Preamble pt1:

So yes, normally I try and keep my gear lust under control but sometimes it breaks free. This was one of these times.

I had eyed this pack on and off since I first saw it, lust at first sight! That exotic opening method lured me in, whispering in my ear how I’d love to unzip it, all three zips, oh yes…

Preamble pt 2:

Okay so for a while I have been feeling increasingly at odds with my camping rucksack. It’s a golite pinnacle, an UL pack of about 40-60 litres. It has served me well, for many years now, and I have taken it and beaten on it and subjected it to horrible weather and horrible bushwhacking, and it has survived. I am genuinely impressed with this sack, especially the durability of the fabric, but it has some some big weaknesses.

The first was that you couldn’t overload it. Anything more than about 12kg became arduous to carry. Thin straps, no frame or sculpted padding of any kind and an unpadded hip belt meant the bulk could sit awkwardly and would sometimes swing. The worst was hiking in hot climates with the additional kilos of water. It was manageable, for what it is it does admirably. But still, I found it lacking…

The second was lack of organisation. The top closing was just a drawstring you rolled down and clipped over. It was just one cavernous pocket with a single large pouch pocket on the front. Even with pouches I found it impossible to organise efficiently.

And for all that my debit card was slowly worked loose from my clutch and the trizip found itself bought…

I looked it at the first time.

First thought: Darn it looks small, I suddenly got a little anxious. Sure my camping load was gradually being refined but would it all fit?

Second thought: Did they send it with a full bladder? This thing is heavy! Well, heavy isn’t the right word, the right word is dense. It’s a dense pack, the weight is concentrated in the LBS.

So to alleviate my concerns I loaded it up…

It fits everything, I could probably squeeze in one more thing, but it’s just. That’s all my gear, plus a full bladder.

Gear bags, left to right are: 3x3m silnylon tarp; WBBB hammock; Rab 400 sleeping bag and long underwear; stove and fuel bag

But I had to leave a few things out. My camping mats because I’m lazy and they’re in the car, but I know I can strap those on the bottom no worries. My bigger concern was I had to leave out my coat and waterproof trousers and there was no space for something even more important: FOOD!

I will resolve this with buying a couple of 5 or 10 litre PAL bags to go on the outside. I had already reasoned to myself before it arrived I’d probably move the tarp and cooking bag to the outside of the sack to separate them anyway as they’re often wet/dirty. This will free up enough space inside for the missing gear.

Here are the detail shots of organisation:

Yeah there’s no way a water bottle is gonna fit in this pocket when it’s full. But it looks like it’ll take a few tools no problem. It looks like a useful pocket even with the limitation of it opening in towards the pack rather than outwards.

The other side, useful selection of pouches. Takes my knife, saw (probably better off on the other side tho’ tbh), compass, chopsticks, spare lengths of cord, stakes, fire-steel, lighters, and a pen and pencil. I like this. I’ll probably add a second torch and some cells and call it done.

The lid pouch ain’t bad either. Comfortably takes my gloves, wool buff and hat.

Not pictured are detailed shots of the internal zipped pouches that are located in the inside of each front panel. I put my FAK, anti-bac gel and TP in one. The other the headband for my ZL H602 and a spare pair of socks.

I bought it for use as an EDC bag too so I took all my camping gear out and had a play around with other gear..

Haha well almost. 12” guitar amp. It’d do in a pinch and still carries well.

And as a camera bag? Sure why not. There are two horizontal strap with a quick release clips inside the pack, you can see the bottom one in the photo above. The upper one works well as a line to hang my lens cases from.

And I’ll leave it there.

PASS!