[Tishabet]

Originally Posted by Talewinds

Wow those GoLite packs certainly are as they claim. My gear is at constant odds w/ itself. I use one of the lightest 2-person full shell tents available, the Black Diamond Lighthouse, but then I stuff it in one of the heaviest packs, the Arcteryx Bora 80. I love that pack dearly but man is it heavy.

That's a well sorted pack list Tishabet.

I moved to the Golite this year having first used a Dana Designs Arcflex Terraplane for about 8 years, then a Dana Designs Birdger Overkill for another 8 or so. The Golite is great, but has no frame... so you have to really plan how you pack it so that it will carry well. That said, this summer I have perfected the practice of using my foam pad to give the back some rigidity, and as long as you are light it carries great. Best part of all... I got it for around $65 on closeout from Sierra Trading Post.

I've been trying to convince my dad to get an arcteryx after reading some excellent reviews on their latest packs, he's an external frame guy and has been using the same Kelty since the early 80s... I probably have 500 miles on that pack, my brother probably has another 500 and and I bet my dad has another 1500 easily.

Here's a picture of the old man on the JMT last year with said ancient pack... last year we did 80 miles on the JMT plus an unplanned 20 or so back into the Yosemite valley to pick up our car because the roads were closed from the North due to fires. The guy is 70 and going strong, I got to see a lot of the back of that pack!


Vash, sorry for the hijack!