Hi-I'm new to the forum. Hope this doesn't come across as a dumb question

I have somewhat lightweight backpack of my own, but want to get a day pack for day trips. My daughter has started to pack with me (she doesn't have her own pack yet-we have to borrow)Was wondering if I should try to kill 2 birds with 1 stone by getting something like a GoLite Jam and use it when I go on day hikes and she could use when we go on overnighters. Would the GoLite Jam work as a day pack or is it overkill? Is there another pack that would work better as a day pack and possible pack for my daughter? Should I bag the idea of trying to do these two things with one pack? If so, what would you recommend for a day pack? Rei Flash 18? Something else?

Thanks

The Jam is now a new product name from Golite in a 35/50/70L set of choices. The names in 2011, for these sizes were the Peak/Jam/Pinnacle. The Jam 2011 is a 50L pack, that sounds too big for any of the contexts you described of day-hike and overnighter.
Also the pack has different lengths which fit different back lengths, most adult males would be a large, most females if also younger more a medium or even a small. Having the optimal length is optimal for the frameless pack to be as comfortable as possible. Conversely, if you're lightly loading it then its fit is less important.

Your needs in the Golite family sounds a bit more suited to the Peak (37L) which had a removeable hipbelt which would be more of a daypack (more winter with more clothing stored for stopping and perhaps more emergency kit), which I use more a winter daypack and for business trips hand-luggage. I have a Jam 2011 50L which is more sized for multi-night 3/4 season.

Did you mean the Jam 35?
http://www.golite.com/Jam-35L-Pack-Unisex-P46811.aspx

Yes, I was referring to the Jam35L
could it double as a day pack for me/backpack for daughter?

Possibly, 35L is a large daysack and it compresses down to similar to a 20L - are your back lengths in the same range?

http://www.golite.com/images/GoLite/sizing/packs.gif

Its a unisex.

If its lightly loaded the back length is less important as you more just have the weight on your shoulders and don't really need the hipbelt. If its heavily loaded then if you have one for say your daughter and its too short for you then the shoulder pads are trying to take too much weight so if heavy its less comfy, conversely if you gave a too-tall a pack to your daughter then the shoulder straps won't be holding it close to the body and it tends to concertina.

So think about the combinations of weight and back length. It might work as explained above.

GoLite makes the Jam in both men's and women's models. It is not unisex. Since you're shopping for your daughter to use as an overnight pack, I would definitely buy her the women's model. There is a difference for the size, alignment and location of straps and waiste belt for women's packs - better for your daughter to comfortably carry. Yet, for you to use it as a day pack, it would be fine.

I think the volumes quoted here were for the men's packs, not the women's. I own both a women's Pinnacle (50L) and Jam (~38L), both in size medium. Both are nice comfortable packs. I've been using the Pinnacle for over a year now, including several week trips and a CT thru-hike last summer. It held up well and carried all loads comfortably. I just got the Jam so I haven't used it overnight yet, but it is very similar to the Pinnacle, just smaller.

Checkout GoLite's website for complete specs to match your daughter's age, height, weight, torso, shoulder and waist measurements and body-type, etc, but I suspect the Jam medium would be fine for her. For reference, I am 5'-2",108 lbs.

Edited by veganaloha on 03/23/2012 03:03:51 MDT.

Thank you both for the info. I will look into the specs for the woman sizes

http://www.golite.com/Jam-35L-Pack-Unisex-P46811.aspx
This one does look like it's unisex

Zowzah! This is new. I was just on GoLite's site less than 2 weeks ago. i stand corrected, it looks like they have discontiued the Pinnacle and now the Jam is only unisex - which actually means it's men's. Shucks, GoLite sold us ladies out! darn!

However, there are probably still plenty of sites still selling the 2011 men's or women's pinnacle and jam. I would just google it. (Although, once word spreads, there may be a run on the 2011 packs still out there.)

Also, not sure if you noticed, but on the Golite site, when you click on the "comparison chart" link under the product information, you'll see the spec sheet for the 2011 women's jam and pinnacle.

Try Uncle Dan's online.I just bought my Jam from them last month for $69.99. You can also try the gear swap forum on this site.

cc,

also on Golite.com - in their "clearance closet" they have the women's 2011 Jam for 69.99, but only in size large.

Good Luck!

