timo Posted June 13, 2003 Posted June 13, 2003 Has anybody used this pack or any opinions. I am thinking about getting one. I need a pack about 37-4000+ci. around 4lbs. Any suggestions welcome. Quote
jordop Posted June 13, 2003 Posted June 13, 2003 Serratus Icefall: 1/2 the price and less weight. No extra crap, carries well Quote
JoshK Posted June 13, 2003 Posted June 13, 2003 Yup, I mentioned the serratus icefall in another thread. Awesome pack for the price. Considering you can even mail order it to american from MEC (unlike arc'teryx, who gouges american consumers even more), it's a great deal. Quote
terrible_ted Posted June 13, 2003 Posted June 13, 2003 I've had the Khamsin 62 for a few years now. I like it. The pack behaves well until you get over 45# in it, at which point the load starts to shift around when you move. I consider it a good indicator that you're carrying too much weight... Â It sucks down nicely when near empty (i.e. summit attempts, day climbs, etc..) and the sub 4# weight is none too onerous. Â It's light on gimmicks, although the top compartment does detach for use as a fanny pack. I was going to cut the straps for this off, but I found that I actually use it on occasion. Â Quote
cman Posted June 13, 2003 Posted June 13, 2003 I have the 52, i think, and i like it. the waistbelt could be a little bit beefier, more padded, in my opinion. Overall i like it the side zip is killer Quote
Skisports Posted June 13, 2003 Posted June 13, 2003 timo said: Has anybody used this pack or any opinions. I am thinking about getting one. I need a pack about 37-4000+ci. around 4lbs. Any suggestions welcome. Â I like the 62. but it seems the quality has gone done.. the past 4 1/2 days my zipper a couple of buckels and where the elastic strap connects busted. sooooooo.... Quote
Coopah Posted June 13, 2003 Posted June 13, 2003 (edited) I have a tall Khamsin 62 for sale...used once. I should have gone with the medium (which I now have). It's yours for $165 PM me if interested Edited June 13, 2003 by Coopah Quote
gslater Posted June 14, 2003 Posted June 14, 2003 I've had a 52 for a few months now, and have used it 5 or 6 times. Comments: Â I was oppposed to having the long side zipper, just from the structural integrity standpoint. But I actually used it once to get something out of the very bottom of the pack in a snowstorm, and that was pretty nice. Â It would be kind of nice to have an elasticized side pocket on BOTH sides. Â The weight is good. The carrying capacity is good. Â Fit is a sensitive issue with the Khamsin series. Not a lot of adjustability, so it either fits well in a particular size, or doesn't fit well at all. Â The hip belt has been more than adequate for my needs (often around a 30lb load). It's also not so beefy that it gets in the way of a harness, and it doesn't get in the way when high-steppin'. Â The load lifter strap buckles run through the hypalon stuff that connects the top lid, and they tend to get tangled up a bit. Â With a lighter load, the pack can be compressed down nicely. Â The "take the top off and use it as a small fanny pack" thing is actually more useful than other such ones that I've seen. On my Dana Terraplane, you have to take the whole freakin' main hip belt out of the pack to use it with the fanny pack/top lid. Â Be watching for a sale; obviously, these aren't super-cheap packs. But you get what you pay for, as the Arc'Teryx construction is first-rate. I also considered the Osprey Ceres line of packs, but thought their "features" weren't really what I'd want. Â The daisy chain attachment points on the top lid are kind of worthless unless that lid is stuffed full and has some shape. It would be kind of nice to get them on the body of the pack somewhere. I've run some shock cord through mine. Â Adjustable ice axe loops and ski loops are nice. Quote
nattybumppo Posted June 14, 2003 Posted June 14, 2003 Just picked up a Granite Gear Vapor Trail at Second Ascent. Used it on Stuart this past weekend. Enough room for an overnighter, splitting my tent with my buddy. I also skipped the waterbottles and went with a 3 liter Platypus between the bag and frame sheet. I've never drank more water on a trip, and I've never felt better. Anyway, the pack is fairly minimal, with no top lid, just an extended skirt that rolls up; it worked well to hold my rope. The suspension isn't fancy, but it gets the job done. It has stretchy panels on both sides for pickets, wands, camera, whatever. I think it weighs about 2 pounds total. I can't imagine that it will be as bulletproof as my McHale, but at $150 give or take, it seems to balance all the price/weight/capacity/comfort criteria. I'm determined to use it for all overnight trips from here on. It imposes its own economy--I mean the old Rebuffat one that Nelson quotes: Keep it light but don't forget what you'll need. Â Talk to Mike at Second Ascent, he sold me, and I went in determined to buy a Serratus or Arc'Teryx. Which they stock and sell for more money by the way. Â Granite Gear Vapor Trail. Great pack. Quote
marylou Posted June 14, 2003 Posted June 14, 2003 Â Â For what it's worth I just wrote up a pack test for WT and the best conclusion I came away with is fill the pack you want to buy with the stuff you are going to put in it. Â Different packs carry loads differently and advertised volumes are often incorrect. Try it on with your own stuff in it, take it home and try again, and then decide. A pack is something you are going to be stuck with for a long time. Quote
Sphinx Posted June 16, 2003 Posted June 16, 2003 Remember, if you want to carry skis, don't buy the Arc'teryx. Two of the compression straps don't release, so lashing skis on is very difficult. Quote
Greg_W Posted June 16, 2003 Posted June 16, 2003 I like mine. The side-access zipper was a great selling point for me. Â Don't listen to marylou; I hear she's a raging alcoholic. Quote
fern Posted June 16, 2003 Posted June 16, 2003 depends where you are carrying your skis.  if it is just below snowline you can just put them across the top of the pack and secure them with the lid ...  this is my favourite method for defending my personal space   Quote
Greg_W Posted June 16, 2003 Posted June 16, 2003 fern said: depends where you are carrying your skis.  if it is just below snowline you can just put them across the top of the pack and secure them with the lid ...  this is my favourite method for defending my personal space   Remind me to where a hockey mask if I ever do an approach with you. Quote
fern Posted June 16, 2003 Posted June 16, 2003 I'm pretty short ... you might do better wearing a cup Quote
rbw1966 Posted June 17, 2003 Posted June 17, 2003 Carrying your skis like that in a forest would severely suck unless I am totally not getting how you lash them down. Quote
Greg_W Posted June 17, 2003 Posted June 17, 2003 fern said: I'm pretty short ... you might do better wearing a cup Quote
hakioawa Posted June 18, 2003 Posted June 18, 2003 Anyone know much about this pack? Its a little small and a little heavier, but it looks like a great pack. The whole think tears down (hip belt, beaver tail, lid etc) to about 2.5 lbs for summit bids. I'm thinking about it. Quote
gslater Posted June 18, 2003 Posted June 18, 2003 Sphinx said: Remember, if you want to carry skis, don't buy the Arc'teryx. Two of the compression straps don't release, so lashing skis on is very difficult. Â Â I went and looked at my Khamsin 52, and only one of the 4 compression straps doesn't unbuckle. It's the one directly over the wand/bottle pocket thingy on the right side. Since the pack has side ski loops and unbuckle-able compression straps on top on both sides, it doesn't seem like attaching skis would present any great difficulty. I'm assuming, of course, that the 62 is configured like the 52. Quote
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