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Lightweight Backpacks - How Light?
By Steve Gillman, Thu Dec 8th
How light is light? Lightweight backpacks weigh less than threepounds, a standard I just invented. There are good packs underthree pounds for almost all types of trips. My own Golitebackpack weighs just 14 ounces, and has a capacity of 2900 cubicinches, plus 1000 more in the extension collar. It's morecomfortable than any frame pack I've used, but then I don'tcarry more than 20 pounds in it. The mesh outer pockets are a great idea. I stuff my wet tarp inthe large one in the morning, where it's easy to take out to drylater. I've had my GoLite for ten years. I've used it from therain forest to glaciers at 20,600 feet on two trips to Ecuador,as well as in the Rockies, the Smokies, and in Michigan. Packedright, it qualifies as carry-on when I fly (I don't like tocheck luggage). My next pack will probably be the tougher GoLite Gust, whichweighs 20 ounces. I just read seven reviews, all of thempraising the pack. One reviewer used it for the weekend with a27-pound load, so a lightweight backpack doesn't have to belight-duty. Using Frameless Lightweight Backpacks Like mine, many lightweight backpacks don't have frames. I use asleeping pad for a frame, as is recommended. Some backpackersjust put the pad in
the backpack loosely rolled, with everythinginside it. I've found a better way.Take a closed-cell pad, like the cheap blue ones, and cut itacross, halfway through the foam, on opposite sides. You canaccordion it into a three layer thick (2 cuts) or four layerthick (3 cuts) back-padding frame. The "hinges" thus createdlast a long time. Put the pad in the pack, (against your back)and load everything in behind it. Other Backpack Options If you want lightweight AND cheap backpacks, startexperimenting. I've used an old aluminum pack frame and largeduffle bag, to create a full-suspension pack that weighs justtwo pounds. Though it carried loads well in the mountains ofMontana, it wasn't the most convenient to use. By the way, it islighter than any frame pack I've ever seen advertised.The8-ounce duffle works okay as a backpack by itself too. I recently bought a lightweight backpack at Walmart. It weighssix ounces, and it is actually comfortable. It's a daypack, butlarge enough for overnight hikes, since I travel really light.It cost just four dollars. Lighweight gear isn'talways expensive.
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