Name: Bob Sanders
Age: 47
Gender: Male
Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight: 180 lb (81.6 kg)
Torso Length: 22 in (55.8 cm)
Email: sherpabob(at)mac(dot)com
City: Boulder, Colorado
Date: 02-12-05

Backpacking Background:
I went on my first backpacking trip as a Boy Scout at the age of 16. We hiked about 60 mi (96.5 km) of the Appalachian Trail through West Virginia. I was hooked. Over the years I have hiked the Wonderland Trail in Washington and section hiked parts of the Florida Trail and the Appalachian Trail. In 2003 during a 7 week period I hiked over 700 mi (1126 km) of the Pacific Crest Trail. Best vacation I ever took. I continue to backpack and hike year round in the Colorado mountains.

Backpacking Style:
I have evolved from a heavyweight backpacker to a lightweight backpacker. My 3 day summer, solo adventures (using a hammock) have me hovering around 15 lb (6.8 kg) total weight including food.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Manufacturer: GoLite
Year of Manufacture: 2003
Manufacturer Website: http://www.golite.com
Listed Weight: 15 oz (425 g) size large
Measured Weight: 15.5 oz (439 g)
MSRP: $US69.99

Product Description
The GoLite Breeze is a very basic rucksack with no suspension and no hip belt. The design of this pack is an adaptation of a pack that Ray Jardine originally designed before his PCT thru hike back in 1992. It is designed for an ultralight mindset. It is not designed for loads above 20 lb (10 kg). Conventional, heavyweight equipment will not fit in this pack.

The pack consists of a main top loading bag constructed of Spectra® Gridstop fabric. There is a large mesh pocket on the front and a smaller mesh pockets on each side. There is no top lid on the pack but there is an extension collar that rolls down and secures with a single strap. The website lists the entire volume of this pack, size large (main bag, 3 pockets and extension collar) at 3950 ci (64.7 L). I think the true volume is closer to 3600 ci (58.9 L). The reason I say this is because when the extension collar is fully extended the pack is extremely top heavy and very unstable. So with the extension collar only half full I estimate about 3600 ci (58.9 L).

The current model is available in sizes medium and large. The only color currently available is black. The fabric is basically black with white threads running horizontally and vertically every 1/4 in (0.63 cm) or so. Giving it a pleasing checked pattern.

FIELD INFORMATION

Location for Testing: Southern California along the Pacific Crest Trail

Description of Use: I bought the pack to use for training before and during my section hike on the PCT. I carried this pack for approx. 400 mi (643 km) of the 700 mi (1126 km) I hiked. Switching to a G4 later in the trip. Explained in the review section below.

Hiking Conditions: Southern California has varied terrain ranging from desert to high mountain passes. I experienced temperatures between 100° F (37° C) to 30° F (-1° C) and elevations from sea level to 10,000 ft. (3,048 m)

OWNER REVIEW

During the planning for my PCT section hike I did a lot of research on the web and read Ray Jardine's book Beyond Backpacking. I was convinced I needed to lighten my load. So I bought this pack to train with during my daily walks. Every week I increased my mileage and the weight in the pack until I was up to 15 miles (24 km) and 20 lb (9.1 kg) in the pack. It was a good test of comfort and load capacity before hitting the trail.

Comfort: I bought the large size version to fit my 22" (55.8 cm) torso. This pack has no internal suspension (stays, framesheet or back padding). In order to give the main bag some rigidity I used a RidgeRest® sleeping pad unrolled inside the main bag. This helps gives my back some support and protection from pointy objects. The pack rode well on my back with the bottom of the pack sitting in the small of my back. The shoulder straps are the least comfortable part of the pack. They are not very wide and not very thick. Since there is no hip belt my shoulders carried all the weight. After a 20 mi (32 km) day with a 20 lb (9.1 kg) load my shoulders were very sore. At 15 lb (6.8 kg) the pack is tolerable all day. Above that I saw the need for a hip belt. I modified the pack by adding a simple 2 in (5 cm) wide web hip belt. Now it was tolerable to about 20 lb (9.1 kg).

Construction and Durability: The pack is well made and the Spectra® Gridstop fabric is very durable. All stress areas are reinforced with extra bar-tacks. I was originally concerned with how well the mesh pockets would hold up. They have also proved to be very durable. The two side pockets are perfect for water bottles, small items and snacks. Since there are no compression straps on the sides, anything long, like tent poles need to be stored in the larger front pocket or on top under the top strap. The large mesh front pocket is perfect for anything wet (tarp, tent fly) and for quick access to rain gear.

Capacity: During my section hike the amount of weight and volume the pack could comfortably carry became an issue. In Southern California there are areas where water sources are 30 mi (48 km) apart with daytime temps of 100° F (38° C). During those long stretches I carried a minimum of 6 L (1.58 gal) of water. Add to that a base weight of 9 lb (4 kg) plus 10 lb (4.5 kg) of food for 5 days and my pack was well over 30 lb (13.6 kg) in total weight. So the first couple of days between re-supplies were uncomfortable. Volume also became an issue as the trail heads into the Sierra Mountains. A warmer sleeping bag and warmer clothes stretched the pack to its maximum capacity. With the extension collar extended to accommodate the extra volume the pack became top heavy and unstable. After 400 mi (643 km) of use through the desert I switched to a GVP G4 pack. With a padded waist belt and wider padded shoulder straps it could handle 30 lb (13.6 kg) and the additional volume of warmer gear.

CONCLUSIONS

I really like this pack. It is perfect for what it is designed for. I still use it today but only for quick overnighters and 1-3 day ultralight summer trips where water is available. I keep my total weight to 15 lb (6.8 kg) or below for these trips. At that weight it is a pleasure to backpack in the Colorado mountains.

Pros:
• Very light weight for the volume it can carry
• The simple design makes packing and unpacking second nature
• Very durable
• Outside mesh pockets keep wet items separate and speeds drying

Cons:
• No hip belt
• Shoulder straps are thin and not well padded

Read more reviews of GoLite gear
Read more gear reviews by Bob Sanders

Owner Review by Bob Sanders

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