Thank you Mark! I appreciate it. So far it is a great pack. I’m getting ready to leave for a quick backpacking trip this weekend so I’ll really get to test it out.
Great review Dan! I used to backpack as a kid 30 years ago and got the bug to get back into it about 5 years ago. Started with a bunch of cheap amazon gear and have gradually replaced and refined with cottage vendors(chameleon, burrow quilts, lite af tarp and food bag, and shoulder strap water bottle/pocket from hilltop).
Thanks! That’s awesome you got back. I think that is the natural progression for most hikers. They start of heavier then over time replace their gear (when it’s time) with lighter and better gear. I think in the long run it’s worth it. I have a bunch of gear from LiteAF. They also make great gear.
Ben is good people! They are making my backpack now. It will be a 45 liter with my Wandering Monk logo printer on it. They also did a bear bag with my AT logo and I’m getting a fanny pack that will mount on front of my backpack for my camera gear. Super stoked! Heading out on the AT on March 9th. Stay on the path! Monk
He definitely is! You’ll love the new pack. I didn’t get any designs on mine because I’m biting. Lol. Are you thru hiking the entire AT this year? And if so are you vlogging it?
@@backpackingadventures4813 it’s been a really weird season in my life lol. As you can tell, the SST clips never even got out together. They’re still just sitting in a folder. BUT. I was actually just thinking on this in the past week. I got a new job, and have been doing a lot of jobs near the AT section that I’ve completed, so that’ll probably be the first overnight is an AT trip. We gotta go back and take down the SST! 🤣🤣🤣
I saw you got a new job. That’s awesome! Just make sure you get back out there and make some videos (if time permits). You are a natural at it and could go far. I was sulking on the SST trip. It beat me. Lol. Actually, I have it on my list for this spring. I can take much less gear, don’t have to worry about water, days are longer, and can move longer and faster. I’m thinking about sometime between mid May to end of June. Sometime in there. We can beat it!
@@backpackingadventures4813 I was thinking late spring early summer if I can. I have more time now so there will definitely be videos coming. To be honest, I hate the cold 🤣🤣🤣
I’m not a fan of cold either. That’s the same timeframe as me. Let me know if you want to try it again together. It’s already planned. Lol. You planned it. I’ll probably take my tent set up though.
I really like how he did the pockets , about time someone woke up and put functional pockets on the front and back of a pack. The other great item is that he lists the packs liters and does not include the external pockets in that measurement. That's an honest liter capacity since you naturally assume it's the main bag's capacity being listed. Like you said about Zpacks ( my 2 bags ) , they include everything in the total , my 38 liter in reality is only a 25 liter for the main bag.
The pockets are really great. The big on on, I guess it’s on the front, I can never tell is massive and stretchy as well. I’m able to put a tone of stuff in there. I’m glad he has the option for the pocket up against your back for your sit pad. I really like it. I was contemplating even putting my sleeping pad in it. We’ll see. The liter capacity listings for packs from companies is something of a pet peeve for me. That is why whenever I talk about a backpack I mention it. So many companies with different ways of listing them.
@Chuck. I get what you are saying, I have a Zpacks pack. But they spell it right out, it's not like they hide it. It also gives you an idea of total gear it can hold. Listing for the nero "Volume: 38L (25L main body, 2.5L each side pocket, 8L center pocket)" I think it's pretty clear from that what it's capacity is.
The mesh for this pack wasn’t the regular Lycra. It was a stretchy dyneema. When the pack was full it was hard to get it in and out. It wasn’t because it was too tight, the materials between the two just rented to grip each other. A Lycra pocket would be better for the sit pad. Less sticky but it stretches more marking it easier to get in and out. It was the same for any closed cell pad.
Hello Dan, That is a nice pack. Good product introduction. I am looking for a lightweight pack. What do you think of the Outdoor Vitals Shadow Pack? It is their new pack that has just recently came available? Take Care and Keep Exploring The Outdoors.
I do have some gear from Outdoor Vitals. They are a great company. I e seen and heard a lot of good things about their gear and especially their backpacks. However, I haven’t tried one yet. I will take a look at it and send you an email on my thoughts on what I find.
Thanks! Great way to provide back support and to keep your air pad out of the way. But when the pack is full it’s a little tricky putting my gossamer gear pad in it. I think the dyneema and the foam don’t go together well. Lol. So it doesn’t slide easy. I had that issue with my other dyneema packs putting it in the front Lycra pocket. Just took a little elbow Greece. Oh, I’m looking forward to following your 2021 AT thru hike!
