Owner Review by Garrett Cole

Owner Review – Granite Gear: Vapor Trail 3600 (2005 model)

*Tester Information

Name: Garrett Cole
Age: 23
Gender: Male
Height: 5’10” (1.78 m)
Weight: 175 lb (79 kg)
Email address: garrett_d_cole@yahoo.com
Home: Sidney, New York, USA
Date: November 27, 2006

Backpacking Background:

I’ve often spent weekends on the temperate Adirondack (ADK) Mountain high peaks and on Catskill Mountain trails. I hoped to do all 46 ADK high peaks in January of 2006 but only accomplished 16 attributing this to a knee injury after the first week. Most recently I hiked over 1600 miles (2575 km) Southbound on the Appalachian Trail and plan to finish the remaining stretch of trail, from Atkins, Virginia to Springer Mountain, Georgia in the Spring of 2008.

*Product Information

Product: Granite Gear Vapor Trail 3600
Manufacturer: Granite Gear
URL: www.granitegear.com
Year of manufacture: 2005
Manufacturer’s listed weight: 2 lb 0 oz (0.91 kg)
Weight as delivered: Unknown
Weight as reviewed (weight after modification): 1 lb 10 oz (0.74 kg)
Volume: 3600 cubic inches (59 L)
Torso length: Regular 18-21 in. (45.7-53 cm)
Recommended for loads below: 30 lb (13.61 kg)
Number of pockets: 2 (One main compartment with two side pockets)
Color: Sage/Black MSRP: $160 (US)

*General Overview

The Vapor Trail uses a high-density polyethylene frame sheet covered with padding making the Vapor Trail a comfortable fit against the users back with minimal additional weight. This pack has fixed shoulder straps and it comes standard with the Ultralight Packer hip belt available in a range of sizes for men and women. Unlike the fixed shoulder straps, the hip belt could be removed for the truly ultralight backpackers out there. I have not tried hiking without the hip belt. The pack is hydration compatible up to 3 liters with an internal sleeve and port. The pack is “lid-less” meaning it does not have the lid that many traditional backpacking packs have. The lack of a lid reduces the weight of the pack, but Granite Gear also sells an optional ultralight lid that will fit the Vapor Trail for those who cannot be without a lid. I have not used the ultralight lid.

I have chosen to modify this pack to reduce its weight by cutting off excess webbing and straps such as the ice axe webbing, the chest strap, as well as taking out the hydration compatible sleeve and elastic cordage inside the pack. This modification accounts for the low “Weight as reviewed” compared to the “Manufacturer's Listed Weight.”

*Testing Location and Conditions

I have used the Vapor Trail during four months hiking on the Appalachian Trail (AT), a continuous footpath stretching over 2100 miles (3381 km) from Maine to Georgia, and one October weekend outing in the ADK High Peaks. Temperatures ranged from below freezing to over 100 F (38 C). Loads of up to 30 lb (13.61 kg) were carried on the weekend trip but my AT base weight was 11 lb 14 oz (5.39 kg).

*Product Performance

I have been extremely happy with my Vapor Trail over the duration of the AT hike and have found that its 3600 cubic inch (59 L) capacity and recommended load of 30 lb (13.61 kg) or less, has been more than sufficient for the purpose of my long distance hike. I like the durable lightweight rip-stop nylon used for the pack which is basically a sack with compression straps to cinch loads down snuggly and two outer side Cordura nylon pockets.

For the purposes of a weekend trip before hiking the AT, I was carrying heavier gear and had a problem of a shoulder weight-adjusting strap rip off when I tried to over tighten the adjustment strap. Granite Gear promptly sent a replacement pack, and I experienced no pack failures for the duration of my AT hike.

I have heard complaints on trail that when approaching the 30 lb (13.6 kg) recommended load limit the Vapor Trail becomes uncomfortable. When carrying the recommended load limit during my weekend hike, the pack felt comfortable and the packs suspension of the load felt adequate.

The only shortcoming I have experienced is accessibility. On several occasions I found it to be difficult to find things in my pack when after a long day on the trail, I could not remember exactly how I packed things that morning. However, I traded off accessibility for a lightweight pack and learned quickly to accept this aspect.

*Summary

I have been extremely pleased with my Granite Gear Vapor Trail and will consider taking it on more long distance backpacking trips in the future. As long as I can clean some of the sweat out of the back pad, hip belt and shoulder straps, I expect to use it to cover the remaining distance on the AT in the future.

Here are some pictures of the Vapor Trail in use:

Vapor Trail in use in Maine

Side view of Vapor Trail and a Northbound cow

Vapor Trail along the C&O Canal in Maryland

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