Hi all,
Just in the market for lightweight / ultralight(ish) framed pack around 50-60 liters. Wondering if anyone has purchased and used the Mountain hardwear Kazam and could give me some insight on how they like it! There’s not much information online or YouTube videos on the pack so I figured I’d ask here. Thanks in advance
Hi all,
Just in the market for lightweight / ultralight(ish) framed pack around 50-60 liters. Wondering if anyone has purchased and used the Mountain hardwear Kazam and could give me some insight on how they like it! There’s not much information online or YouTube videos on the pack so I figured I’d ask here. Thanks in advance
I currently have a Gregory Paragon 60, which comes in around 3.7 lbs. After using it, I realized it’s probably a little more heavy-duty than I need, so I’m looking to drop some pack weight without going all the way to a frameless UL pack.
My base weight is around 18 lbs, and I’m looking for something:
So far, the ULA Ohm and Gregory Focal are two that seem to fit what I’m looking for. I’ve also looked at Zpacks, but their packs are more than I’m looking to spend.
I’m definitely not limited to the Ohm or Focal—those are just two that have stood out from my research so far. I’d especially like to hear about other packs in that same general category that I might be overlooking.
I’m not trying to get the absolute lightest pack possible. I’d rather find a good balance between comfort, weight, durability, and a supportive frame. Basically, something noticeably lighter and less overbuilt than the Paragon without sacrificing too much carrying comfort.
What other packs would you recommend looking at?
I currently have a Gregory Paragon 60, which comes in around 3.7 lbs. After using it, I realized it’s probably a little more heavy-duty than I need, so I’m looking to drop some pack weight without going all the way to a frameless UL pack.
My base weight is around 18 lbs, and I’m looking for something:
So far, the ULA Ohm and Gregory Focal are two that seem to fit what I’m looking for. I’ve also looked at Zpacks, but their packs are more than I’m looking to spend.
I’m definitely not limited to the Ohm or Focal—those are just two that have stood out from my research so far. I’d especially like to hear about other packs in that same general category that I might be overlooking.
I’m not trying to get the absolute lightest pack possible. I’d rather find a good balance between comfort, weight, durability, and a supportive frame. Basically, something noticeably lighter and less overbuilt than the Paragon without sacrificing too much carrying comfort.
What other packs would you recommend looking at?
I currently have a Gregory Paragon 60, which comes in around 3.7 lbs. After using it, I realized it’s probably a little more heavy-duty than I need, so I’m looking to drop some pack weight without going all the way to a frameless UL pack.
My base weight is around 18 lbs, and I’m looking for something:
So far, the ULA Ohm and Gregory Focal are two that seem to fit what I’m looking for. I’ve also looked at Zpacks, but their packs are more than I’m looking to spend.
I’m definitely not limited to the Ohm or Focal—those are just two that have stood out from my research so far. I’d especially like to hear about other packs in that same general category that I might be overlooking.
I’m not trying to get the absolute lightest pack possible. I’d rather find a good balance between comfort, weight, durability, and a supportive frame. Basically, something noticeably lighter and less overbuilt than the Paragon without sacrificing too much carrying comfort.
What other packs would you recommend looking at?
I currently have a Gregory Paragon 60, which comes in around 3.7 lbs. After using it, I realized it’s probably a little more heavy-duty than I need, so I’m looking to drop some pack weight without going all the way to a frameless UL pack.
My base weight is around 18 lbs, and I’m looking for something:
So far, the ULA Ohm, Gregory Focal, and Durston Kakwa 55 are three that seem to fit what I’m looking for. I’ve also looked at Zpacks, but their packs are more than I’m looking to spend. And I do not get a pro deal for Durston which puts it out of my price range unfortunately.
I’m definitely not limited to the Ohm or Focal—those are just two that have stood out from my research so far. I’d especially like to hear about other packs in that same general category that I might be overlooking.
I’m not trying to get the absolute lightest pack possible. I’d rather find a good balance between comfort, weight, durability, and a supportive frame. Basically, something noticeably lighter and less overbuilt than the Paragon without sacrificing too much carrying comfort.
What other packs would you recommend looking at?
I currently have a Gregory Paragon 60, which comes in around 3.7 lbs. After using it, I realized it’s probably a little more heavy-duty than I need, so I’m looking to drop some pack weight without going all the way to a frameless UL pack.
