Reviews > Packs > Frameless Backpacks and Day Packs > Six Moon Designs Comet > George Griffin > Initial Report

Six Moon Designs Comet Backpack

Personal Bio

Name: George Griffin
Age: 43
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 7" (1.7 m)
Weight: 205 lb (93 kg)
Email: griffin42 (at) tiscali (dot) co (dot) uk
City: London U.K
Date: 17 May 2005

Backpacking Background

I have been backpacking since 1986, mainly in the Peak District, Lake District, Wales and Southern England. I am also the London liaison member for the Backpackers Club.  In recent years I have backpacked with two friends.  Most of my trips are from September through to May, I normally get four 4+ day trips in that time, plus the occasional weekend.

Terrain and elevation on these trips can be anything from coastal paths to mountains, sea level to 3,000 ft (900 m). Temperatures range from -5 C to 23 C (23 F to 75 F).

Additional Information

Torso: 53 cm (21 in)
Waist: 99 cm (39 in)

Other lightweight packs owned

Home-made GVP G4
GoLite Gust
GoLite Trek

Product Information

61 x 1.3 cm (24 x ½ in) aluminium stay

Manufacturer: Six Moon Designs 
Website:www.sixmoondesigns.com
Year of manufacture: 2005
MSRP:  $ 170 
Optional stays $10
         
Listed weight (with stays):     765 gm (27 oz)
Listed weight (without stays): 624 gm (22 oz)

Measured weight (with stays):  780 gm (27.5 oz)
Measured weight (without stays): 652 gm (23 oz)

Capacity: 61 litres (3700 cubic inches)
Size: adjustable to fit torso length from 38 cm to 51 cm (15 to 20 in)
Colour: Gold/Black

Main Features

Advanced Suspension System
Two full length side mesh pockets
Large rear mesh pocket
Padded shoulder straps
Padded hip belt
Dual ice axe loops
Dual hydration ports
Lumbar pad
Aluminium stays (optional)

Materials used in construction

Body: 70 denier silicone nylon
High wear area: 420 denier pack cloth
Extension collar: 30 denier silicone nylon



Arrival

The Comet backpack arrived via Parcel Force world-wide in a largish brown cardboard box.  In side were the Comet backpack with an eight page A6 booklet attached and the sales receipt, plus the optional stays; these were already in the pack.


Product Description

Once I opened the box; I checked the pack and found it to be in good condition and all the components undamaged, all the stitching was in good order with no loose threads.


The pack was more or less what I expected after looking at the six moon designs website and reading the descriptions of the pack on there.  The website is well laid out and contains plenty of information.

The A6 booklet contains information about the packs features, a list of pads that can be used in the pad pocket; although there is an error as it mentions a zipper but there is no zipper on the pad pocket only a hook & loop fastener.
The booklet also contains information on adjusting the shoulder strap height, loading your pack and care of the pack.
The warranty details are also in the booklet.

The Comet is a hybrid ultralight backpack with the ability to carry up to 15 kg (35 lb).  Without the optional stays the pack is an ultralight frameless pack utilizing a sleeping pad as the main support.  By adding the aluminium stays the pack becomes a more traditional pack capable of carrying heavier load up to 15 kg (35 lb).

The Comet is a straight through single compartment pack, with three mesh pockets on the outside (one each side and one on the front), and an extension collar.  The main compartment is 42 L (2600 c.i) with the side pockets totalling  6.5 L (400 c.i), the front pocket 4.1 L (250 c.i) and the extension collar 7.3 L (450 c.i).

On the inside of the main compartment are two pockets; one is a security pocket which measures 19 x 9 cm (7½ x 3½ in) and closes by way of hook & loop; the other pocket is the pad pocket.  The pad pocket runs almost the length of the pack and has an inverted "V" shape near the top with a strip of hook & loop fastening to hold the pad in place.  The pocket will take most sleeping pads from a ¾ length to a full size Therm-a-Rest to a ¾ length Z-Rest and closed cell foam pads.

The front of the pack has the largest mesh pocket; across this are two of the three compression straps, the third is situated just above the pocket.  The compression strap webbing is 1.3 cm (½ in) wide.

The ice axe loops are situated between the front pocket and the side pockets; the lower loops are made of webbing and the upper loops are of hook & loop fastenings.

