Picked one up on a whim, came in today. Did a quick 5 miler with all my multi-day gear to give it a whirl, love it. I recently cut down my regular Xlite pad to ~46" and was planning on using the sitlight pad that came with my Kumo to stick under my legs below the xlite when sleeping, but saw this air beam and had to give it a chance. I wasn't going to bring the supplied bulb pump with me but glad I did. Found I liked the AB a fair bit more underinflated then I initially anticipated. I'll now use the AB below my pad. It'll be a much better fit as the lumbar section of the AB is about an inch and a half so makes for a fairly smooth transition from bottom of xlite to it; far more agreeable then with the sitlight. As far as the ABs function as a pack frame, so much comfier then the sitlight. The sitlight has been fine really with my packed weights of ~15lbs, but regardless of how I packed my bag it still felt like I was carrying a cylindrical tube. The AB flattens it out very well, and has larger baffles along the edges going down your back, and also a cluster of larger baffles that hugs the lower small of your back. Like mentioned, when I made this impulse purchase I had no intent of carrying the inflation bulb with me, but I enjoyed being able to quickly deflate or add a little more air throughout the hike. Much like tightening/loosening straps to redistribute pressure points and weight every now and then. The complete setup weighs 2 ounces more then the foam back pad I was previously using, but since I cut off 4.5 ounces off my xlite we'll call it good. Some times comfort trumps weight.

Anyways, before I purchased the AB I couldn't find any info or reviews on it so maybe this will help some folks out who are considering picking one up. I thought it would be gimmicky and partially hoaky but I really, really like it. It hugs the back exceptionally well, makes the frameless bag actually feel like it has a frame, and the weight penalty is not terrible.

http://gossamergear.com/featured/gg-airbeam-pack-frame.html

Edited by norcalweaver on 02/15/2013 19:24:06 MST.

Thanks Matt! I had started a thread about these kinds of "frames," wondering about their practical use. Good to see some reports coming out.

Do you find this pad to be cooler than your sitlight pad when used as the back frame in your pack? Do the chambers allow more air flow?

Today it was in the low 50s with a real light breeze so really it was ideal hiking weather and kept me from ever getting hot, back or anywhere else. When I was hiking in the hotter weather last year though I do remember getting some warm spots from the sitlight pad, because I never felt like the pad was evenly distributed against my back. It laid heavy on the backs of my shoulder blades and lower back, but squished in so it didn't feel like just the dimples were contacting me, more like a solid piece of warm foam laying across those contact areas. But, as said I haven't hiked with the air frame in comparably hot temperatures, but this frame contacts my whole back very evenly; I don't feel like one spot is being smashed against me any more then another area. So, it feels like it's sitting lighter on the back which I think will cut down on the "warm spots" I was experiencing before.

Some of this is speculation though on my part, I'll find out for sure in a couple months with some real world warm weather testing.

Matt,

Thank you for the write up. It sounds as if the AB may improve the comfort and load carrying capacity of your GG pack by quite a bit. I just received my Kumo in the mail a few days ago and it'll be interesting to hear how you and others like carrying the AB as opposed to the flimsy CCF pad.

I am too interested in the potential for how well it keeps sweat off ones back. Speaking of which, I wonder if Gossamer will come out with an estimated R-Value? ;)

Edited by timdcy on 02/16/2013 08:59:08 MST.

"I wonder if Gossamer will come out with an estimated R-Value?"
With no internal insulation, baffles or reflective layers, the pad is simply an air space, which is R-1.0.

Edited by dandydan on 02/17/2013 08:30:11 MST.

So I'll preface this with the disclaimer that I am prejudiced to an air frame, I have a MLD Exodus FS as my primary pack and LOVE it. I've worked hard to get my base weight to rough;y 9.75 lbs for temps down into the high 20's but still prefer the carry of a true suspension, so the Exodus FS was a dream come true for me, the ARC Blast may be next.

But anyway, I've been using a 2012 Murmur as a daypack and took it on one very light overnight last year. I love the pack for day trips, but with my full kit, or close to it, it deformed too much for my liking. It didn't sit very well on back and just didn't feel nearly as well placed as the Exodus FS.

I just received a medium Air Beam from GG, and all I can say is WOW. It's like a whole new pack, the AB gives the pack a much more rigid structure and it transfers much more weight to my hips. Before, with the SitLight pad the hip belt was more for balance and to keep the pack from bouncing around. With the AB it can actually transfer weight and it doesn't deform with gear in it.

I loaded it up with a quilt (for volume) and some crap laying around the basement to get it to ~15 lbs and walked around a bit, it's a whole new pack. If you're on the fence about adding an AB to a GG or any other pack, give it a try, I'm sure glad I just did. Now I just need to get "out there" and give it a real test.

Edited by arttyszka on 03/23/2013 11:22:39 MDT.

Interesting info on airbeam, I may end up trying one out.

I would say, though, that the little Sitlight pad that GG ships with their pack is pretty pathetic at adding structure to the pack, and not much better at just being padding. I use my Murmur with the 3-panel GG Nightlite Torso in the external pad pockets and a rolled up 3/16"x72" GG pad inside the pack with main items packed inside that pad's hollow cylinder.

Like the Airbeam my pad combination is way better than the puny GG Sitlight, and just the 3-panel GG Nightlight Torso alone would be too. I'm kind of curious how the thicker Nightlight Torso compares to the Airbeam, with or without additional pad tube in main body of pack.

Edited by hes on 03/23/2013 23:58:20 MDT.

And I think I just found my new pillow.





Compared to my Exped air pillow.