I have to say it feels like a well built pack. Very sturdy but light. You’ll love it. I can’t wait until he comes out with the smaller ones. Yep. 20 miles. There is a stretch of the AT near where I live that I hike on a lot. Kind of like training. It had a 3 mile up hill right out of the gate which is rocky and has rubble. Then it has some flat spots after that I can speed along to get my pace up. I go 10 in then turn around and do it on reverse back to my car. Beautiful area. Lots of great lunch spots. I’ll do this every couple of weeks in the winter time along with my walking for exercise 6 miles a day around town. I’ll do more day hikes in the spring until I do multiple on consecutive days. Then I’ll hit the longer trails so I can hit those miles on trips.
I’m in central PA so I’m usually within no more than 2 1/2 hours of any point of the AT in PA so I hike all over it throughout the year. For my day/training hike I do a 20 mile stretch between Peters mountain and Rousch Gap shelter. Sometimes it is Peters Mountain parking lot to Clark’s creek and back or Clark’s Creek parking to Rousch Gap shelter and back.
Yes. I like the Lycra on a pack more so than mesh. Mainly because it is stretchy and when I take my hammock set up or winter I have a bunch of stuff that can go in there easily.
@@nedsled2994 My LiteAf is a great pack. I love it. As far as comparing... the jury is still out. I only had the Hilltop Pack for over a month and have been using the LiteAF for about a year and a half. As far as function there isn’t much different. The LiteAF has the bottom pocket but I don’t use it. If you put anything other than a flat item then set your pack down it falls over. The only thing I really didn’t like about the LiteAF pack were the pockets that come with it if you choose them. They are made of Lycra and are seen on. I hated them. I actually cut them off and bought other pockets that worked better for me. The other thing is there isn’t a pocket or shock cord right at your back on the pack to hold your sit pad. I really like that about the Hilltop Pack. I did add shock cord to my LiteAF on the back panel and it worked great. No issues. I have two LiteAF packs and really switches to try something new and so far I’m not disappointed. This pack is larger and I wanted it for winter camping because I take so much stuff. I think you would be happy with either one honestly. They are very similar. Each has some options the other doesn’t offer. Hilltop packs you can get from 35 liter to 45 liter and for some reason they seem to have less space than the Hilltop Pack. I also have a 46 liter LiteAF pack and it is smaller in volume than this Hilltop pac 40 liter. Not sure why. LiteAF offered smaller packs and Hilltop Packs will be releasing a new 30 liter pack in the next couple weeks. It all depends on what you want. I think both are great packs. I can tell you through a year an a half if experience that the LiteAF rides really nice and is very comfortable and stays comfortable when you have it above its comfort weight rating. My Hilltop Pack had a higher comfort rating which is also why I wanted it. One last thing, the larger LiteAf packs have a frame (metal rods). Hilltop packs does not. But so far they both seem to be really great packs.
@@backpackingadventures4813 I did my research! Mostly through videos like yours and Darwin lists them as a good company with his new endeavor!! Ben has been awesome too!!
@@backpackingadventures4813 Here in Belgium we don't need bearbags for the simple reason there are no bears... ,😂 But mouse can be a pain too, only I don't think any backpacker out here has ever been killed by a mouse for our food! 😂
@@backpackingadventures4813 I had a bear on a campsite once when I was camping at the Hudson Bay in Canada. That was pretty scarry. But besides some bread he didn't steal to much food...
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 84 วันนี้!! คู่เอก "ก้องศึก vs เมืองไทย"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3kuzsAIDf1c/mqdefault.jpg)
Hilltop Packs is a solid company. Really like the owner. And like you said, it's an added bonus that he is local to me now that I'm in PA.
Ben is definitely really nice and easy to work with. Great company.
Appreciate your support Dan!
Thanks Ben. You make awesome gear!
@@backpackingadventures4813 I shared it on our company FB page as well
Thanks! Awesome!
Thanks for the review. I am saving up to purchase one. I always enjoy your videos. Press on.
Thank you Mark! I appreciate it. So far it is a great pack. I’m getting ready to leave for a quick backpacking trip this weekend so I’ll really get to test it out.
I’ve got mine on order....can’t wait to get my Raven!
You won’t be disappointed!
Great review Dan! I used to backpack as a kid 30 years ago and got the bug to get back into it about 5 years ago. Started with a bunch of cheap amazon gear and have gradually replaced and refined with cottage vendors(chameleon, burrow quilts, lite af tarp and food bag, and shoulder strap water bottle/pocket from hilltop).
Thanks! That’s awesome you got back. I think that is the natural progression for most hikers. They start of heavier then over time replace their gear (when it’s time) with lighter and better gear. I think in the long run it’s worth it. I have a bunch of gear from LiteAF. They also make great gear.
Looks like a great pack for you, Dan. It will be fun to see you put it to good use this season. Take care.
So far it is proving to be a really good pack.
