Greetings! I'm currently using an Osprey Exos 34. With that pack (28 ounces) and my sleep/shelter system, my big 4 come in at about 4.5 pounds. As I plan for a long section hike (8 weeks) next summer, I'm looking for ways to knock chunks out of pack weight so I can comfortably enjoy more of the trail. One of the big options available to me is swapping out the pack. The Exos has plenty of space in the main bag to hold all of my gear plus 4-5 days of food. A medium ZPacks Zero is almost exactly the same volume.
By switching packs, I'd knock out 18+ ounces of weight (with the webbing hip belt/pockets as well as the mesh pocket on the back it comes out at 10 ounces). The only major hesitation I have is how it would carry when fully loaded with food. I'm estimating 2.5 pounds per day of food because of the long days (~4-5k calories per day). With water, that puts total weight coming off a resupply at a bit over 20 pounds. Is that a manageable load with the Zero?
Any constructive feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!