[pct-l] Pct-l Digest, Vol 10, Issue 41

[Patrick]

> From: Patrick <meta474 at gmail.com>
> Date: October 23, 2008 5:09:08 PM PDT
> To: laura wolff <lauraewolff at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Pct-l Digest, Vol 10, Issue 41
>

> Apparently some bears can rip the seams as well. The ursack is a  
> great idea but it's not there yet.
>
> As far as granite gear is concerned, it's a good item. I got a GG  
> latitude vapor in big bear at about a 17 pound base, it handled  
> water, food and base comfortably. Later I went ultralight, tuning  
> down to an 11lb base and the granite gear adapted well. If you take  
> off the removable hip belt, the shoulder straps are padded very well  
> for bearing a 10-11lb base and the pack will only weigh just over 2  
> lbs with some trimming. It's no ULA conduit but it's a great light  
> starter pack and very adaptable.
>
>
>
> On Oct 23, 2008, at 3:48 PM, "laura wolff" <lauraewolff at gmail.com>  
> wrote:
>
>> This summer I hiked the JMT with a girl I met on the trail.  Her  
>> base weight
>> was 14 pounds and she carried a Granite Gear bag (I believe it was  
>> the
>> vapor).  Anyway, she used an ursack (sp?).  I don't believe it  
>> completely
>> complied with some of yosemite and kings canyon, etc.'s standards,  
>> but it
>> worked quite well. The only time a bear tried to get into it (and it
>> remained a failed attempt) was at VVR.  The bags were tested with  
>> real bears
>> who could not get into them.  It is usually people's mistakes  
>> (overstuffing
>> and not cinching properly) that create problems.  The bag must be  
>> tied to a
>> tree, less it be carried away, which could present problems at alpine
>> elevation, but big boulders work alright too.
>>
>> Cheers,
>> L
>>
>> On Thu, Oct 23, 2008 at 1:00 PM, <pct-l-request at backcountry.net>  
>> wrote:
>>
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>>>
>>>
>>> Today's Topics:
>>>
>>> 1. Re: base weights and ultralight packs (mark v)
>>> 2. Re: base weights and ultralight packs (Will Hiltz)
>>> 3. Re: base weights and ultralight packs (Jeffrey Olson)
>>> 4. Re: base weights and ultralight packs (Dusty Wallace)
>>> 5. Starting early and saving the Sierra for last....... (Wes Davis)
>>> 6. Re: Starting early and saving the Sierra for last.......
>>>    (Donna "L-Rod" Saufley)
>>> 7. trail sampling (Andrea Harrison)
>>> 8. MP3 player with radio, memory card source (Vic Hanson)
>>> 9. Granite Gear Vapor Trail (Vic Hanson)
>>>
>>>
>>> --- 
>>> -------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>> Message: 1
>>> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:09:34 -0700 (PDT)
>>> From: mark v <allemande6 at yahoo.com>
>>> Subject: Re: [pct-l] base weights and ultralight packs
>>> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
>>> Message-ID: <718463.89672.qm at web53911.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>>>
>>> There were plenty of unhappy people and ripped up packs this year  
>>> from
>>> people carrying 35-45 lbs.  If your weight is going to be that  
>>> high more
>>> than a few days, i wouldn't recommend ANY ultralight pack.  But  
>>> naturally
>>> i'd most recommend never to carry that  much on a thru or long  
>>> section hike
>>> anyway.  I'm no saint or gram weenie, and i have lots of cheapo  
>>> stuff, but
>>> just as a point of comparison, my base weight varied from 12 lbs.  