Ben is good people! They are making my backpack now. It will be a 45 liter with my Wandering Monk logo printer on it. They also did a bear bag with my AT logo and I’m getting a fanny pack that will mount on front of my backpack for my camera gear. Super stoked! Heading out on the AT on March 9th. Stay on the path! Monk
He definitely is! You’ll love the new pack. I didn’t get any designs on mine because I’m biting. Lol. Are you thru hiking the entire AT this year? And if so are you vlogging it?
@@backpackingadventures4813 I am attempting a thru-hike and super excited. I plan to vlog it. My channel is www.TH-cam.com/c/wanderingmonkpaths.
@@WanderingMonkHikes I just subbed. I’ll be watching for sure! Good luck and have a blast!
@@backpackingadventures4813 thanks so much. I’m honored. I’ve been a subscriber to your channel. All the best.
You finally got it!!!!!
Lol! Yes! But it was definitely worth the wait. You have any trips planned for the future?
@@backpackingadventures4813 it’s been a really weird season in my life lol. As you can tell, the SST clips never even got out together. They’re still just sitting in a folder. BUT. I was actually just thinking on this in the past week. I got a new job, and have been doing a lot of jobs near the AT section that I’ve completed, so that’ll probably be the first overnight is an AT trip. We gotta go back and take down the SST! 🤣🤣🤣
I saw you got a new job. That’s awesome! Just make sure you get back out there and make some videos (if time permits). You are a natural at it and could go far. I was sulking on the SST trip. It beat me. Lol. Actually, I have it on my list for this spring. I can take much less gear, don’t have to worry about water, days are longer, and can move longer and faster. I’m thinking about sometime between mid May to end of June. Sometime in there. We can beat it!
@@backpackingadventures4813 I was thinking late spring early summer if I can. I have more time now so there will definitely be videos coming. To be honest, I hate the cold 🤣🤣🤣
I’m not a fan of cold either. That’s the same timeframe as me. Let me know if you want to try it again together. It’s already planned. Lol. You planned it. I’ll probably take my tent set up though.
I really like how he did the pockets , about time someone woke up and put functional pockets on the front and back of a pack. The other great item is that he lists the packs liters and does not include the external pockets in that measurement. That's an honest liter capacity since you naturally assume it's the main bag's capacity being listed. Like you said about Zpacks ( my 2 bags ) , they include everything in the total , my 38 liter in reality is only a 25 liter for the main bag.
The pockets are really great. The big on on, I guess it’s on the front, I can never tell is massive and stretchy as well. I’m able to put a tone of stuff in there. I’m glad he has the option for the pocket up against your back for your sit pad. I really like it. I was contemplating even putting my sleeping pad in it. We’ll see. The liter capacity listings for packs from companies is something of a pet peeve for me. That is why whenever I talk about a backpack I mention it. So many companies with different ways of listing them.
@Chuck. I get what you are saying, I have a Zpacks pack. But they spell it right out, it's not like they hide it. It also gives you an idea of total gear it can hold. Listing for the nero "Volume: 38L (25L main body, 2.5L each side pocket, 8L center pocket)" I think it's pretty clear from that what it's capacity is.
How is the Gossamear thinpad on that mesh? Congratis with your pack. Looks very good
The mesh for this pack wasn’t the regular Lycra. It was a stretchy dyneema. When the pack was full it was hard to get it in and out. It wasn’t because it was too tight, the materials between the two just rented to grip each other. A Lycra pocket would be better for the sit pad. Less sticky but it stretches more marking it easier to get in and out. It was the same for any closed cell pad.
I picked up a Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60 for my pack this year. Excited to use it this year!
That’s awesome! It is always exciting when you get new gear and fun to test it out.
Thanks! I'm excited to try it out in the spring, not much for backpacking in the winter.
Hello Dan, That is a nice pack. Good product introduction. I am looking for a lightweight pack. What do you think of the Outdoor Vitals Shadow Pack? It is their new pack that has just recently came available? Take Care and Keep Exploring The Outdoors.
I do have some gear from Outdoor Vitals. They are a great company. I e seen and heard a lot of good things about their gear and especially their backpacks. However, I haven’t tried one yet. I will take a look at it and send you an email on my thoughts on what I find.
@@backpackingadventures4813 that would be great. Thanks.
Very nice pack. I really like the pocket on the front to place a soft pad in. Awesome idea. Thanks for the review👍
Thanks! Great way to provide back support and to keep your air pad out of the way. But when the pack is full it’s a little tricky putting my gossamer gear pad in it. I think the dyneema and the foam don’t go together well. Lol. So it doesn’t slide easy. I had that issue with my other dyneema packs putting it in the front Lycra pocket. Just took a little elbow Greece. Oh, I’m looking forward to following your 2021 AT thru hike!
