My Ghost is close to giving up the ghost. So I am looking for a new panel loader. Has anyone purchased and used the new Golite Lightspeed? If so, please comment on the hipbelt, sizing (I would probably take the large pack size)and anything else you can think of. I am really bummed that my ghost is dying and there are not many panel loaders out there in the 2 lbs range. So any help would be appreciated.

Don't know if black is your color, but this is available for sale.

Oh, found one in bonze! You didn't look very hard, did you? :)

Benjamin:
You ought to know me better by now. Of course, I hunted high and low for a LARGE Ghost -- to no avail. Both hyperlinks you posted are to Mediums. How sad the larges are gone for good. That's why I am looking for the next panel loader and the Golite seems to be a winner but I can't find one to try on or even hold in my hands. I hope someone has bought one on BPL and can share their experiences with it.

But thanks for the effort to keep me in MH gear. I haven't used another pack in 5 years even though I still own one of the old style Osprey Aether 60s.

Shucks, sorry about that.

Miguel, the gear pimp, bought a Golite Litespeed a short while back and posted his initial impressions. Maybe pump him for more feedback. Anyway, cut and paste the link below. His post is toward the end.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/xdpy/forum_thread/6186/index.html?skip_to_post=44417#44417


EDIT: Apparently, "Whoring" is considered a profanity here on this board, but pimping is fine...

Thanks for the headsup on Miguel's purchase of a lightspeed. I have private messaged him to request an update on his experience and hope he responds on this thread. Those of us who are panel addicts have limited choices.
I noticed the references to the Granite Gear Latitude and Latitude Vapor. Anyone got experience with these two?

Mitchell:

I've only played around with the Latitude Vapor -- it was a brand new one but was placed in the "Bargain Bin" at REI for some reason.

I know that GG has legions of fans and I myself am impressed with the comfort and carry of the GG Vapor Trail. But I am underwhelmed by the Latitude Vapor. Much of this is subjective, so definitely YMMV.

One thing I LOVE about the panel-loading Ghost is how the sides stand straight up and the panel opens 3/4 of the way. It's so easy to shove things into the pack, zipping up the panel flap ever higher as I go. But the sides of the GGLV are almost completely limp. I also dislike the myriad of straps both internal and external. Finally, I dislike both the design and the material of the side pockets. The Ghost side pockets are voluminous and the user can reach back to take out / put back water bottles and stuff. Can't do that with the GGVT.

In a nutshell, I don't think there is any question about the GGVT's comfort features. However, when it comes to usability, I think the Litespeed looks more promising. Hopefully, the Litespeed delivers on comfort as well. We'll see what Miguel says.

Mitchell (and Ben),

Sorry to take so long to get back to you.

I bought both the LightSpeed and the Jam2 about two months ago. Because I've been so busy with work I haven't had a chance to take either one of them out for a real hike, but did manage to use the LightSpeed two times for some overnight travel to a friend's place. I also have the Ghost, which I've been using for over three years now and really love, so I can make a good comparison.

The LightSpeed is lighter than the Ghost and has roughly the same volume, though the LIghtSpeed is narrower and taller. When packing for some reason the Ghost seems to take bulky items, like a sleeping bag or tent, more easily; they just slide in as they should. The Ghost has more robust fabrics than the LightSpeed, too, and can easily handle offtrail walking, but the material of the LightSpeed is quite substantial. It feels slick and makes me wonder if perhaps it is more waterproof than the Ghost's.

Like the Ghost the LIghtSpeed has a weatherproof zipper that also opens 3/4 of the way. There are four compression straps on the sides, rather than just two, like on the Ghost, and that is one plus in helping to stabilize the entire load. And unlike the Ghost there is a HUGE front pocket, in addition to the bungee straps, that can take quite a lot of gear. SInce I like to keep my shelter, windshirt, and toilet kit outside here, it is the perfect addition that I always felt the Ghost was missing (and therefore I sewed on a mesh front pocket). The side pocket on the Ghost are wonderful, just right for a water bottle and easily reached when wearing the pack. The side pockets on the LightSpeed, however, are tiny, just barely tall enough to take a water bottle and even then I had to add a cord to my water bottles that attaches to the lower compression strap so that the water bottle doesn't fall out. This, of course, defeats the purpose of being able to reach back and take out the water bottle while walking, so I will have to think of some other way to secure the waterbottles in the pockets. The hipbelt pockets are a wonderful addition on the LIghtSpeed that I always wished the Ghost had (I did jury rig two add-on small size Granite Gear Air Pockets with bungee cord... wasn't quite ready to sew pocket on yet, as per Ben's suggestion on another site, since I hadn't found pockets that I really liked). They are just big enough for the items that you need there and are positioned well back so they don't interfere with the swing of your arms. There is an additional pocket on top of the LIghtSpeed that is quite ingenious... sort of an uner-the-hood top pocket that you access from the back though a zipper. The LightSpeed has two aluminum stays that make for a very stiff pack, but also add quite a lot of weight. I think they work better than the Ghost's stays, in that they don't dig into the small of my back when the hip belt is tightened. That being said, I much prefer the suspension system of the Ghost; it just feels more secure and seems to fit more snugly to my back and hips. The LightSpeed always feels as if it is about to roll to one side or other, though, of course, it doesn't. The shoulder straps on the Ghost always felt as if they were there just to stabilize the load and the hipbelt took most of the weight, whereas the LightSpeed, with the hip belt pockets situated well back and therefore the padding over the hip bone just barely covering the hip with 1 1/2 inch nylon webbing, just feels less supportive. Also, since the entire back of the LightSpeed is one continuous 3D Mesh panel it will most likely be much hotter than the Ghost, which has so few contact points on the back.

