Testimonials are organized by category. Select the appropriate category to jump to those comments. Comments that pertain to more than one category may appear multiple times. Keep in mind that comments are in reverse chronological order (most recent comments on top), so some of the comments may refer to earlier pricing, colors, weights, etc. Some comments have been edited for brevity and relevance.

• Mariposa Pack
• Lightrek Poles
• NightLight Pads
• ThinLight Pad
• G4 Pack
• G5 Pack
• General/Customer Service

The Mariposa (small) arrived today and my wife loves it :-) ! The only other pack that she has that fits is an Arc'Teryx Borea, but at 4+ lbs. we've been searching for a lighter weight replacement. Most recently she has used an Osprey Aether 60 & Aether 45 and a Granite Gear Vapor Trail. All very nice packs, but they just did not fit. When she first put on the Mariposa it looked like it swallowed her, but once she put a little weight in it the pack came alive and she said "perfect". In particular the shoulder strap curve fit her narrow shoulders and the wide straps distribute the load well. The straps may still be a tad long for her, but I can easily move the lower adjustment buckle up a touch if needed. And, in contrast to the "big guys" products that always seem to come in "just a few ounces over" advertised weights, your pack is right on !! We're leaving this coming Friday for a couple of weeks in DC and the Appalachians, but with my 84 year old mother along it will be a lot more car touring than actual 'packing. Hope to get out for at least a couple of nights. I'll give you a full report later. The pack is great and many, many thanks expediting shipment to us. - JS

Just wanted to complement you on the Mariposa Pack. I just finished hiking from Sierra City to Lassen Park on the PCT. I was immediately impressed with the increased stability relative to the G4 and G5. The vertebrate technology (two carbon fiber stays) along with the compression closure and wider shouilder straps was well worth the slight weight gain. The pack was stable with or without the hip belt and the sternum strap being attached. Further, I never had the sleep pad pop out when putting it on or revoving it-- a constant problem with the invertebrate packs. The extra amount of webbing to secure the pad helped to keep it secure. My only suggestion would be to make the central pocket a little fuller, as the netting becomes tight when the pack is loaded. All in all, a great pack for long hauls with large volume loads, yet maintaining the ultralight elements that we all strive for. - KS

Thanks a lot for the Mariposa; it worked great on the Desolation Wilderness trip! My total pack weight was about 26 lbs for the 6 days. It took me a couple of days to figure how to load it; the first two days it was riding uncomfortably on my shoulders, causing a small hot spot. After the third day, it felt great (though the lightening of my load could have something to do with that, also). Because of a freak snow storm the week before near Lake Tahoe, the Sierras were covered in a blanket of snow, obsuring the trail for a big portion of my hikes. I had to go cross-country most of the time, subjecting the Mariposa to a lot more stress than I had intended. Though I was extremely careful, oftentimes prickly tree or bush branches would make a grab at the pack. And, at the top of Dick's Pass the snow had totally obliterated the trail, leaving me only one real option -- a grand butt-slide three hundred feet down the mountain with my brand new Mariposa! Amazingly, the pack survived all that with only a few very minor frayed seams and a minute abrasion on the front of the pack. I thought the pack would be imbalanced with the water to one side (which is why I asked about the hydration sleeve), but that was not the case. In fact, because of the design of the pack, I think a hydration sleeve would be more trouble than it's worth for me. [editor's note - this was an early semi-custom Mariposa that did not contain a hydration sleeve inside.] Anyways, I have a weekend trip this Friday, and I'm probably going to load the pack a bit heavy (about the same weight I had for 6 days for a 3 day trip; I'm loading up on useless gadgets like a candle lantern) to test it some more. Again, thank you and Cindy for all the extra effot you put in to get me the pack before my Desolation trip! - BL

I just got back from a one-nighter with friends--7 people, largest crowd I've backpacked with in years. We hiked from Tuolumne Meadows down to Waterwheel Falls (8 miles, 2,000 ft.+ drop) and back the next day. The Mariposa worked great. How to pack an aluminum bear can vertically into a Mariposa, not waste space and protect the pack from the sharp edges? Place half-filled clothes bag on top of sleeping bag, insert bear can into fleece pullover and place on top of clothes bag, place other clothes items around bear can and on top. I can still get into the bear can, if necessary, without disturbing the arrangement. Just unzip pullover and open can. In inclement weather, the bear can along with all the clothes would have to go in the clothes bag. I love how the empty pack in my tent at night folds into almost nothing. My Kelty Cloud, though smaller than many packs, doesn't fold up, and has the width of another person.

I used the optional foam pads for shoulders and hip belt on his trip. With stays and pads, my Mariposa weighs in at 1 lb. 0.5 oz. I carried an almost 2-liter water bottle on the left and a small water bottle on the right in the pocket with the oblique top edge. I could get the small bottle out while hiking by pushing it up from the bottom far enough and then pulling it out. With a taller bottle I wouldn't have to push, but I'm not sure how secure that would be when rock hopping or whatever. The [NightLight] torso pad was just big enough. I'd measured out its dimensions and had determined that lying on my back, one arm would have to be off the pad. Not so. (That's probably why you never noticed this. :) ) I thought from the look and thickness of it that the pad would feel softer (provide more padding) than it did, but I might have thought the same of any pad on the first night of the season. Matthew and I were the ultralightist; the other 5 were traditional backpackers. A ranger out of Tuolumne stopped by our camp in the morning. Matthew was down at the falls, and we didn't know where he'd put our wilderness permit, but by then the ranger was more interested in the lightweight gear. It was his second week on the job, and he was really stoked, which was great to see. Way more than you needed to know. Take care. - JW

The pack I used weighed 16 oz (with foam in the shoulder straps and hipbelt) plus 0.8 oz for 2 stays. WONDERFUL pack! I carried 27.5 lbs (16 pounds of water) in it very comfortably. The straps and hipbelt are more comfortable than the G4, they have a bit of extra padding. It is just the right size, less volume than the G4, and didn't hit my butt like the G4 sometimes did. Volume is in-between the G4 and the G5. Loved it! - CC

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After hundreds of miles of use (and abuse) I finally managed to break a pole. While going downhill on the PCT through some talus, it slipped in a crack between rocks. Normally it would have just popped out of my hand, but my weight was fully on it because I was dead tired (had a 48 miler the day before). Anyway, it snapped and I need a new one. Normally, I'd just write off something I'm reviewing but these poles have become my single favorite piece of gear. I know there is no warranty so just let me know the cost for a replacement and I'll happily pay it. I have used these poles hard, fallen on them on multiple occasions, jumped off of 7 foot embankments and landed on rocks. These poles have been resiliant, tough, shock-absorbing, and incredibly comfortable to carry. Not the first poles I've broken either. Anyhow- I use them for every hike I do now. I used trekking poles off and on in the past but now I am a 100% convert. I swear- I couldn't have made it on this hike without them. When I only had one for the last 10 of 75 miles, I felt lost! I know for a fact that I was slower... Keep up the good work Glen- in my book you're doing everything right! - DS

The Whitney pass trail on the rear portion is pretty tough being basically a boulder field made into a trail. When a pole gets stuck in a crack a feel the bend and ease up on the pole to get it loose. This happened quite a bit on the trail. But they survived and saved my knees so I could do the climb. - TG

