[Dante]

I'm thinking about buying a new pack for winter trips and times when I want to bring more stuff than will fit in my frameless "ultralight" pack. After a little research, here are the options I'm considering: 1. Granite Gear Nimbus Ozone. The manufacturer says this pack weighs 3lb. and has a 3,800 ci capacity expandable to over 4,000 ci. It has a pretty sophisticated looking suspension and FWIW Backpacker Magazine gove it an Editor's Choice Award and said you can comfortably carry 45 pounds in it. 2. Mountainsmith Auspex. This 3 lb. 7 oz., 4,200 ci pack also won an Editor's Choice award, but the suspension is not as sophisticated as the Nimbus Ozone's, but I've read good reviews from people (including one Backpacker Editor) who have carried 35 pounds or more in one. Anyone have experience with the Auspex or with Granite Gear's Cirrus, Stratus or Nimbus packs?

[Backpacker Joe]

Going to be interested in this responce. TB

[Allison]

Yah we tested the Auspex and Chimera for the pack shootout last summer, which ran in the magazine late spring of this year. The guys liked the Auspex pretty well, and Quark and I tested the Chimera and liked it a little less. The packs were/are bomber durable, and pretty comfy, but the thing that Q and I both kinda didn't like was the fact that the Chimera's (that is the Wms version) pack bag was kind of cramped. A little too small in diameter and requiring a full dump-out to get anything. One of the guys liked the Auspex enuf to pro deal it at the end of the test, and he still likes it a lot after one more summer of use. Quark and I both liked the Deuter ACT Lite 50+10, but I have to say a couple of things about this pack. The hip belt is a little too "tubular" especially for the female pelvis, and this becomes more noticeable as load increases. Also the bottom of the packbag is made of a fabric that is not very abrasion-resistant. When getting into light gear this sort of thing can be a problem. If you go off-trail and or climb and/or tend to slither around on rocks a lot, look carefully at the fabric, especially the fabric on the bottom of the bag. I'd love to hear what people think of those GG packs, anyone have one???

[Marmot]

Personally, I've not tried either. My wife, however, has the Mountainsmith Chimera, which is the women's version of the Aupex. She went through quite an ordeal trying to find a pack that fit right and carried her load well, and the Chimera was it. She's had it about a year, and it carries her loads quite well, including her winter gear. Her max load is in the 30 pound range, and it carries it quite well. Personally, if i were in the market for a new pack, the Auspex would be first on my list to check out. Oh, FWIW, we put the Chimera on the scale at REI when we got it, it came in an ounce or two under mfg. cited weight (can't remember exactly what it weighed in at)

[Allison]

From my research: Auspex advertised wt: 3#7oz, actual 3#12oz advertised volume: 4200 ci, actual 3661 ci Chimera advertised wt: 3#7oz actual 3#9oz advertised volume: 4200 ci, actual 3295 ci Testing done by me at the REI QA labs, Sumner WA, under the supervision of Regan Velasquez. Volume testing was done using the ASTM standard method for pack volume testing.

[Hiker Boy]

Looks like one or both of those REI scales need to be calibrated!

[Tom]

Funny how weights always seem to come in over mfr. specs. The original Hennessey Hammock Ultralight Backpacker was touted as "1.5 lbs" where in reality the actual weight was closer to a pound 10 ounces. When pressed on this, Tom Hennessey admitted to rounding to the nearest half pound for marketing reasons. That still doesn't explain why he also rounded the weight in grams to the same amount (1.5 lbs / 680 grams).

[Allison]

[kleet]

[kleet]

The following was ripped from today's headlines. For the last five years, I've been lugging around a seven-pound Dana Design Stillwater pack. But recently, I've seen the "light" and have gone lightweight. Can you recommend a solid, 4,000-cubic-inch pack that weighs less than four pounds? I was looking at the Osprey Aether 60 and the Mountainsmith Auspex, but which would you recommend? Thanks for always being the "go to" guy when it comes to gear. — Jake Irvine, California I will get on my soapbox for just a minute and say something that I think most people miss: Pack weight is not as important as the weight of stuff like your tent, stoves, and clothes. That's because, in some cases, a heavier pack will feel lighter than a pack that is, well, lighter. Why? Because a heavier pack usually also has a better suspension. If the load's not sagging around your torso, you'll feel better and breathe better, and the load won't get you down. That said, I'm with you—I'm working hard these days to pare weight. Part of that effort has been to acquire an Osprey Aether 60 ($199), which carries 3,700 cubic inches in the medium size and weighs three pounds, six ounces. My conclusion: It's fabulous. Carries well, holds more than the size would indicate, and is very cleanly designed. The suspension in particular is first-rate. I wasn't entirely dazzled by the construction, and had to have a mesh bottle pocket repaired straightaway when it blew out. Also had Rainy Pass Repair replace the fixed pad loops with plastic buckle-style loops (for ease of attaching and detaching stuff). Otherwise, I love it. Carries 30 to 35 pounds effortlessly, and is ideal for three- to four-night trips. Mountainsmith's Auspex ($250; www.mountainsmith.com) carries a bit more and weighs about the same. I haven't used it myself, but I know it's highly regarded. So nothing wrong with that choice, either. The best solution is to find a store that carries both, try them on, and see what you think.

[Dante]

[hikerjo]

[Bob K]

Are you counting the side/front pocket space in that 4000 ci? You should be able to get to half those weights...certainly under 2 pounds. 3+ pounds sounds way too heavy (and probably a lot more expensive too.) That extra pound or two you're putting into those heavy packs can go a long ways if used, instead, for good, toasty, (and, unfortunately, expensive) anti-hypothermia stuff in the winter. -

[Steve]

The McHale SARC has a minimum custom made pack weight of 3 lb even, though typical construction is 4 lb. Vol is 3800 ci with spindrift 4500 ci.

[Dante]

Bob K, the Nimbus Ozone has not top or side pockets. I think the Auspex's volume includes the top and side pockets... You can get lighter packs in this volume-range, but they are (1) frameless packs (2) have a less sophisticated suspension than the Nimbus Ozone or Auspex (e.g. the ULA P2) and/or (3) are much more expensive. I already have a really light frameless pack for 3-season use. I want more volume and the ability to carry 40+ pounds for winter and/or family camping trips. I don't plan to carry 40+ pounds often--my winter load is usually around 35 pounds--but I'd like the ability to do so. On my last beach hike, my wife had the baby and I had everything else, so my old Kelty tipped the scales at around 65 pounds (of course all that stuff would wouldn't have fit in or even on the Nimbus Ozone or Auspex )...