My base weight is around 18 lbs, and I’m looking for something:
So far, the ULA Ohm and Gregory Focal are two that seem to fit what I’m looking for. I’ve also looked at Zpacks, but their packs are more than I’m looking to spend.
I’m definitely not limited to the Ohm or Focal—those are just two that have stood out from my research so far. I’d especially like to hear about other packs in that same general category that I might be overlooking.
I’m not trying to get the absolute lightest pack possible. I’d rather find a good balance between comfort, weight, durability, and a supportive frame. Basically, something noticeably lighter and less overbuilt than the Paragon without sacrificing too much carrying comfort.
What other packs would you recommend looking at?
I bought a vintage 100% wool sweater secondhand today. It looked and fit great when I got it, but since it was used I decided to wash it before wearing it.
The care tag says hand wash, but instead I used:
Modern GE front-loading washer
Delicates cycle
Tap cold water
Light soil
Lowest spin setting
Sweater inside out in a mesh laundry bag
Small amount of Arm & Hammer + OxiClean liquid detergent (I know now this isn’t a wool-specific detergent)
Removed it immediately after washing
Gently reshaped it while damp and laid it flat on a towel to dry
My concern is that when I took it out of the washer, it looked a little shorter and the ribbed hem looked tighter than I remembered. The knit still looks soft, the stitches are clearly visible, and it doesn’t appear felted at all.
My questions are:
Is it normal for a 100% wool sweater to look slightly shorter or more compact while it’s still wet?
Does the ribbed hem usually relax again after the sweater dries and is worn?
Given the wash method above, is it likely I permanently changed the shape, or is this just normal behavior for a freshly washed wool sweater?
If it does end up a little shorter after drying, is re-blocking while damp likely to restore some of the original shape?
This is my first 100% wool sweater, so I’m trying to learn what’s normal versus what indicates I’ve actually damaged it.
Hey everyone,
I’m 26 and grew up backpacking a lot—everything from weekend trips to longer treks. After I moved, I gave my old pack to a family member, so now I’m shopping for a new one.
I’m trying to decide whether I should go with an ultralight pack or a more traditional lightweight pack.
A little about my setup:
Base weight: ~19–20 lb
Typical trips: 2–3 nights (sometimes just an overnight/weekend)
Typical mileage: Usually around 10–12 miles in and the same back out
Looking for: 50–60L pack
Current gear includes:
Nemo Dragonfly OSMO 2P tent
Nemo Tensor All-Season sleeping pad
Lightweight Marmot sleeping bag (not a quilt)
My clothing is pretty simple. I’ll usually hike in zip-off pants and a sun hoodie, then pack a puffer, a fleece, one extra pair of underwear and socks, sometimes a pair of athletic shorts for camp, and a pair of Chacos. And I usually camp spring - fall.
For cooking, I use a Jetboil and mostly eat freeze-dried meals. I usually carry a hydration bladder, a filtered water bottle (like one you can fill directly from streams), and I also like having a Nalgene with me.
I also have a Gregory pro deal, so I originally started looking at the Paragon 60 because it seemed like a great all-around backpacking pack. Then I started going down the ultralight rabbit hole and found packs like the Gregory Focal 58, Durston Kakwa 55, Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60, and a few others.
Now I’m kind of stuck in the middle. I feel like my gear is a mix of traditional backpacking and lightweight gear. I’m not an extreme ultralight backpacker, but I also don’t pack a ton of extra stuff. It feels like I’m somewhere between the two camps, and I’m wondering whether it actually makes sense for me to buy an ultralight pack or if I’d be happier with a lightweight pack that has a bit more structure and features.
For someone with my base weight and trip style, would you lean toward an ultralight pack or a lightweight pack? Is ~20 lb base weight still well within the range where an ultralight pack makes sense, or would you stick with something a little more supportive?
I’d especially love to hear from people who’ve owned both types of packs. What made you stick with one over the other, and if you were in my shoes, which direction would you go?
Thanks!
Hey everyone,
I’m 26 and grew up backpacking a lot—everything from weekend trips to longer treks. After I moved, I gave my old pack to a family member, so now I’m shopping for a new one.
I’m trying to decide whether I should go with an ultralight pack or a more traditional lightweight pack.
