My friend last season let me try his sub 3 lbs pack for a 6 day trip across the sierras (incidentally my first proper tenkara trip). Now that the season is approaching I thought an excellent birthday present to myself would be a new pack so.

Does anyone on this forum have any ideas on good packs out there?
Criteria:
sub 3 lbs weight
an internal frame
around the 55 - 65 liter range

Was looking at the Granite Gear Blaze, but I wanted to see if anyone else had any ideas or reviews.

Birthday is in April.

Thanks for any help.

You might look at the Deuter Act Zero 50+15 pack. It is not a sub 3lb. pack but it's just over at 3lb 6oz. but wow what a sweet pack. It can be used as a 50 liter pack and has the ability to expand to 65 liters very quickly when needed. It's a versatile pack (actually two packs) at 50 liters it's great for weekend or three day trips and at 65 you can easily pack for a week or more. It has a super comfortable, highly adjustable suspension system with a comfortable well padded belt. Deuter has been doing packs and only packs for more than 100 years, and they know their stuff.

I have the Act Light 65+10 and I love this pack, love it! Check 'em out, just google Deuter packs.
Just to add, I think when packs get too light, they lack in features and seriously lack in durability.

JD

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"The reverse side also has a reverse side"

I've read good things about the GG packs but never owned one.

Many folks on other forums I frequent prefer the ULA packs. I have the Conduit which I like a lot but it is to smaller than your looking for. The founder of ULA, Brian , sold the company to new owners a couple of years ago. The new owners have changed the names of some of the packs, I don't like the renaming makes it to difficult to compare to old reviews of the same pack,. They have added new packs. since Brian sold the company. I assume the quality has remained high but I have no first hand experience with the new owners. You might find the Ohm or Ohm 2.0 packs would work for you. 24.5 oz and 29 oz

http://www.ula-equipment.com/packoverview.asp

I have a Gossmer Gear Mariposa Plus pack. I haven't used it a lot but very roomy and very light. Grant gives great service. When I got my pack they still had the straight stays. The initial pack I ordered was the wrong torso length. When I went to exchange to the correct torso length he offered the new curved stays at no charge. They were going to add about $20 to the price. 3600ci/59L about 22 oz.

http://gossamergear.com/packs/backpacks%20...%20kpack.html


Last year at Trail Days in Damascus , Va, I purchased an Osprey Atmos 50. The great thing I like about it is the Air Speed/Airspace Suspension. That is a bit of mesh over a frame that keeps the pack away from your back and the added ventilation during the warm months is really great. Osprey has the Atmos series which are a little lighter than the Aether series. Both series come in sizes that would fit your criteria. They are a bit heavier, but the ventilation and the extra little pockets and other features may make it worth it to you. It is very comfortable to wear. The Atmos 65 weights about 3#10oz, according to the print catalog I have.

http://www.ospreypacks.com/en/group/men%20...%20series-new

Ron at Mountain Laurel Designs makes some very good products. I have some of his tarps and other accessories but none of his packs. However, they are very light. The Ark is larger than you specified, its 4400ci/72L but it weights 18 oz. He is a cottage industry if you want stuff from him better check if he has it in stock. If he has to make it there may be a delay of possibly over a month to get it.
http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/sh%20...%20ucts_id=97

If you really want to have a light pack, The Zpacks Blast is 58L and 8.3 oz. It is a frameless design. No personal experience with them. I've only read that some hikers like them

http://zpacks.com/backpacks/blast.shtml

Lots of reviews of these at other packs here, if none of these called out to ya.

http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Packs/

Maybe this list will be of some help in seeing other options. That being said , I do read good reports of the Granite Gear stuff too.

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テンカラ釣りは楽しいのです。

If you would like to get an idea of how much gear you can pack into a ULA Ohm pack ( 25 oz or 29 oz pack ) you might find these videos interesting. I just found them last evening posted on hammockforums which I had not read for a few months.

The video is made by shugemery and he shows the gear that he is packing into his ULA Ohm for a 2 day trip when temps will be in the 20s, which of course requires packing more gear than during warmer outings.

Many of the other Shug videos will also offer a lot of good advice. Now he can get a little weird at points during his videos. But it is just in his nature. He makes his living as an entertainer. He is a unicycle riding, mandolin playing, juggler among other things in his performances. The Sling Blade character pops up from time to time too. So just a warning about jumps into silliness from time to time. He regularly makes week long trips through Linville Gorge or on other trails. So he has a lot of experience on how to pack for long trips and he is a big fan of the ULA Ohm pack.

Shug's Backpack Hammock Load for a 21º Trip...PART 1 ( two day trip) posted Nov 2011) 15"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK9oGK2FJck
( Oh, the last 3 minutes is some great music provided by Shug and two friends of N. Ireland)

Part 2 - another 15" minutes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeBdD7Mh ... re=channel

An older video from 2010 - pack load for 6 day trip in Linville Gorge
Shug's BackPack Load for 6 Day Trip... PART 1 - posted May 2010 - 10"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i57YopeC ... ure=relmfu

Should you ever have the urge to go camping in temps around - 20-degrees below zero, Shug can provide good information about that too in some of his other videos.
Way to cold for me.

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テンカラ釣りは楽しいのです。

Thanks everyone for the help, the ULA circuit seems to be a winner, as long as I can get all the rest of my gear light enough (not a fan of the catalyst for some reason).

Aligned with lightweight gear, anyone have any ideas for Tents.
Would like a sub 3lbs, double wall.

Thanks again for any help.

