Michael Herman
2004-04-08 06:38:05 UTC
Ok, here is my repost with your edits. I hope it looks better. Let me know
if anything else looks like it needs to be changed.
Name: Michael Herman
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Height: 5'11'' (1.8 m)
Weight: 195 lb (89 kg)
Email: backpackman (at) mailbolt (dot) com
Location: Lafayette, Indiana
Date: 4/8/2004
I stated camping with my family in the car and the RV when I was real
young. I did a lot of camping with the Boy Scouts and then did my first
backpacking trip (three days) with my dad when I as 13. From then on I took
a backpacking trip once a year until high school where I started going more
often. Now in college I do many outdoor activities with the outing club. I
backpack often as well as other activities such as caving, adventure
racing, kayaking and climbing; however, backpacking is my primary activity.
My backpacking style is packing light but not ultralight (yet); however, I
do not skimp on eating well. I continually want to find ways to get better
meals on the trail while not adding much weight. I also don't want to
shortchange myself with low living conditions just to save a couple of
ounces (grams); I want to find other ways to reduce weight while staying
comfortable.
Product Information
Product: Pow
Manufacture: Gregory
Year of Manufacture: 2003
URL: http://www.gregorypacks.com
Listed Weight: 2 lb 9 oz (1.2 kg)
Measured Weight: 2 lb 9 oz (1.2 kg)
Capacity: 1900 cubic inches (31 L)
Description: A day pack with plenty of room and lumbar support, 8 pockets
and hydration sleeve.
First Impressions
I was initially impressed by the pack. It had plenty of room for my school
books and for day hikes, as well as plenty of pockets to organize my stuff
into. It did not have a water bottle holder; however, I was able to fit a
standard 1 Qt ( 1 L) Nalgene (not very securely though) into one of the
side pockets, I liked this because I don't carry around a hydration bladder
with me all the time.
Testing Conditions
I have tested this pack in many conditions. The temperatures ranged from 15
to 90 F (-9.5 to 32 C). It has been in heavy rainstorms as well as snow. I
use the pack for school, travel and day hikes.
Field Test
I have used this pack on a daily basis to carry around my textbooks. I have
also used it to travel and on day hikes. When at school I am usually
carrying 10 to 15 lbs (4.5 to 6.8 kg). I am able to use the lumbar support
to take the weight off my back. The lumbar support consists of a stiff
curved and lightly padded back that fits in the lumbar spine. There is also
a hip belt which is simply a piece of fabric that helps put weight on your
hips when the hip belt is clipped and tightened. The main compartment of
the bag is very deep; therefore, the space between the back and the front
isn't much. I have found this helpful in keeping weight close to my back;
however, I am unable to put many textbooks in the pack along with my
notebooks without stacking them. On the trail and while traveling this
doesn't seem to be a problem with me because I like to put things on top of
each other to keep the weight closer to my back. I cannot do this with my
books without making it hard to get to certain books. Since the pack is a
bit taller than normal day packs when on the airplane it doesn't completely
fit under the seat; however, I still put it there and have had no
complaints about it.
This pack has been on a handful of day hikes. On day hikes I carry lunch,
water, some first aid supplies and extra layers as well as a few other
small things. The weight of the pack is between 5 and 10 lbs (2.3 and 4.5
kg). I like to carry a water bladder with a bite valve to drink from. This
pack has an insulated sleeve for the bladder. I use a 2 Qt (2 L) Platypus.
The sleeve is large enough to easily insert and remove the bladder (I
believe the sleeve is large enough to most likely hold two 2 liter
bladders). The sleeve is insulated which I have found to work nicely on hot
days. On the left side of the pack when I am wearing the pack there is a
slot that is supposed to allow the hose to be put through from the bladder.
I have found the slot to be too small and tight to fit my bite valve
(standard bite valve on a platypus) through this hole. This is because they
have the hole covered with another piece of fabric to keep it water
resistant. The main compartment has two zippers so I put the hose through
the top and zip it up to the hose from both sides. The shoulder straps do
not have any place designed to attach the hose to except the sternum
adjustment strap. My hose has a clip on it that I can attach to this,
otherwise it would be difficult to attach. When I carry a water bottle
instead of a bladder, I put the Nalgene in the side pocket of the bag. This
does not securely hold the bottle in (it has fallen out on me a couple
times) because the pocket is too short and there is no strap to hold the
top of the water bottle. I am able to remove the bottle from this pocket
with no effort while walking, but I have to use both hands to put the
bottle back into the pocket.
This pack features 8 pockets plus the main compartment. Just inside the
main compartment there is a pocket great for keeping things in for easy
access. The front pocket has a mesh divider inside of it that helps keep
items organized. The remaining pockets in the pack are relatively small and
cannot fit much in. If these pockets are filled then they will bulge on the
inside of the pack taking space up elsewhere. The pockets on the hip belt
do not have much space and items in these pockets poke me in the hips.
