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Dirty Feet
07-17-2007, 14:21
Hi everyone! I'm planning to thru-hike in the 08' season and bought the Fanatic Fringe pack, my goal is to be fully loaded at 20 lbs or less. This pack is great, it will force me to minamalize my hike hike and keep things light. I'm worred though has anyone ever had any experience with this pack? It's a top loader with three outside pockets..that's it. No sternum strap though so it fits differently than any other pack I've worn. I'm looking for suggestions or other expereiences on how to properly or comfortably pack this thing without ruining the pack, or my back while I'm at it. Anyone have anything to share on the topic?

strez
07-17-2007, 15:46
Just playing devil's advocate here, but are you sure a 7-ounce pack will be able to stand up to the rigors of a through-hike? And give you enough comfort?

iliketacos
07-17-2007, 16:19
Dirty Feet,

I like the cost of the pack-if you need to you can buy another 2 packs along the trail if they don't last long enough for the whole trip-I'm not trying to be a smarty pants because the cost of 3-packs is equal to a typical retail pack. The only concern I would have if the 20 lb load limit. You will have to get creative on some of your pack items and think about the "big 5" in a very serious way. When are you thinking of leaving? Just asking due to the extra weight of cold weather clothing/gear. I'm interested to see your gear list when you get it together. It's doable and I'm sure it has been done. Good luck.

mrc237
07-17-2007, 16:39
Fix-It man at trail days called these type of packs "Disposable packs" buy 2 or more you are probably gonna need'um;)

iesman69
07-17-2007, 16:47
Backpackgeartest.org has 3 reviews....just go to their site and search for "frameless packs", scroll down 'til you see the Fanatic Fringe testers. Since you've already bought the pack, what are your impressions?

FanaticFringer
07-17-2007, 17:07
I have the pack with the sternum strap. Betcha could'nt tell by my trailname.:D
I'll never do a thru but mine has held up nicely over the past year on many overniters.

GlazeDog
07-18-2007, 00:06
Dirty Feet--
You might find more like minded people in the Ultra-Light Gear Forum. And yes, there is talk over there frequently about the Thompson Peak pack from FF. 20 pounds can be done safely.

GlazeDog

Dirty Feet
07-18-2007, 14:26
UGGHHH!!!! Well - I'm glad for all the replys. I chose the Fringe because I plan on doing an ultralight hike, as far as how and what to carry - I have it all together, I'm just not used to having so little pockets, and a top loading pack at that. I have no doubt I will be swtiching out alot of my gear at Trail Days.

JoeHiker
07-24-2007, 15:09
Respect the weight limit on that pack. They mean it. I tried to take mine on a 2.5 week hike in vermont but was carrying almost 30 pounds. The stitches started coming apart in several places.

FanaticFringer
07-24-2007, 18:27
Respect the weight limit on that pack. They mean it. I tried to take mine on a 2.5 week hike in vermont but was carrying almost 30 pounds. The stitches started coming apart in several places.

Why would you do that?:confused:

JoeHiker
07-30-2007, 19:43
Primarily because I thought it was a recommended weight. Many packs can go over the recommended weight and the result is that it does not carry as comfortably, not that it falls apart. I expected discomfort, not that it would start falling apart.

However I did start off with 20 pounds. Then some friends joined me for one night and they were not really hard core hikers so I picked up a few things while waiting for them one day. Heaviest was one of those little gas torches (propane?) with the big heavy green bottle. I should have sent it home with them but forgot. Plus they brought me some food which I didnt' expect.

In fact, I kept getting too much food and water anyway because I didn't mind the extra weight and thought it was better to have too much than too little. When I picked up one of my packages at at the post office, although there was too much in there, I took it all instead of forwarding it.

JAK
07-30-2007, 21:54
Their bigger packs looks great if you are looking to hike light weight but relatively high volume. With the exception of food, most of my stuff in my pack is light but fluff, like the sleeping bag, and blue foam pads. Depending on what you carry and how you pack it their doesn't need to be much strain on the pack. Food can beat the heck out of a pack though if you want to extend your distance before the next resupply. Also if you carry stuff any hard objects, you want to make sure they fit right. Again, a blue foam pad lining the entire pack can help smooth out the edges and stabilize and distribute the load. But yeah, more than 20 pounds pack weight isn't exactly high volume light weight. There are probably many stronger packs with reasonable volume that still only weigh about a pound, and many such packs under 2 pounds.

