Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Need Information On ULTRA LITE Backpacks

Due to being a small and (getting)old person, and doing Whitney alone this year, need to know about some very light backpacks from GoLite.com.

The Gust Ultra-Lite is 18.5 to 19.5 oz. and is good for loads to 30 lbs plus. Another is the Breeze Ultra-Lite 14-15 oz, but only good to loads of 20 lbs and under and has one shoulder strap, no hip belt.

Has anyone any experience with packs this light? Is there enough padding on these light packs to be comfortable? Also thanks Vballj for info on the Eureka Zeus Exo tent.

We saw a 75 year old gentleman doing the Cottonwood Pass to Mt. Whitney some type of Go Lite pack but he had 4 sons and daughters carrying some of his stuff. One of the problems with a Go Lite system is the bear resistant canister requirement adding 3# to your pack.

I don't know much about the Eureka tent but you might want to take a look at a MSR Zoid or Micro Zoid and a SD Lightyear before making a decision.

Some ultra liter may want to add something to this.

Bill

Sherry,

I have a Go-Lite Breeze that I use as a day/summit pack and have just ordered a Go-Lite Trek (basically a Gust with lite weight frame added). In my quest to get my baseload down to around 10-12 lbs, the Trek will be a replacement for my ailing (and much heavier) Dana Glacier pack. Personally, the only thing I used the Breeze for on Whitney was as a daypack for the day we left Guitar lake for a summit and then returned. I would not have used it for overnighting due to the bear can. The only place to attach the can is near the bottom of the pack. Due to the lack of a hip belt and gravity, the weight of the can will pull the pack down and you will feel it in your shoulders. If you definately want to go with a Go-Lite then the Gust is probably the better choice, but there are other makers of light weight packs. A good place to start comparing is to pick up a copy of this year's Backpacker Magazine Gear Guide.

Hope this helps,

John

Here are some places on the web to look.

www.litebackpacker.com
www.backpackinglight.com
www.backpacking.net
www.backcountrygear.com - an online store with a great liteweight section

Good Luck!

Try this web site for reviews of some of the GoLite packs.

http://www.backpackgeartest.org/

I purchased a Gust about two years ago. Have done the High Sierra Trail and Whitney twice with the pack. I have been very satisfied with the quality and durability of the pack. It is more a rucksack than a backpack. It requires commitment to light equipment and elimination of items that many consider necessities. Proper load placement is critical. You will be sacrificing luxury and comfort for the ability to increase speed and extend range.

Thanks so much everyone for the information. I am following up on each tip. Just have one more request: I tried on a North Face Springbok backpack at Sierra Trading Post here in Reno. It was unbelievably comfortable,and I immediately fell in love with it, and it's reasonably priced at $126.00, but it's maybe in the area of 3lbs or more (weight not posted on tag.) Does anyone have any information on this backpack?

I think the NF Springbok is a "last year's model" and my guess is that it was replaced by the MG45. A medium is reported as 3lbs, 15 oz. so call it 4 lbs. They rate the new MG45 at 4lbs. It is about the same price as the Springbok if you want to compare models.

here's a d-i-y ultralite pack web page:

Make your own G4 Pack
http://www.gvpgear.com/make_your_own.asp

Have several friends that have used the Gust and have liked it.

One danger I would caution you about. There are a VAST number of excellent packs on the market, that feel great. It is highly seductive to try them on, not looking at the weight tag, and be "sucked" in. Personally, I think it requires discipline to stick to your goals.

Mountainsmith's Ghost is another fine pack.
But for the money, the Gust is hard to beat! ($90, I think, at Gordon's Easy Trails in Fullerton, a shop that specializes in ultralight products.)

Sherry, I'm in a situation like yourself, small and not 'real' young. I've been preparing the last several months for backpacking and recently purchased an Osprey Ariel 60 made especially for women. It weighs 3.4lbs. The bear canister fits easily inside as well as the Eureka Zeus l EXO tent. So far my base weight is less than l6lbs (including stove, pad, cookware, and bag),and the Ariel feels very comfortable. I did Whitney last year alone as a day hike and envy you your adventure. Good luck, I'd really like to hear how your trip works out.

I purchased a Go-Lite Speed from REI this year and used it on a 45 mile/3 night trip on the AT in March. My friends and I share equipment (Megamid tent/stoves/filters,ect) which helps keep the weight down.
Pack weight was 25-28# and very comfortable.
If you can keep your weight down this might be a good pack.
I plan to use it in August on Mt Whitney; est wt with food and water under 25#