Awesome for UL, only minor flaws.

By starkat Ranked #1549 - Weekend Packs (3000-4500 cu in) April 24, 2008

This is my second commercial-made UL pack, and so far, I really like it. It holds a ton, and has an extra-long spindrift collar, so if you're crazy, you can overpack this with a lot of extra food or stuff if you want.

It also has some great compression straps: two on each side and two along the centerline in the back. These really shine if you take some extra time to pack it right in the first place: Cinch them all tight, then throw in your sleeping pad. Then add your gear in the middle, and loosen up the straps as necessary. Done right, you won't have any gear moving around after it has been stowed.

The only real drawbacks I have to this pack are as follows:
1- The waist belt rides really high. This pack was designed for people with a really short torso. I feel weird toting this thing around with the waist belt around my stomach.

2- It has two external pockets, one on each side, but they're inside the lower compression straps, making them practically useless for water bottles if you don't use a sleeping pad as your frame. If you're like me, you'll lash your bottle on, top to bottom to a shoulder strap.

3- To sleep, you're practically required to unload the bag to remove the sleeping pad, due to the huge spindrift collar, and to repack the pad when you hit the trail again the next day. Not a big deal for people like me, who are happy to constantly repack for the smallest possible pack size, but if you're in a hurry, you're out of luck.

Overall, I love this pack. Hardcore materials, great stitching, and rugged design in an ultralight form, you really can't go wrong. I have a 30L UL pack I use for 2-3 day trips, and this pack I use for weeklong trips. Highly recommended.

View Details: Granite Gear Virga Ultra Light Packer Backpack - 3200cu in

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