Spent last week with the Gossamer Gear poles (lots of fun to hand these to folks on the trail and watch them light up as they realized...), and while I knew they were light, it wasn't until I gathered up my old ones for a quick day hike that I realized just how heavy the old ones now feel. - DS

We used Gossamer Gear Lightreks in Switzerland. My pair must weigh something less han the advertised 4.2 oz, since they're shorter than average. We were uneasy with the lack of straps until we were more accustomed to the firm grip necessary for placing weight on them--and I'd say Neal's big paws had better control of the poles in wobbly situations than did my little hands. There's definitely a learning curve. We'd made idiot cords per instructions and used them pretty frequently: I suppose it wasn't fully half the time but plenty often we were walking along precipices so steep, a dropped pole would have been gone forever. Many a time a tip got stuck between rocks, but we could always sense the problem before putting weight on the pole and bending it. Perhaps the mud baskets helped here. The poles worked out just fine, and they astonished some people we met in the huts. Traveling with them (or any poles) is a royal pain: poles are considered "dual use" items by Homeland Security (that's hiking and assault) and must be checked, even though all our other luggage was otherwise in our packs, which we carried on. All except the knife and scissors, anyway. Non-collapsing poles like these are regarded as oversize luggage, at least by US Airways and Lufthansa, so they must be collected at a special gate and not at the normal luggage carousel. Don't ask me why a string bass in a hard case appeared at the carousel but our poles didn't! It's possible that "oversize" is a generic term for problem stuff, which our poles, in a flimsy corrugated box with "Fragile" labels all over it, perhaps were. We've been home for five days now but the poles haven't come yet. They turned up in Detroit yesterday, so I imagine we'll see them soon. We thank our lucky stars the poles were lost on the way back and not on the way out: I don't know how we could have done five or more days' walking on this terrain without them. I guess we would have bought others. But let me tell you: we hiked this morning with our old 15-oz poles, and they felt like CROWBARS in the hand. I'm dumbfounded that these ever seemed light. - EZ

I bought this ultralight Trekking Poles at the PCT Kick-Off-Party in Lake Morena for 84$. I've never spent so much money for crap before. One of my Poles broke without any special influence during hiking in the sand. I know from three other Hikers who bought the same Poles and all of them broke theirs too. I'm very for the 84 bucks. - RW

I had the new poles on the trails this weekend. About 28 miles on the AT up and over Mt. Greylock, the tallest peak in MA at 3491 ft. I had good opportunities to safely get the feel of the poles especially on some rocky and steep downhill's. Those are the conditions that I put the heaviest load on the poles. I weigh approx 180 pounds and my total skin out weight for the weekend was 23.5 pounds at the maximum consumables moment. By the time I hit the biggest down hills I am sure the skin-out weight had dropped to 20 or 21 pounds. (with water/fuel/food). I fitted the poles with the baskets that you provided and I also attached standard rubber tips to the poles. (Mostly because I hate the clack clack of pole tip on rock, but also to further prevent the tips from lodging between rocks and stuff). The weight of the poles together was 5.5 ounces with all of the accoutrements. The poles performed very well on all uphill sections where my cross-country skiing style pole work helped to push me up the steep inclines. The occasional pole plant used to pull myself up larger steps were confidently executed without any concerns. The downhill sections were more exciting. I do three types of pole work on downhill's: a) the stabilizer (ST), b) The plant and drop swing (PDS) typically 2 feet or more elevation drop where the poles are used to support my upper body while I swing my legs over and down the drop-off, and c) The Pole Vault (PV) where by I am moving at a fairly good pace on a decline and would come to a boulder or obstacle and I would lean forward on the move and plant the poles and literally take large vaulted airborne giant steps over the obstacle. Regarding ST: I had no problems with any Stabilizing Maneuvers. Regarding PDS: This is where I really put stress on the poles. This was a little tricky. The poles will obviously bow. I typically place the very top diameter of the grip of the poles in the palm of my hands. The poles would bow in unpredictable directions. Mostly frontward and together but sometimes they would bow rearward or to the sides and not necessarily together. This was a little hard to get used to. I will try a different grip to see if it would make a difference. I definitely held back a bit at first, but as my confidence in the poles grew, I was putting more weight on the poles and felt a few good and familiar PDS's did occur without concern. I felt I reached about 80 percent of what I would typically do. I hope to push the poles even further the next time out, hopefully this coming weekend. I wish there was some way to get an accurate measure of the force. Do you know any physicists? hee hee. Regarding PV: This was similar to PDS for me as far as the results were concerned but defiantly more stable. I was more confident using the poles for this maneuver. There were definitely instances of bowing but it felt more under control. I still felt I was at about 80 percent of being "Full-Out" with the main obstacle being between my ears, since there is an element of risk involved which is heightened in perception by the lightness of the poles. I am looking forward to putting the poles through more stressful testing. However, the way I see 99.5 % of all people using poles, they don't come any where near stressing them out the way I do. I am confident in recommending these poles to them. - RC

We just took a pair of Gossamer Gear Lightrek poles out on their maiden hike, taking turns. What an astonishing piece of gear! Quite apart from whatever use they may receive, they're practically a museum piece. How can something so pole-like be so light? For 4.2 oz, two poles! Even our weekend guests marveled at them, and they'd never even used poles before. Now to figure out what they're best used for. Their lightness is revelatory. After walking with them for about half an hour, I took a turn with my older carbon Komperdells, 15 oz the pair, and they felt burdensomely heavy. I wondered how I'd ever had the strength to carry them. It sure is easy to raise one's standard of living. Yet... I see the Lightreks work (for me) better for some purposes than for others. I do have to spend a little effort lifting them, that is, I do have to grip them. With straps, poles just levitate along with the hands, even with the hands wide open--there the effort is in carrying the greater weight. I find myself clutching these new ones hard going up the sort of steep incline where I'm in danger of slipping back down, and this is tiring to the hands in a way that strap hanging isn't. There hasn't been a whole lot of this sort of climbing on the hikes I've taken, but if there were to be, I'd think twice about strapless poles. On the other hand, on a steep climb where I'm practically on all fours and grasping onto roots to hoist myself up, these poles are easier to grab in the same handful with the roots than stouter, heavier poles, and more maneuverable. Going downhill the lack of straps isn't an issue: straps are of no use there anyway. The flexibility/snappability hasn't been any sort of problem. I see how it could be in a self-arrest or in catching the pole between rocks, but not in the everyday planting of poles. Of course they're an insane pleasure on a level straightaway where I'm just carrying them, in the hand or on the pack. I think these are a yes--an enthusiastic yes--for me for most conditions. With longer hikes I'll know more. - EZ

Very impressive poles and excellent service. Anyone needs a reference, feel free to point them my way. - DT

The carbon poles performed well...I love the inherent shock absorption of the fiber. I have posted my initial feelings regarding these poles at www.whiteblaze.net and have drummed up considerable attention..... - MM

