I’d be curious to hear more about what you don’t like about the ultralight packs you’ve tried! Or to be more positive, what you’d like to see more of in the market.
hi Evan, the reason I don't like UD fastpacks is they have very long and sloppy straps, and it's nearly impossible to get a snug fit. They also lack pockets up front. Raidlight and Salomon, by contrast, have cords and bungee cables rather than hanging straps that make for a tighter, snugger, cleaner fit -- think of the pack being like a koala bear riding piggyback, that's how you want it to feel! The other key thing to me is having exterior stretchy pockets that can fit bulky items. For example, I'll bring flip-flops to wear at camp, and being able to shove them into an external stretchy pocket is great. I am not bringing poles, but having a good pole holder is another consideration.
I’m with you on the fascination with a pack—and the activity and experience of packing and carrying enough to be self-sufficient. One of the things I fell in love with about trail running right at the start was, I confess, the packs! Granted, I’ve never had to run with the kind of pack weight you’re talking about, but I love going out for a run with a pack full of all the foods and hydration (ha! Now that I’ve learned my lesson!) that I’ll need.
Also thank you so much for the shout out! I’ve noticed some new subscribers today!
I'm just wondering why you didn't look at the Salomon XA 25 pack. Same hydration vest design but with a, admittedly minimal, waist belt that helps both stability and weight carrying.
Hi Martin—I don’t like the belt going around my waist/belly but mainly I really like Raidlight’s stretchy pockets up front and in back. Plus the new Raidlight has a new roll top design for its main compartment which allows for more stuff (similar to UD’s packs but better straps and better fit).
I’d be curious to hear more about what you don’t like about the ultralight packs you’ve tried! Or to be more positive, what you’d like to see more of in the market.
hi Evan, the reason I don't like UD fastpacks is they have very long and sloppy straps, and it's nearly impossible to get a snug fit. They also lack pockets up front. Raidlight and Salomon, by contrast, have cords and bungee cables rather than hanging straps that make for a tighter, snugger, cleaner fit -- think of the pack being like a koala bear riding piggyback, that's how you want it to feel! The other key thing to me is having exterior stretchy pockets that can fit bulky items. For example, I'll bring flip-flops to wear at camp, and being able to shove them into an external stretchy pocket is great. I am not bringing poles, but having a good pole holder is another consideration.
I’m with you on the fascination with a pack—and the activity and experience of packing and carrying enough to be self-sufficient. One of the things I fell in love with about trail running right at the start was, I confess, the packs! Granted, I’ve never had to run with the kind of pack weight you’re talking about, but I love going out for a run with a pack full of all the foods and hydration (ha! Now that I’ve learned my lesson!) that I’ll need.
Also thank you so much for the shout out! I’ve noticed some new subscribers today!
that's great :-)
Misread that, I thought it was 2 weeks away. Well, good luck with the race anyway. August would be brutal.
Good luck at the stage race. I’m excited to hear about it.
I'm just wondering why you didn't look at the Salomon XA 25 pack. Same hydration vest design but with a, admittedly minimal, waist belt that helps both stability and weight carrying.
Hi Martin—I don’t like the belt going around my waist/belly but mainly I really like Raidlight’s stretchy pockets up front and in back. Plus the new Raidlight has a new roll top design for its main compartment which allows for more stuff (similar to UD’s packs but better straps and better fit).