I was introduced to ultralight backpacking this summer and spent some time (and money) swapping out most of my gear for lighter items. The Peak was one of my first purchases. Coming from a Arcteryx Bora that I could never quite get to fit correctly, this was a completely new experience.

Because it's a weight-weenie pack, I should start with that. The claimed weight of 26 oz was spot on, AFTER I removed the foam pad from the back. I have a 19.5" torso, which it right between medium and large. I chose the large and think it was the right choice. The pack rides well at 22 lbs, but I wouldn't go much higher than that.

The main compartment is big enough to carry just about everything I need for a week out. I line it with a dry bag and pack everything inside my sleeping bag, which takes up the extra space and keeps everything in proper shape for the side compression straps to do their job. The outer pocket is good for rain gear and maps. Side pockets fit water bottles well and seem secure. The waistbelt pouches have a nice stretch to them. I have not yet tried the ice axe holders.

One nice feature is the ComPACKtor straps that allow you to decrease the overall size of the pack for shorter excursions. It legitimately allows you to use the Peak as a day pack without having the smaller load bounce around inside.

I had to relearn how to load this pack. First time out, it felt really odd. A rearrangement of gear during a trail break made everything much better. I also have a small gripe with the little hook that GoLite installs to hold a water bladder in place. It's too narrow for a Drom! I had to add a bit of cord to the grommet on the Drom to get it to work.

Overall, the Peak is a nice, simple introduction into the world of UL backpacking. There are lighter packs from some cottage manufacturers, but none made from recycled materials.

Ok, so I bought a GoLite Jam last week, men's version in medium, loaded it up with my weekend backpacking setup, 10.8 lbs total, including food and water, and took it out for a 5-mile dayhike. It felt great. Thinking that I really didn't need a 50L bag, and that I could shave some weight and size, I exchanged it for the GoLite Peak. Yes, I know, why try to fix what's not broken.

So I put the same gear in the Peak and threw it on. It immediately felt uncomfortable; it was just not sitting on me correctly. I made numerous adjustments, but it just didn't work, which I attribute to the unisex design. I think the design places the shoulder straps too close together for my build, which puts pressure on the wrong part of my neck and traps. The frameless pack, even packed correctly, doesn't transfer the weight to the waist quite like a framed pack does, and the waistbelt on the Peak is not really designed to support it, either, it is more of a daypack waistbelt, as evidenced by the capability to remove it altogether. So all the weight hung from the wrong part of my shoulders, making for a bad situation.

I returned the Peak for a Jam this evening, loaded it up, and put it back on. It felt better right away; I am looking forward to taking it out on my next multi-night trip. Until then, I will be using it on all my training dayhikes. The weight penalty is only four ounces, and I get the flexibility of the larger (50L vs 36L) bag. The comPACKktor sytem allows me to use the Jam for everything from short dayhikes to weeklong treks and beyond.

All told, I think the Peak is a great pack for dayhikes (and beyond if you're a lightweight backpacker), if you have the correct build for it, but I just don't, so I'm sticking with the Jam...

I have got to say, this pack is most definitely 'lite'! I got a large (2318 cubic inches), and it is 1lb 18 oz. It expands to maximize your stow. A week long trip would be cake for this pack. There is one downside to this pack. There are only two compartments and only two access zippers. I spend quite a bit of time digging for things I needed on the fly on the outer pouch. The big main compartment fit all my stuff sacks just fine, but it would have been nice to be able to access the front pouch two different ways, and maybe be able to access the main compartment from the bottom of the pack as well as the top. Overall, this pack is comfortable, extremely lightweight, and pretty user friendly. I'm excited to review this product a year from now, after long-term use.

I purchased this pack about a year ago and have enjoyed using it. If your trying to go lightweight, this pack will help you, It's SMALL, but very usable. I can carry about 4 days worth of gear and food (tarp, quilt, alcohol stove, single cook pot, etc). I've got about 150 miles on it with no problems. the waist belt/side pockets were pretty useless so I took them off, shoulder straps provided enough support. The front pocket is huge, tarp, rain jacket, spare long sleeve shirt and socks, first aid kit. The main pocket carries my quilt, sleeping pad, light jacket, food, etc. The 2 side pockets carry a platy or Mt. Dew bottles with ease, Gatorade bottles are a tad big. You do need to stop and think about what your bringing. Very well made pack.

I purchased this about 1 year ago and love it! I took this pack on a two week backpacking trip in Japan and as long as I strapped my rain gear to the outside, I had all the room I needed inside for clothes and other essentials (this was in the summer so I did not have to pack bulky cold-weather clothing). I also use this pack daily to and from work and it receives a lot wear and tear, but it has held up well over the last year. The only thing I'd ask for is another zippered pocket instead of just the big one on the front.

I've been using this pack for the last month on backcountry ski tours, and I love it. After cutting out the hydration pocket, trimming the straps, and removing the hipbelt padding and pockets this pack probably weighs in at a little over a pound. The back pocket neatly holds the blade of my Voile 402 shovel, BD 2-m probe, Flicklock saw, and first aid gear, while the main compartment easily fits a small sleeping bag, bivy, crampons, rope, skins, lunch etc. Skis can be hauled during booters in an pyramid config. using the compression straps, though in an empty pack this would be a little sloppy given that the pack does not have a rigid frame. I originally bought this pack as a sleeping bag "stuff sack" and day use pack for long multi-day tours where I use an 85 L pack to haul in my gear. Now I've pretty much swapped out my North Face Patrol for this pack for all day tours because of the weight savings. If you're into a minimalist pack with only two pockets, and can deal with the lack of a rigid frame, you'll really dig this pack. Schralp on!