Can I just say how freaking awesome it is to deal with GVPGear? Glen just sold me a pair of hiking sticks at 6.1 oz. for the *pair*. It is a prototype set and used so he sold it at a discount. Amazing. Absolutely amazing. Holding them I can't perceive their weight at all unless I swing them. For all y'all who like hiking with poles, I respectfully suggest you keep an ear peeled toward gvpgear.com for the rollout of these poles. Did I say amazing? BTW I have no connection to GVP except as a customer. Wow. - LP

I'm really enjoying the new carbon fiber poles. One unexpected benefit of their lightness is the precision of placement that's possible, because, I guess, of their low moment of inertia. Also, they seem to damp vibration more effectively than the poles I was using. So far the only down side is the their seeming frailness--I say seeming because for all I know they'd take a lot to break-- but when I really lean on them (usually during a steep descent with large step distances), they bow a bit which makes me reluctant to put my full weight on them. - JS

4.4 oz. for the pair. No wrist straps. I put a lot of force on these guys hiking down into the canyon. They worked great. The poles were so light I didn't need straps. Really surprised me that I did not need straps, since I really rest my wrists on the wrist straps and depend on the straps with my other poles. - CC

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I love the NightLight Pad you sent. I have had closed cell foam, from the beginning. This egg-crate design is awesome, very unexpected. This roduct feels lighterweight than a feather, as well. Excellent product design. - CD

The [NightLight] torso pad was just big enough. I'd measured out its dimensions and had determined that lying on my back, one arm would have to be off the pad. Not so. (That's probably why you never noticed this. :) ) I thought from the look and thickness of it that the pad would feel softer (provide more padding) than it did, but I might have thought the same of any pad on the first night of the season. - JW

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I was surprised how much use I got out of 1.4 oz. of foam! - CC

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The G-4 pack that I bought in 2000 finally died on the PCT this year. I used it for about 4700 trail miles. Just curious if there have been any other G-4's that you know of to have such a long life. - DE [editor's note: the record stands at 9,500 as far as we know.]

Just wanted to give you thanks for the G4 and its durability. My hiking partner and I just completed a 106 mile trip in the North Cascades in the Pasayten Wilderness on a nine day trip. My G4 is four years old and has been out every year for no less than 90 miles and this year I stretched it to the max. I left for the trip with 37 pounds and the seams were crying for relief. The G4 did not let me down and made the whole trip and no problems, many thanks to you and your products. I am due for a new pack and I will without a question purchase a new pack from you, thanks again. - DP

Just a note to let you know I received my G4 and I love it! I can't wait to get it out on the trail. I am experimenting with stuffing the shoulders and hip belt with rolled-up "small bubble, industrial bubble wrap." It slides in the pockets easily and provides excellent padding. Won't really know for sure until I get it on the trail for a real test. - SJ

A while ago I emailed you to tell you I'd made the G4 pack, but would have liked a more comfortable hipbelt design. You told you'd redesigned the hipbelt and I could order a new pack, keep it as long as I needed to figure out the design, and return it at my convenience. Well I pretty much knew that I wouldn't have time to make another pack so I just kept the one I ordered. I just have to say that you nailed the design!! The new hipbelt is perfect. I've been out about four times this season, and it's the only pack I've used. I have a five day trip coming up in Vermont and can't wait to use it for that. Thank you for your contributions to backpacking and the way you do business! - DP

I got back from Montana last week. The packs worked great. I averaged about 42lbs. Also, Jim B. says hello, I am at camp TL Storer with my 11 year old son and helped Jim with a board of review. Your name came up and we both spoke highly of you and your equipment. Thanks for your help! - DD

We received the packs and took them out on a trip. They're simply GREAT! It's unbelievable how your temperament changes when you've got a really lightweight pack to start out with. - RG

Thanks for all of your support in getting me onto the trail at Philmont this year with lighter gear. Although the weather was wetter than normal for late June, the trek was a real pleasure for me. I felt so much better at the end of the trek than I did in '98, that I joked about heading over to the Welcome Center to take 'another lap around Philmont' with any crew that was short one adult. Our crew lost one adult at base camp (overweight by a few pounds, and he was, perhaps, the best conditioned), which necessitated my carrying more crew gear (six meal bags, three filled MSR fuel bottles, an incredibly filled crew first aid kit (1+ pounds), complete Philtent with stakes, extra 2.5 gallon water container, and six liters of water (on the dry camp overnights). With full load, the pack weighed out at 48 pounds (including just 13 pounds of personal gear)! Through it all, the pack performed flawlessly. Generally, I reinforced the Zrest with one of the aluminum Philtent poles (although for the last hike down from Tooth Ridge camp I kept the poles in the tent bag). I did carry the 8-section pad, but I had cut off two sections to serve as seat cushion for breaks along the trail. - HB

My pack and Z-rest arrived today. I love the G4. Its design is elegantly simple, and it is obviously well-made -- high-quality stitching throughout, reinforced stitching at stress ponts, etc. Good job. I can't wait to try it out on the trail. Thanks for the prompt shipping and overall great service. - PH

Just got back from the Escalate Route in Grand Canyon. The G4 packs I bought at Christmas worked well. Had to carry 40 pounds at one point with water for two days. My wife and I both were impressed with the room and performance. Most people thought we were day hikers not going in for 7 days. - G

A quick note to say that I love my pack: Thank you! - JV

Five years ago, I went backpacking one fall out of Florence Lake, east of Fresno. My complete external frame back weighed 68 pounds. The weight was sort of the end result of piling more and more stuff into my pack over the years. I was meeting my friends that night at the camp so I had the whole day to hike the trail and think about my heavy pack. I came to a few conclusions. One: The more weight you carry, the more food you need to fuel your body to carry the weight, which then increases the weight. This sort of snowballs on itself. Two: Instead of an external frame, why not incorporate the sleeping pad as the frame? The pad just sits there anyway. Three: Use the empty pack as part of the sleeping gear. Four: find more than one use for everything that you carry. That was the last super heavy pack I've carried. I started thinking that if I wanted to continue backpacking until I'm old and gray, I really need to lighten my load. Further experimentation led me to conclude that all I really need is a big bag with shoulder pads and a waste strap. Then I read Ray Jardine's book and found out about the Golite product line. I've used the Gust on a few trips with 26-32 pounds in the pack. It works well, but it does feel a bit heavy on the shoulders. I rolled my Thermarest sleeping bad into a barrel shape and dropped that into the pack. The rest of my gear was dropped in the middle (sleeping bag on the bottom). Then I stumbled upon your G4 pack on the net. I really liked the way that you incorporated the sleeping pad as the frame sheet. Utilizing socks as shoulder strap and waste belt padding is truly innovative. Another great feature is the way the pack flares out at the bottom to accept the sleeping bag. The extra wide shoulder straps are an excellent design feature. Most excellent. My shoulders thank you. I've read a few times about people wearing a pack and stating that "I could hardly feel it at all". Well, after using your pack on some dayhike test runs, I'd have to say the same. Your pack is extremely comfortable and made those 26 pounds feel like 15 pounds. Truly amazing. Your pack fit's like a champ and I am very happy with it. It was a great investment. Backpacker magazine recently had a review of some lightweight packs. They rated the Golite Gust second to last and your G4 last. Having tried the two packs, I would have rated the G4 over the Gust. Not having tried the other packs in the test, I can't compare them all. The other packs weighed more than the G4. Personally, I'm sticking with the G4. I need not look any further for that perfect pack. Way to go Glen. You've developed a mighty fine product. -DG