Overall, 6 of the pockets allow organization for small items; however, they
do not add much room to the pack.
This pack has seen a good deal of rain. It is waterproofed on the inside
and this has kept my books and gear dry in the heaviest downpours. The main
compartment, front pocket and side pocket zippers are lined on the outside
with a water proof material; however, this has been peeling off in places
the zippers are often used. This has allowed small leaks when it rains. The
other pockets are protected by the backpacks fabric covering them. These
zippers aren't completely waterproof when it rains but they are nearly
waterproof.
The back of the pack is stiff, curved and padded lightly to fit the lumbar
spine. The hip straps are triangular shaped fabrics that well help the load
sit on the hips. I find these straps combined with the back support to be
effective with loads up to 15 lbs. (6.8 kg). The shoulder straps are
adjusted on the back. This is a very hard thing to do and small hands are
helpful; however, they do not make it easy. They are adjusted by putting my
hand up the back panel where it is tight and pulling a pad from Velcro and
moving it. This is a hard process and most likely not practical to change
often (like if the pack is used by more than one person). The back seems to
let air in nicely and does not make my back sweat. The compression straps
on both sides help compress the pack a bit; however, they only go across
the side of the pack once so they only compress the middle. The sternum
strap used a clip system where to adjust it I unclip them and move them to
a different spot and clip them back. On a couple of occasions these clips
have come undone on me and were almost lost. This does not happen often
enough with me to be a large problem, but a problem none the less. Also
there are only three different spots to clip them to so fine adjusting it
is impossible.
Overall impression
This pack has some nice features; however, some of the features don't work
as well. The slot in the side of the pack for the water bladder hose is too
small and the pockets are rather small. I would prefer fewer pockets with
more room in each; however, if someone likes many small pockets this could
be great for them. I like the support that this pack gives me and keeps the
weight off my back. The pack seems to be able to keep most weight off my
back up to 25 lbs (11.3 kg). The pack has always kept my stuff dry;
however, the waterproof material on the zippers has worn off a bit allowing
small amounts of water to leak in if the bag is exposed to rain for
extended periods.
Likes
The pack can keep the weight off my shoulders.
Large water pocket for easy access.
Dislikes
Slot for water bladder hose is too small.
All but two of the pockets are small.
No pocket designed as a bottle holder.
Really hard to adjust shoulder straps.
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BackpackGearTest/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
BackpackGearTest-unsubscribe-***@public.gmane.org
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
if anything else looks like it needs to be changed.
Name: Michael Herman
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Height: 5'11'' (1.8 m)
Weight: 195 lb (89 kg)
Email: backpackman (at) mailbolt (dot) com
Location: Lafayette, Indiana
Date: 4/8/2004
I stated camping with my family in the car and the RV when I was real
young. I did a lot of camping with the Boy Scouts and then did my first
backpacking trip (three days) with my dad when I as 13. From then on I took
a backpacking trip once a year until high school where I started going more
often. Now in college I do many outdoor activities with the outing club. I
backpack often as well as other activities such as caving, adventure
racing, kayaking and climbing; however, backpacking is my primary activity.
My backpacking style is packing light but not ultralight (yet); however, I
do not skimp on eating well. I continually want to find ways to get better
meals on the trail while not adding much weight. I also don't want to
shortchange myself with low living conditions just to save a couple of
ounces (grams); I want to find other ways to reduce weight while staying
comfortable.
Product Information
Product: Pow
Manufacture: Gregory
Year of Manufacture: 2003
URL: http://www.gregorypacks.com
Listed Weight: 2 lb 9 oz (1.2 kg)
Measured Weight: 2 lb 9 oz (1.2 kg)
Capacity: 1900 cubic inches (31 L)
Description: A day pack with plenty of room and lumbar support, 8 pockets
and hydration sleeve.
First Impressions
I was initially impressed by the pack. It had plenty of room for my school
books and for day hikes, as well as plenty of pockets to organize my stuff
into. It did not have a water bottle holder; however, I was able to fit a
standard 1 Qt ( 1 L) Nalgene (not very securely though) into one of the
side pockets, I liked this because I don't carry around a hydration bladder
with me all the time.
Testing Conditions
I have tested this pack in many conditions. The temperatures ranged from 15
to 90 F (-9.5 to 32 C). It has been in heavy rainstorms as well as snow. I
use the pack for school, travel and day hikes.
