Ultralight / Light-weight 75L–80L Pack Recommendations -- hike to Lower Saddle of the Grand
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Ultralight / Light-weight 75L–80L Pack Recommendations I’m planning to climb the Grand (via Lower & Upper Exum) in August. Camping at the Lower Saddle. I’m looking for an ultralight or light-weight pack in the 75L–80L size. I’ve got my gear list down to just less than 40lbs. (food, water, camping gear & climbing kit). The approach is no joke (same goes for the retreat)—6+ miles & 5,000’ elevation gain—so I’m looking for a pack that carries well. My current bag really didn’t do the trick the last time, an Osprey Atmos 65—wasn’t big enough. Plus, it’s nearly 5 pounds. I’m hoping to trim a pound and a half, maybe two pounds off my pack weight. I know a lot of UL and LW packs are little more than an unstructured sack which don’t carry well. I’d love your input on UL or LW packs you’ve used and how they carry. Thanks. |
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I’d not cut weight on the pack with all that stuff tbh. If you want to lighten the load I’d look elsewhere. There’s water in the meadows and at spalding falls, fyi, that should help. |
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I have the HMG North rim it's really light fairly comfortable with weight. |
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If you need a pack that big you have too much crap. I have climbed the Grand numerous times, I think the largest pack I have schlepped is around 45l and that was in winter. |
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Big fan of the BD Mission 75. If you're an AAC member with discounts its pretty reasonable. Its a good balance of light but still comfortable for a heavy load. |
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Have a look at the expedition light series from Parbat, I'm not sure how/if they're imported into the US but I've given their 30l and their 110l a try and they were both stupidly light and seemed really, really nicely made. I find big packs are often way overbuilt and require way less padding than most of the popular big-volume packs have, it's more about where the structure and rigidity is, paired with the suspension system (which is way less complicated than some brands make it out to be) as opposed to how thick the foam is. You obviously get less adjustability but for a pack thats somewhere around 2lb you can't expect that. I guess it's more if it fits you, it fits you, if it doesn't, it doesn't. |
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Allen Sanderson wrote: I’d love to see your gear list. We’re camping at the Lower Saddle, so in addition to climbing kit, I’ve got camping gear, including food for two days. None of my gear is bulky; I’ve got either ultralight or lightweight kit. For example, my bivy bag weighs only 7.3 oz. and rolls up to the size of a soda can. Down quilt is 900 fill; stuffs into small bag. Cook kit fits in a 550 ml pot, including the fuel canister. For climbing, I’m carrying a single rack to #3 and a set of HB offsets—nothing excessive (partner’s carrying the rope). Harness is an Arc’teryx, which folds down small. Clothes are base layer, mid layer hooded fleece, down jacket, shell, and merino wool long johns. Helmet can go on the outside of the pack. I honestly don’t see how I can pare down my gear further. Mind you, I'd love to; if I can get below my weight estimate of 40 lbs., that'd be awesome. So, again, I’d love to see your list, because there’s no way I could get everything in a 45L bag. (List updated to include rock shoes; how I forgot these, I have NO idea...) |
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Scott360 wrote: |
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Zach Higley wrote: You're looking at the wrong side of my list. Only the items on the left are what I'm bringing. The items in the text boxes on the right are for reference. On the left, you'll see the items I'm bringing, their weight to the right, and then the total weight at the bottom in red--just less than 38 lbs. Summit bag: this fits inside the main pack, opened, for the approach, so it takes up almost no room in the main pack (weighs less than a pound). We're starting the climb around 04:30 to 05:00, so it'll be cold; layers will be good. Plus, one never knows what weather will blow in. |
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Ross Goldberg wrote: Thanks for this. I'm looking at the Mission 75. I can get it on a pro deal for around $180. But if possible, I'd like to go lighter. |
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Seems odd to me to sweat the ounces for the pack, yet you have; soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, towel, 5L of water containers, med kit, tent stakes, thermometer/compass, extra flashlight and battery, extra cord and battery for iPhone, extra pillow, extra t-shirt, bug spray, sunscreen, chalk bag (it’s the Grand!), etc etc. previously (4x) I’ve always gone car to car to avoid the overnight hassles, but have been thinking about next time overnighting myself, but I would trim the comfort items personally and go with a 45L. I probably would skip the stove as well myself for one overnight on the Grand in August. |
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Scott360 wrote:
If you make those cuts alone, you'll be well under 40lbs and probably closer to 30. I could probably help you cut more but I tried to be generous. |
