfers weight appropriately, and has an adjustable torso mechanism. I love that pack for short trips.

  7. #47
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    03-16-2015
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    Chaumont,Ny
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Roaming Gnome View Post
    Zpacks Arc Blast 60 size small

    Wow 60l ! With your kit seems very big.

    Thom

  8. #48

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cheyou View Post
    Wow 60l ! With your kit seems very big.

    Thom
    The nice thing about the pack is the you can roll the top down to suit your load.

  9. #49
    Registered User jjozgrunt's Avatar
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    06-22-2014
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    Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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    65
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    I use the Zpacks Arc Haul Zip - Dyneema. Could go smaller for the AT but often have 7 days food here, and up to 6lts of water, and don't see the sense in going smaller as the pack is only 28 ozs.

    Some people just don't realize how big and dry Australia is, about the same size as the USA with a 16th of the population. 7 - 14 days between towns on the longer trails often carrying water for 2 or more days.8c239c347ea25461785906b4b4f64f0f.jpg
    "He was a wise man who invented beer." Plato

  10. #50
    In the shadows AfterParty's Avatar
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    05-11-2016
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    Norton, Kansas
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    My kit is pretty much ultra lite but my pack is not. I wanted a pack I know the fit an finish of. I got the mystery ranch glacier 70 l and I love my comfortable almost 5 lbs pack. I need to get it broke in proper though but still waiting on 2 more items and I will do my first solo 26m 12 out 14 back. I could rock a ul bag but I do t wanna. I like luxury items 2 quilltsi just like my pack
    Hiking the AT is “pointless.” What life is not “pointless”? Is it not pointless to work paycheck to paycheck just to conform?.....I want to make my life less ordinary. AWOL

  11. #51
    Registered User
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    03-25-2014
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    Westchester County, NY
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    Not to dredge up the whole "label" and "number" issues — although this is the UL forum! — but UL is defined as a base weight of 10 lbs or less. So if you're carrying a pack that weighs almost 5 lbs and 2 quilts, that simply isn't UL or even "pretty much UL" because the pack and sleep system are big components of the base weight.

    This is not a criticism because it is no concern of mine what anybody chooses to carry. I'm just noting that it is not technically UL.

  12. #52
    Registered User allmebloominlife's Avatar
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    03-20-2015
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    Huntsville, AL
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    54
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    I've got a ULA Circuit and love it. My base weight is around 12 lbs. I'm usually pushing 32 lbs the 1st night on trail. Only cause I'm carrying beer and steak/brats for a 1st night feast. ;-)

  13. #53

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    Quote Originally Posted by allmebloominlife View Post
    I've got a ULA Circuit and love it. My base weight is around 12 lbs. I'm usually pushing 32 lbs the 1st night on trail. Only cause I'm carrying beer and steak/brats for a 1st night feast. ;-)
    I too have an ULA Circuit but recently picked up an ULA CDT.
    Do you have an opening on your next trip? Love me a feast.

  14. #54
    Registered User Neemor's Avatar
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    10-31-2014
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    Peachtree City, GA
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    If you have gone backpacking with it already, then go for it! I used a 36L on the pct and will probably go smaller next summer. If you can fit gear+ 2-3 days of food you will be fine.
    I carried a 60L on my AT thru and it was way to big. But look they say, it all depends on you and what gear you're putting in it. Just think of the AT as tons of 3 day backpacking trips. Over and over.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  15. #55
    Registered User Cesar1239's Avatar
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    10-11-2016
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    New York City
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    30
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    I have the Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60 Pack. After I bought it, I realized that I could have easily gotten away with a small Gorilla 40 Pack but just wanted to be safe. Mine ways about 2 pounds.

  16. #56
    Registered User
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    03-12-2015
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    Fredericksburg, Virginia
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    Quote Originally Posted by josh_ATL View Post
    I'm rockin a Gossamer Gear Kumo. It's only a 36L pack including the outside pockets. I've done several long distance hikes and with it and I can fit 4-5 days worth of food no problem. I pretty much just take the bare minimum on my hikes. For cold weather hiking where I need warmer gear, I just throw on my front chest pack and that frees up the room needed for cold weather gear
    I love my Kumo; used it on the Long Trail this summer. What chest pack are you using? If you don't mind me asking.

  17. #57
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    10-05-2015
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    Milton,FL
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    Osprey Atmos 65 AG. I used it on my first AT hike. I then went to a Gossamer Gear Mariposa. I just didn't care for the way the Mariposa rode on my back. I went back to the Atmos.

  18. #58
    Registered User
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    02-01-2017
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    Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
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    Zpacks Arc Blast 55 L. With a full load I can bend over and tie my boot laces

  19. #59
    Going for A walk left52side's Avatar
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    02-24-2016
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    Currently I have A ula ohm 2.0 as well as A ula cdt pack that are my go to packs at the moment .
    In the future I have my eye on on A couple of other packs to try out . one being the palante packs simple pack and the other being the mld burn pack.
    If I die trying now I wont die wondering how life could have turned out.....


  20. #60

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    Figure out the maximum amount of food and water you'll likely need to carry. Try loading your pack with it and see if it fits with your gear. There should be no reason to guess if it will work. Either everything fits or it doesn't.

    If I was to hike the AT starting tomorrow, I'd take my MLD Burn (38L with all the external pockets and extension collar) pack. With my current gear, I could easily make it work for the AT with most of my gear stored inside. When I hiked in 2012, I carried my larger ULA CDT pack which I found larger than needed. For me that pack size works better for the PCT and CDT with their longer food and water carries than the AT. And yet, many I met on the AT thought my CDT pack was tiny.

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