Field Test
I have used this pack on a daily basis to carry around my textbooks. I have
also used it to travel and on day hikes. When at school I am usually
carrying 10 to 15 lbs (4.5 to 6.8 kg). I am able to use the lumbar support
to take the weight off my back. The lumbar support consists of a stiff
curved and lightly padded back that fits in the lumbar spine. There is also
a hip belt which is simply a piece of fabric that helps put weight on your
hips when the hip belt is clipped and tightened. The main compartment of
the bag is very deep; therefore, the space between the back and the front
isn't much. I have found this helpful in keeping weight close to my back;
however, I am unable to put many textbooks in the pack along with my
notebooks without stacking them. On the trail and while traveling this
doesn't seem to be a problem with me because I like to put things on top of
each other to keep the weight closer to my back. I cannot do this with my
books without making it hard to get to certain books. Since the pack is a
bit taller than normal day packs when on the airplane it doesn't completely
fit under the seat; however, I still put it there and have had no
complaints about it.
This pack has been on a handful of day hikes. On day hikes I carry lunch,
water, some first aid supplies and extra layers as well as a few other
small things. The weight of the pack is between 5 and 10 lbs (2.3 and 4.5
kg). I like to carry a water bladder with a bite valve to drink from. This
pack has an insulated sleeve for the bladder. I use a 2 Qt (2 L) Platypus.
The sleeve is large enough to easily insert and remove the bladder (I
believe the sleeve is large enough to most likely hold two 2 liter
bladders). The sleeve is insulated which I have found to work nicely on hot
days. On the left side of the pack when I am wearing the pack there is a
slot that is supposed to allow the hose to be put through from the bladder.
I have found the slot to be too small and tight to fit my bite valve
(standard bite valve on a platypus) through this hole. This is because they
have the hole covered with another piece of fabric to keep it water
resistant. The main compartment has two zippers so I put the hose through
the top and zip it up to the hose from both sides. The shoulder straps do
not have any place designed to attach the hose to except the sternum
adjustment strap. My hose has a clip on it that I can attach to this,
otherwise it would be difficult to attach. When I carry a water bottle
instead of a bladder, I put the Nalgene in the side pocket of the bag. This
does not securely hold the bottle in (it has fallen out on me a couple
times) because the pocket is too short and there is no strap to hold the
top of the water bottle. I am able to remove the bottle from this pocket
with no effort while walking, but I have to use both hands to put the
bottle back into the pocket.
This pack features 8 pockets plus the main compartment. Just inside the
main compartment there is a pocket great for keeping things in for easy
access. The front pocket has a mesh divider inside of it that helps keep
items organized. The remaining pockets in the pack are relatively small and
cannot fit much in. If these pockets are filled then they will bulge on the
inside of the pack taking space up elsewhere. The pockets on the hip belt
do not have much space and items in these pockets poke me in the hips.
Overall, 6 of the pockets allow organization for small items; however, they
do not add much room to the pack.
This pack has seen a good deal of rain. It is waterproofed on the inside
and this has kept my books and gear dry in the heaviest downpours. The main
compartment, front pocket and side pocket zippers are lined on the outside
with a water proof material; however, this has been peeling off in places
the zippers are often used. This has allowed small leaks when it rains. The
other pockets are protected by the backpacks fabric covering them. These
zippers aren't completely waterproof when it rains but they are nearly
waterproof.
The back of the pack is stiff, curved and padded lightly to fit the lumbar
spine. The hip straps are triangular shaped fabrics that well help the load
sit on the hips. I find these straps combined with the back support to be
effective with loads up to 15 lbs. (6.8 kg). The shoulder straps are
adjusted on the back. This is a very hard thing to do and small hands are
helpful; however, they do not make it easy. They are adjusted by putting my
hand up the back panel where it is tight and pulling a pad from Velcro and
moving it. This is a hard process and most likely not practical to change
often (like if the pack is used by more than one person). The back seems to
let air in nicely and does not make my back sweat. The compression straps
on both sides help compress the pack a bit; however, they only go across
the side of the pack once so they only compress the middle. The sternum
strap used a clip system where to adjust it I unclip them and move them to
a different spot and clip them back. On a couple of occasions these clips
have come undone on me and were almost lost. This does not happen often
enough with me to be a large problem, but a problem none the less. Also
there are only three different spots to clip them to so fine adjusting it
is impossible.
Overall impression
This pack has some nice features; however, some of the features don't work
as well. The slot in the side of the pack for the water bladder hose is too
small and the pockets are rather small. I would prefer fewer pockets with
more room in each; however, if someone likes many small pockets this could
be great for them. I like the support that this pack gives me and keeps the
weight off my back. The pack seems to be able to keep most weight off my
back up to 25 lbs (11.3 kg). The pack has always kept my stuff dry;
however, the waterproof material on the zippers has worn off a bit allowing
small amounts of water to leak in if the bag is exposed to rain for
extended periods.
Likes
The pack can keep the weight off my shoulders.
Large water pocket for easy access.
Dislikes
Slot for water bladder hose is too small.
All but two of the pockets are small.
No pocket designed as a bottle holder.
Really hard to adjust shoulder straps.
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BackpackGearTest/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
BackpackGearTest-unsubscribe-***@public.gmane.org
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/