Clay R. Farris

The pack fits great. However, the fact that the outside pockets are essentially useless forced me to return the pack. It was tough to turn away from a pack that is so light and feels so comfortable on the back. The problem can be easily resolved by Granite Gear designing the pockets to have buttonhole-like slits allowing the outside horizontal straps to run inside the pocket against the outer wall of the pack. This would allow the user to now place and remove his/her water bottle or whatever item they chose in the pockets with ease. Should the user feel the need to strap a large or bulky item such as tent poles to the side of the pack and slid into the pocket, the horizontal strap could simply be looped around the item to properly secure it. This would add no extra weight to the pack. As an additional change, I suggest the pockets be mesh netting to allow a bit more flexibility outward instead of the material currently in use which further limits the use of the pockets because of the tight fit—especially when the interior of the pack is full. My replacement choice was first the Vapor Latitude. I thought with the larger interior capacity I could overcome the capacity lost by the inadequate pockets. However, I could not find a Vapor Latitude at a sale price a liked. In the end I was relieved I did not purchase the Vapor Latitude. The additional weight was a concern to me. I finally settled on the GoLite Speed Pack. While the stated capacity may be slightly less, in reality I gain more useable space with the Speed and its various outside pockets than with the Vapor Trail with its inefficient outer pockets. I hope this review will be of benefit. Sincerely, Clay R. Farris