>>> much of
>>> the way to 22 lbs. in the Sierra (carrying 2 person tent since  
>>> Emma joined
>>> me for that part).  So total weight was anywhere between  
>>> ~13-37lbs. My ULA
>>> Catalyst worked well for carrying those weights.  Other people  
>>> carrying the
>>> same pack with more weight had rips and tears.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------------
>>>
>>> Message: 2
>>> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:15:08 -0400
>>> From: "Will Hiltz" <will.hiltz at gmail.com>
>>> Subject: Re: [pct-l] base weights and ultralight packs
>>> To: allemande6 at yahoo.com
>>> Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
>>> Message-ID:
>>>      <739c11e60810221015h17854393k5544f946fee5a08f at mail.gmail.com>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>>>
>>> You all have it backwards.... go ultra heavy!
>>>
>>> I carried my 8lb. Dana Terraplane and loved every minute of it.   
>>> Its like
>>> strapping yourself into a Cadillac.  And the pack itself is  
>>> literally
>>> bulletproof, I've hiked over 4000 miles with it any only just  
>>> replaced the
>>> hip belt buckle for the first time!  Gram weenies hate it, but I  
>>> love it!
>>>
>>>
>>> YITOOD,
>>>
>>> Easy
>>>
>>> On Wed, Oct 22, 2008 at 1:09 PM, mark v <allemande6 at yahoo.com>  
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> There were plenty of unhappy people and ripped up packs this year  
>>>> from
>>>> people carrying 35-45 lbs.  If your weight is going to be that  
>>>> high more
>>>> than a few days, i wouldn't recommend ANY ultralight pack.  But  
>>>> naturally
>>>> i'd most recommend never to carry that  much on a thru or long  
>>>> section
>>> hike
>>>> anyway.  I'm no saint or gram weenie, and i have lots of cheapo  
>>>> stuff,
>>> but
>>>> just as a point of comparison, my base weight varied from 12 lbs.  
>>>> much of
>>>> the way to 22 lbs. in the Sierra (carrying 2 person tent since Emma
>>> joined
>>>> me for that part).  So total weight was anywhere between  
>>>> ~13-37lbs. My
>>> ULA
>>>> Catalyst worked well for carrying those weights.  Other people  
>>>> carrying
>>> the
>>>> same pack with more weight had rips and tears.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Pct-l mailing list
>>>> Pct-l at backcountry.net
>>>> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------------
>>>
>>> Message: 3
>>> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:50:14 -0600
>>> From: Jeffrey Olson <jolson at olc.edu>
>>> Subject: Re: [pct-l] base weights and ultralight packs
>>> Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
>>> Message-ID: <48FF67D6.6090308 at olc.edu>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>>>
>>> I second the use of the Golite Gust, or similar pack of spectra  
>>> cloth
>>> (or semi-spectra).  There seem to be three kinds of packs I've  
>>> seen on
>>> the trail.  The first two are lightweight.  Most use one where you  
>>> use
>>> the foam pad as a kind of frame - it goes in a slot next to your  
>>> back.
>>> The other is the Gust, where you wrap your closed cell foam pad  
>>> into a
>>> circle, put it in the pack, and pack everything inside of it.  My  
>>> pack
>>> is 22 ounces.  I've carried 40 pounds this way and not been
>>> uncomfortable.  The other way is the ultra-light way where it's  
>>> just a
>>> little sack with shoulder straps and mesh on its outside, no  
>>> hipbelt, or
>>> only a webbing strap.  Warner Springs Monte can talk about this  
>>> level of
>>> gear.  My base weight these days, including a book as extra, and not
>>> much else, is 12 pounds.
>>>
>>>
>>> I use a quilt (Nunatak Arc Alpinist) and a full-length blue foam  
>>> pad and
>>> Tarptent Contrail.  The first thing that goes in is an airline  
>>> plastic
>>> bag - the ones you use to protect your pack when you fly.  This is
>>> fairly thick plastic, and weighs a couple ounces, but boy is it
>>> waterproof and fairly bulletproof.  I never have to worry about a  
>>> pack
>>> cover or my gear getting wet.  It is protected 100% of the time.  I
>>> don't carry long pants or rain pants either (except when hiking on  
>>> snow).
