I had been using the Deuter Futura Zero 40 SL through the summer. It is a 3 lb. 1oz. pack but I wanted the mesh Aircomfort back to keep cooler and less sweaty. However I really wanted a lighter pack that held more (2450 cu in). (http://www.deuter.com/)I was really at capacity in the summer and knew that I would need more room when I wanted to pack down stuff, longjohns, etc. On the Hobb's cabin trip I was able to check out a Granite Gear pack that Sara was using. I liked the look of it and she had good things to say about it. I had done research on the Granite Gear packs before so seeing one in the field pushed me into ordering one.
I got it on sale for just over $100 after doing an online search (retail $170). Can't remember what company I went with though. It lists at 2lbs. 5ozs. and 3600 cu in. It only cuts a little more than half a pound off my weight but I gain over 1000 cu in of space! I am not sure I like the lidless design but it's ok so far. I was able to fit all my gear in comfortably. I added a down jacket and pants, a second down sleeping bag, wool long johns, closed cell pad, and my Jetboil. These are items I didn't have on the last trip.
The pack is super comfortable. I could have gone lighter but I wanted something with the adjustable load lifters and a good padded hip belt. The pack has two large open pockets and two small zippered pockets and an area on the front to strap a sleeping pad or jacket. I am still getting used to not having the lid for additional storage. GG sells an attachable lid but I don't know if it's worth the moeny or the extra weight...it seems really small on the web so I will have to consider this for a while. Other than losing a bit of convenience with the lid I am really enjoying this pack...it is much more comfortable than the Deuter.
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