A little about my setup:
Base weight: ~19–20 lb
Typical trips: 2–3 nights (sometimes just an overnight/weekend)
Typical mileage: Usually around 10–12 miles in and the same back out
Looking for: 50–60L pack
Current gear includes:
Nemo Dragonfly OSMO 2P tent
Nemo Tensor All-Season sleeping pad
Lightweight Marmot sleeping bag (not a quilt)
My clothing is pretty simple. I’ll usually hike in zip-off pants and a sun hoodie, then pack a puffer, a fleece, one extra pair of underwear and socks, sometimes a pair of athletic shorts for camp, and a pair of Chacos. And I usually camp spring - fall
For cooking, I use a Jetboil and mostly eat freeze-dried meals. I usually carry a hydration bladder, a filtered water bottle (like one you can fill directly from streams), and I also like having a Nalgene with me.
I also have a Gregory pro deal, so I originally started looking at the Paragon 60 because it seemed like a great all-around backpacking pack. Then I started going down the ultralight rabbit hole and found packs like the Gregory Focal 58, Durston Kakwa 55, Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60, and a few others.
Now I’m kind of stuck in the middle. I feel like my gear is a mix of traditional backpacking and lightweight gear. I’m not an extreme ultralight backpacker, but I also don’t pack a ton of extra stuff. It feels like I’m somewhere between the two camps, and I’m wondering whether it actually makes sense for me to buy an ultralight pack or if I’d be happier with a lightweight pack that has a bit more structure and features.
For someone with my base weight and trip style, would you lean toward an ultralight pack or a lightweight pack? Is ~20 lb base weight still well within the range where an ultralight pack makes sense, or would you stick with something a little more supportive?
I’d especially love to hear from people who’ve owned both types of packs. What made you stick with one over the other, and if you were in my shoes, which direction would you go?
Thanks!
Hey everyone,
I’m 26 and grew up backpacking a lot—everything from weekend trips to longer treks. After I moved, I gave my old pack to a family member, so now I’m shopping for a new one.
I’m trying to decide whether I should go with an ultralight pack or a more traditional lightweight pack.
A little about my setup:
Base weight: ~19–20 lb
Typical trips: 2–3 nights (sometimes just an overnight/weekend)
Typical mileage: Usually around 10–12 miles in and the same back out
Looking for: 50–60L pack
Current gear includes:
Nemo Dragonfly OSMO 2P tent
Nemo Tensor All-Season sleeping pad
Lightweight Marmot sleeping bag (not a quilt)
My clothing is pretty simple. I’ll usually hike in zip-off pants and a sun hoodie, then pack a puffer, a fleece, one extra pair of underwear and socks, sometimes a pair of athletic shorts for camp, and a pair of Chacos. And I usually camp spring - fall
For cooking, I use a Jetboil and mostly eat freeze-dried meals. I usually carry a hydration bladder, a filtered water bottle (like one you can fill directly from streams), and I also like having a Nalgene with me.
I also have a Gregory pro deal, so I originally started looking at the Paragon 60 because it seemed like a great all-around backpacking pack. Then I started going down the ultralight rabbit hole and found packs like the Gregory Focal 58, Durston Kakwa 55, Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60, and a few others.
Now I’m kind of stuck in the middle. I feel like my gear is a mix of traditional backpacking and lightweight gear. I’m not an extreme ultralight backpacker, but I also don’t pack a ton of extra stuff. It feels like I’m somewhere between the two camps, and I’m wondering whether it actually makes sense for me to buy an ultralight pack or if I’d be happier with a lightweight pack that has a bit more structure and features.
For someone with my base weight and trip style, would you lean toward an ultralight pack or a lightweight pack? Is ~20 lb base weight still well within the range where an ultralight pack makes sense, or would you stick with something a little more supportive?
I’d especially love to hear from people who’ve owned both types of packs. What made you stick with one over the other, and if you were in my shoes, which direction would you go?
Thanks!
So for context I used to backpack a ton growing up doing multi day backpacking trips and weekend trips. I decided I needed to get a new pack and I’ve realized there’s a lot of options and ultralight seems like a move. All of my gear is lightweight for the most part with some being UL, like my tent and pad. Nowadays I do like 2 night max trips around maybe 5-10 miles each way. Should I go ultralight for my pack? I kind of want to but it could be in honestly not sure. I was eyeing the Gregory paragon 60L for a pack until i started doing some digging into ultralight. Curious to see what people think!
