ZPacks Arc Blast

[mapman]

Any opinions of ZPacks Arc Blast pack?

[bear bag hanger]

Just looked at it, looks pretty good IF you can keep your total pack weight below 30 lbs.

[canoe]

i have been looking at this pack too. WOuld like to hear some reviews on this thread.

[jhunt87]

I got one earlier this year. I used it for a 7 day hike in April along the A.T. in NJ & PA.

I really liked the pack a lot. I was carrying about 25lbs when fully loaded up with food and water. Pack was very easy to adjust, and the waist/shoulder straps have a surprising amount of padding. I never had any uncomfortable pressure points that I couldn't adjust the pack to get rid of.

I got the top side pockets and loved how much gear I had access to without opening my pack.

I did find the pack very shallow, from the surface that touches the back to the "front of the pack". It would make getting larger sleeping bags or bear canisters into the bottom of the pack fairly difficult. That being said, I had my hammock, underquilt, topquilt, and suspension in one large compression sack, and I was able to get it in the bottom of the pack.

I previously used a ULA CDT and a Golite Jam to carry similar loads. No surprise that the Arc Blast carried comparable loads more comfortably.

It is now my go-to pack outside of winter.

[Kerosene]

Thanks for the quickie review, jhunt87. I've been looking at the ArcBlast, CDT and Jam and was leaning toward the ArcBlast already.

[TroutknuT]

Did the GSMNP with 16# of food,total pack weight 35# . Never really planed to carry that much weight in the Arc but it rode great. I got the two extra top pockets good for all my daytime needs so I never needed to go into the pack while hiking.

[TroutknuT]

Great pack.

[Dogwood]

Mapman, a few good Zpack Arc Blast reviews have been done. Google it.

[Swordpen]

The material feels like heavy heavy waxed paper (although of course thats not what it is). The straps are about 1/2 inch wide only, all over the bag (a little surprising to me when I first saw it, but no big deal).

I have it with the load lifters (not really needed when the packweight is 22-23# I guess), & 2 hipbelt pockets.

I have 22# 11 oz in it (3 day food, 2 L water), & have a lot of room left actually at the top, enough for a bear canister actually. I use the Lightheart Solo tent, & an extra pole, Mont Bell UL Super Spiral 30 degree bag.

One thing I'd say about the pack, is the hip belt runs small. So if you are on the cusp of sizes he says it fits, order the larger size, IMHO. I had to make the hip belt longer, so it would actually sit on my hips (it was above them). I am a woman tho, YMMV.

I like this bag & it rides comfortably.

HTH

[Dogwood]

I previously used a ULA CDT and a Golite Jam to carry similar loads. No surprise that the Arc Blast carried comparable loads more comfortably. - Jhunt87
Why? Anything more to the comment than the Arc Blast's Flexed Arc carbon fiber frame? I'd say it's definitely an improvement over the CDT and Jam 2 transferring the load to the hips and keeping the pack arched off your back(especially in humid environs). But, transferring the load for all these packs is not all that critical IMO considering the wt they were all designed to haul. If I ordered all the features of the Arc Blast that comes stock w/ the CDT the pack wt is basically the same.