Just below the extension collar is the male part of a quick release buckle and the webbing strap for the roll top closure, the female part is on the back on the pack in the middle of the haul loop.                         

                                                                              

The extension collar`s closure system is a hook & loop which goes right across the opening.  There is also a quick release buckle at the ends of the collar. Also in the
centre of the hook & loop are two strips of webbing, these are useful for pulling the hook & loop apart.  The extension collar doubles as the roll top closure.

The padded shoulders strap are connected to the back of the pack by way of webbing and a ladder lock buckle.  The manufacturer has named this system the Tri-Glide. The webbing and buckle are the adjustable part of the straps, the buckle sits into one of five sections a bit like a daisy chain, by placing the buckle higher or lower adjusts the torso length.                                            

The shoulder straps are roughly 6.5 cm (2½ in) wide and stay this size down to the webbing strap, which are 2 cm (¾ in).
                                                           

The shoulder straps also have load lifters attached to them.  These attach to the pack just above where the pockets for the aluminium stays are.  The stay pockets run the length of the pack and are covered with webbing and hook & loop.  The aluminium stays are 61 x 1.3 cm (24 x ½ in) and were already fitted to the pack.  Close to each strap are the hydration ports but there is no hydration pocket in the pack.  There is also a chest strap attached to the straps.

The padded hip belt is quite well padded and attaches via a series of ladder lock buckles, webbing and hook & loop. The hip belt is 10.5 cm (4 in) at its widest point which is close to the pack and 7 cm (2 ¾ in) at its narrowest, it goes into the webbing which is 4 cm (1½ in) wide and has a quick release buckle.

The hip belt attaches to the pack via the webbing
and a big hook & loop pad of the back of the pack and the lumbar pad.  There are a series of loops for the belt to pass through which gives the adjustment on the hip belt.

The Lumbar pad is hinged at the bottom and is held in place by the afore mentioned hook & loop. The lumbar pad is 20.5 x 18 cm (8 x 7 in) in size and about 2 cm (¾ in) thick.




First Impressions

The pack is more or less what I expected from a ultralight pack but with some new innovations.  Mainly the adjustable shoulder straps, the adjustable hip belts and the lumbar pad, plus the option to make the pack a framed pack.
The pad pocket on the inside hopefully means no more wet or damp sleeping pads.

First Test

I`ve had the chance to give the pack a test run, on a 11 km (7 m) day hike carrying the majority of my backpacking gear, the only items missing were the tent and some spare cloths but I did carry 2 litres (68 fl oz) of water.  I was quite happy with the performance of the pack on this day hike.

On this walk two problems did appear.  The first one is really only a niggly problem and that is, that I find the security pocket difficult to open. All the hook & loop fastenings on the pack have a strong bond to each other and the security pocket is no exception.  It would be nice and possibly easier to open if it had some pull loops as on the top closure.

The second problem is more of a concern to me.  The webbing strap that goes from the shoulder straps to the anchor point on the pack, seems very short.  I measured this at 28 cm (11 in); on the day walk I was wearing only a T-shirt and a lightweight fleece and the webbing was only about 1.3 cm (½ in) from being fully extended.  If I was wearing a thicker fleece or a rain jacket, I may find that I cannot extend the straps.

I will need to look in to this when wearing more layers.

Testing for the next six months

Next Month I`m off to North Wales for a fortnight, and in July I will be spending a week walking the South West coastal path.  On both these trips the terrain will vary from the second highest mountain in the UK (Mount Snowdon) at over 1085 m (3500 ft) to places at sea level and below.

I also have a four day backpacking trip arranged for September; probably in Southern England, plus a three day trip; as yet undecided, and a couple of weekend backpacking trips.

Thing I will be looking out for

How easy is it to adjust the shoulder straps and hip belt?
How well does the lumbar pad work?
Does it help vent air around my back?
How well do the front compression straps work?
Will the hook & loop keep its high bond or will dirt and other foreign bodies degrade it?
How stable is the pack when maxed out?
How gently do I need to be with the pack?
How will the mesh pockets stand up to going through squeezer and stone stiles?
Although no pack can be fully waterproof; how will this pack cope with British rain?

There may be other questions that arise as the test progresses.

Finally a big thanks to Six Moon Designs and BackpackGearTest.org.

Reviews > Packs > Frameless Backpacks and Day Packs > Six Moon Designs Comet > George Griffin > Initial Report