>>>
>>>
>>> Then the blue foam pad goes in as a tube.  I put spare clothes on  
>>> the
>>> bottom, then the food I won't be using that day, then miscellaneous
>>> gear, stove, water bottles, etc., and then the quilt in a plastic
>>> garbage bag.  (I've never stuffed the quilt and after six years of
>>> hiking, it still has its original loft and is good down into the  
>>> 20s.)
>>> I'm always surprised that there is very little I don't use every  
>>> day.  I
>>> have a couple ditty bags with drugs and fire and emergency garbage  
>>> bags,
>>> duct tape, etc.  Together they weight in at 2lbs or so.  I don't  
>>> carry
>>> much beyond the essentials, so the sleeping bag takes up one third  
>>> to
>>> half the pack volume, depending on how many days of food I'm  
>>> carrying.
>>> I've carried a bear vault cannister and hate every moment of it.
>>>
>>>
>>> I think if I were in the market for a pack (I have two Gusts, one of
>>> which has over  1500 miles on it, and the other a couple hundred),  
>>> I'd
>>> get the Blast with a belt.  My Gust is 4500 cu in or so.  The large
>>> Blast is 3200 cu in. I'd have to stuff my quilt more I guess...
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.zpacks.com/backpacks/blast.shtml
>>>
>>>
>>> Jeff Olson
>>> Martin, SD
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------------
>>>
>>> Message: 4
>>> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:02:34 -0700
>>> From: "Dusty Wallace" <dusterbuddy at comcast.net>
>>> Subject: Re: [pct-l] base weights and ultralight packs
>>> To: <Pct-l at backcountry.net>
>>> Message-ID: <000001c93489$8c0ee4c0$a42cae40$@net>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain;       charset="us-ascii"
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I tend to agree with Easy. Although I've only been doing sections,  
>>> and live
>>> in WA. I need a tougher pack for the weather and my hiking style.  
>>> So for me
>>> it is an Arterx Bora80. Over the last year I have notice I only  
>>> use maybe
>>> 65liters of that massive volume but it fit me and rarely causes  
>>> pain or
>>> pinching. And I've submerged it multiple times to have little to  
>>> no water
>>> penetration. I was thinking that hiking the PCT with this pack maybe
>>> overkill and to heavy but ran into 'Hardcore' and 'Late Arrival'  
>>> to see
>>> Late
>>> Arrival using the same pack. HYOH, and use the pack that works for  
>>> you. But
>>> the beast is heavy at over 5lbs.
>>>
>>> Dusty
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------------
>>>
>>> Message: 5
>>> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:08:13 -1000
>>> From: "Wes Davis" <wesnice at gmail.com>
>>> Subject: [pct-l] Starting early and saving the Sierra for  
>>> last.......
>>> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
>>> Cc: Rebecca Warner <lapecka at gmail.com>
>>> Message-ID:
>>>      <2d41ebb30810221408p6dee8e1bu82e0db7522bdd7c7 at mail.gmail.com>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>>>
>>> Hello,
>>>
>>> I am interested in starting the trail northbound early -- the  
>>> beginning of
>>> March or late Feb...hitching from Kennedy Meadows to belden or  
>>> sierra city
>>> and continuing north.
>>>
>>> The plan would be to finish the JMT, Tahoe, Yos sections in  
>>> September
>>> hiking
>>> southbound from Belden or Sierra City.
>>>
>>> Is snow an issue before Kennedy Meadows in March/April?
>>>
>>> Also, how early could we enter Castle Crags/Trinity Alps...in  
>>> other words,
>>> is there a chance we would hit a ton of snow in June?
>>>
>>> Any feedback is helpful.  We are basically wanting to start  
>>> sooner, take a
>>> couple of weeks off along the way and finish at Kennedy Meadows  
>>> before
>>> October.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Western Plains
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------------
>>>
>>> Message: 6
>>> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:44:43 -0700 (GMT-07:00)
>>> From: "Donna \"L-Rod\" Saufley" <dsaufley at sprynet.com>
>>> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Starting early and saving the Sierra for
>>>      last.......