CC, I think you could easily use the Jam as a double-duty day pack, even the old 50L version - if it's only 1/3 full, obviously going to be a fair amount of unused space, but so what, as long as the load is light it'll carry fine. I have 2 of the 2011 Jams, one Medium (for my wife) and one Small (for my daughter). It's a good all-around pack and very well made.

Hi Susan,

Kim & Coup - co-founders of GoLite here. We didn't sell any ladies out. After years of experimentation and testing we have a pattern for the Jam pack group that works very well over a very wide range of Women's and Men's body types - they are most definately unisex, not Men's.

Hope you get to try one!

-Kim & Coup

I have the 2011 version of the Jam which is pretty much the 35L version this year. It is an awesome day pack. The reason is because it has tremendous compression ability both at the bottom of the back and across the center of the main compartment and of course the upper collar can be rolled down and secured. In fact, I just got back today from a day hike up Bison Peak in Colorado and the Jam was my day pack. I will say for Summer I probably will use a smaller day pack like my Talon 22 simply because I have it. However, if you are looking for one pack to do it all, the Jam is an Excellent choice IMO.

Randy - did you mean "I have the 2011 version of the Jam which is pretty much the 35L version this year." or did you mean "I have the 2011 version of the Jam which is pretty much the 50L version this year." ? The jam 2011 was ~50L

Your right, I was thinking of it's approximately 3300 cubic inches and the 35L jumped into my head.

So for the OP, for a day pack I would think the 35L Jam current year would be an excellent day pack and would work as an overnight pack at that size, especially given that she would be the second person and may not have to carry common items like a stove, food, tent etc...

Looking at 2012 prices and weights, a "why not" view comes to mind to go for the larger 50L rather than the 35L.

http://www.golite.com/packs-and-luggage/backcountry-ultralite

Is it true the 50L is only 4oz/115g more than the 35L? These been measured by owners yet? I know weightweenies that's a lot but you never know if that extra 15L might come in handy. Turns it into a 3season all-day thru-hike pack... because that is what I bought my 2011 50L Jam for....

The compression thing is real, the hooks under to raise the weight when its not full, the two compression either side or around the back and just cinch down the top. It becomes a back-hugging 20L-ish type. Heavy for 20L though but if its that empty by definition its going to be light.

The key though to OP is back length for these frameless packs.

Thanks everyone for the info-I'm learning a lot
I can see how getting the 50L would provide more options as a
Multi-day pack, but even if it can sinch down is it overkill for day pack?

Winter daypack? Not overkill as you're carrying a lot more to wear in event of planned/unplanned stops plus you're welcoming the warming effect of the pack.

Hot-weather daypack? Well, the pack is figure-hugging over much of its height+weight, deliberately so it keeps weight close to the body, part of how a relatively light frameless pack can have a high maximum weight capability (remember, full camping gear, food, water, etc). Whilst this is a good thing for weight-carrying, I find it a hotter pack to wear as less of the back is exposed.

My daypack for non-winter is a Black Diamond thing of about 20L, for summer heat I can carry 3L pouch internally plus external water in a package which is round and not as much of it touching my back plus I don't tend to use the hipbelt.

The Jam 50L has a large hipbelt, unnecessary for light daypack situations but increasingly required for heavier loads. My daypack for winter where I need volume but not weight is the discontinued Peak 37L with removable hipbelt.

So I'd say Jam 50 is bordering on overkill for most seasons, probably not appropriate for a summer daypack, but more appropriate for a winter daypack.

Boils down to how many packs you want to own and the $ spent. You certainly can use the Jam as an all-year daypack if you wanted to but I'd say in hot weather lightly loaded you'd find the hipbelt sweat-hoarding and the back robbing you of chilling opportunity. You can simply tie the hipbelt around the pack and not your body and you can try to shape the bag's contents to lift more off the pack. Conversely use the hipbelt and carefully pack to make the pack a tall rigid shape and loosen shoulder-straps to let it lean away from the body.

I'm in a similar situation to the OP with both day use and child needs. I also own a 2011 Jam. The two uses mentioned are for a child and for a day pack. I don't uae the Jam for either of these, rather I bought a Flash 18 for twenty bucks. The sizing is far better for the kids and it is much more compact for sub ten pound loads. I use the Flash all the time and rely on the Jam for backpacking only.

Can a Flash 18 even hold a sleeping bag for a kid?

An adult 30F sleeping bag is 3L packed. So obviously it could, but why would you want to.