| |
Gear Reviews
Documents
Tools
|
Field Report:
Granite Gear Stratus Latitude Pack
Date: June 27, 2006
Tester
Information:
Name: Pam Wyant
Age: 48
Gender: Female
Height: 5 ft 5 in
(1.65 m)
Weight: 165 lb (77
kg)
Torso Length: 18 in
(46 cm)
Waist at top of hipbone: 38 in (97 cm)
Chest: 40 in (102 cm)
(measured across shoulder blades & under
armpits):
E-mail address: pamwyant(at)yahoo(dot)com
Location: Western
West Virginia, U.S.A.
|
Backpacking Background:
Finally pursuing a
long-time interest, I started backpacking 3 years
ago. I've progressed from day-hiking
and single overnights my first year, to weekend trips the second, and
finally
to a 7-night trip on the Appalachian Trail in Georgia this year.
I
hike and backpack mainly in the hills and valleys of West
Virginia,
and generally use a hammock sleeping system.
For a two-day trip my typical pack weighs 22-30 lb (10-14 kg) including
consumables, and I’m still trying to lighten that a bit. |
Product
Information:
Manufacturer: Granite Gear
Year of manufacture: 2006
Date of Delivery: March 28, 2006
Model: Stratus Latitude
Advertised Weight: 4 lb 14 oz (2.21 kg)
Weight as delivered: 4 lb 9 oz (2.07 kg)
Advertised volume: 4800 cu in (79 L)
Color: Golden
Brown/Black
Manufacturer Website: http://www.granitegear.com
MSRP: $290
US
Features :
3D molded composite Tepex frame
Light Pack Exoskeleton Belt
Customizable fit/exchangeable parts
Internal and external compression straps
Removable "Hidden Lid"
Panel access for front loading
|
Sizing Information:
Tested size:
Short framesheet
Women's large hipbelt
Medium trim shoulder straps
Approximate Pack Measurements as Measured by Tester:
Height 27 in (69 cm)
Width across front (28 cm)
Depth (varies) 8-9 in (20-23 cm)
|
Product Description:
The Granite Gear Stratus Latitude is a panel loading pack featuring a
large pack bag with double zippers, internal and external compression
straps, two open topped exterior side pockets and an interior "Hidden
Lid". The pack has a Tepex framesheet which is molded with
indentations at the head and shoulder areas and a convex curve at the
small of the back, to better conform to the wearer's body. The
Stratus Latitude can be ordered with components of different sizes to
customize the fit. For a more detailed description of the pack,
please see my Initial
Report.
Field Information:
So
far, I've used the Granite Gear Stratus Latitude on a 7 day trip on the
Georgia section of the Appalachian Trail from
Springer Mountain to Unicoi Gap, where elevations ranged from around
2500 ft to
close to 4500 ft (750 to 1200 m), during an
outdoor workshop in the eastern
mountains of West Virginia at elevations around 2500 ft (750 m), at
Girl Scout camp in western West Virginia, at
elevations from around 600 to 1000 ft (200 to 300 m), and on
Snowshoe Mountain, West
Virginia at elevation
up to 4800 ft (1450 m). Trip temperatures have ranged
from around 30 F (0 C) to over 90 F (30 C). Weather conditions
have ranged from dry to rainy during my trips, and from calm to breezy,
but most hiking and backpacking has been in dry conditions.
Weight carried has varied from 25 to 37 lb (11 to 17 kg).
Use:
My first use of the pack was at Girl Scout
camp, for an overnight training event. I found the pack a bit of
a struggle to pack, finding my usual method of using generously sized
stuff sacks to hold my sleeping bag and clothing which I then push to
the bottom of the pack not working very well with this panel loading
pack. I did manage to fit everything I needed for an overnight at
camp (hammock, sleeping bag, extra clothing, toiletries, first aid kit,
and other essentials) with some room to spare, but I had to pack my
sleeping pad on the exterior of the pack. I found the Stratus
Latitude made it easy to carry everything I needed into camp in one
trip, and found it easy to find what I needed at any given time.
The "Hidden Lid" (essentially a large pouch with a drawstring top and
foam-filled bottom) was convenient to store toiletries and rain
gear. The one drawback I noticed was that it was difficult to
push everything back into the pack to zip the panel back up after
removing items. On this trip, I didn't hike any distance, just to
and from the lodge (a matter of yards) and a nearby wooded area where I
hung my hammock (also just a distance of a few yards).
The next weekend, I again used the pack for an overnight Girl Scout
training, under similar conditions, carrying the pack just a few yards
to a tent unit. Once again, everything fit, but it was a struggle
to pack the panel loading pack and re-zip it when removing items, and
the stiff hip belt made it more awkward to carry in my sport utility
vehicle and use in my tent than a duffel bag, since I had to leave room
for the extended width of the hip-belt or fasten it behind the pack,
which made that end stand up higher than the other.
