Suggestions in selecting a backpack for the load hauler of the trip.

I will be going on a 5 day backpacking trip this summer with my daughter and fiancee.

I think I can get by for 5 days with a 20 pound total weight backpack.

I would like to put my daughter at a 15 pound load total weight backpack which means her young and strong fiancée will be carrying part of her gear.

So I’m researching for an internal frame backpack that will “comfortably” carry a maximum of 35 pounds for her boyfriend with around 3800 cubic inch capacity.

Which one of the Granite Gear backpacks would you suggest I purchase to “comfortably” carry the 35 pounds for the mule in our party ?

I have the Vapor Trail but I havent gotten to use it yet. I plan on taking it on the JMT where a bear canister is needed. From what Ive read 30 or 35 pounds is comfortable in this pack.
Its 35% off at this website:
Vapor Trail

Dont just limit yourself to this company however. I used my buddy's REI Flash 65 with 35lbs and I was a happy camper. Go try both of them on with weight at REI first.

The VT is not a "mule" pack. If you want to stick w/Granite Gear, a Nimbus series pack is the way to go.

Lots of other options out there. ULA Catalyst, Gossamer Gear Mariposa Plus, Osprey Exos, etc.

I certainly wouldn't want to load up the VT with anything close to 35lbs. As mentioned, if you want Granite Gear, then look at at the Nimbus series (Meridan, Latitude and Ozone).

There are lots of other excellent options if you want to steer away from Granite Gear. For example ULA's Circuit or Catalyst would fit the bill.

I would recommend that you take the lad to your local outfitters with the gear he will carry and see what works best for him.

If you have to purchase something for him without him trying it on, I would at the minimum suggest you purchase a product that is full adjustable at the shoulder straps and hip built. Otherwise, what YOU think might be good, will possibly be miserable for him, especially at 35 pounds.

I've had 35 lbs in the VT for a short distance. It was fine as the compression is excellent and I had very little torso collapse. Not ideal by any stretch but doable. Far better than the Osprey Exos at that weight.

For 35lbs consistently, however, get the Granite Gear Ozone. Superb harness and certainly stiffer than the ULA Circuit hoop and, for me, more comfortable than the ULA Catalyst with the stays.

David (or others), can you elaborate on your issues with the EXOS ? Didn't the EXOS's aluminum frame allow lots more weight transfer than the thin plastic sheet in the VT ? Also, was it result in a noticeably less sweaty back ?
Thanks.

John - for me it was the belt. At a weight of 32lbs, I found it lacking in support such that the load transfer was not evenly distributed on the hips - localizing itself in my lumbar. Adding to that was that I had to cinch the belt really tight to get any meaningful transfer at that weight and it felt like it was cutting into me. Now to be clear, the pack felt good at 25lbs. This was the 58L model. I believe that Joe Clement had a similar issue.

With the VT, I can get by without the absolute frame stiffness that the Exos has by packing the load very tightly and evenly (and using a closed cell pad burrito style). I find the belt superior on the VT and hence can take a heavier weight more comfortably for me. Having said that (and hope that I was clear in the previous post), the Nimbus frame that Granite Gear has in the Ozone (Meridian, et al) is much more suited to consistent 35lb loads. At least for me.

All my perspective however and of course YMMV.

35 lbs is about the upper limit for the mariposa line. I'm much happier when the max weight is more like 33-32 lbs, and I've heard from a number of others who don't like it over 30. I'd probably opt for something with a little more suspension and hipbelt padding...GG Ozone, maybe SMD starlite.

FWIW, just for kicks I wore the Exos 58 w/about 45 pounds for roughly 5 hours, and found it quite comfortable. I thought the weight transfer was excellent, and I could indeed feel airflow against my back. I didn't expect the hipbelt to do much, but it worked quite well for me. The frame is excellent. Not to say there aren't also other great options... and as always, YMMV...

I think it must be a matter of body shape and personal taste. For me, the Exos hipbelt is the most comfortable I've ever used on any backpack. It's flimsy instead of stiff, but still padded, so it eliminates any pressure points on my hips and instead wraps exactly to my body shape, evenly distributing pressure.
Thicker, stiffer belts always pinch my hip bones.

But another option might be the Deuter AirContact Lite 65+10. It has the advantage of being fully torso-size adjustable, so you know it will fit him without him trying it first. My roommate bought it after carrying 40 pounds for 4 hours in the store without feeling anything. It wasn't my cup of tea, but it seems like a whole lot of people consider it very comfortable.

"John - for me it was the belt. At a weight of 32lbs, I found it lacking in support such that the load transfer was not evenly distributed on the hips - localizing itself in my lumbar. Adding to that was that I had to cinch the belt really tight to get any meaningful transfer at that weight and it felt like it was cutting into me. Now to be clear, the pack felt good at 25lbs. This was the 58L model. I believe that Joe Clement had a similar issue."

My issue exactly, with both the Exos 46 and 58. May have something to do with my 36" waist, but when my ULA and Gossamer Gear packs feel so good, I decided not to mess with making the Exos work. It's your daughter's fiancee, I wouldn't care if it was comfortable or not. Just tell him to man up.

Edited by skinewmexico on 01/23/2010 14:18:14 MST.

The Aether 70 weighs 4 lbs 10oz and it has a 4200 cu in capacity. Also: Its reduced to $204.93 at REI right now.

These are very comfortable packs but they are not UL for sure but they can carry up to 40 lbs.

It looks like others already touched upon this, but don't get the VT. I'd question 35lbs even needing a load mule. To me that involves 50 or more lbs. Anyways, any pack with metallic twin stays should be able to handle that just fine, assuming they don't skimp on the straps and belt.

A dual stay ULA Catalyst would be comfy. I tried the GG Nimbus Ozone, but didn't like it for anything over 30 lbs. I hear many people use it for 40 lbs loads though.