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Fanatic Fringe
Thompson Peak Pack
Initial Report by Rick Allnutt
PERSONAL BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Rick Allnutt
50 Year old male
6' 0'' (183 cm) in height
198 lb (90 kg) in weight
Email address: ra1 (at) imrisk (dot) com
I live in Dayton, Ohio
BACKPACKING BACKGROUND
Over the last 20 months, I have gone from being a heavyweight (2 Duluth Pack) canoe camper to a three-season base pack weight of about 9 lb (4 kg) and skin out weight of 20 lb (9 kg). I have completed
7 ultralight section hikes on the Appalachian Trail (AT) with a total mileage of over
250 miles (403 km). I am an ultralight hiker, a gearhead, a hammock camper, and make much of my own equipment. I
have designed and sewn two homemade ultralight packs and used one or the other
of them for the great majority of my backpacking.
PRODUCT INFORMATION
Manufacturer: Fanatic Fringe
Year Manufactured: 2004
Manufacturer's Link: Fanatic Fringe
MSRP: $69
Size: Large
Listed Weight: 9.5 oz (269 g)
Measured Weight: 9.2 oz (260 g)
Listed Volume: 2400 cu in (39 L) for the main body
400 cu in (6.5 L) mesh pockets
800 cu in (13 L) more with the extension collar
up
Measured Volume: (obtained with packing peanuts)
2487 cu in (40.8 L) for the main body
conformal mesh pockets (no volume until stuffed)
front pocket 11 in (28 cm) wide x 12 in (30 cm) tall
two side pockets: 9.5 in (24 cm) wide x 8 in (20 cm) tall
1176 cu in (19 L) more room with extension collar up and its top cinched shut.
Review Date: 17 April 2004
REVIEW
After reviewing the Fanatic Fringe site, I had a general idea what to expect
of the Thompson Peak Pack. The photo on the web site is small and shows
very little detail. The volume and the weight of the pack revealed more about
the pack than the picture ever could have. I knew this was going to be one
sweet pack, on the Fanatic Fringe of ultralight hiking.
The pack arrived in a cardboard shipping carton, with a single hangtag. It
cautioned the user to limit weight carried with this pack to less than 20 lb (9
kg). The pack is offered in two sizes. I had requested the large size. I could
find no markings on the pack identifying its size.
Detailed description of the pack:
For this description, the standard convention for front and back of the pack are
used. The side of the pack with
shoulder straps is the back. The side with the large mesh pocket, like the
boot of a car, is the front.
Rucksack packs, like the Thompson Peak, are not rigid geometric shapes.
They end up a lot rounder than the sewn panels might suggest. However, for
descriptive purposes, the size of those panels is helpful in comparing one pack
to another.
The Thompson Peak pack is sewn as a rectangular box, 23 in (58 cm) high, 11 in
(28 cm) wide, and 9.5 in (24 cm) deep. It has an additional collar at the
top, which is 11 in (28 cm) tall.
The bottom of the pack, up to a height of 5 in (13 cm), is sewn as a
"bathtub" with seams at each of the vertical corners, but none along
the bottom edges of the pack. This "bathtub" is of what appears
to be 200 weight coated nylon oxford cloth. The same material continues,
without a seam, up the back of the pack to the cinch strap at 23 in (58 cm)
of pack height.
A 2.5 in (6 cm) wide reinforcing strip is sewn the entire width of the
back. This strip is 2.5 in (6 cm) down from the cinch strap. It is to this
strip that the shoulder straps are sewn. The shoulder straps appear to be
machine fabricated, not the work of a pack tailor. They are 2 in (5 cm)
wide, and the padded portion is 13 in (33 cm) long. The padding is 1/2 in
(1.3 cm) thick, and enclosed by webbing material on the outside surface and by
an absorbent, soft material against the shoulders. The straps can be
shortened to 18.5 in (47 cm). Their longest practical length is 33 in (84
cm). I find them most comfortable on me at 25.5 in (65 cm). The top
portion of the strap terminates in a factory fused buckle.
Factory Fused Buckle
The buckle receives the lower
portion of the strap, made from 1 in (2.5 cm) nylon webbing. The webbing
is not terminated with a sewn over termination, so the webbing may be removed
from the buckle. I have had no problem with the end of this webbing slipping
through the buckle accidentally.
The remainder of the pack's material is 1.9 oz (54 g) polyurethane coated nylon.
The collar is black in color, while the front and the two sides are forest
green.
The patch pockets, made from nylon netting, are all sewn to the pack's panels
before the panels are joined. They are conformal to the pack, with no
"pouching" of the pocket created by darts in the long edges of the
pockets. The top edge of each pocket contains an elastic band, covered with a
nicely sewn nylon hem.