I just got on the website and saw that you had put my email in the Testimonials section. I dropped a quick note a while back to thank you for posting the directions to the G4, but didn't tell you how great it is so I wanted to let you know and to also make a suggestion: I took the pack out several times last summer and was very pleased with it. Going light is the way to go and the G4, with its ability to carry a little more than other LW packs, is a great pack. I love all the space provided by the outside mesh pockets. It took me a short while to get used to the Z-Rest "suspension" system, but once I did, I felt as if the pack became a part of me as I was able to move pretty easily during a 22 mile overnighter in the Adirondacks (my friend and I set out to do the loop in two days, but because of the light loads, we finished the loop, drove the 5 hours home, and got back just in time to take our ladies out for Thai). Having made this pack myself only makes my outdoor experiences that much better. I plan on making another pack, but sizing it down to a Medium as I think the standard size is just a wee-bit big for me. Also, if I could change one thing, I'd like it if the hip belt wrapped better around my hips. Because of where the belt is sewn on the bag, it tends to ride only on the front of my hipbone, which caused a little discomfort. If you have any pointers on how to change this that would be great. So again, thanks for a great pack and all that you do to promote the outdoors. - DP [editor's note: the instructions for the G4 do not reflect the latest design developments, which include a more wraparound hip belt.]

just a thank you for your amazing work. bought a g4 used of backpacking.net, just opened it, wow. such a piece of design and thought. I can't wait to use it. You inspire me to give to others like you do. sounds cheesy, but true, no need to respond, just a thank you I'm sure among many. - C

Four years ago when I went out for a weekend with friends, my pack weighed 50 plus pounds. Last summer I tried going ultra-light with my 6 lb. REI Pack and had gotten the weight down to 30 lbs plus food and water. Last weekend I did a solo hike over the San Gabriel's with my G4 that I got last fall. My pack weighed 14 pounds plus food and water, so at no point did it weigh more than 25 lbs. The G4 was comfortable, spacious, and rugged. I was thrilled when I got the pack, now I am doubly so. Twenty mile days used to be a nightmare, now they're a dream come true. Thanks for the great product and the inspirational website! - LN

The pack worked really well, Glen! It was very light (in fact, we weren't sure the order was correct when it came in a box the size of a small notebook) but it molded to me and rode really well in the Ohlone Wilderness a couple weeks ago. - TB

The backpack worked out very well except that I had it's "comfortable" weight maxed out at 30 lbs with full food and water. I knew I was pushing its limits. I found that because of the pack's weight, it was best to cinch that hip belt as tight as possible to put the load on my waist rather than my shoulders. When I lost some inches around my waistline during the trip, I then had trouble getting that belt to cinch tight. I may take the belt in 1 inch or so on each side to solve that problem. I also need to lighten my load as much as possible next time - I'm not at "Ultralight" status yet but I'm working on it ..... - SF

I sewed a G4 pack a couple of years ago and it has been great! It really got me excited about lightweight backpacking. Received the pack that you sent and it looks good. The quality is much higher than the one that I sewed - although a few ounces heavier.... - TS

Perusing your website testimonials motivated me to write and add "dittos" to the G4. My son and I used them for the first time on an 8-day hike from Mammoth to Yosemite Valley Floor. We loved them and our comrades hated them, (because they didn't have one). Several friends have them now and they like them too. Thanks for a great pack! - CR

I recently ordered a G4 from you - it was weird to have it delivered in a tiny little box! I immediately packed it up with my PCT gear, including full water and food. I then took it down to the outfitter and tested it out, fully packed, against the other two packs they had in stock that I was seriously considering. I also loaded them up with my stuff. Against GoLite's Speed and Gregory's G-Pack (and my own Dana Racer-X), the G4 came out the winner in comfort, capacity and organizational setup. Plus, it's a pound lighter than each of these other packs. So, I'm keeping it! I found that my comfort is greatly increased if I place my z-rest (I didn't want to cut it up, so I'm using a near-full length one) inside the pack against the back and then pack all my stuff on top of it. I am considering cutting it in half so that I still have half of it outside the pack to sit on during breaks. But I thought you might want to know that I still had plenty of room for all my gear with the z-rest inside. When it was outside the pack in your mesh holder designed for it, it tended to bend outward toward me and irritate me slightly. When inside the pack, it provides a solid and very comfortable back rest. I also found that using your foam inserts in the hip and shoulder belts is more comfortable than socks and such. However, I really like the feature, so I'll probably make do with socks as padding on the PCT. Thanks for making these available to us all and at a reasonable price. - KB

I received the G4 pack and found it just the right size for my gear (close call) [ed. note: hammock user]. Very good quality, and a novel design. I was amazed at how it unfolds into such a large pack, like magic. Sure looks better than the one I pieced together out of scrap material to get an idea of the size in 3D before ordering, it was a sick looking experiment. (I don't sew yet). I've looked at all of the lightweight packs on the market and like your design best. The Equinox Katahdin struck me at first with it's sleek appearance, but it's just too small and lacks pockets that are useable. If I had money to burn, I'd order the Gossamer, just to have one hanging on the wall, neat pack. The G4 has finally moved me to a down bag, my synthetic just won't stuff down easily into the bottom without stressing the pack. I'll more than likely keep it, amazing for me, since I'm known for returning goods 85 percent of the time, family joke :) I appreciate the ethics of your business, provide plans to make my own or buy a pack complete at a fair price with an outstanding return policy, can't beat the offerings at your site. -DD

Received the G4. This is going to save my life. Fit's perfectly. 28.5 lbs Fully loaded incl. full liter water, fishing gear (waders even). Feels like a day pack compared to my old Kelty. Is 28 lbs acceptable? It doesn't seem to be straining the straps. You're a genius. thanks - KO

Hi. I recently finished hiking the pct. My G4 pack lasted the entire trail. I can honestly say I never had one problem or complaint with the pack, your design is simply amazing. Well one of the hip belt straps was nearly torn off but that's because I accidentally hiked half a day with the strap twisted around twice which put way too much stress on the stitching. But I sewed that up and it was stronger than ever. The wide shoulder straps made the pack super comfy, even when I stuffed 10 days of food into it for kmeadows --> vermillion. Thanks for making such a great pack!! - PM

I got a lot of hiking in this summer. In July, I went to the Adirondacks, the Green Mtns. of VT and a bit on the Appalachian train in PA. Then in August a few of the CO 14ers. Last week I got back from another trip to New England, this time to do Mt. Washington in NH, and Katahdin in Maine along with a few parts of the AT. Here's a shot near Gorham, NH, not too far from Mt. Washington. Did you know it has the highest recorded wind in N. America at 231 mph? It was only gusting at 50 when I was there. I have a photo in a hiking book of icicles up there which are horizontal. A happy pack owner - KJ

Thanks a million for the small G4. Carried a few miles this weekend and I really like it. the medium should be in California by now, along with a check. All the best! - TR

My G-4 pack has been great, it has taken a beaten the last few years on the A.T. and many smaller trails, but is still in good condition. It is getting past down to my son and I'm ordering a G-5 for myself. We are planning to do the PCT next year with them. -CR