The Granite Gear Stratus Latitude was put to hard use the following
week on the Appalachian Trail, on my 7 day 50 mi (84 km) trip. We
spent the night before the start of our trip at the lodge at Amicolola
State Park. Once again, I noted the pack was a little awkward to
transport in a vehicle (van) due to the stiff hip belt, and it was a
little difficult to maneuver the loaded pack around the lodge if I
wasn't carrying it on my back. Once I started on the trail
though, the performance of the pack was fantastic. Although I
started my trip carrying about 37 lb (17 kg), I found the pack very
comfortable to carry from start to finish. Although the rest of
our party of four complained about sore shoulders and backs for most of
the trip, I'm happy to report I didn't have this problem, which I
attribute to the comfort and balance of the Granite Gear Stratus
Latitude. I did, however, find my legs tired fairly easily during
the early part of the trip. I attribute this partially to the
mountainous terrain, but also partially to the load transfer of the
pack, which places more weight on the hip area than my prior
pack. On my old pack, I often found I adjusted the shoulder
straps and load lifters to take a good portion of the weight on my
shoulders to make uphills easier on my legs, but with the Stratus
Latitude, I find it difficult to transfer much weight to the shoulders
- even tightened up, most of the weight transfers squarely onto the
hips and in turn down to the legs. I do have to admit though that
it was nice not to experience that feeling of pulling a heavy pack onto
sore shoulders, and by the end of the trip my legs had strengthened and
become more accustomed to taking the weight during uphill climbs.
The room provided by the "Headroom Arch" contoured into the frame sheet
made it comfortable to look all around while wearing the pack, even to
the point of being able to lean back and look up - something I had a
hard time doing with my old pack. The Stratus Latitude had a very
stable carry. I never felt the weight of the pack shifting as I
walked, even when negotiating tricky rocks or stream crossings. I
was able to bend over to pick things up or move from side to side
without feeling overly encumbered by the pack. The pack was so
comfortable, that on the third day of our trip I was able to pack out
about 7 lb (3 kg) of trash left behind by others by tying it to the
back of my pack in a plastic trash bag and carrying it for around 5 mi
(8 km) until we reached a roadside trash can.
I did find it difficult to fit all of my gear into the pack, especially
when starting out with five days food (more food than I needed as I
soon discovered). One thing I did like was that I could easily
fit my trekking poles in the outside pockets when I was transporting
the pack to and from the trail, which means I don't have to remember to
pick them up separately. In the outside pockets, I also packed a
small ditty bag with a plastic trowel and six tent stakes, a 1 L
Platypus bladder, a Platypus Sport bladder (1/2 L), a trash bag, a
plastic Zip-lock bag with toilet paper, a Mapdana, and during part of
the trip a gravity fed water filter. On the side compression
straps I fastened a small container of hand sanitizer, a small LED
light, and a thermometer/whistle/compass combo. My RidgeRest
Large sleeping pad, cut to fit my hammock, was carried under the
compression straps over the main pack compartment. The "Hidden
Lid" held rain jacket and pants, KlearWater
water treatment, first aid and survival kit, a small journal and
pen, and pack cover. The rest of my gear was carried in the main
body of the pack - sleeping bag and sleeping clothes in a large stuff
sack; hammock with hexagonal fly inside "snakeskins"; a stuff sack with
clothing including a Big
Sky Products Convertible Sweater and Jacket I was also testing, a
mid-weight zip-T, fleece pants, fleece hat, lightweight gloves, extra
socks, tank top, and shorts; a small stuff sack with toiletries and
essentials such as a headlamp, small knife, and extra toilet paper; my
kitchen kit and stove (all of which fits into my large GSI
pot); and my 2 L hydration bladder. My food was placed in 3
one gallon size Zip-lock bags and tucked into the pack around the other
gear. At first, everything barely fit, and the pack was very hard
to zip closed, but after a day of food consumption, I had a bit more
space and the pack was easier to zip. One thing I found very
convenient was being able to zip the pack open from the top without
having to take my sleeping pad off the back of the pack. This
made it relatively easy to reach water treatment, sunscreen, and other
small essentials stored near the top of the pack, or to stuff a jacket
in when the day warmed up. It was however more of a nuisance to
get to my food and other clothing, which ended up stored more or less
in the center of the pack, where I had to remove the sleeping pad to
get to them. I found I really liked the compression straps over
the exterior pockets, which helped hold items in place when the pack
was loaded so I didn't fear losing them. When the pack was
unloaded at the end of the day, I did have to be careful not to lose
things, because items in the exterior pockets would inevitably work
their way loose and fall out due to the lack of support on the inside.
Temperatures on this trip were hotter than I had anticipated, running
over 90 F (30 C) several days, so this gave me a good chance to test
the ventilation of the back of the pack. I was pleased to find
that the contoured frame sheet kept the pack away from my back enough
to allow some air circulation. I still sweat some under the pack,
but it was less than I would have expected given the temperatures, and
I never felt I needed to throw the pack off just to cool down.
