Guide's Pack Backpacking

[kemote]

I have a Guide's Pack currently en route to me and I have big plans for this bag. Before I take it on its first adventure, I wanted to find out from other users how they pack/use it. I am mostly planning on taking it out for day hikes but I was wondering if anyone has done more than that - say a weekend backpacking trip? I'm looking to pack some "ultralight" things such as a tent and sleep system, cooking system, water filtration, etc. If you have experience with this, how did the Guide's Pack perform for you?

I understand that this isn't the lightest pack to be doing this with or has the biggest capacity but everything in my research says this should be do-able for a few days of backpacking. Also, I have foregone the padded hip belt to save on costs and weight (I will be using a side pocket and leads pocket so weight has to be cut somewhere). Does anyone find that the hip belt is absolutely necessary? Please chime in and let me know how your Guide's Park has been working out for you in the wilderness!

[melminimalist]

You don’t need the padded hip belt, I’ve found if you use a sternum strap a hip belt is more of just a stabilizer, a one-inch webbing hip belt is all I have on my big hike pack. On to the Guide’s pack for an overnight, well...I just wouldn’t, or better yet couldn’t. I’m an ultralight hiker (base weight 8lbs) so when I say my stuff doesn’t take up a lot of capacity you’ll know I mean it. But, when I test packed for an overnight with the GP I just couldn’t get it to fit in. You may be able to do it with something strapped to the outside of the pack. I personally don’t like the liability of having an important item outside my pack unless it’s encased in a mesh pocket. I think that’s inherently what the GP is missing to make it a functional overnight hike pack, outter mesh or outter bungee loops. It’s a terrific daypack first hiking and I just absolutely love the feel of the materials, it looks incredible like a real classic backpacker look. The brain cell and built in pockets are perfect for organizing your bits and bobs. It’s just not quit enough for an overnight and the fabric has no give or stretch to it to accommodate shapely items. I’ll give you an example of what test packed out so you’ll have an idea of what all I tried to pack.

SMD lunar solo tent
Klymit static V pad
Hammock gear econ 20 degree quilt
Toaks 550 ml pot
Ziploc with 6 stakes
Headlamp
Ziploc with trowel and TP
Sawyer filter
Rain jacket and rain pants
2 one-liter smart water bottles
Ziploc baggie of food

I actually filmed a video of me trying to test pack it out if your interested, it’s up on youtube, same name as my username here. Let me know if you have any other questions or I can help.


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[kemote]

Yeah, I have seen your videos on the GP when I was doing my research on whether I wanted to buy one or not. I still bought it but thank you for your input here. Your packing list is not far off from what I would be bringing on a 2-3 day hike and I am surprised to hear that all didn't fit or work for you. I guess I will find out for myself but I really want this bag to work as I too love the materials and look of this pack.

[NWhikergal]

@kemote , I have to concur with @melminimalist . While the Guide's Pack is gorgeous, and I have coveted one for quite some time, you may be hard pressed even as an ultralight backpacker to fit all of your overnight equipment inside a Guide's Pack, particularly depending on the season. When I was doing longer distance lightweight multi-day backpacking, I finally settled on a ULA Circuit. The necessity/preference of a padded hipbelt may vary. I like one to have the option for distributing the weight on my hips, since I am petite, plus I am partial to a belt with hip pockets, so I can store snacks/chapstick/hand sanitizer, etc, in easy reach. At one point I had added on some ultralight pockets from a different manufacturer than TB to the belt on a different TB pack. But it's all personal preference. Wishing you many happy adventures with your Guide's Pack! Please post photos of some of your future outings.

[BigBadD]

I have a Shadow Guide as opposed to the Guide’s Pack, but should be similar experience. When hiking on rough terrain with resonable full capacity/load then I do appreciate wearing the padded hip belt. This helps support the load as well as restricts some unbalance. I did struggle at first with capacity, being smaller than my previous Karrimor rucksack which finally died after 20+ years of use. But it made me better plan what I really needed to carry, and especially when hiking with others, what we can share between us. Also as I get that bit older I am not often hiking for more than one overnight stop before returning to some comforts!

[melminimalist]

Yeah, I have seen your videos on the GP when I was doing my research on whether I wanted to buy one or not. I still bought it but thank you for your input here. Your packing list is not far off from what I would be bringing on a 2-3 day hike and I am surprised to hear that all didn't fit or work for you. I guess I will find out for myself but I really want this bag to work as I too love the materials and look of this pack.

I will say I did not compress down my quilt with a compression stuff sack, just the regular one that came with it, if you buy a compression sack for your sleep system and tent then that could definitely buy you some liters, also, I think a hammock and tarp set-up would also fit better, or even a bivy/tarp. I did not have the side pockets, so if you pick up side pockets and put food/water in those then it’s also possible to free up more liters for an overnight. Man, I really wanted to make that bag work for me too. Let us know if you end up getting it to work for you and pics please!


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[kemote]

Let us know if you end up getting it to work for you and pics please!