I took my GVP 4 out for my first real excursion on Saturday. It performed very well. With a 20 pound total load, I had full weight transfer to the hips*. An excellent product. Looking forward to using it for the Stevens to Stehekin PCT segment hike later this summer. Barry Teschlog

* - I tried getting the therma-rest to work as the frame, but it was never quite rigid enough, even when inflated, to get the comfort or weight transfer to the hips I liked. The Z-rest still isn't enough of a pad to sleep on for me, so scratch using 6 panels for the frame. What to do? I bought some 1/4" fiberglass rod (Google 'tap plastics' - several stores up and down the west coast, plus mail order) for a couple of bucks. I was inspired by my old pack, the Mountain Smith Ghost, which uses a FG rod for the frame. I cut two pieces of rod, just shorter than a Z-rest is wide and sanded the ends over into semi-spheres. I cut off 4 segments of a Z-Rest (as one piece). I taped the FG rods into the Z-rest, 1 each just inboard of each of the two outer fold seams. Use about a 4" piece of tape (athletic or duct), cut slits about 1" from the end so this 1" piece of tape can be wrapped around the rod, leaving a flat tape 'tab'. This tab then goes over the end of the z-rest, onto the other side, locating the rod 'vertically' in the pad. Folding the outer two panels of the Z-rest over, the rods were fully enclosed in padding. Being taped into place, they won't slip up or down, and being near the fold seams, they're pretty much contained laterally. I used this for the 'frame'. It's VERY rigid and provided for full weight transfer to the hips. Weight - about 6 ounces. I suspect that 3/16" rod would have worked as well as the 1/4", for a slight weight reduction. Keeping with a strict ultra-light philosophy? Nope, but comfortable. Besides, a full frame pack for well under a pound and a half kicks butt in my book. Total cost of this mod - about 6 ounces and ~5 bucks if you have (or can scrounge) the extra piece of Z-Rest, about 35 bucks if you have to buy the Z-rest. I'll swap out the silk sleeping bag liner to compensate for the weight. Feel free to pass along this idea to those who want / like / need a more rigid frame to achieve full weight transfer and who, like me, just have to have their therma-rest.

Glen, I hope you and your family are enjoying your Hawaii vacation. I wanted to send you an update as I completed my hike on West Virginia's Greenbrier River Trail on June 3, 2003. The trail is a 75 mile rail to trail path along the river with campsites and amenities along the way. I had a great trip except I strained my foot on the 2nd day as I hiked 26 miles that day. Imagine that, 26 miles! Even though it is a relatively level path, I am convinced that your pack did a lot to help me make that kind of progress. It held up great and it was a real joy to walk without being burdened by a heavy load. I can't say enough about the pack and the progress toward lightening my load you have helped me with. I ended up with another 25 mile day on the walk and finished a day early. The hot bath in the cheap motel sure felt great! I want to thank God for all the wonders of the world and for giving you the abilities to create such a product. PS, please post details on the trail pizza you have pictured in your photos. My mouth is watering thinking of it! Thank you and God bless you and your family. -Matt Gerald

My friend Martha and I recently purchased 2 of your G4 packs for a 3 day trip thru an awesome area of Pisgah National Forest. The first day was typical, getting our bearings with packing and just getting used to the wonderfulness of the G4. The 2nd day, I commented, "I don't even feel this thing on my back!" She agreed. We made fast speed without even planning to, just by virtue of the weightlessness. God Bless YOU! I am planning to do a bit of the PCT in July. Can't wait, now that I now how comfortable I will be. Take care, Mary

My son Adam and I took some other dads, a kid and a dog out on the AT Memorial Day weekend. We left home with about 16 pounds apiece, stayed 5 days and covered over 40 miles. The weather was great and the G4.3 and G5 worked great. John Potter

Just received the pack & I really like the changes you have made. I have used yours & GoLite & the GVP is more definitely comfortable. I like the wide shoulder straps. Doug Parker

Glen, I just received the new closeout pack you sent. I don't know how you managed to deliver it so fast, since I ordered it online late Friday, and it was here on Monday! My initial impression is that this pack is absolutely unbelievable! It's got an incredible amount of room, which is very important to me since I use a hammock. I will end up being ultralight, but the pads I use to keep warm in the hammock do add some bulk. Now I'll be able to fit everything inside the pack, instead of having stuff lashed all over the outside! I will be using the G4 for section hiking on the NCT, and I can't wait to put it good use. Thank you, Chet Clocksin

Thank you for the G4 pack. Your generosity, customer service, and pack are all exceptional. I can understand why you have such an enthusiastic following of both GVP equipment and of yourself as a person and a businessman. The pack arrived much quicker than I expected. I read the instructions, loaded the pack with a reasonable load, and put it through its paces on a three mile walk around a college campus. The pack performed beautifully. The design is creative and thoroughly thought through. The pack has what a pack needs and does not burden a hiker with things that aren't needed. The workmanship is of highest quality. It is obvious that care was taken in construction. In the ultimate test - functionality - the backpack performed flawlessly. I can't wait to take it on the trail. We chart the capacity and weight of each of our packs, using the number of cubic inches per ounce as the measuring standard for volume/weight. The G4 has the highest rating of any of our packs, and we have some very light packs. You certainly have a winner in the G4. I think it is going to become my favorite pack. Thank you, Glen. Warm regards, Buddy Gilchrest, Ed.D Professor Emeritus, Baylor University [note: Prof. Gilcrest's check was returned with his pack, in deference to his assuming responsibility for updating a backpacking handbook when his colleague could not take it on. His comments were unsolicited, and are reprinted with permission.]

[Card from the PCT] Hi Glen! Just wanted to say thanks for everything. You saved my trip! I'm having a much better time now that I'm going medium-light (not quite ultra-light yet :) ). Take care! -Anna Echter

Thank you very much for your help and contribution to lightweight backpacking. Thomas "Toby" McCord Plan B

I am returning the pack and pad :( I think I need a little more support for my shoulders. Otherwise, it is a great pack. Thank you for your wonderful service and for the opportunity to return the items. Blessings, Ingrid

Your product appears to be just what need. I am returning to backpacking after many years absence. I gathered up my long unused and dusty equipment and put together my old pack. One second after hefting it up I wondered how in the world I had managed to carry it all those miles. I resolved to lighten the load. Hence my search for quality products in lightweight versions that led me to you. Thanks, Susan Quackenbush

[From the AT] Thanks for all your help. You have the best service. Here are the extra 3 packs you sent me to look at. Well I picked one and got on the trail on time. Feb. 22 I will be on the trail at Springer Mt. Thanks again, Tim Ansell "Vagabound"

I just finished my Massachusetts AT section hike using the G4. I did consecutive days of 24, 21, 21, and 22 miles carrying about 22 pounds of weight. I absolutely loved it and was singing it's praises to others along the trail! (although several people were already using one and almost everyone recognized it!) The new design is so stable, supportive and comfortable that you hardly know it is there. I am looking forward to getting in out on my Vermont section hike next month. Great pack and great customer service. Good luck to you. Best wishes, Jim Siverts Portsmouth, NH

The pack is awesome! I tried it out on a 12 mile hike a couple of weekends ago and it was perfect. I hope to take the kids out this weekend so we can get a better idea of sizing for my son. Thanks, Amy Roudebush

