rjstew234
12-02-2014, 12:07
About 5 years ago I got into backpacking. Typical trips are 5 days/4 nights/50-60 miles, East of the Mississippi from the Smokies to Vermont. No thru-hiking in the near future. My first backpack was a High Peak Everest 75+10, 6lbs. I quickly realized this pack was way too big for a 4 day trip and that I could easily cut 2/3 of the weight. After only a few trips I learned that its much more enjoyable to pack extremely light/minimal vs lugging around a 30-40lb pack. The weight reduction was helped greatly with the purchase of a Big Agnes UL2 Scout tent, 2lbs packed weight which uses trekking poles as the supports. I have a Big Agnes Air Core sleeping pad, 1lb 5oz and a High Peak Latitude 20 sleeping bag, 2lb 7oz.
About a year ago I purchased a Vaude Brenta 40 liter pack at 3lbs. Its the perfect size for 4 nights because it forces me to think about what Im packing and not overload with unnecessary items. For my last trip in the Smokies this summer I got my total pack trail weight down to 22lbs, including food, but not including water. My only complaint with the Vaude pack is there is minimal padding on the shoulder straps and hip belt (maybe max?), and the hip belt buckle and straps near the buckle are very narrow, about 1 wide. This causes the buckle and belt to dig into my belly when the pack is fully loaded. As a workaround, I swapped out the original buckle with a wider one from another pack and fashioned a Velcro shoulder strap from a laptop bag to cover the hip belt, which makes it about 3 wide. The whole setup is quite cumbersome though and doesnt breath very well. The Vaude also has a weird pear shape, where the load tends to settle toward the bottom.
All that being said, I was browsing packs to see if I could find any deals on Cyber Monday and came across the Osprey Exos 38 (actually 40 liters in large). Its 2lbs 3oz, so a full 3/4lb lighter than my current Vaude pack, and it looks like it has nicer padding on the straps & belt and a wider belt. It also has a tons of features, including a removable top lid, which my Vaude pack doesnt have. I know that Osprey packs are essentially top of the line and one of the top choices for thru-hikers.
My question is, is it worth upgrading from the Vaude to the Osprey for $120? Any other packs under 2lbs 8oz that I should be looking at?
Vaude Brenta 40: http://www.vaude.com/en-NL/Products/Backpacks/Brenta-40-black.html
Osprey Exos 38: http://www.rei.com/product/864596/osprey-exos-38-pack#tab-description
About a year ago I purchased a Vaude Brenta 40 liter pack at 3lbs. Its the perfect size for 4 nights because it forces me to think about what Im packing and not overload with unnecessary items. For my last trip in the Smokies this summer I got my total pack trail weight down to 22lbs, including food, but not including water. My only complaint with the Vaude pack is there is minimal padding on the shoulder straps and hip belt (maybe max?), and the hip belt buckle and straps near the buckle are very narrow, about 1 wide. This causes the buckle and belt to dig into my belly when the pack is fully loaded. As a workaround, I swapped out the original buckle with a wider one from another pack and fashioned a Velcro shoulder strap from a laptop bag to cover the hip belt, which makes it about 3 wide. The whole setup is quite cumbersome though and doesnt breath very well. The Vaude also has a weird pear shape, where the load tends to settle toward the bottom.
All that being said, I was browsing packs to see if I could find any deals on Cyber Monday and came across the Osprey Exos 38 (actually 40 liters in large). Its 2lbs 3oz, so a full 3/4lb lighter than my current Vaude pack, and it looks like it has nicer padding on the straps & belt and a wider belt. It also has a tons of features, including a removable top lid, which my Vaude pack doesnt have. I know that Osprey packs are essentially top of the line and one of the top choices for thru-hikers.
My question is, is it worth upgrading from the Vaude to the Osprey for $120? Any other packs under 2lbs 8oz that I should be looking at?
Vaude Brenta 40: http://www.vaude.com/en-NL/Products/Backpacks/Brenta-40-black.html
Osprey Exos 38: http://www.rei.com/product/864596/osprey-exos-38-pack#tab-description