Awesome review!! I got one coming too. Can’t wait to see it
Did you say you did a 20 mile day hike 😳😳
I have to say it feels like a well built pack. Very sturdy but light. You’ll love it. I can’t wait until he comes out with the smaller ones.
Yep. 20 miles. There is a stretch of the AT near where I live that I hike on a lot. Kind of like training. It had a 3 mile up hill right out of the gate which is rocky and has rubble. Then it has some flat spots after that I can speed along to get my pace up. I go 10 in then turn around and do it on reverse back to my car. Beautiful area. Lots of great lunch spots. I’ll do this every couple of weeks in the winter time along with my walking for exercise 6 miles a day around town. I’ll do more day hikes in the spring until I do multiple on consecutive days. Then I’ll hit the longer trails so I can hit those miles on trips.
@@backpackingadventures4813 that’s awesome. Great workout. Best workouts are outside with oxygen
I’m in central PA so I’m usually within no more than 2 1/2 hours of any point of the AT in PA so I hike all over it throughout the year. For my day/training hike I do a 20 mile stretch between Peters mountain and Rousch Gap shelter. Sometimes it is Peters Mountain parking lot to Clark’s creek and back or Clark’s Creek parking to Rousch Gap shelter and back.
Thanks for the info, you UL folks are crazy! Kudos to you! Also #giveashit is an awesome campaign!
Thanks!
Nice looking pack, thanks for the overview. What back did you pick, the lycra ?
Yes. I like the Lycra on a pack more so than mesh. Mainly because it is stretchy and when I take my hammock set up or winter I have a bunch of stuff that can go in there easily.
@@backpackingadventures4813 Thanks. How do you think this pack compares to the liteAF? Trying to decide between the hilltop and lightAF
@@nedsled2994 My LiteAf is a great pack. I love it. As far as comparing... the jury is still out. I only had the Hilltop Pack for over a month and have been using the LiteAF for about a year and a half. As far as function there isn’t much different. The LiteAF has the bottom pocket but I don’t use it. If you put anything other than a flat item then set your pack down it falls over. The only thing I really didn’t like about the LiteAF pack were the pockets that come with it if you choose them. They are made of Lycra and are seen on. I hated them. I actually cut them off and bought other pockets that worked better for me. The other thing is there isn’t a pocket or shock cord right at your back on the pack to hold your sit pad. I really like that about the Hilltop Pack. I did add shock cord to my LiteAF on the back panel and it worked great. No issues. I have two LiteAF packs and really switches to try something new and so far I’m not disappointed. This pack is larger and I wanted it for winter camping because I take so much stuff. I think you would be happy with either one honestly. They are very similar. Each has some options the other doesn’t offer. Hilltop packs you can get from 35 liter to 45 liter and for some reason they seem to have less space than the Hilltop Pack. I also have a 46 liter LiteAF pack and it is smaller in volume than this Hilltop pac 40 liter. Not sure why. LiteAF offered smaller packs and Hilltop Packs will be releasing a new 30 liter pack in the next couple weeks. It all depends on what you want. I think both are great packs. I can tell you through a year an a half if experience that the LiteAF rides really nice and is very comfortable and stays comfortable when you have it above its comfort weight rating. My Hilltop Pack had a higher comfort rating which is also why I wanted it. One last thing, the larger LiteAf packs have a frame (metal rods). Hilltop packs does not. But so far they both seem to be really great packs.
I have one of these on order too!
So far I’m loving the pack. Seems much bigger than a 40 liter.
@@backpackingadventures4813 I did my research! Mostly through videos like yours and Darwin lists them as a good company with his new endeavor!! Ben has been awesome too!!
Central PA here as well! I like to keep my money "local" as well. Dutch gets a lot of my $$ and I'm definitely gonna look at this company now.
Hilltop packs definitely Make really good gear. He just announced he is releasing a smaller 30 loiter pack soon.
I hear a lot of good about hilltop packs! 😀 You give some good gear reviews! Have a great weekend! Kaat
Thanks! They are a new company but have some really cool stuff. Their bear bags are really cool. Thank you for the compliment. 😀
@@backpackingadventures4813 Here in Belgium we don't need bearbags for the simple reason there are no bears... ,😂 But mouse can be a pain too, only I don't think any backpacker out here has ever been killed by a mouse for our food! 😂
That would be pretty nice to not have to worry about bears. I have a phobia about getting eaten by a bear. Lol.
@@backpackingadventures4813 I had a bear on a campsite once when I was camping at the Hudson Bay in Canada. That was pretty scarry. But besides some bread he didn't steal to much food...
@@StepsbyKaatje I would have been terrified!
100th like!!