Age: 41
Gender: Male
Height/Weight/Torso: 5'10" (1.8 m) / 180 lb (82 kg) / 19.5" (50 cm)
Email:
Region: San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Date: July 10, 2004
A Preliminary Owner Review
Name: Mark Verber
Age: 41
Gender: Male
Height/Weight/Torso: 5'10" (1.8 m) / 180 lb (82 kg) / 19.5" (50 cm)
Email:
Region: San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Date: July 10, 2004
Review Item:
LuxuryLite Thru-Hiker Pack
Volume Listed:
Listed weight: Less than 2lbs
Weight as delivered: 30oz
MSRP: US$395
A telescoping external frame pack which a bottom shelf. Three cylinders are attached by velco loops.
Hiking around the bay area and sierras. Weather from 40s-80s. Carry weight from 18lb-34lb.
Wasn't as comfortable as vapor trail... having problems with hit belt. Version 1 wasn't good for me. Version 2 was better. Waiting on version 3 of the belt which is suppose to be better still. carry on just hips doesn't work for me. Had a hard time getting pack to sit well without cranking on the shoulder straps. Front bag good idea. Helped keep pack balanced but hard to get set properly.
Too wide for me... I like narrow packs, though switching to three medium size canisters (rather than large, medium and small) could help addressed this.
Innovative design. People who like external frame packs should like it... but I haven't found an external that works well for me (this is the closest). Only reason I am keeping it now is for testing, though the next gen hip belt might be enough to convince me to hold onto the pack.
I did a lot of backpacking from 1972 through the '80s. I started by going to various destinations in Ohio, West Virgina, and Red River Gorge in Kentucky. Destinations expanded to include sections of the AT, the PCT, the Rockies (Rocky Mountain National Park, Yellowstone, Tetons), The Big Horns, and various destinations in Canada. In the '90s my outdoor activities slowed down to make room for other aspects of life. Nearly all my backpacking was heavy-weight style. In 2001 I started seriously backpacking again... mostly in the Sierras. Over the next three years I switch from a heavyweight to ultralight to lightweight style. My three season base weight is now 8-11 lb (3.5-5 kg). Full carry weight including food and water is typically 15-25 lb (7-11 kg) depending on the length of the trip. Winter trips run a bit heavier.