[pct-l] Opinions? Gossamer G4 vs. Mariposa Plus

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good evening, Madeline,



I normally carry a 13-ounce GoLite Breeze pack which is no longer available.
Its functional equivalent is the “standard” Mariposa, except the Breeze
doesn’t have a bladder pocket or a Zee-Rest pocket, and I don’t use a
sternum strap or a hip belt.  Instead of using a Zee-Rest pocket I
accordion-fold my sleeping pad and place it inside the pack against my back.
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=263805



The Mariposa-Plus is a good size, but it’s a half-pound too heavy for me
with all its extra “features” that I don’t use.



In ’07 before I entered the Sierras I traded the Breeze for my GVP4 – which
is what the G4 was originally named when Glen Van Peski developed it –
because my Garcia bear ‘can would fit nicely crosswise in the bottom.  It
worked OK that year but I didn’t do so again because GVP4/G4 is way too big
for my 8-pound base weight and it always hung half-full – like a sack – and
I found that the ‘can is easily carried upright in the Breeze.  I did use a
Zee-Rest in the GVP4/G4 pocket.



I have 3 or 4 Breezes in various states of decay, and when the time comes to
replace them I’ll probably buy the “standard” Mariposa.  I have no idea how
much junk you intend to carry, but at 4,000 cu. in. the GVP4/G4 is darn big.
As an adaptation of Parkinson’s Law, “The amount of gear carried expands to
fill the space available in the pack.”



Steel-Eye

Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09


On Sun, Jun 13, 2010 at 1:20 PM, Madeline Yacoe <myacoe at gmail.com> wrote:

> I am trying to decide which pack to buy for a 2011 thru hike and I would
> like input from people who have tried these.
>
> It looks like the Gossamer G4 is lighter, bigger, and cheaper than the
> Mariposa Plus. The only differences I see are the Y strap vs. lash strap
> closure, slightly different pockets on the right side, slightly different
> shock cord loops, and the aluminum curved stay. I don't really understand
> the difference.
>
> Pack comparison chart:
> http://www.gossamergear.com/cgi-bin/gossamergear/pack_matrix.html
> G4: http://www.gossamergear.com/cgi-bin/gossamergear/G4.html
> MARIPOSA PLUS:
> http://www.gossamergear.com/cgi-bin/gossamergear/Mariposa_Plus.html
>
> Have you tried frameless packs? The Mariposa comes with that aluminum
> curved
> stay, which I think is supposed to transfer weight more effectively to the
> hip belt. I'm not really sure how much of a difference that will make, or
> how effectively the pad will do that job. If it makes a big difference, it
> would probably make the Mariposa more comfortable. Otherwise, I'm inclined
> to go for the slightly larger pack. Any ideas?
>
> Thanks,
> Madeline
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