Yeah, I will for sure. My plan is to not use a stuff sack for the quilt, I plan on packing that first into the bag so I can cram it in all the nooks and crannies of bottom of the bag and then pack on top from there. I just have to hope my bag doesn't get wet or I am kind of screwed. I am currently weighing if I would rather have a hammock or a tent. Hammock will be lighter but will most likely require two quilts (top and bottom) but a tent requires a sleeping pad and footprint so there are pros and cons to both. Either way, I am almost positive I can make this work.

[BigBadD]

After many years of experience of wet UK weather, with a top opening single compartment rucksack (and it is a definite advantage of this style of rucksack) the first thing I put in is a heavy duty bin bag, and then everything goes into the protection of the bin bag. I have no issues with TB design, build or material quality, but no bag is 100% waterproof - and nothing worse than kit being wet after a day’s hiking. Hope this helps!

[kemote]

Good call, I have looked into lightweight pack liners to help with the waterproofing. Just purchased a nylofume pack liner and will twist it off with my quilt inside it and any other items I need to 100% keep dry at the bottom of my pack. May even look into a stuff sack like Mel mentioned if I find the quilt takes up too much room.

[BigBadD]

Dedicated pack liner products are good, but avoid to pay over the odds as any reinforced refuse bag, such as for gardening, will work.
With bigger volume rucksacks and in the past doing some quite remote hiking I would use a bright orange survival bag as the waterproof liner. The waterproof liner bag does not need to be sized for the rucksack but can be any bigger size.

For bulky padded items I agree that stuff sacks are really useful. But I would recommend that the stuff sack has robust compression straps to efficiently compact the contents.

[BowTrek]

I haven't used the Guide's Pack for this purpose but I have looked at it with an eye for using it for those reasons. I just wanted to chime in and say that the capacity of the bag is fine - with the side pockets it comes out to around 36L I think? I've done an 8 day hike with a pack that size, carrying tent/sleeping bag, so it's quite doable. My only concern with the Guide's Pack is the fit and suspension, as I'm curious how well it would work for me compared to my other packs. I haven't tested it because I'd like the whole thing in a color that isn't in stock, so I haven't purchased one to try it on yet.

[bartleby]

I've done weekend hikes with the GP but unfortunately not with a tent and sleeping bag so I can't contribute to the capacity issues. What I want to echo is the need for protection against humidity. Not only from rain but also from sweat as my experience is that when you really do strenous hikes sweat might penetrate through the backpanel (it's not the fabric but the seams). The most simple and cheapest solution is to use a garbage bag inside the backpack to keep things absolutely dry. I also use a raincover.

The second thing I want to add refers to the hipbelt: My personal opinion is that it does help a lot to take weight of your shoulders which I consider especially important when you carry heavy loads for longer hikes. It might depend on the individual constitution (I'm 6', 160 lbs) but generally I think it makes hiking a lot more comfortable. For the same reason I would strongly recommend to use hiking poles.

[Buffalonian]

I haven't tested it because I'd like the whole thing in a color that isn't in stock, so I haven't purchased one to try it on yet.

FYI: On another thread, Darcy has said there are no plans to produce the Guide's Pack in any color other than Navy.

[kemote]

FYI: On another thread, Darcy has said there are no plans to produce the Guide's Pack in any color other than Navy.

And word is, stock is getting low and they don't think they'll be making new ones for a while.

[kemote]

After a 3 month hiatus, I am happy to report that I was able to get the Guide's Pack to be functional on a backpacking trip - well, sort of. I am definitely pushing the limits of this bag and sadly, I will be selling it and and looking to buy a more suitable hiking backpack. Something more in the 40 liter range so I can easily fit all of my essentials without filling it to absolute capacity like I have done here. I will detail everything I was able to fit into the Guide's Pack below. I would say an overnight trip is probably its limit - don't push it like I have done here for a 3 day/2 night trip. Also for those wondering - with it packed up, it came in at just over 12 pounds (5.4kg) base weight.






Side pocket:
- Two 1 liter Smart Water bottles - one of which was sometimes clipped onto my sternum strap so it was not always in this pocket

Zippered compartment of side pocket:
- 2 carabiners
- extra guy line for tent
- whistle attached to TB key strap
- sharpie pen

Two zippered pockets underneath top flap pocket:
- tent stakes in stuff sack (these are very pokey and I didn't want them anywhere near my quilt or sleeping pad)
- foldable canister stand
- foldable spork

Top flap pocket:
- first aid pouch
- TB travel stuff sack w/ headlamp and tent lantern
- toothbrush & toothpaste
- water filter
- when nature calls goodie bag
- pack out trash ziploc bag
- collapsible mug

Main compartment:
- nylofume pack liner
- 20 degree apex quilt (inside a compression sack, inside pack liner)
- puffy jacket (inside pack liner)
- thermal hoodie (inside pack liner)
- extra socks (inside pack liner)
- inflatable pillow (inside pack liner)
- sleeping pad
- 1 person trekking pole tent
- rain jacket (inside stuff sack)
- food bag
- cook kit (gas canister, lighter, stove, sponge, nested bowl & pot w/ lid)


Top down view of the GP loaded up:




All packed up and ready to go: