Gearskin help!

[brian]

Im have a few questions about the moonbow gearskin...please anyone who has one reply!

a) does it sinch firmly enough to keep all of your gear in while hiking? I have a little doubt that it does, but so many reports have been positive.

b) Does it work with ONLY stuffsacks, and not a groundcloth\tarp\tent to keep it contained? I am asking this becuase I use a Hennessy Hammock and dont really want to expose my tarp, and i dont carry a pad in the summer months...

c) Is the hipbelt large enough to carry a load of 30lbs or so?

d) Was it worth the money to buy?

Brian

[DebW]

Might find some answers on Sgt. Rock's site (hikinghq.net) or backpackgeartest.org

[brian]

DebW,

Ive carefully "studied" the reviews on hikinghq and BGT, but i still had a couple of concerns left.


Thanks

Brian

[jlb2012]

Originally posted by brian
Im have a few questions about the moonbow gearskin...please anyone who has one reply!

a) does it sinch firmly enough to keep all of your gear in while hiking? I have a little doubt that it does, but so many reports have been positive.

For me the answer is yes - the qualification comes from the fact that I follow the recommended technique for packing it and always use a pad (usually a half inch blue foam pad in summer). In any case the straps cinch down to firmly compress my stuff into a single unit - nothing shifts around while hiking with the Gearskin.

b) Does it work with ONLY stuffsacks, and not a groundcloth\tarp\tent to keep it contained? I am asking this becuase I use a Hennessy Hammock and dont really want to expose my tarp, and i dont carry a pad in the summer months...

I also use a HH but I don't worry about exposing the fabric of the HH so I use the HH as the main container for the pad, sleeping bag, and most clothes that I am not wearing. Note I consider the Gearskin not suitable for bushwhacking but its great for trail hiking. To answer your question - I don't know I have never used it that way but my opinion is that it may depend on the sizes of the stuff sacks - probably would work OK with the larger stuff sacks (ex 7x15 size should be fine).

c) Is the hipbelt large enough to carry a load of 30lbs or so?

Again I suspect that since I use a pad I get better weight transfer to the hipbelt than someone who does not use a pad. In any case I have been very comfortable with the Gearskin when carrying loads over 30 lbs. and the hip belt that I have on the Gearskin is reasonably large and comfortable.

d) Was it worth the money to buy?

Brian

For me it was - I saved at least 3 lbs over the internal frame pack I used to use and that savings was very obvious to me. I also like the way the pack with the Gearskin rides - when nicely compressed it moves as a single unit and moving with the Gearskin pack is very easy and comfortable.

[brian]

Thank you HOI,

Does the blue pad you use really help in weight distribution to the hipbelt? It seems that it only helps to cinch down the gear...

I am going to be fitted by John McCue himself, and picking it up after a shorter trip, then a 10 day trip in the whites....cant wait!

Brian MacMillin
Thru Hiker Year 201X

[jlb2012]

Again this is just my opinion but with the full length blue pad that I use the pack ends up as a unit tall enough that the adjustment available on the shoulder straps allow me to get some of the weight off of the shoulders and transferred to the hips. The key here is what sort of shape one ends up with after tightening all the straps - with my setup the pack extends up high enough to enable the weight transfer off of the shoulders and onto the hips. If the pack ends up not being tall enough after assembly then this transfer via the adjustment straps on the harness will not work in my opinion. Note it is not just the pad that is being used to transfer the weight but instead it is the entire pack since when compressed sufficiently the entire pack acts as a unit - the pad does however make a very good "envelope" that gives shape to the pack as it is assembled - the sides curve in and the top curves down effectively gripping everything that is inside.

Since you are going to see Jon to get fitted (a good move IMO) you may want to do what I did - take your current pack and everything that you would normally use with you and have Jonathan show you how to pack the Gearskin with your particular gear. I did this at the Gathering last year and it was a good move for me.

[brian]

Yes, I feel that seeing him is a good idea. Ive had a 4 day trip in the carter range in the whites planned for about 3 months, and i realized that he lives about a half hour from where Im hiking (on the AT). So im going to get fitted, hike for 4 days, then pick it up. When I pick it up, i plan to just unload my current pack, which is all of 2 drybags, a food bag and my hammock in snakeskins, and have him show me some ways he thinks are good to pack it. Ive got 6 days until I leave for a 10 day trip in the saddleback range in maine with a group of 5 peers. I hope ill have it all settled out by then!

Since im only 15, im going to geta written copy of the measurements he made, and specificly WHERE he measured, so if need be in 3 years I can order another (i might grow out of it) If figure i would be able to sell it for $100 and then only pay a little more for a new one..

Brian MacMillin
Thru HIker Year 201X

[tlbj6142]

HOI;

What sort of materials is your gearskin made out of? What is its weight?

Brian;

My brother ordered a pack at trail days (15-May) and still has not received it. I would make sure he can meet your 4 day turn-around time.

[brian]

Ive asked him, he said it shouldnt be a problem becuase im coming to him and he has no need to ship it.

Brian

[jlb2012]

Originally posted by tlbj6142
HOI;

What sort of materials is your gearskin made out of? What is its weight?

I picked a mid weight pack cloth type of fabric but I am not real sure how to describe the fabric (maybe 200 wt. ??? not sure). I chose to avoid the syl-nylon for no good reason - just a gut feel type of thing.

As to weight of finished product - note I used a large hip belt, and did not have any other options (ie no mesh pocket, no D rings, no ice axe loops). - total weight came in at 24 ounces as measured on a somewhat inaccurate kitchen scale (+/- 2 ounces)

[brian]

What other options could you possibly think of that I might want to use?

Brian

[jlb2012]

I have no idea what options you might want - a lot depends on what you want to carry and how you want to carry it. For example the mesh back pocket would probably be good for carrying stuff you want to dry out. Another possibility would be having a couple slotted plastic diamonds attached to the back so that if you need to you can thread some straps through the diamonds for attaching things like snowshoes or crampons. Ice ax loops are obvious if you need to carry an ice ax or whatever. I am not sure what sort of an option would be best for carrying crampons - maybe Jon has some ideas. If you want ready access to stuff like a camera or water then the extra attachement points on the hip belt may be a good choice such as the D rings mentioned by someone else. For myself about all I do is hook in a couple mini biners to the harness and use those to attach my ready access water bottle and watch. Other people would want an option for a hydration cell pocket - not something I use currently.

[brian]

I got it....its great!!!!

The fit is awsome, and the load control is out of thie world! Very well made, and the options i got (2 hipbelt pockets, mesh pocket) are great...the mesh seems indestructable. I will report here in 3 weeks on how it did on a 2 week trip.....i think it wil od very well!!

Brian
Thru-hiker Year 201X