GoLite Speed Adventure Racing Pack

[Jman]

Recently I was watching the Discovery channel and they had a show on Adventure Racing. It was pretty cool. I noticed many of the teams used this pack. At only 27 oz, it seemed like a great way to reduce pack weight.

Anyone ever used it or have an opinion about it?

Or how about even the Gust Ultra-Lite Climbing pack? Any serious disadvantages (aside from the obvious durability issues)?

[robertm]

I have never used one but the lack of a waist belt seemed odd since I like to take the weight off of my shoulders every once in awhile.

[bobinc]

Yeah -- this item also has no side pockets or top flap. It's light, all right, but if you are actually planning on carrying anything, you might want to use something else (aka a "pack").

[Jman]

quote:

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Originally posted by robertm:

I have never used one but the lack of a waist belt seemed odd since I like to take the weight off of my shoulders every once in awhile.

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Umm... both of them DO have waistbelts.

And, uh... it actually has 5 external mesh pockets. Only the Gust doesn't have a top pocket, but it's not meant to carry very much weight. We're talkin' packs for maybe 20 lbs. I wouldn't consider these for expeditions. I travel very light (less than 20 lbs. for overnight, not including climbing periphenalia).

[Big_Sky_Ry]

Both of these packs (Speed, Gust) have waistbelts. Golite claims 30 lb carrying capacity. I've used both. I think that's a bit optimistic, for that matter, for any frameless pack. 20 pounds and less is OK if the approach is short. I wouldn't put 30 pounds in a WT Ice Sac despite manufacturer and customer claims to the contrary. It's miserable on a long approach. For a sub-3 lb pack with a frame that actually works, check out the new ones from McHale - subpop, lightspeed, speed bump, and UL zero sarc. I just had a subpop made. The pack, side pockets, bivy pad, frame stays, summit flap, and bladder pocket come in at less than 3 lbs and the pack carries 40 as 'easily' as you can carry 40, I guess. No discomfort, at least, on a long approach.

RyanJ

[Nick]

I frequently carry 30 to 40 pounds in frameless packs on approaches to climbs and on ski mountaineering overnights. I have used frameless Granite Gear rucksacks with 35 pounds, an Osprey Zealot with the frame and padding removed with 45 pounds, and a Granite Gear alpine light which has no frame and an unpadded webbing hip belt for loads up to 40 pounds. All these frameless packs were comfortable to carry with these loads because I pack them in such a way that the weight is close to my back, and when the side compression straps are very tight the whole pack stiffens into a fairly rigid chunk which carries much the same as a framed pack. I find that the tailoring of a pack, and the use of well designed compression straps, is more important than frames and padding. I have not used the go-lite packs, but I would choose one of the models that does include compression straps.

[freeclimb9]

The Go-Lite packs were designed in part by Ray Jardine. They're really basic packs with high-tech materials intended --mostly-- for use by the ultra-light backpacking set. Like any lightweight gear, you have to be protective of them lest they get damaged (even though the spectra gridstop fabric is durable, its denier count is pretty low. It gets holes fast.). Note: they don't have many compression straps either.

Another vendor of ultra-light gear is http://www.ula-equipment.com/pages/products/packs/packs.htm

[Rodchester]

PMS/Nelson carries these packs.

 

PMS/Packs

[allthumbs]

I looked at those go-lites and they will tear in a heartbeat. I can't imagine using one for climbing; gentle trail backpacking, maybe. Another reletively light pack line that does it all is Arcteryx' Khamsin series...specifically the Khamsin 38. Light AND strong.

[Rodchester]

Trask:

 

I tend to agree with you. Some of the Ultra-lightweight stuff you see now-a-days seems almost like one time use stuff. You fart next to it..and it tears open. Maybe if you were running a cross-country style race and did not intend on using it over a long period of time. Trial running, again might work.

 

The trick for alpine climbers seems to be finding the balance between weight, function, and durability. A hard combo to find in one package...or pack.

 

I also agree that the Kamsin 30 and 38 are a damn good balance of the three. Especially the 38, for alpine climbers...the 30 is a bit small.

[allthumbs]

I have the Khamsin 38, and though I'm not a climber, I do go off-trail and sorta scramble up to the glaciers and high camps and shit. I tend to scrape the pack in rocks, and slide alder, and devil's club, and throw the fucker around. No failures of any kind in two years of abuse. end of endorsement...arcteryx should send me a shirt or something

 

[ 05-17-2002, 09:10 AM: Message edited by: trask ]

[gapertimmy]

my vote is for the other canuckian pack

 

LAFUMAZ!!!!

[Dwayner]

You want some great adventure racing gear?

Dwayner recommends Salomon products including their light packs:

 

Adventure Racing Packs

 

Dwayner also races with Salomon footwear and highly recommends the "Raidrace" shoe.

 

Find It Here Somewhere

 

Good luck!

 

- Dwayner

[allison]

The Arc'Teryx packs do not tend to be insanely lightweight....but in my experience they tend to be insanely comfortable. I have a Khamsin 50 and I absolutely love it. Now I am all about keeping my pack weight down to around 25# (not including climbing gear) but I can't convince myself that I'm going to get the comfort I need in a frameless. Seems to me that no matter how you slice it, if you take the padding away, the pack is going to be less comfy. Anyone able to convince me otherwise? I'd love to hear from a convert!

[freeclimb9]

allison,

are you associating a frame with padding? There are several commercial packs (Cold, Cold World, WildThings and some offerings from BD, TNF, etc. Even the go-Lite packs have a sleeve for a pad, I believe) that use a removable pad alone instead of in conjunction with stays or a plastic sheet. I've used packs of this type for a long time, and they can be very comfortable depending on how you pack them. Making them pig-tight helps a lot. BTW, 25 lbs of stuff not counting climbing gear seems like much. Is this winter gear? My ultra-light packing friends get as low as 8 lbs for spring, summer, and fall jaunts. Go old-skool like John Muir, and carry only a coat with your pockets filled with snacks.

[climberted]

I have an Arc'teryx bora 40 and have always removed the frame and folded my ultra-lite 3/4 thermarest inhalf and the legnth wise so that it measures 23x10. This happens to be the exact measurement for the pocket the framesheet goes into. Also I shove the tent poles in the middle of the therma-rest making a kinda 'ghetto' frame. I can carry so heaver loads comfortably with that set up.

[allison]

quote:

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Originally posted by freeclimb9:

allison,

are you associating a frame with padding?.... BTW, 25 lbs of stuff not counting climbing gear seems like much. Is this winter gear? My ultra-light packing friends get as low as 8 lbs for spring, summer, and fall jaunts. Go old-skool like John Muir, and carry only a coat with your pockets filled with snacks.

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By 'frameless' I am referring to packs that have stays, packsheets, et al, traditional components of internal frame packs. The stuff that makes them internal frame packs. I have heard that loading aframeless packs vey tight makes them sit better/be more comfy.

 

And thanks for your advice, I know there are ways to get my pack weight down even more, but these methods involve eating cold food, not using a tent, and other things I'm choosing not to do. I'm more of a traditional backpacker committed to carrying a light load than I am a convert to the ways of the ultra-lightweight. When it comes to reducing pack weight, everything is incremental, and at a certain point, comforts are sacrificed in order to keep weight down. I can actually get my pack weight down to 20#ish if I need to, but beyond that I'm either going to have to make some sacrifices or spend some more $$$. Freeze-dried food would probably help!