>>> To: Wes Davis <wesnice at gmail.com>, pct-l at backcountry.net
>>> Cc: Rebecca Warner <lapecka at gmail.com>
>>> Message-ID:
>>>      <
>>> 3296164.1224711883953.JavaMail.root at elwamui-polski.atl.sa.earthlink.net 
>>> >
>>>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
>>>
>>> Snow can be present in early season in the Southern California  
>>> ranges,
>>> especially the San Jacintos/Fuller Ridge and Mt. Baden Powell in  
>>> the San
>>> Gabriels. Snow can also happen at any time in the variable spring/ 
>>> late
>>> spring conditions.  This year 4"-8" fell in the local mountains  
>>> around
>>> Memorial Day weekend.
>>>
>>> Another early starter journal to check out is Chuckie V's, aka  
>>> Funnybone!
>>> He departed from the southern terminus on March 24, 2006.  His  
>>> trail journal
>>> at http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=161497
>>>
>>> L-Rod
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Wes Davis <wesnice at gmail.com>
>>>> Sent: Oct 22, 2008 2:08 PM
>>>> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
>>>> Cc: Rebecca Warner <lapecka at gmail.com>
>>>> Subject: [pct-l] Starting early and saving the Sierra for  
>>>> last.......
>>>>
>>>> Hello,
>>>>
>>>> I am interested in starting the trail northbound early -- the  
>>>> beginning of
>>>> March or late Feb...hitching from Kennedy Meadows to belden or  
>>>> sierra city
>>>> and continuing north.
>>>>
>>>> The plan would be to finish the JMT, Tahoe, Yos sections in  
>>>> September
>>> hiking
>>>> southbound from Belden or Sierra City.
>>>>
>>>> Is snow an issue before Kennedy Meadows in March/April?
>>>>
>>>> Also, how early could we enter Castle Crags/Trinity Alps...in  
>>>> other words,
>>>> is there a chance we would hit a ton of snow in June?
>>>>
>>>> Any feedback is helpful.  We are basically wanting to start  
>>>> sooner, take a
>>>> couple of weeks off along the way and finish at Kennedy Meadows  
>>>> before
>>>> October.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> Western Plains
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Pct-l mailing list
>>>> Pct-l at backcountry.net
>>>> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------------
>>>
>>> Message: 7
>>> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 17:20:42 -0700
>>> From: Andrea Harrison <andylouharrison at hotmail.com>
>>> Subject: [pct-l] trail sampling
>>> To: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
>>> Message-ID: <BAY108-W32C193FB23A3E07724388CB9280 at phx.gbl>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>>>
>>>
>>> I am looking for hiking partners for the PCT. I am not a thru  
>>> hiker, but am
>>> doing the trail in pieces and/or sections as I can find partners.  
>>> I live in
>>> the San Diego area and have already hiked Sections A, B, most of  
>>> C, the
>>> Mojave Desert section of E and a stretch between Devil's Postpile  
>>> and
>>> Toulomne Meadows. Anything else is open game. Personal info - I am  
>>> a mother
>>> of 4 and hike between 1-2 mph depending on whether or not I am  
>>> dayhiking or
>>> carrying a backpack.
>>>
>>> _________________________________________________________________
>>> Store, manage and share up to 5GB with Windows Live SkyDrive.
>>>
>>> http://skydrive.live.com/welcome.aspx?provision=1?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_skydrive_102008
>>>
>>> ------------------------------
>>>
>>> Message: 8
>>> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 19:29:12 -0700 (PDT)
>>> From: Vic Hanson <vichansonperu at yahoo.com>
>>> Subject: [pct-l] MP3 player with radio, memory card source
>>> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
>>> Message-ID: <226867.77351.qm at web65615.mail.ac4.yahoo.com>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>>>
>>> Buy.com has a SanDisk Sansa e-270 mp3, 6 GB player on sale for  
>>> $40, with
>>> free shipping. It is re-certified, which can mean anything from  
>>> factory
>>> repaired to returned for any reason. I have had the e-260 for  
>>> almost a year,
>>> it is the older version with 4GB, also re-certified, and it has  
>>> worked like
>>> a charm, no problems. You can also put your PCT photos and videos  
>>> on there,
>>> has expandable memory (mini SD cards) but that doesn't work for  
>>> photos, only
>>> music, at least on mine. It has an FM radio and can record as well.
