[hikerjo]

Reading about your altralight trips (25 pounds / 3 days) made me weigh my pack. Its 4 stinkin pounds! What do you guys use? Tomrow I am going to Three Queens Mountain, and then hopefully that will be the last time I use my cheap Ridge Way Pack. (I have probaly had it for six years) From now on, I am travleing light. And for starters, I need a new pack...Any suggestions?

[rlfinn]

My 18 year old son just bought a new pack (his 1st he got a Gregory Palisade. WHAT A GREAT PACK. I'm still carrying my 15+ year old Lowe. I traded him packs for a 1/2 mile or so and even though our packs where about the same weight, his felt about half of mine!! The suspension system has the ability to move with your hips so the bag stays stable. We looked at a LOT of packs. There are alot of packs that cost more, but I will probably by a palisade for myself next year.

[Backpacker Joe]

Golite speed http://www.golitestore.com/store/products.asp?dept=1003 Or the Gregory G pack. http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/packdetail.cfm/GR2000 Or go here for MANY light packs. http://www.backcountrygear.com/backpack/Ultralight_Packs.cfm

[hikerjo]

I am thinking about this one, although its kind of ugly... Buts its got a lot of space and is cheap. I also have a 25% off coupon that I need to use at REI. Only 1 pound 2 ounces!!! http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?productId=47588317&storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&langId=-1

[hikerjo]

Or this one...It isnt as ugly, only 13 ounces, but a smaller pack. http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?productId=47588316&storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&langId=-1

[Larry]

I have a Deuter that is fairly lightweight, and it has already proven its durability in a brushy bushwack, and is a great all around lightweight pack, although not an ultralight pack. Very comfortable workhorse. I also purchased a GoLite Trek that is 2.5 pounds, so is bordering on the ultralight category. An extremely well-made pack that suits me wonderfully for very lightweight forays that don't involve a huge amount of brush that might snag things up. It fits like a glove, and really stays with me when I'm twisting through rough terrain. I'm quite impressed with the intuitive design and the nice mesh pockets and stuff. http://www.golitestore.com/store/prodinfo.asp?number=PA5104&variation=&aitem=6&mitem=16

[Allison]

Shop carefully, Craig, and do lots of homework. In many cases, light equals less comfortable. My main pack is the same Deuter Lar has, even though it weighs about four pounds. It's really, really comfortable. Some of the new packs are light AND comfortable, and some are just, well, light. Looking for a MS Ghost to use as a day pack if anyone wants to get rid of one for next to nothing. I really need something that isn't going to hang up in heavy brush. I have a lovely Dead Bird Khamsin 50 I'll trade ya!

[Tom]

Craig, I really like my MS Ghost but some people have found them uncomfortable. I'm guessing you're on a thin budget so the golite might be worth a try given your coupon deal and the return policy at REI. Don't go ga ga over saving weight. Comfort and fit is more important than saving a few ounces. I would recommend posting your question over at TLB where the lightweight gurus reside. You'll get a lot of ideas and opinions. Be specific about your criteria and needs, particularly budget and planned pack weight.

[Allison]

Tom, I think it would be folly to even suggest a Ghost to a lighweight neophyte. IMHO lightening the contents is more important for Craig at this point. Craig, go buy a scale.

[Tom]

Hey, I was a lightweight neophyte when I got my Ghost. Nice thing about it is you don't have to worry about loading it carefully or adhering to strict ultralight principles. Comfort limit is 25-30 lbs. Here's a review. The biggest issue is it just doesn't fit some people due to the one size fits all. BTW, they're on sale at ebags right now at 10% off. Use coupon code 60993759 at checkout for another 10% off + free shipping. Click thru to ebags from ebates.com to save another 6%. That comes to $152 shipped (no sales tax vs. REI).

[hikerjo]

[Newt]

I've got a Palisade if that is what you're talking about Craig. 6lb 3oz for a medium is not light weight IMO. Mine is a couple of years old and the fabric is pretty tough. Better than a lot of them. I find it is pretty comfy once you get the suspension dialed in. Palisade NN

[hikerjo]

Whoops, I got my packs mixed up. I ment, and am thinking about getting the Gregory G-Pack. Although the fabric is quite thin. 2 pounds 7 oz.

[Dante]

How much do you typically carry, Craig? Do you need a good frame and suspensionsystem? Some people's bodies are more "load tolerant" than others. I find most packs reasonably comfortable. In fact I can't thing of any--including the ALICE medium ruck I carried in the Army--that have ever caused me any discomfort. My favorite pack of all times was a frameless Gregory Day-and-a-Half pack, which fit like it was custom made for me. Right now, I use an 11 oz. $35 Golite Day pack for trips up to 3-days. I carried 3-days gear in it from Peggy's pond back to the parking lot via Circle, Venus, Spade, Waptus and a looong horse trail without reason to complain . . . You are young. If your load is light enough, I would buy a cheap frameless rucksack (or better yet borrow one) and try it before I dropped $100 or more on something fancier. A small pack with no frame will also help you keep your load light P.S. I wouldn't worry about fabric too much. my Army ALICE pack was just regular 400 denier packcloth and I abused it severely (throwing the loaded pack in and out of vehicles, etc.). I think manufacturers use a lot of the heavy fabrics for marketing purposes. If you are going to be scraping your pack on rocks a lot, maybe 1000 denier Cordura or Spectra reinforced fabric is worthwhile, but for most of us it is overkill... I can tell you I have crashed through a lot of brush with 400 denier pack cloth packs (e.g. my Gregory Day-and-a-half) with no damage significant enough to recall, if any.

[hikerjo]

I am still looking around. I cant really say how much I usually carry because I have never weighed my pack before, and it usualy always different, depending on where I am and what I am doing. I was looking at those cheap little packs. That might be the way to go. Thanks.