JoeHiker
08-02-2007, 12:38
Yes I've learned my lesson. I don't blame the FF pack.

I think most of the time in the future I'll probably be at 20 lb or less but I need the flexibility to go up to 30 or slightly more at times. When my FF started falling apart, some other friends came up and brought me my Granite Gear Vapor Trail. It was an extra pound but so worth it. Carried much better at all weights (but it has a frame so no wonder).

Now if only the thing had some real side pockets...

UCONNMike
08-02-2007, 13:01
UGGHHH!!!! Well - I'm glad for all the replys. I chose the Fringe because I plan on doing an ultralight hike, as far as how and what to carry - I have it all together, I'm just not used to having so little pockets, and a top loading pack at that. I have no doubt I will be swtiching out alot of my gear at Trail Days.

20 lb's isn't ultra light friend, and my suggestion would be to either get a heavy pack to carry 20 lb's comfortably or get your pack weight down to 10 lb's.

I carried a Granite Gear Vapor Trail on my thru-hike, and I carried about 14lb base weight and around 20 with food and water, and it was great.

now I have my pack wweight down to 8 lbs base weight and i carry a granite gear virga, which works great for that weight. btu by no means woudl i ever pack 10 lbs into that pack, its not meant to carry large loads. your pack says 20 lbs or less, and that includes food adn water, but that to me would be that absolute maximum.

I guess what i'm saying is, yea its nice to have a super light pack, but you can get one that weighs 2-2.5 lbs that would serve you better. becoming ultra light takes time, you can't do it overnight.

strez
08-03-2007, 10:43
Yes I've learned my lesson. I don't blame the FF pack.

I think most of the time in the future I'll probably be at 20 lb or less but I need the flexibility to go up to 30 or slightly more at times. When my FF started falling apart, some other friends came up and brought me my Granite Gear Vapor Trail. It was an extra pound but so worth it. Carried much better at all weights (but it has a frame so no wonder).

Now if only the thing had some real side pockets...

You *should* blame Fanatic Fringe. Packs shouldn't start falling apart when the exceed the load rating weight (which is the recommended comfortable weight, not the maximum weight before implosion). That's ridiculous. That's a poorly made pack, in my opinion. There are times in the wilderness where you may have to exceed the load rating weight for emergency purposes or otherwise, and you don't want your pack unraveling and disassembling on you.

Tobit
08-03-2007, 10:52
You *should* blame Fanatic Fringe. Packs shouldn't start falling apart when the exceed the load rating weight (which is the recommended comfortable weight, not the maximum weight before implosion).
I don't agree, especially when we are talking ultralight gear like the FF packs. The 20lb maximum for the FF packs is not a comfort weight it is a maximum weight the construction of the pack can handle. FF will openly tell you that their packs are not designed to exceed this limit, it's a 9.5 oz. pack for crying out loud. No one should expect it to hold up to the rigors of carrying 30 lbs and you should plan accordingly. I just bought a FF pack planning for a loaded weight of no more 12 lbs. and having the 8 extra available just in case.

- Tobias

strez
08-03-2007, 11:07
I don't agree, especially when we are talking ultralight gear like the FF packs. The 20lb maximum for the FF packs is not a comfort weight it is a maximum weight the construction of the pack can handle. FF will openly tell you that their packs are not designed to exceed this limit, it's a 9.5 oz. pack for crying out loud. No one should expect it to hold up to the rigors of carrying 30 lbs and you should plan accordingly. I just bought a FF pack planning for a loaded weight of no more 12 lbs. and having the 8 extra available just in case.

- Tobias

Then they need to clarify that as the pack's maximum weight on their website. They call it the pack load rating, and most probably interpret that as the weight the pack is designed to carry gear most comfortably, not the weight at which the pack will fall apart.

Tobit
08-03-2007, 11:09
Then they need to clarify that as the pack's maximum weight on their website. They call it the pack load rating, and most probably interpret that as the weight the pack is designed to carry gear most comfortably, not the weight at which the pack will fall apart.
Have you ever used SUL gear before? Most SUL gear is fragile by nature and most folks know this before buying. These packs are well known in the SUL community and there have been countless, positive, reviews written on them.

- Tobias