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I carried a smaller pack than yours for a week in the winds, and I’m not any kind of ultralight hiker. I can totally see struggling with the weight - climbing gear is heavy - but I have no idea how you’re struggling to fit it all into a 60L pack. I did fine with a 55L. |
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You can take a few baby wipes in a ziploc in lieu of soap, and I’d be curious what your gear list looks like. For harder climbs with hikes like that I’ve taken a total of ~8-9 lbs of gear between two people. You’ve got 6+ 5 plus I assume your partner’s got another 5? Maybe see what you can do with a few extra nuts or make do with fewer lockers or backup cord? You can always sacrifice shoulder slings in an emergency, or use them for an autoblock. Etc. Nate made some good suggestions too. Good luck, have fun! |
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NateC wrote: |
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I do plenty of multi-day trips in the cascades and else where with a 55L hyperlite pack or smaller carrying way more food and layers and gear and sometimes 4 pairs of shoes/boots :) Unlike others, I'd bring a 1L soft bottle and a 3L bottle for camp use that is shared with your partner. I'd also not carry more than 1L of water for the duration of the hike. Even in the moraine, you can get water. Lots of cases on the hike, I only carry .5L at a time and drink at least .5L when I stop to fill. There isn't any reason I can see from your list that you couldn't be using a smaller pack. 35lbs for 3 days is a nice weight. My guess is that your method of packing the pack is where you are going wrong. I typically don't use more than a few small stuff sacks. Sleeping bag in a compression sack, food in another sack, smaller stuff sack for snacks and little day items. All extra clothing, bivy sack, etc...is just crammed in to fill voids in the pack. |
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What shared gear is your partner carrying? You have the rope, the stove, and at 6lb, most/all of the rack. Giving them the rope or rack cuts 6lb, and puts you at about 25lb of stuff, which seems reasonable for two nights. That should get you down into a 35-40l bag, saving 2-3 lb, and also meaning you don't need a summit pack, another lb. On a side note, your revised list doesn't seem to have anything to block rain. I would at least carry a jacket, that's a half lb you won't regret. |
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To answer your original question, the Hyperlite Mountain Gear packs are my choice. I use the porter in a 55L size for 5 to 8 day trips all the time. The most weight I’ve carried with it is 57lbs. Typical load is 37 to 45 lbs. Also check out Durston brand backpacks. Haven’t used them myself yet, but they seem to be gaining popularity. I had a buddy pack for a 6 nights, 7 day alpine climbing trip into a 38L Osprey Mutant. He even had a tent in there. I carried a 40L bag that trip. Between three people we had two ropes, a double rack of cams, etc. practice packing into less volume. 80L and bigger is for Denali expeditions in my opinion. Hyperlite Mountain Gear does make a pack that big though if you want to try it. |
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Scott360 wrote: I hear you and realize you have a reason, or an explanation of everything you're carrying. Nothing weighs nothing though, and things add up quickly. The BRS is loud, and doesn't block wind as well, it will still boil water, and it saves you two ounces and space. The thermometer and compass on their own don't weigh much, but they're just unnecessary stuff that adds to total weight. You don't like sleeping in pants, but luxury comes at a high cost. It's not my trip, and I'm not telling you what you must or must not bring, but up thread you challenged someone that your gear is mostly UL backpacking gear and you don't see how you can make cuts. I made at least 5lbs of cuts if you include water and that was without cutting into much of your luxury. I could easily go at your list for 2-3 more lbs, perhaps 5. And that's without telling you to get rid of the summit pack and take a climbing pack that is able to bridge the approach needs and climbing needs in one. Now that you have made those cuts, consider the Blue Ice Stache 60 or 90. They carry up to 45lbs well, and <40 really well. I have a Mission 75 and my Stache 60 carries the same loads just as well, in my opinion. The Stache packs aren't the burliest and most durable, but you'd lose close to 3lbs vs the Mission 75. More durable, but heavier than the Blue Ice Stache would be the Hyperlite packs. People who like them love them. I've had two, but something about my build doesn't agree with them and I find myself wanting load lifters. |
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" If you're going for 4 days, you need 3 dinners max. Why are you taking 6?" The permit limit is 2 nights in either leg of Garnet Canyon. Platforms and Meadows are considered the same as the Saddle. 2 dinners. The rangers will give you a wag bag as it is included in your permit fee. Theirs are bulky so bring your own. If you don't have a 0.1 oz accurate scale get one and weigh every single item. Ounces become pounds rather quickly. Pare down to 45 liters. |
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I like my Patagonia Ascensionist 55L. I had a Hyperlite pack but didn't care for it. I got <50 days of backcountry use out of it before it was falling apart. |