So for context i am a 26m, and used to backpack a ton growing up doing multi day backpacking trips and weekend trips. I decided I needed to get a new pack and I’ve realized there’s a lot of options and ultralight seems like a move. All of my gear is lightweight for the most part with some being UL, like my tent and pad. Nowadays I do like 2 night max trips around maybe 5-10 miles each way. Should I go ultralight for my pack? I kind of want to but it could be in honestly not sure. I was eyeing the Gregory paragon 60L for a pack until i started doing some digging into ultralight. Curious to see what people think!
So for context I used to backpack a ton growing up doing multi day backpacking trips and weekend trips. I decided I needed to get a new pack and I’ve realized there’s a lot of options and ultralight seems like a move. All of my gear is lightweight for the most part with some being UL, like my tent and pad. Nowadays I do like 2 night max trips around maybe 5-10 miles each way. Should I go ultralight for my pack? I kind of want to but it could be in honestly not sure. I was eyeing the Gregory paragon 60L for a pack until i started doing some digging into ultralight. Curious to see what people think!
Hi all, just looking to see if theres any clear winners between these 4 cases, I jsut got a mercury 9070 xt and I need a bigger case. I like the look of all of these cases, only wondering if theres a meaningful better choice between these 4. Let me know!
Hi all, I have a powerspec g512 and I’m trying to figure out what is the best value and cost efficient route. I have this current setup 3060 with 5600x and 16 gigs of ram but I have a 1440 ultrawide 240 hz 34 inch which it has pretty poor performance for id say.
Is it worth me maxing out the am4 platform with more ram, a 9070 xt, and a 5700x3d
Or
Should I just do a new build on a am5 platform and sell my current setup?
I ideally want to play AAA games with high fps like gta 6 or whatever other games I can’t name any off the top of my head but you get the point, just newer more demanding games. Currently I have to put my settings on low for the most part and I hover around 70 fps. I want to be cost efficient and have a setup that is somewhat future proof enough for the next 5ish years. Lmk!
Hi all, I have a powerspec g512 and I’m trying to figure out what is the best value and cost efficient route. I have this current setup 3060 with 5600x and 16 gigs of ram but I have a 1440 ultrawide 240 hz 34 inch which it has pretty poor performance for id say.
Is it worth me maxing out the am4 platform with more ram, a 9070 xt, and a 5700x3d
Or
Should I just do a new build on a am5 platform and sell my current setup?
I ideally want to play AAA games with high fps like gta 6 or whatever other games I can’t name any off the top of my head but you get the point, just newer more demanding games. Currently I have to put my settings on low for the most part and I hover around 70 fps. I want to be cost efficient and have a setup that is somewhat future proof enough for the next 5ish years. Lmk!
Hi, I am looking to get a replacement 205m case front cover. I would like a mesh one to increase airflow. Please let me know what I need to do to get this!
Hi all, so I got my first gaming pc (powerspec g509) about 5 years ago and at the time of purchase it ran games I played great however nowadays it’s showing its age a bit. I also purchased a MSI 34 inch 240 hz 1440 ultrawide which probably has not helped with the performance but I do love the monitor. So now I’m considering upgrading as I think I will get more value out of it than selling my pc and buying a brand new one. So as someone who doesn’t know a lot about pc builds I was considering purchasing a 5070 TI or maybe just maybe a 9070 xt as I’ve seen people say it’s the same ish but cheaper which is obviously a plus. I do want the upgrades to be as future proof as possible too of course.
Here are the current specs of my pc:
PowerSpec mATX Case (Lian Li 170)
ASUS AM4 Socket Motherboard
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 3.7GHz 6-Core Processor
Gigabyte Eagle GV-N3060EAGLE OC-12GD GeForce RTX 3060 12GB Graphics Card
2x Goldkey 8GB DDR4 PC2666 CL19 Ram (16GB Total)
500GB NVMe Solid State Drive
So yea just curious what the best course of action for upgrading my setup would be for the Gpu and other upgrades as well. Let me know what you think and thank you in advance!
Hi all, its about noon and I plan on sous viding pork tenderloin for dinner tonight. What time and temp is best for those who have done it before? Also any seasoning suggestions?