[pct-l] Pack weight

[Austin Williams]

Hi,

Thanks for asking.  It was a Ray-Way pack (you buy the kit and sew it
yourself).  First thing I ever sewed.  It actually held up (and I still use
it now, 2 years later).  Cost around $60.

Mine weighs 9-10oz.

This might sound over exaggerated, but I actually can list any down sides.
It was WAY more durable than I ever would have thought (it held up for over
30 miles of bushwhacking in Glacier NP.... only got one little hole in it
(when I walked into a super-sharp branch), but that was easily patched on
the trail.  You do have to learn to pack the bag so it's comfortable, but
that I mastered in less than an hour during my training hikes.

I use a closed cell foam pad (3/4 length) when I sleep.  When I pack my bag
I just roll that pad up, stick it in the backpack, and let unroll itself a
bit.  It fits like a fat cylinder inside your bag.  That becomes the "frame"
and you pack all you're gear on the inside.

I guess you could say the weight limit would be a limiting factor, but I'm
an ultralight hiker, so I never had to deal with that.  I also carry my
water in a bladder bag, in a hip pack.... so that cut back on the weight
inside the pack.  When it's super full, it can be a little top heavy, but
it's so light anyway that I never really worried about it.

I do remember when I needed to do a 10-day stretch without resupply, and I
couldn't fit all my supplies in the pack.  I used a front pack in that
situation.

Also, when the Kit instructions said to sew a single line, I would sew a
double line.  When it said to double sew, I would triple or quadruple sew.
I don't know if that helped, but it was my first sewing project and I wanted
my pack to be sturdy.

Its identical to the Golite Breeze pack (no longer available)... In fact,
GoLite got the design for the Breeze from Jardine (there is still some
animosity between Jardine and the founder of GoLite... drama).  I can't
fathom why GoLite stopped making the breeze.  IMHO it was the most awesome
all-around ultralight backpack they ever made.

Hope it helps,

Austin