I had one interesting experience with the Stratus Latitude along the
trail. At the Walasi Yi Center at Neel's Gap, one of my friends
was looking at some new packs and asked about trading his pack
in. The owner said it might be possible, and looking out at the
packs we had deposited on the porch, said he would be interested in
trading for "that pack", pointing to my Stratus Latitude.
Unfortunately, for my friend's sake, he wasn't interested in his!
Directly after my Appalachian Trail
adventure, I packed the Stratus Latitude for a weekend stay at a cabin
during an outdoor workshop. Here I found the pack a bit of a
nuisance, because three of us shared the small cabin, and storage space
was limited. I had to store the pack upright, and found it a
hassle to get to things I needed while keeping everything else inside
the pack.
A couple of backpacking trips I had planned on taking fell through due
to family commitments, but I was able to use the pack again at Girl
Scout camp, inside a half-cabin. I believe I'd grown more used to
using the pack at this point, because I found it easier to find what I
needed and easier to keep everything inside the pack for storage.
Being able to store the pack lying down undoubtedly helped. I
found the Stratus Latitude much easier to haul around camp than a
duffel bag on this trip, and really enjoyed using it for the weekend.
My final use during the Field Test phase was for camping on Snowshoe
Mountain, at another Girl Scout event. For practical reasons, I
kept the pack inside my car, but was easily able to access items I
needed throughout the day and evening, and found it was as convenient
as a duffel would have been.
Conclusions so far:
I'm very pleased with the load bearing
ability of the Granite Gear Stratus Latitude, and the comfort I've
experienced carrying it. I still have some concerns with the
capacity of the pack for cold weather backpacking, but it held
everything I needed for a week on the Appalachian Trail (with one food
re-supply) and should work well for me on nearly any "3-season" trip as
long as I don't carry more than 5 days worth of food at a time. I
do feel the capacity of the pack is overstated, since it seems to hold
about the same amount of gear as a 3250 cu in (53 L) pack I own, and I
am disappointed that I have to carry my sleeping pad on the outside of
my pack, where it tends to get snagged by bushes or tree branches,
getting beat up and gouged.
The "Hidden Lid" is convenient for storage since it clips to the top of
the pack, but it does add more weight than a simple stuff sack.
Although it can be carried separately by the drawstring, I haven't
discovered a good way to rig it to make it usable as a fanny pack to
carry a few essentials on side trips while leaving the main pack behind.
The pack cleans easily - dirt and dust seem to just fall off it for the
most part, or at the worst, a wipe with a damp cloth cleans anything
I've managed to get on the pack so far.
One thing I would like to see improved about the pack is the hydration
port. Each time I want to remove (or add) my Platypus bladder, I
have to take the bite valve off the hose, which creates a nuisance
trying to keep water from getting all over my pack contents when the
bladder is full.
Overall, I consider the good points of the pack outweigh the bad, and I
am quite pleased with its performance.
Testing Plan -
Anticipated
Field Conditions
Additional testing of the pack will be on the
trails of West Virginia and Virginia, mostly in mountainous terrain, on
weekend backpacking trips
varying from 7-15 m (10-25 km) with elevations from 2500 to over 4000
ft (750 to over 1200 m) and temperatures that may range from lows
around 40 F (5 C) to highs above 90 F (30 C).
Trips will involve a
lot of
uphill and downhill hiking from moderate to steep, and several creek
crossings. Days
may vary from bright and sunny to day long rain and
anything in between, with high humidity levels
likely. I expect my pack to weigh 30-35 lb (13-16 kg) with
consumables.
Test Strategy
I will be continuing to monitor the fit, comfort,
and weight
distribution of the pack. Do my legs continue to
be more fatigued in mountainous terrain due to the load transfer to the
hips? Does it continue to be stable under various pack weights
and allow me to maintain balance and flexibility?
I'll also be testing whether the panel loading
becomes easier as I continue to use the pack. Do I find I end up
altering my packing method to make the pack easier to close?
I'll be monitoring durability. Does any
damage occur to the fabric such as
scuffs
or scratches? Does it continue to clean easily? Do the zippers
continue to
work
smoothly and
conveniently? Have I experienced any failure of the material,
zippers, or straps? If I experienced any warranty issues, were
they well handled?
I also hope to discover how the pack handles various precipitation
levels and whether I find a pack cover necessary. Will I find the
Granite Gear Stratus Latitude becomes my favorite pack, or do I find it
necessary to look for a pack better suited to my needs?
Likes
–
Stylish look
Super comfortable carry
Nice head space
Good ventilation
Dislikes –
Small hydration
port
Panel access is still a bit of a struggle to pack for me
Smaller capacity than what I expected means I have to pack my pad on
the outside of my pack
Thanks to Granite Gear and BackpackGearTest
for
the
opportunity to test the Granite Gear Stratus Latitude pack.
Read more reviews of Granite Gear gear
Read more gear reviews by Pamela Wyant
|