Glen, I just wanted to take a second to thank you for all your help lightening my load. I think your pack is a great design. I'll finally hit the trail this Friday with it as I am conditioning for a 5 day hike on the Greenbrier River Trail in West Virginia at the end of this month. Thanks for patiently answering all my questions and being flexible with the return of the closeout pack. I think once I get fully used to the G4, I'll consider a G5 as most of my trips will be 1 or 2 nighters and the G4 seems very large with my lighter load. Take care and please let me know if there is anything I can do for you. -Matt Gerald

Thanks Glen for a great pack! I've just returned from traveling through South America for 5 months. Myself and the G4 backpack made it back in one piece! I heard through a friend that the G4 was a great versatile lightweight pack. It's size sure came in handy to stuff in all the junk I bought along the way. I arrived in Lima Peru a day before my pack made it because of a luggage mix up. I finally received my pack with a 2 inch rip along the top. I realized I needed to protect the bag from careless baggage handlers. I bought a large potato sack that I covered my G4 with when commuting on buses and plane rides. I kept the potato sack inside one of the shoulder straps when hiking. I bought a needle, thread, duct tape, some Velcro and created a G4 battle pack that was able to carry just about anything. A 3 foot Jivaro blow gun, machete, and a charrango (mini guitar) were some of the items decorating my pack. I'll have to admit the G4 just made it. I put the G4 to the test when hiking in the Bolivian jungle. The terrain was rough on the pack at times. Numerous snags from tree vines and other foliage created small rips that I was able to repair (thanks to the rip-stop fabric!). This pack is perfect on open trails. The Inca Trail especially. The G4 is an ideal pack for anyone hiking to Machu Piccu. A light pack like this is needed for the high altitude. Thanks again for the great pack! Rick Roessler Jr. San Diego, CA

I don't think our paths crossed at the ADZ, it was a great event though. Sorry I missed seeing your Spectra pack. I'm very interested in further developments in this area. Anything in the pipeline? Anyway, I used my Bearikade Weekender in my semi-custom G-4 for 3 nights in Sequoia last weekend. Have you tried this yet? It works surprizingly well. I found a way to hang the can from the upper strap attachment points so the can doesn't pile drive my down bag into a pulp while walking. Also makes a shelf for clothes in the extension collar. I shared the can, but my partner carried his food daytime. Can works like a frame, in fact I used the pad retention pockets on the back of the G-4 for a modified windshield reflector to use in my new Hennessey Hammock. The interesting thing is that the curve of the can permits much more back ventilation than is usual with the G-4 and flat Z-rest combo. If you have to carry a can, this is, to me, very acceptable. Weight for the pack, BA Horsethief bag, 3/8 foam pad cut to fit bag pad sleeve, Bearikade, Hennessey UL Backpacker hammock and fly, windshield reflector pad, and empty 3 L Platy and hose was 7 lb 6 oz. Not bad, when you consider that the can is 2 lbs!!! Hammock and silnylon fly stuff easily into the G-4 rear mesh pocket. To this I added Mont Bell down liner jacket and pants, and Montane shell pullover and pants in silnylon sack above the can at 1 lb 7 oz. Add food, stove, pot, socks and a light shirt, minimal extras like sunblock and I was at 16 lbs for the weekend, below 14 coming out. Best, Todd Foster. P.S. These hammocks are incredibly comfortable. For those with back problems, who have to use Thermarests, the weight trade-off is pretty close. I've never gotten this much good sleep on the ground. What a difference!

Thank you for a wonderfully made pack. I've shown it off at work and at the Colorado Mtn. Club. I've tried on quite a few packs in the gear stores and I've only found one other that fits me well. It was 6 pounds when empty. :{ So I was nervous about ordering one via the web that I didn't get to try on beforehand. Thank you for trusting me enough just to send me one! It's nice to see that. I took my backpack out for a walk ,I mean hike, last night with 20 lbs in it (including water). I decided to put my new 3-Liter hydration bladders, with sip tubes, in the netting pouches. I have 2 of them, so I put one on each side. I left my water bottles at home. I loved the convenience!!! I love not having the water inside the pack because then I don't have to work about leaks! Yay! And the pack feels great. I tried it last night with gloves inside the hip belts instead of the foam. I found that the belt conforms to my body much better and is much softer causing less soreness where the belt hits my pants on top of my front hip bones. My socks, however, are a bit thick for the shoulder straps. I cheated by putting a pair of socks in there that I wouldn't normally wear for backpacking. I'm still thinking about what to put in there instead. Thanks again, Sarah

I have made two custom G-4's for friends. The first came about as a friend of mine is a trail maintainer and needed one that is a little stronger in the hooking of the shoulder straps and needed some center loops on the outside to carry some light weight tools. His shoulder straps were coming off of his ready made G-4 with the little extra weight he carries. We fixed this by sewing the shoulder straps onto a piece of two inch webbing then sewing it onto the pack the width of the pack. It works beautifully for him now. He also request a pack two inches wider to accomidate his full length therma rest. Also with the extra weight he carries the one inch waist belt was cutting into his skin so we fixed that by using a two inch webing for the hip belt which works beautifully too and not much differance in the total weght of this pack. Working beautifully for him as he is now through hiking the At as I write. He weghed it at the post office and it came close to the 12 ounces his original G-4 weight. There is One thing I have to say is this pack is AWSOME. Thanks for sharing the pattern. FYI I have found that one can be made a bit stronger too by incorporating thrift store hang up airline water resistent/proof garment bags for the oxford which is probably the same type of fabric you use. These bags cost me a dollar a piece When I find them.. Happy hiking. -Rogene

Wanted to thank you for posting the instructions for your pack. I got Jardine's book for Christmas and thought it would be fun to try to make my own stuff. My first project was a tarp based on Jardine's design. I modified it a little. I had no idea how to sew prior to these undertakings, but I did surprisingly well. With your pack I put foam in the shoulder pads and I devised a different closure system. What I did was take two compression-type straps that my girlfriend uses to lash her sleeping pad to her pack and laced then diagonally through the top lashing loops - you'll see it in the picture. Dave Pascarella Buffalo, NY

The packs are great; looking forward to using it (it'll save four pounds off my old pack). I kept the medium one. The smaller one fit well but the sleeping pad created a pressure point at the base of my neck, so thanks again for sending two. I'll be mailing the second back today. Thanks for a great product....ros burrows.

