Mariposa Ultralight Backpack - 2006 Model

[Freeleo]

can anyone tell me how much weight this pack can handle comfortably....

and what size i might want if i am 6.1 @ 190 lbs

thanks in advance
jch

[Egads]

I've carried ~26 lbs of gear, water, & food for two in the Mariposa w/o any soreness.

I am 6'-0" and bought the large.

[Whistler]

At least 30lbs easily.
-Mark

[Marta]

I used a Mariposa Plus (2006 model) for 2/3 of my hike last year. I'm planning to take the same pack on the JMT this summer. I think I was told to keep it below 32 pounds. I'm 6'0" and use a medium, but I wear the waist belt higher on my hips than men usually would. My shoulders are pretty narrow, too.

I sewed a little silnylon pouch on the waist belt to keep a few things close at hand. I like the way I can get out the water bottle without taking the pack off.

Marta/Five-Leaf

[Freeleo]

thanks for the feedback...they are "on sale" and i think im going to pick one up

thanks
jch

[1azarus]

where on sale?

[Freeleo]

actually they only have the size small on sale 100$.......bummer

but the small is on sale on the gossemer gear website

jch

[1azarus]

wondering if anyone uses the gossamer gear nightlite torso pad with the mariposa, which seems to be best for back ventilation, and then uses the pad as part of a hammock insulation system... like in addition to the HH supershelter. seems like other pads in the mariposa would be really too hot??? or does rolling a pad inside the mariposa work???

[BrianLe]

As it turns out, earlier this week I carried a load that started out at 33.5 pounds in my Mariposa Plus, though it's a 2007 model. I also have a 2006 model that now belongs to my wife, and the two are so similar that I'm pretty confident the 2006 would carry the same. It worked fine. I've gotten used to lighter loads (I was trying to see how well it will carry with more gear next year in the Sierras), but no problems.

The nightlite torso pad seems fine for me as a back pad, I like that system.

And also as it turns out, I took my Hennessy Hammock with me this trip. Since I had the nightlite pad along, of course I tossed it into the hammock; dunno if I needed it. Temps got down to about 40 degrees but with a lot of cross wind. I use the supershelter system, but now with *two* underpads, plus I was wearing a lot of clothes (simulating Sierras, trying stuff out). I was plenty warm with a 32-degree rated bag over me, but there's enough various insulation going on in this scenario it's hard to decipher the results.

At around 40 degrees out I wasn't too hot with the nightlite pad. It's on the long side as just foot insulation, I centered it under my butt so that I could feel where the insulation ended going mid-way up my back; I probably should have tried to get and keep it right at torso level --- in retrospect, dunno why I didn't do that. I guess it's that with a pad that's just exactly torso length, it would be somewhat finicky to get and keep it in just the right spot to cover the whole torso.

Or I should maybe have just done without it, save it for situations where it gets colder --- the point of going to a second underpad was to not have to sleep with a pad inside the hammock, but I wanted to try it out ... I think some experimenting will help determine when and exactly how to use it, not only placement but whether the "egg carton" side goes up or down ...


Brian Lewis

[1azarus]

thanks so much, brian -- just the experience i was looking for... i think i'll buy the mariposa with the torso length pad then...