I currently have a 5.3 pound baseweight before my pack.

I am thinking something along the lines of 4.5 x 10.5 x 23 plus a little extra for the rolltop. This puts me at about 1100 ci, maybe with two small side pockets ill be around 1300ci or 21 liters. Is this good? How much food can I carry? I have a 19 ounce down quilt that could compress well. Let me know, I'm about to order a custom pack, ill post pictures when I get it.

Edited by bubonicplay on 03/25/2013 20:34:00 MDT.

For fastpacking/running trips, I use a packs zero xsmall (1000 cu in) with side pockets and shock cord. With a fairly restrictive gear list (4 lb), I can hold about 5 days of food, possibly needing to strap my pad to the outside for the first day or so.

For a more typical 3 season gear list (5-6 lb), I much prefer my MLD Burn which is about 1500 ci for the main pack. With 5-7 days food, my stuff often expands into the collar until I eat my way down.

Gear volumes differ, but 1100 is a specialists tool, and might be a little tight for you if you'll be doing trips of any length. Probably best to get this figured out before you order.

I just did a dry-run pack last night for an upcoming 2 day sufferfest. I have two packs, both 25 liters, and the contents fit better in one than the other. For a spring/fall 3 day/2night trip with decent mileage I can get by with no problem using a 25L (1,300 cu. in) pack. I take bulkier, heavier food and would have problem going five days in a 25L pack. A 35L pack would be more than enough for 5 days, for myself.

As far as dimensions (H x W x D) are concerned, the two 25L are of completely different design, one being a tall, narrow tube while the other a short, squat roll-top.

One guy did a backpack trip with me one time, and in order to cut down his base weight, he brought a really small pack. For what we were taking, he should have had a 2500 cubic inch pack or larger. Instead, he had about a 1250 cubic inch pack. As a result, he could not get everything into it, so he was lashing all sorts of crap onto the outside of the pack. I suppose that could have been OK, if he did it right. Unfortunately, things were dropping off into the trail dust, so either critical parts like the stove jet got clogged with dust, or else things were lost completely.

One other guy did it right. He didn't have a backpack bag. All he had was an aluminum pack frame with everything _carefully_ tied to it. That works, but it can be a little tricky.

--B.G.--

I also have a burn like Ike and get 5 days worth of food in easily and seven creatively. I have an eight lb base, low volume and the food days were thru hiker food days, 5000 calories a day. I don't think I would get a pack volume smaller than the burn, just no reason, the burn is small and my quilt can fill the space for minimum pack volume.

I've been asking myself similar questions, as I get ready to MYOG a small sil pack for some long weekends with minimal gear. At same time, I've been following other threads in which people are having a hard time with the volume (not the weight-carrying capacity) of some of the popular UL packs. Looking at your plan, I'm wondering why not 5.5" instead of 4.5", to gain another 20%+ in volume with only a small fraction of an ounce more material. Or another few inches of extension collar. A tiny bit of extra fabric seems to give a lot more flexibility on these small packs - flexibility that could possibly even *save* weight depending on the choices it allows you to make. If I'm wrong, hope someone will talk me down before I pull out the scissors!

Cheers,

Bill

Great feedback so far guys, I think im settling on 11 x 4.5 x 22.5 19 inch torso.

1113.75 ci, then im getting 12 inch high stretch mesh side panels. Also 2 top straps to add a bag of food last minute etc to the top.

This pack will be thick VX21 xpac. Im not planning on using CCF as a frame (i use exped ul7 inflatable), Xpac carries well. Part of the reason why im getting it 4.5 inches thin is because I want the load to be as centered to my body as possible, the only thing between me and my gear will be the Xpac material. Also no rear pocket. Also im getting a hydro port and loop so I have the option of carrying a platypus accross my spine, which will be good for running etc, water weighs a lot. But I think I can do it...

Maybe put all your gear in a box and then measure the volume?

I can get all my 3 season gear into a small zPacks Zero to include 4 or 5 days worth of food. But if I need to carry much water I don't like this pack.

Roger:

So which pack do the "contents fit better in"? The tall, narrow tube, or the short, squat roll top?

My favorite pack has 24.5 liters / 1,500 cubic inches main pocket, plus side pockets and front pocket, for a total of about 33 liters / 2013 volume. I can fit 5 days worth of deluxe food rations, i.e. 3 full meals and 2 snacks per day, but if I really wanted to I could scale things down and push it to maybe 1 week of food or 6 days no problem.

I might be able to fit more after I get my 1+ season sleeping bag upgrade, which hopefully will be here today or tomorrow. My old summer bag was synthetic, and new one is down.

I should also add that I take full advantage of my side and front pockets, and also have both a chest pouch and a hip belt pocket that I use. I have never used both the chest pouch and hip pocket together, and as of late I am favoring the hip pocket because a lot of times going uphill for whatever reason the chest pouch flops around a lot and it's a bit annoying--though it is about three times as big as my hip pocket.

Don't forget water. Not sure where you will be using this pack most of the time and how much water you plan on hauling. I could max out my water load at 3.5 liters (1 liter in each side pocket in water bottles, 1 liter in a bladder in the front pocket, and half a liter bottle in my shoulder pouch), but this year I am opting for 700ml bottles in the side pockets plus a small 380ml bottle in my shoulder pouch for a little less than 1.8 liters of water total. Where I hike there is usually an abundance of good quality water to take advantage of, however.

So where are you getting the custom pack built? What fabric? What options? Any estimate on total weight? Looking forward to seeing what you settle on :)

Once you get your base gear measured, add in for the water and food.
For example, I use a 2200ci pack (Gossamer Gear Murmur), but about 60-70% of the volume is food, water, fuel, and extra clothing (sweater/rainjacket.)

The actual "camp" gear will fit easily into a small compression sack and side pouches. Fuel/water/sweater/rain jacket goes into the side & front pockets. Tarp, too. The pad pocket keeps my sleeping pad. My pack has room for two small food bags. Or about 10-14 days of food depending...

Nick,

For whatever reason, the way my gear is stuffed, it fits better into the short, wider rolltop.

When trying to use the smallest pack possible, a big stretchy mesh pock on the front is a must. If you don't need it don't use it, if you need it, you have it. It makes all the difference in the world. And water bottle pockets, got to have them too!

Zimmer is making it. Vx21, with vx07 for rolltop, lycra mesh pockets.

I was thinking about going 1.43 black cuben for the rolltop. Would it be worth it? Will food get hot?

Any comments are appreciated. Total weight with bungee is 13 ounces.

Hydro port up top.

Lycra side pockets.

12 x 4.5 x 23 w/ 19in torso.

What are your plans for the side pockets? They look too tall and narrow to use for much.

Why a hip belt? Why not a removable one?

Why just one side compression point?


Black is beautiful. I would want the straps and belt to match, not contrast. But that's just me.

Enjoy!

This pack is small, no compression is needed as I just stuff my down quilt in the bottom and it expands. It's going to be like a drybag once I seamseal it.

I like a real hip belt on my packs. It makes it stable when running or on a motorcycle etc. dyneema lays better than Xpac, which is a very stiff material.

The pockets are tall for added security. There perfect for maps, compass, snacks, tent pole, or platypus bottles. But I'm planning on using an internal bladder and hose.

This pack is sleek, and minimal, which is perfect for my sul/ comfort setup.