My new lightweight rucksack came yesterday – I was working last night but I did have a chance to throw a few things in and play around with some packing options.
I got my one man tent in the front pocket with room to spare and my inflating sleep mat in the main compartment without any problem. Getting the mat inside was important to me as when I had it strapped to the top of the previous pack it made the pack very awkward when making my way through overgrown areas.
When I put on the pack it felt very comfortable. The hip belt pockets were a little difficult to use but I am sure with use the zippers will loosen a little and I will get used to them. I could reach the drinks bottle reasonably easily.
In my Karrimor pack I had a foam back pad that included two flexible aluminium strips embedded in it, which gave the soft pack some rigidity which I found useful – I have inserted this into the pad pocket on the Golite. It makes it easier to pack as it gives the bag some structure and I also think it will protect my back from the load and the water bladder and help transfer some of the weight to the hip belt. There is a weight penalty for this stiff pad – 165gms – which I feel is a bargain if it makes my walking more comfortable.