| Remove ads on the forum by becoming a donating member. More here. |
|---|
@Peter Fransiscus, what pack are you using?
If you are a tyro, there are quite a lot of good web resources out there about how to arrange the load in your pack, and probably some discussions here as well.
Amen to that. A front loader will always be heavier than the top-loading equivalent. It's amazing how many grams those sturdy zippers add. A 100g here, a 100g there ... and you can readily discern the additional half-pound!
Have no problems with the zippers it works better for me than top-loading one. It's a lot easyer to " load and onload "
Sounds interesting. What brand please?
It's a Marmot Graviton. The link is to the women's version, but there's also a men's version.
I can easily open just the top, side or bottom of my pack. In fact I rarely open it all the way, but can if I want. Everything doesn't spill out.
Really? I cannot think of a day when I didn't need to access my pack. Rain gear aside, there were things like putting my fleece in when it had warmed up enough in the morning, the occasional recourse to my first aid kit to treat a hot-spot to prevent it turning into a blister, or getting out a piece of fruit for a mid morning snack. And probably most importantly, getting to my tube of Vegemite to spread a little on my bocadillo.
However, I know exactly where everything is (in theory more than practice, I admit ), and with a 31 L pack with a sleeping bag at the bottom, I don't have to dig very far.
Agree, especially if you check it in at the airport. On route you might have some concerns about stuffing but the powers to torn the zips are lesser. In airports backpacks can be thrown around and zips might snap.
I walked last June with a woman's Osprey Kyte 44L pack that had a top opening, a side entry option, plus a lower compartment that had a floating top panel where one could reach up into the large main compartment. I found that particularly nice when I wanted something in the bottom of the pack quickly. I had thought I would love the side opening, being more used to that kind of access with other bags. However, what I found was that since I used small REI stuff bags for organizing, AND because my pack was often sitting upright on its' bottom, it wasn't really convenient to unzip and reach into the side, but easier to uncinch the top and pull out the stuff sack that I needed. I had three of them, and color coded each with what the contents...e.g., the green larger one held my change of clothes, towel and toiletries so I could grab one bag for the shower room, a smaller purple one had all my first aid items, etc. They were then loaded into my pack always in the same place, by weight/size for ease of carrying the pack. I would do the same thing again. The other great thing was that a stuff sack has a drawstring loop at the top that can hang from a hook while showering, or the rail of a bunk bed for stuff one might want during the night (light, glasses, etc.). Just some thoughts. Buen camino!
Before walking on my first Camino I watched Lindsey Cowie's first packing video. In that video she was using a Gregory J. During the video she stated that she was envious of individuals that had panel loaders, as it was super useful. It made an impact on me as I owned the male version of her bag, a Gregory Z55. And it made sense to me. I went out and started looking for a panel loader.
She's linked the Marmot Gravitron 36, which is a new pack line. I like the Gravitron 38 better (more pockets), but all that line seems to have an open cell foam back suspension (like Osprey's Talon line), which I find too warm for hot weather hiking. And both are heavier than the Osprey Exos 38, which is a top-loader with a trampoline suspension. The Gravitron a good design though, and Marmot is an excellent brand. Looking forward to hearing result from your Gravitron experience.
That is an amazing low weight for a 36l pack. My current Lowe Alpine is 30l and weights about 1200g
Thanks, I looked at the mens version and read the reviews which included comments about the fabric wearing and rubbing on the frame area; it appears to be another of the trade offs we make between weight and longivity in a backpack. So far I have opted for the system providing air space between the pack and my back which adds weight. Maybe next time.
My Osprey Stratos 36 is both.
