New Pack

[Storminnorman]

Hello all. I am looking to lighten up my load with a new pack. I currently have an Osprey Aether 60 which is a great dependable piece of gear but it weighs in at around 5lbs. I am considering the following packs Z-Pack Arc Haul, ULA Circuit, Osprey Exos 58, and the Elemental Horizons Kalais. They all have relatively the same volume which would make me give serious consideration to any extras I may want to bring along. Thanks and I look forward to reading what you have to say.

[SWODaddy]

I have an Exos 48 and like it a lot.

Not as light as some of the others, but it's a lot lighter than the aether, you can buy one at a major retailer, you get Osprey's warranty, and it's comfortable up to about 30lbs.

[Traillium]

I switched from an Osprey Aether XL Aether (63L; but too heavy) to an Osprey Exos 58 XL (61L and much lighter and oh so comfortable; passable even with well over 35lbs).
The Exos 58 is so much more comfortable for me!
I keep wondering if I could have gotten away with an Exos 48L …

[xxjljoyce]

I am 5'3" 135lbs with back problems and I have went from an osprey to a circuit I am extremely happy with my decision they are doing a sale on last year's models if they have one in your size it's a easy way to save money on an absolutely wonderful backpack!!

https://1drv.ms/x/s!Ah4ZF0427mRTeyr6weSU2L1sGfU

[bigcranky]

Yeah, I had an Aether 60, great pack but heavy.

I used a Circuit for many years, and my wife uses one now. Great pack, well made, carries well, etc. It's a solid choice and a good bargain.

A couple of years ago I replaced my Circuit with an Arc Haul. I posted a long review of it here and maybe at BPL too. Overall I really like it, though I'm not sure that it would be my recommendation for a "first ultralight" pack. It takes more work to get it to ride and carry well. But it's also well made and well designed.

[soumodeler]

ArcHaul is my go to pack for everything except summer use. Great design, very comfortable, and well made.

[Venchka]

ArcHaul is my go to pack for everything except summer use. Great design, very comfortable, and well made.

What do you use in the summer? Seems like it should be the opposite.
Wayne


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[bigcranky]

I use my Arc Haul year round but it's rather large for my summer load, so I understand soumodeler's comment.

[daddytwosticks]

Have owned the exos 48 for about two years and have recently purchased the 58, but have not trail tested the 58 yet. I'm a big Osprey fan, having owned an older model Aether 60 and an Atmos 50. Love everything about the Exos series.

[Maineiac64]

Went from Osprey AG 65 to Arc Haul. Roll top design feature makes it fine for year round.

[cmoulder]

I have Arc Haul, Blast (old style 52L, luv 'em) and Zero (36L+side bottle/front pockets) and will use whichever is needed for volume/weight.

The Arc Haul definitely has far more capacity than I normally need outside of winter. However, it really shrinks down nicely when the top is rolled down and the side compression cords are cinched to match the load.

[Venchka]

Old Geezer Stupid Question:
Where are the compression straps? Do they not work?
All of this constant moaning and groaning about "My pack is too big."
I don't get it.
I do get winter and summer packs up to a point. In my case, I owned one backpack for 3 seasons in the Rockies. Then I bought a warmer bag that didn't fit my 3 season pack. I also bought a new pack to go with the new sleeping bag. However, the new pack collapses to nothing and the top pocket and belt come off. Versatility seems to be a lost feature.
Wayne



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[Venchka]

One more thing.
Shock cord is NOT suitable as compression straps. I used a ULA Catalyst last summer and I liked everything about the pack except the non-stretch rear pouch and the silly shock cord "compression" system.
End of Rant. I'll go hide.
Wayne


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[cmoulder]

They're not shock (bungee, stretchee) cords, hence my "side compression cords". They're in a zig-zag pattern with a LL3 at the top, and they work surprisingly well, sort of self-leveling so to speak.

I simply don't want to carry a 62 liter pack when my load requires only 36 liters and I can use a 12 oz pack vs a 24 oz pack. Weird to some folks, I guess.

[Storminnorman]

Thanks for the input, I appreciate the information and will take that into account when I decide on what pack I will go with.

[archie]

I love my Kalais.

[soumodeler]

I use an older (2014) ArcBlast for summer hikes. 52L and several ounces lighter than the Haul. As comfortable as the Haul is, at my summer base weight of 8lbs, the Blast is even more comfortable. Maybe "less noticeable" is a better description.

[soumodeler]

Also, if you forced me to pick only one pack for year round use, the ArcHaul would win. I just prefer to have different packs for different seasons and uses.

[MockingJay]

I purchased the Aether 70 pack several years ago and used it for several trips totaling about 100 miles. I found that pack to be heavier and roomier than I wanted, although it was extremely comfortable and had padding in all the right places (back, hip belt, shoulder straps). With 70L, I found that I would fill that extra space (just because I had it) with stuff I didn't need. Got rid of the Aether and picked up the Exos 58 and couldn't be happier. I've seen lots of hikers with the 58 so there must be something there. It's light, still has plenty of room, and lots of pockets. The only thing I've noticed is that the padding is not there as it is with the Aether. Overall, I'm glad I got the Exos 58. I've put over 100 miles on it and it loads out well with the rest of my gear. If you can, definitely try on your top 3 choices before you decide.

[Canebrake]

I tried to reduce the "big 3" as well and went with a Granite Gear Virga II based on Phil Werner's review at sectionhiker.com. It's very basic with a roll-top and very rugged. Wouldn't backpack with anything else. It's also more affordable than some of the other ultralight options.