The back pocket of the pack with map, bandanna,
camera, and towel
showing the construction and appearance of the netting
Each side of the pack sports a 1/2
in (1.3 cm) compression strap. While I have not found any need to use the
compression, the placement of the strap is handy for holding an umbrella, or
hiking poles along the side of the pack. A 2 L (1/2 US gal) Platypus water
container will fit in the side pocket of the pack, but is best used no more than
3/4 full. The top of the water container is not quite long enough to be
held by the compression strap. I have begun folding the top 2 in (5 cm)
over and tucking it behind the rest of the bladder.
One practical method for hydration
I find the hydration system tube can
be practically routed through the hang loop between the top of the two shoulder
straps. Once the pack is on, the tube hangs over the right side of my
chest. Though no tabs or loops are sewn to the shoulder strap, this is a
practical and comfortable way to route the water tube.
The pack is designed to be carried with a closed cell pad as part of its support
system. This pad is rolled as a loose barrel inside the pack, and then the
contents are placed inside the closed cell pad lining of the pack. I have
used two pads thus far. First was a soft blue rubber pad, 27 in (69 cm)
wide, that was available at US Target stores until this year. This pad is
much taller than the top cinch strap of the pack. It can be used if the
extension collar would be considered as part of the pack volume on a routine
basis.
However, I have found that a Coleman 3/8 in (1 cm) thick pad, reduced in width
from 24 in (61 cm) to 22 in (56 cm), is a much more elegant solution with the
Thompson Peak Pack. With the 22 in (56 cm) wide pad, the pack is wonderfully
small, light, and compact. It rides close to the body, making my hiking
seem effortless. Though I have only carried the pack for about 10 mi (16
km) so far, it has been enough to show me that it will be a favorite.
A version of this pack is available with a waist belt. The basic version I
am testing does not have a waist belt. This is as I prefer in an ultralight
pack.
The pack is technically very well constructed. All weight bearing seams
are double or triple sewn. There are no loose threads. My only criticism
of hardware is the plastic grommet through which the main pack's cinch cord is
pulled. This is a critical component and easily damaged. Despite my
careful care, I have managed to pull the grommet apart, into two pieces, twice
so far. Fortunately, it snaps back with thumb pressure.
I had the opportunity to wear the pack for several hours of rain on a short day
hike. It is NOT waterproof. I used a waterproof liner, which kept
the pack's contents dry, but the outside of the liner was soaked, and I was able
to pour almost an ounce (30 ml) of water out of the pack when I finished.
This water did not enter the pack through the top, which was cinched down well.
It must have entered through the seams, and especially through the seams that
include nylon netting. Such seams are apparently very difficult to make
waterproof. Since this hike, I have sewn a waterproof, silnylon pack cover
which I will use for the remainder of the field test.
I had a question about the best method to close the top of the pack, so I
emailed Fanatic Fringe with my question. The answer was sent within a day
and had just the right amount of information. (The suggested way to close
the top is to close the top cinch strap, twist the collar, and then route that
twisted collar through the lower cinch strap so it is trapped by the cord lock
of the lower cinch strap.) I have tried this, and it works very
well, eliminating the need for a top compression strap.
TEST PLAN
For the field test, I will use the Peak Pack for a number of short day hikes, packed as though I were going out for several days. I spend early spring hikes carrying a pack to get the feel for the pack load, and to carry rescue items for hypothermic hapless hikers I may meet on the trail.
I will evaluate the pack as a suitcase pack, carried in my carry-on luggage. I plan a trip to Alaska in May, and do intend to day hike while there. I look forward to seeing how the pack may do without a foam
liner as a simple daypack.
For the field test I will also evaluate the fit and feel of the pack, its bells and whistles, the utility of the
side compression straps, the function of the exterior pockets, and the usefulness of the extension collar.
However, the main test of the pack will be a two-week section hike on the AT from Springer Mountain to the
Smoky Mountains. The distance is 200 mi (322 km), and this concentrated testing will place a realistic strain on the pack. Success during a long section hike could do much to inform and persuade other long distance hikers about the attractive attributes of the pack.
Some specific items to be considered for my report writing:
- How comfortable is the pack?
- How well is the pack constructed? How carefully were the seams sewn?
- Does the pack shed water reasonably well?
- How well do the straps work?
- Are the straps comfortable?
- How well does the top closure work? The extension collar?
- How well do the mesh pockets hold gear, how much do they catch on brush?
- How compatible is the pack with an ultralight load?
TEST CONDITIONS
In May I will be able to test the pack on the cold tops
of the southern Appalachians and on day hikes in Alaska. In the 3 months of summer,
further trips on the AT will refine my opinion of the pack for ultralight
hiking. Daytime temperatures may not rise above 40 F (4 C) some days and
can go as high as 100 F (38 C). Rain, heat, and even the possibility of
snow exist through most of the Field testing period.
Read more reviews of Fanatic Fringe gear
Read more gear reviews by Rick Allnutt
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