One of the things I didn't like about the Ghost was that it needed constant readjustment to stay comfortable. I found myself on my hikes stopping every hour or so to readjust the shoulder straps and hip belt, to get it just right. In spite of that I really like the Ghost and often think of buying another one just to have before they are all gone.

When I carried (quite a substantial amount of, certainly more than 20 lbs) weight in my visit to my friend's home (this wasn't a backpacking trip) the LightSpeed did quite well with the weight, as long as I used the stays. It didn't handle the load as well as my Ghost would have, though. Again, the hip belts and way it wraps around the back makes it not as comfortable as the Ghost. Without stays, I wonder what it can do... haven't tried it yet.

For my upcoming trip in the Alps in Europe this summer I'm torn between three packs: the BPL Arctic Pack I just bought, the Jam2 or the LightSpeed. I think I've eliminated the Arctic Pack for this trip. It is simply too much for a trip that will also require time in towns, restaurants, planes, and hotels, and too floppy without its stays. Jury rigging side pockets just seems like added complication, and I want to keep things simple. I'll save it for a trip that will only involve backpacking.

That leaves me with the Jam2 or the LIghtSpeed. I like the simplcity and lightness of the Jam2, but it doesn't have hip belt pockets and has to be accessed from the top... quite a hassle when customs is digging through your stuff at the airport. Still, the Jam2 could make for quite a compact package that the airlines might possibly allow on board, though I'm not sure what they will allow these days.

The LIghtSpeed, with its stays removed is quite a bit lighter and feels more secure. Just not sure how to make a virtual frame this way, though, unless I use an inflatable pad like the MontBell UL pad, folded lengthwise along the back and front of the pack, and blow it up when the pack is closed.

I'll just have to go on a trial hike before I leave and see which of the two works better for a month of traveling and hiking.

Wish I could take my Ghost, but it is just too bulky for a trip like this and is missing features like the hip belt pockets and front pocket.

Edited by butuki on 07/19/2007 17:16:51 MDT.

I do hope that my evaluation of the LightSpeed and Ghost was helpful. I took qite a little while to write it, so I was hoping for at least a little reaction... (•u•)

Sounded fair and comprehensive to me. Shame your'e not taking the Arctic Pack----imagine Customs' face when you detached the dry bag and dumped the contents all out at once on the counter. :-)>

But it's true, for general travel via public transportation, it's hard to beat the convenience of living out of a panel opening pack.

I think you've sufficiently made the case and talked yourself into bringing the Litespeed.

Edited by kdesign on 07/20/2007 19:07:33 MDT.

Miguel:

First of all, excellent write up! I've been intrigued by the Litespeed. I think I like everything about it -- except for the shallow side water bottle pockets.

Given how much you crave hip belt pockets -- I don't see why you won't just sew two of them onto your Ghost. Sewing along the top edge will NOT interfere with the Ghost's hip belt straps at all. And if you should change your mind later, a seam ripper will detach the pockets in two quick minutes. Have you looked at Granite Gear's add-on hipbelt pockets? Three things I like about them (based on just viewing the site itself):

1. They seem to be just the right size
2. They can easily be sewn onto the Ghost hip belt
3. The LOUD LOGO looks to be on a separate piece of fabric that can easily be removed -- not sewn directly onto the pocket fabric itself. :)

Edited by ben2world on 07/20/2007 18:55:54 MDT.

I enjoyed this very much- thanks Miguel!

MIguel:
Sorry about not posting an immediate response to your very useful comparison of the ghost and the Lightspeed. I have been swamped at work and home...

I really don't want to have to start doing comparison shopping and buying and returning packs after testing, so your comments really help. It looks as if I am going to be able to purchase from another member a little used Ghost in size large to replace my old one. Great day in the morning!
The exterior pocket issue with the Lightspeed and the narrow bag cut and waistbelt issue you discuss I think will foreclose considerration of that pack for now. Thanks so much for sharing your insights and once again sorry for the delay in responding.