Reddit reviews Go Back Trail Roll Top Black Backpack - ULTRALIGHT 25L - 40L with Removable Internal Frame – Always the Right Size - Water Resistant – Comfortable for Men and Women when Walking, Trekking and Hiking
We found 4 Reddit comments about Go Back Trail Roll Top Black Backpack - ULTRALIGHT 25L - 40L with Removable Internal Frame – Always the Right Size - Water Resistant – Comfortable for Men and Women when Walking, Trekking and Hiking. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
ULTRALIGHT BACKPACKING: Weighs only 2lbs 8ozs. (1.1 kg), yet fits everything you need without slowing you down. The ultralight internal frame makes this backpack lighter and more comfortable, making it the best trekking backpack around.ROLL TOP ENGINEERING: The roll top function expands and contracts the size of the backpack so it is always the perfect fit for whatever you put inside. The pack will vary in size from 35L to 50L so its always the right size for you to use on a short walk or a multi-night trek.FEATURE RICH DESIGN: Padded hip belt for comfort; hip belt pockets for snacks or smartphone; Semi-Frameless Internal Frame keeps the weight down and distributes the weight properly; mesh pockets for maps, rain gear and water; lashing loops for anything you need to attach outside of the pack.COMFORTABLE: Padded hip belt distributes the weight to your legs, keeping if off your shoulders and back. Semi-frameless internal frame keeps the overall pack weight down and helps to distribute the pack weight to your hips rather than your shoulders. Don’t get caught up carrying a backpack that weights too much. This is a great, light trekking backpack!TRAIL APPROVED: We designed this backpack right here at the GoBackTrail headquarters. Then we found a great manufacturer to make it in the quality we demanded and at a great price. We then tested our engineering along the Appalachian & Pacific Crest Trails and received great results. Whether it's an overnight or a through hike, PACK, ROLL and HIKE has never be easier!
Thanks for the tag dude. New username so I didn't immediately catch it.
/u/khovs thanks for bringing this up. I've looked at this pack a few times and I could not imagine it to be a good bag for beginners, and I haven't read strong positive reviews that squelch my concerns. That's why I haven't placed it on the list. That said, if it is a genuinely good pack, then I'd like to see a good comprehensive review with some photos of seams, framesheet, materials, etc. Cause the price is certainly right.
As an example, I own a very similar pack, the REI Flash knockoff, which is claimed to be 30L (it's not), is $30, and appears to be made of similar materials to this pack. The difference being that the knockoff flash has a framesheet... and it even struggles to comfortably carry total pack weights above 15-20lbs with that (thats not to say other frameless packs can't... it's just not a great design). I have taken that pack off the list as I am not totally sure I'd be comfortable using it myself for anything except a 1 nighter. Further, I am really wary of recommending a completely self stowable nylon pack to beginners. Stowable packs are usually far inferior when it comes to all day comfort and support. And I wouldn't expect much for $18.99 w/Amazon prime. I'm also fairly doubtful it's actually 40L... some of the amazon reviews confirm this suspicion.
Lastly, many of the non 5 star Amazon reviews mention it to be of poor construction and uncomfortable for extended use. It seems the majority of the 5 star reviewers are using it as day packs for short hikes or using it as a general purpose bag, which differs greatly from our use case. None of the reviews I see on amazon mention using it for backpacking in any sense.
Maybe I'm wrong, but these are my concerns. It would be irresponsible for me to recommend a pack like that just to make the list work, because I feel it would ultimately drive people away from the sport. This is why we need a good comprehensive review.
The Alternatives list has a pretty good Ali express pack that seems to hold up well as it was positively reviewed by a couple ultralighters on this subreddit. The photos and personal tips from that review provided a lot of good info that made people comfortable with that pack.
While the Klymit motion pack lasted a year a half at around $60, it seems for the past month or two it's been hovering closer to $100... so until another competing pack comes out, I'd recommend that Ali one. It's a pity because that klymit is a great pack (hint hint klymit if you're reading)
Pack mfgs listen up! We need a budget 35-40L pack at around 30-40oz - for no more than $80!
EDIT:
For the record, this is the pack I have been most keen on adding to the list - but I am still very wary. If anyone wants to try it, please report back.
I actually decided to look at the alternative budget list from the wiki and went with this pack. It's crazy cheap, but I don't expect it to last as long as expensive ones, and if I don't like it the SO gets it. And if i do then win for me. With that pack it puts me at 16lbs. Since it's only a 2.5lb pack.
A lot of your gear is similar to mine. I'm also just getting into backpacking and I've got the same cloud up 2 tent and aegismax sleeping bag coming in the mail this week. I picked up this pack a few weeks ago and like it. Haven't had a chance to use it a lot but with free returns you can see if it works for you.
I had back surgery a number of years ago and have the same problem. If you get an expensive UL pack and it's not comfortable, I don't know if they'll let you return it.
This is what I'm experimenting with; find a cheap frameless or minimal framed pack to test out first. If it doesn't work, you haven't invested a car payment into it.
I just found this one on Amazon that looks like a good candidate:
GoBackTrail Roll Top Black Backpack - Ultralight 25L - 40L with Removable Internal Frame – Always The Right Size - Water Resistant – Comfortable for Men and Women When Walking, Trekking and Hiking https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MDRECDU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_00kWCbRDT8SRH
It's only $54.97, weighs 2.5 lbs (not too bad), and has the option to remove the frame sheet. This won't be your forever pack, but it might help you determine what to go for in a UL pack. Think training wheels.
FYI, I picked up a $100, sub 2 lb, frameless pack from Amazon that I'm trying out. One problem I've discovered right off is that the padding in the shoulder straps and hip belt are too thin for me. This can also be a problem with the expensive UL packs. I need a good support frame too.