First Time. Is GoLite Jam to small?

[The Mighty Tiberious]

Getting ready for my first Hiking trip on the Appalachian Trail. The Jam was on sale but is it to small for me?

I am a large guy. 6'2 288 Lb.
Will the Jam fit my body?

It is my first time and I am not a Ultra Light. Will the Jam fit all my gear?

Western Mountaineering Badger
Jetboil
TT SS1
1 change of cloths
Fleece, 2 sets of long underwear and rain gear.
Sandals
All the standard other toiletries, guide, camera most everyone takes.


Using a NeoAir. Does the Jam need a closed call pad? Will the Neo Air work?

[Wise Old Owl]

guess you saw that sale.... I don't have one, but drooled over that idea.... http://www.golite.com/Mens-Jam--P739.aspx
Before others answer ... what are you going to do section hike or something else...

[skinewmexico]

So what size Jam did you order?

[Wise Old Owl]

I don't think he bought it yet./

[atmilkman]

looks like the medium is the only one on sale pretty sure that wont work

[The Mighty Tiberious]

Bought the Lg GoLite Jam couple weeks ago for my Thru Hike.
Bought the Kestrel 68 to try out yesterday. Unsure about the Kestrel fit? Waiting for Jam to arrive. .
21" torso to neck.

The Osprey Kestrel 68 med/LG is on sale at Backwoods. The shoulder straps push into the back of my neck.
The measurement guide at the store puts me on the edge of the Med/Large but I am not sure about the fit?

Waiting to try Jam.

[grayfox]

You might find this video interesting as he uses the Jam: http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&fe...&v=S-Frv7FaW7k

I recommend all the TGO videos--if you have some time to watch them.

The Jam seems a bit small but it would depend mostly on how small your sleeping bag can be compressed. I would rather have a bit more room so that packing is easier. 3000cu in is about as small as a light packer can use and 4000cu in is an easier size to pack. The guy in the video was carrying less than 30lbs which is probably about the limit of comfort for most light packs.

[Mr HaHa]

I think you are going to find that the Badger is going to consume too much of the Jams volume. I use a Jam with a WM Ultralight and to me that is as large a volume bag as I would consider with that pack. Any larger would just create to many packing and unpacking problems. If you stick with a Golite I would opt for the Pinnacle as the volume might be more suited to your needs.

[bigcranky]

The Jam is a frameless pack made for ultralight loads. If the rest of your gear isn't ultralight (less than 10-12 pounds total without food or water), then you'll likely find it very uncomfortable.

[pafarmboy]

The Jam is a frameless pack made for ultralight loads. If the rest of your gear isn't ultralight (less than 10-12 pounds total without food or water), then you'll likely find it very uncomfortable.

+1. If you are just starting long distances hiking, you need to have a frame for your pack until you have worked out weight nuances. Saving weight with a frameless pack is pointless unless you know how much weight you and the pack can handle comfortably for several days.

In a nutshell....if you have to ask if the pack is right for you, you aren't ready for a frameless pack.

Forget the Jam or the Pinnacle (also frameless). Go for a ULA Circuit. It's only 6 ounces more than the Jam. Might not be on sale, but if you can afford a Badger, you can afford a Circuit.

BTW...not trying to sound like an expert, cause I'm not even close. I'm a former newbie who bought a Pinnacle to save 2 pounds, lugged it for 200 miles on a section hike, and then threw it in the closet and went back to a framed pack.

[SCRUB HIKER]

+1. If you are just starting long distances hiking, you need to have a frame for your pack until you have worked out weight nuances. Saving weight with a frameless pack is pointless unless you know how much weight you and the pack can handle comfortably for several days.

In a nutshell....if you have to ask if the pack is right for you, you aren't ready for a frameless pack.

Forget the Jam or the Pinnacle (also frameless). Go for a ULA Circuit. It's only 6 ounces more than the Jam. Might not be on sale, but if you can afford a Badger, you can afford a Circuit.

BTW...not trying to sound like an expert, cause I'm not even close. I'm a former newbie who bought a Pinnacle to save 2 pounds, lugged it for 200 miles on a section hike, and then threw it in the closet and went back to a framed pack.

And I'm the opposite case. I bought a Pinnacle to save weight (more like 5 pounds ... my first pack was a Gregory Whitney), and had a great time with it on the AT last year, which was my first long-distance hike. I was careful, finicky even, with how I packed it for awhile until I got the system down. The only times it was uncomfortable were at 35-40 pounds fully loaded at the beginning of the longish sections. I don't really know the answer to your original question regarding the Jam, but I wouldn't discourage you from going frameless just because it's your first thru-hike.

[bigcranky]

40 pounds in a Pinnacle? Wow. Ouch. I couldn't do that. But maybe when I was your age....

[moytoy]

Bought the Lg GoLite Jam couple weeks ago for my Thru Hike.
Bought the Kestrel 68 to try out yesterday. Unsure about the Kestrel fit? Waiting for Jam to arrive. .

Waiting to try Jam.

If you don't have your Jam maybe you should check into the shipping. I ordered one on Feb 6 and it shipped from Golite on the 7th with a 10th arrival in Fl. The tracking now shows it in KS.