Got the pack and am impressed. I loaded it up and tried it on; it wouldn't fit better if you had taken my measurements and made it full custom. This is a sweet design. This pack, superfeet insoles, and the Wild Things primaloft sweater are 3 products long distance hikers should hear more about. If you ever need a Chemical Engineer and aspiring web developer on the team, let me know. With a bigger crew (and some well placed cheap advertising) you could make a lot of money. I wont be making the kick-off party, but appreciate the offer. I've got to work until the second of May. Thanks! Tell Cindy thank you also. -Ken

I have decided, after a lot of inspection and careful testing, that I would like to return the GVP G4 backpack I ordered for credit. On three separate nights I packed all of my gear into the pack and walked two miles in a local county park. I was carrying about 18 pounds, which is everything I plan to carry on my JMT trip in late June except food. The G4 has a large interior volume, and I was unable to pack it such that my gear filled it out. It remained floppy on my back. I also have two criticisms of the design: 1) I'm concerned about the durability of fabric that makes the sleeping pad compartment, I can imagine ripping this fabric inserting or removing my Z-rest pad. Perhaps the edges of this fabric should be taped? 2) Though it would add a few oz. of hardware, I think the sternum strap should be adjustable. On the upside, I will say that I am thoroughly impressed that you have designed a pack with so much volume and that is so light and versatile. The idea of using gear as the belt and shoulder padding is brilliant. The construction appears indicative of a quality-minded manufacturer. I'm sorry, but this product just does not meet my needs. I'm seriously considering a more mainstream internal frame pack, such as the Mountainsmith Ghost or the Gregory G-Pack instead. Steven E. Sergeant

Glen, I took my new G4 out for the weekend, and its *awesome*! You know how to design a pack! I hope that design and testing of the tarp's going well. Warm Regards, Logan

Hi there ! I meant to write this past wednesday , march 12th , because , to my amazement , that is when the bag you sent arrived ... I couldn't believe how fast it got here ... You must have run to the post office or something as soon as my check arrived ... no , wait , I think you must have mailed it before my check arrived ! Goodness gracious !! I have never dealt with anyone so responsible ! And then , I opened the small box and everyone who has seen this backpack cannot believe how light and yet sturdy it is ... And how well the seams are finished... and the quality of its construction ... We also love all the well thought-out little details ... It is perfect for me and my husband , for all of our stuff ... thank you for doing what you are doing ... God Bless you and your family ... And you know what else we loved : that little orange paper with your beautiful message ... You are an amazing family ... Warm regards , Sandra H

I just want to thank you for the pack I received in the mail, the free one that is. I'm so excited I was the 1500th customer. I haven't even set foot on the AT and already "trail magic." This weekend I took my new G4 out for a spin at a local trail and all I can say is outstanding. This bag will be a great traveling companion while on my 03 AT hike. Thanks again for the 1500th customer gift and for offering such a great product. Customer for life -Chris-

Dear Glen: I've now had a little chance to play with my G4 pack and, regretfully, I've got to tell you I'm not going to use it myself. It's a good pack - I still particularly like the way the sleeping pad becomes the suspension. It's large, and well-made (though the ease with which the water-tube loops pulled out of the shoulder strap seams gave me a little pause - but then I figured out that trying to hold them together with a carabiner as a kind of makeshift sternum strap may have exceeded what they were designed to endure. No problem, since I cut them off anyhow.) So, after that little side excursion, why have I decided not to use the pack? Simply because it's too big. That's not your fault, it's mine. I just don't take enough stuff to fill it. Even with my winter bag, uncompressed, and all my winter clothes, I still couldn't get a weekend load high enough - and all that clothing loosely packed made it a little "floppier" a ride than I really wanted. With my summer load of bivy sack and Coolmax bag liner, bivy sack, and no extra clothes (except the socks, which padded the shoulder straps and hip belt) I ran out of side velcro when I tried to roll the top down. I hike in the midwest - Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana - mostly on weekends. As a result, I simply don't carry as much stuff as you need to. So, I imagine this size pack works perfectly in the mountains, where my winter load is your summer load. Thus, the fault lies not with the pack, but the hiker. Am I sorry I bought this pack? Absolutely not. It was one of your closeouts - so, from the beginning, I looked at it as a really neat $50 experiment, where I couldn't lose. Would I recommend against this pack? Absolutely not. As I said, it's perfect for its designed load. What will I do with my pack? It will be passed on to some of my heavier-packing friends with their Dana's and other monsters. They're trying to lighten up, and most have their loads at or under 40 pounds. This pack might just launch them a little further into lightweight packing - though I doubt they'll ever be able to define "necessity" quite as sparingly as I do. Helping them be more comfortable on the trail with an under-30 pound load is definitely worth $50 to me! So, thanks for making these packs available at such a reasonable price. I really enjoyed giving it a try - and will enjoy watching others try it, to. Maybe my fully packed Khamsin 38 (totaling 16 pounds) and I will see you on the trail if you ever come east. Thanks again, Glenn Roberts

The pack is great. It is an incredible design. Tell Cindy to start sewing and I'll send the trail pack back to you. Thanks so much, Chuck

Hey Glen got the pack today and it looks great. Can't wait to get out and use it! Thanks for the speedy mailing. Gurney AT2002

I'm writing you bit late on this, but I just wanted to tell you that my Brother in Law was extremely happy with the new G4 we gave him for Christmas that you sent. He hasn't had a chance to use it (hernia surgery), but going light is the only option for him now (ha ha). He can't wait for spring. On another note, I saw the G- 5 Gossamer in the Backpacker gear guide. I'll bet your swamped now. It looks great, I'm putting it on my short list for gotta have gear (right after the Hennessy Extremely Light A-Sym). Anyway, thanks for the pack, You've gained another salesman! Best, Gregg

Just a quick note from Don & Shannon Jackson. We used your pack on our CDT thru hike, 2002. The packs performed flawlessly throughout our 5 month hike. I am sure we sold a few packs for you. Everyone we met along the trail was impressed by the packs design, light weight and functionality. Your pack definitely contributed the enjoyment and ultimately, the success of our trip. Thank you.

Thanks for the flexibility on the return policy, but I am totally satisfied with the pack. I had an opportunity to get on snowshoes for about 3 hours and tested the pack. It was and will be great, and if I abrade it on a rock someday, I'll just buy a new one! It will be well worth it. Thanks again for a great product and a most useful contribution to backpacking and enjoying the outdoors with less pain! Take care, Roger

I used the new model pack this weekend on a short trip to Cooper Cyn. Campground in the Angeles National Forest. This was an opportunity to test the pack with a heavy load of 42 lbs. under real world conditions. I packed the winter bag, 6lb. tent, 3 stoves, 5 flashlights, full compliment of raingear, big shovel lashed to back, 4 lbs. of fuel, 2 extra changes of clothes, 6 lbs. of food, 4 lbs. of water, ect. I had done day hikes with 45lbs. and the load felt OK but I was getting sway from the revised belt system. However the relocated shoulder straps kept the rear of the pack from drooping down my backside as the old model surely would have. I solved the swaying by sewing on the sternum straps that you so kindly sent to me for retrofit. The instructions were perfect and I did not even have to trim the pads. The backpack trip went well. I see now why you changed the belt. My hips can move more freely, and with my trekking poles I can really lengthen my stride. The biggest result of the heavy load test was sore shoulders (and tired feet). I am going to trim the pads somewhat more for curves and tighten the sternum straps some more. When I get finished fine tuning for heavy loads, I will really be able to fly when I switch back to 25 lbs. I haven't done the bike ride yet, but the hip belt change should allow me to pedal efficiently and again the sternum strap should control the sway. Can't wait to try it. Terry Terzian