I need to offset the weight of my ito

The Circuit should be a great pack. I purchased my ULA Conduit ( now called the CDT) from Mt Rogers Outfitters in Damascus , Va. which is right on the AT so they know gear the works for long distance hikers. Jeff at MRO is a big fan of the ULA pack. With the Circuit you've picked a pack at the high end of your volume range, 65L. The temptation will be to pack more than you really want to carry.

I never sleep on the ground unless I absolutely have to. It much better to sleep in a camping hammock. More comfortable and no worries about rain running into your tent.

A sub 3 #, double wall tent will be hard to find. Not many tents offer double wall construction that weight under 3#.

If you carry trekking poles you might consider Light Heart Gear Solo.

I've not used one of these tents but I have seen them displayed at Trail Days the past 3 years or so. They seem well made and the company has grown a lot during the last 3 years now offering several tents. 3 years ago I think they only offered one tent the Solo. The company was started by a woman in Tenn , a seamstress, who hiked the AT and afterward designed the tent she would have liked to have been able to use.

Their solo tent weights 27 oz, and is listed as a double wall tent. It uses a short bit of plastic pipe angled downward about 45-degrees on the ends into which trekking poles are inserted to hold up the roof and hold out the sides. Everything else is just staked out.

The Solo Standard
http://www.lightheartgear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=&products_id=15

The Solo Custom - the difference is the Custom is still made in the USA and it can be ordered in the color of your choice. It cost a few bucks more too.
http://www.lightheartgear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=&products_id=23

Maybe I will recall the names of some other suggestions later. Since switching over to hammock camping I just don't think about tents to much anymore. If bugs are not a big concern you might consider only using a tarp. Lots of room under them and they are light. Even lighter if you want to spend the extra dollars for a Cuben fiber tarp. With plenty of ventilation not much concern with condensation either. But using them is a bit of a learning curve. However, there is plenty of information on the internet about how to camp under a tarp.

Good luck finding something that works for you.

D

p.s. Again if you carry trekking poles you might consider the MLD Cricket. However, MLD has an 8 to 12 week delivery time right now. 13 oz - 20oz. Much lighter if you can spend double the money for the same in cuben fiber. Its not really a tent, it is more a tarp with an inner net for bug protection. The inner net can be used or not.

http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=47&products_id=174

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テンカラ釣りは楽しいのです。

Ultra Light weight tent's huh, How much money ya got. Big Agnes has some sub 3 lb tents. Check out the Fly Creek UL1 2 lb-3oz, Fly Creek UL2 2lb-10oz, and the Copper Spur UL1 2lb-12oz, and the Fly Creek 2 Platinum 2lb-3oz. There not cheep though!!!

JD

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"The reverse side also has a reverse side"

Last evening I thought about Henry Shire's Tarp-Tents. I did not post about them because, as mentioned I haven't looked much at tents for a while, I mostly remember his older Contrail and Squall designs. All single wall.

Wow, Henry has added some great new designs. They look a lot like the Helleberg Akto which I know is a popular tent. But it doesn't meet your criteria. It's single wall and a little over 3#.

http://www.hilleberg.com/home/products/akto/akto.php

I was really impressed with two of the newer H.S. tarptent designs. ( btw - a note on the ordering page mentions the company marks 10 years in business next month. They have never raised the price of one of their tents yet but prices will be going up next month. )

http://www.tarptent.com/index.html

The Moment is considered by one reviewer as a step up from the Contrail design. It is not listed as double wall. However, it has an optional 4 oz liner that essentially turns it into a double wall design. 30oz + 4 oz.
$215

http://www.tarptent.com/moment.html#specs

I was blown away looking at the Scarp 1 design. Looking at all the tie outs and other reinforcement points on the Scarp if the tent ever gets blown away its because you weren't trying. 40 0z. $295.

http://www.tarptent.com/scarp1.html#specs

I have never purchased any of their gear. I am aware that some people have had quality issues and though all was made right in the end yet getting things corrected required more than one call or email.

Moment review
http://outside365.com/2011/02/01/henry-shires-tarptent-moment-review/

Scarp review, from the UK

https://backpackingbongos.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/tarptent-scarp-1-impressions-from-the-first-3-nights/


https://blogpackinglight.wordpress.com/2010/04/25/scarp-1-review/


FWIW
My preferred place to sleep - in the WB Blackbird

http://warbonnetoutdoors.com/index.php

If I know I will have to sleep on the ground, and its not bug season and I'm walking not car camping like at a BSA event then generally I sleep here.

http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=102

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テンカラ釣りは楽しいのです。

if you have the time you can look up all these sites, select gear and compare yourself, but you are still making guesses without field testing them and can waste a lot of money this way.

You may want to tap into other's knowledge and experience on dedicated review sites. Try these two and look at the gear reviews, recommendations etc, including member suggestions as a start - plenty of reviews and advice on light weight packing and gear and what works and what doesn't:

www.backpackinglight.com

www.backpackgeartest.org

Does anyone on this forum have any ideas on good packs out there?
Criteria:
sub 3 lbs weight
an internal frame
around the 55 - 65 liter range

I HIGHLY recommend a Kifaru KU3700 pack. It's sized perfectly for your use at 60 liters. It weights 2 lbs. 9 oz. Check it out. I was right there in the field when most of the R&D was being done on it, and I can tell you that a LOT of work went into it right from the get-go. It's a fine pack, designed by Patrick Smith, who founded Mountainsmith decades ago and now owns the Kifaru company. I have a prototype that I use constantly, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

http://www.kifaru.net/KU3700.html

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http://www.tenkaratracks.blogspot.com