>>> ?
>>> Sorry, the URL was about 8 lines long, go to www.buy.com and  
>>> search or
>>> check weekly specials (you can sign up to receive an email). They  
>>> also have
>>> great prices on memory cards, usually SD cards are on sale,  
>>> sometimes
>>> others, ie a 2 gb mini SD with full size adaptor for $6. You may  
>>> be able to
>>> find the same price elsewhere but almost all of the specials  
>>> include free
>>> standard shipping. They have multiple shipping warehouses so  
>>> things usually
>>> arrive in 2 or 3 days. I have been very happy with buy.com except  
>>> that I
>>> tend to spend too much money there! Oh, they have a wide variety  
>>> of things
>>> for sale, lots of electronics, computers, software, but other  
>>> items as well.
>>> ?
>>> Vic
>>>
>>>
>>> ?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------------
>>>
>>> Message: 9
>>> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 23:45:36 -0700 (PDT)
>>> From: Vic Hanson <vichansonperu at yahoo.com>
>>> Subject: [pct-l] Granite Gear Vapor Trail
>>> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
>>> Message-ID: <398169.14452.qm at web65612.mail.ac4.yahoo.com>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>>>
>>> Shepherd,
>>> ?
>>> I, and many others, used the Vapor Trail in 2006. The only problem  
>>> I had
>>> was when I tried to jam my Bear Vault sideways in the top. It went  
>>> in but
>>> ripped out a couple of seams, which I sewed up by hand. After that  
>>> I put it
>>> in verticle. Other than that it did the whole trail with no ill  
>>> effects. I
>>> would use it again on a thu-hike.
>>> ?
>>> I seem to remember one other hiker having some problem with his,  
>>> Granite
>>> Gear replaced it, he just had to send the old one back to them.
>>> ?
>>> Since then I have used it mountain climbing and hiking in Peru,  
>>> where it
>>> has gotten a number of rips from sharp lava rocks, most of those  
>>> from
>>> lowering it down a rocky cliff on a rope.
>>> ?
>>> Oh, mine fit fine before the hike but after I lost about 10 lbs.  
>>> the hip
>>> belt was too big. I have a medium and normally about a 31" waist.  
>>> Carrying
>>> 40 lbs. wasn't very comfortable, my base weight was about 18 - 20  
>>> lbs. They
>>> do make another model which I think is rated at 40 lbs. but it  
>>> weighs 3 lbs.
>>> instead of 2 lbs.
>>> ?
>>> Sugar Daddy
>>> ?
>>> ?
>>> I am also looking at ultra-light backpacks such as Rays, the  
>>> GoLite Jam 2,
>>> Six Moons Comet, the Granite Gear Vapor Trail and others.?I  
>>> currently haul
>>> a
>>> Ospry Talon.? ?My problem is that once I fill a bear vault with 5  
>>> days to a
>>> weeks worth of?food, plus a base weight of 20-25 lbs, I am up  
>>> around 35-45
>>> lbs.? My impression is that this is a lot of weight for one of these
>>> packs.?
>>> I have also been known to "plop" down none-to-gently and fall back  
>>> to rest
>>> with the pack still on.? I am concerned as to the "ruggedness" of  
>>> some of
>>> these packs.? Your experiences are hereby solicited.? Thanks.
>>> ?
>>> Shepherd
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------------
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Pct-l mailing list
>>> Pct-l at backcountry.net
>>> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
>>>
>>>
>>> End of Pct-l Digest, Vol 10, Issue 41
>>> *************************************
>>>
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