I have been meaning to email you for several weeks now since I received my GVP-4 in December. I used my pack for a 2 day hike on the Ouachita Trail in Arkansas in December. My total packweight was 22 lb, which with some other changes in gear to come, should decrease by at least another 1lb or two in the near future. What a fabulous pack! I couldn't believe how light it felt and how much more easily the miles ticked by. It is very well designed and the workmanship is excellent. And because of your generosity selling it at your cost, it is very affordable. FYI, four years ago I gave up backpacking after a grueling trip with a 45lb load. But this past fall I was volunteered to assist a BSA council trip to Philmont this summer. Deciding that I no longer wanted to be a packmule, I started my research on lightweight backpacking. It didn't take long to find the pack...your GVP-4. As others have mentioned, there is a bit of shock or awe when one takes it out of the small shipping box. Everyone in my office was amazed at how light yet how large it is. It is large enough for Philmont (and all the heavy group gear that will be thrust upon us). In conclusion, thank you, Glen, for your great contribution to the backpacking world and for your part in enabling me to once again backpack with the youthful enthusiasm I thought was lost with the years. May God continue to bless you and your family. Sincerely, Gerry Brucia Ruston, Louisiana

Thanks for the speedy reply. I'm mailing you a check today, as the Paypal system lost me when they started referring to "cookies". I saw the pack when I visited my dad over Xmas. Looks great!! He and I are going to do the Backbone, both ways, in March. All the best- Robin

Thanks Glen, I used the last one on my AT thru hike last year. It worked great for me! I'm not exactly gentle though, so it's time for a new one. Thanks again, Greg Benkert GA>ME 2002

I went out for a 3 mile hike with about 15 lbs in the pack. I can't believe how comfortable it is. I am using 8 sections of a Z-Rest and this added some warmth in the 30 degree weather we are having. The use of socks in the shoulder straps is wonderful. Gloves work great in the hip belt, but like you say on your web site with extra clothing there is no need for padding there. Outside pockets hold everything and more and the overall pack is plenty big. Looking forward to using in for many miles to come. Again thank you and God Bless. Tony DiLorenzo PCT 2000

People are NOT going to stop buying your packs!! Mine arrived Friday and it is all I expected and knew it would be. Great!! Don't I owe you $5.75 for Shipping?? Sounds like you have a pretty good life now, and making such fine products available can only enhance it--even if it is a great deal of work. I'm not much for hiking in the snow--I'm 62 and have arthritic knees--but will be trying the pack soon. Thanks much! Take care, Roger

I recently ordered one of your packs. It is by far the best ultra-lite pack I have seen. I particularly like the sleeping bag compartment and the external pocket for the sleeping pad. However, I'm returning the pack because it is too big for my needs. Over the last two summers I've been using a Golite pack with a total 4000 cubic inch capacity. On my AT thru-hike in 2000, I carried a 4000 cubic inch Marmot pack (of course, started with a giant Dana pack). I love the simple design of the Golite, but miss having a hip belt, which I think stabilizes (no swaying) the load and brings it closer to your back (less strain on shoulders). Would you consider 'customizing' a pack with a 4000 cu in capacity? I'm planning to thru-hike the PCT come this summer. Great pack, sorry for the return. Kelly Ternent

The new packs are just what the doctor ordered! The wife is killing me with her dayhikes though. Since Christmas we have put about 20 miles of power hiking under our new hipbelts. Next weekend we are backpacking the Buckhorn/Cooper Cyn. area with the new packs, snowshoes and trekking poles. Towards the end of the month I want to mountain bike the Point Mugu State Park area using my new pack. Is there any chance I can buy 2ea. sets of sternum straps from you? I am hoping that I can get even more stability at the shoulders because I will be loosening or not using the waist belt while pedaling. The wife can sew them on if you tell us where (and keep her off the trail for a while). By the way, the improvements you put into the new pack has let me carry up to 45lbs. comfortably (wife killing me). And I can load more into the mesh pockets than ever before. Now I can buy more gadgets to take to Philmont. LOL! Hope the holidays were good for you, Terry

Got the G4 pack in the mail yesterday. I am very pleased with the looks and the quality. Thanks for the super fast response, and all the info. -Rob

Just received the package you sent last Monday. If you hadn't sent it before you rec'd payment we wouldn't have had it in time for Christmas as we are leaving for Ohio tomorrow (Sunday). It is for my son who, with his wife, plan to build this coming year on his property on the Yellowstone River in Montana. I appreciate your faith and trust in me as I'm sure you don't make a habit of sending goods before you have received payment. Have a Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year. Ken Greenwood

I received my G4 last spring. I took it on several short trips, but gave it the true test in the fall. I packed for a 8 day, no resupply, trip through the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana. I carried about 18 pounds of food and 12 pounds gear. The pack did great. I had 2 small seam failures. One where the Z-Rest goes and the other on one of the mesh side pockets, but both were easily reparable. I took the suggestion on another G4 user and put my small bivy/tent poles along the back of the pack. These poles helped give the pack a pseudo-suspension. Thanks, Stephen Rudmann

Received my G4 pack and it's a beaut! It arrived yday, shipping worked out very well. The quality is impressive for a sub $100 pack and I look forward to packing up my gear testing it out for a few miles on the AT this weekend. Don't be surprised if Tennessee orders spring up on Monday. Thanks again for your prompt and considerate return of my message earlier this week. Happy Holidays. David Sapp

I received my G4 pack last night. I'm impressed - it's somewhat larger than I need, but I'll make do! Everything that follows is somewhat theoretical, based on first impressions inside my home; obviously, I haven't taken it for a walk yet. I particularly like the thoughtful design that omits zippers and uses the foam pad as the frame sheet. The 3 large mesh pockets are a nice touch, too. Lunch and water, and maybe some odds and ends, will travel nicely in the side pockets. The back pocket eliminates two stuff sacks from my pack. My tarp and poncho can now store loose inside the pack when dry, and in the mesh pockets when wet or muddy. (Their stuff sacks were only needed to keep the inside of my old pack dry, and to keep from getting other contents wet by association.) Naturally, I had to play with it last night. Since I haven't purchased a Z-rest yet, I used a Ridgerest. I suspect the Z-rest will work a little better simply because it's easier to fold to the correct size. The pack easily held my 13 pounds of food, water and gear. In fact, I left my down bag completely uncompressed, and still had plenty of room. The pack seems to fit my back a little better than a stiff frame does. I'm going to try using the hipbelt and shoulder straps without any padding for a while; the extra width seems to be enough to distribute the weight. I'm particularly anxious to see if there's the hipbelt sliding problem I've had with padded belts. My guess is there won't be. (As an aside, my all-time favorite belt was the Arcteryx belt c. 2000 - lightly padded, with a wide mesh panel that absolutely prevented sliding, and was quite cool and comfortable. You might eventually want to copy this idea on your packs, perhaps ending up with an all-mesh belt.) The only two modifications I intend to make at this point are: I may rig a sternum strap to pull the shoulder straps in toward the middle of my chest - jury's still out. (A short piece of shock cord clipped to the thumb loops should do it.) I will replace the shock cord drawstring around the top with a piece of non-stretch cord. The shock cord makes it too difficult to cinch the pack shut. As I mentioned above, I have trouble filling the pack up, so when I bent over with the pack on, things tended to fall out the top when I used the "quick release" closure described in the instructions. I intend to play with this pack for a year or so, then order a custom pack (perhaps a G5) if I want some significant changes. If I do order another pack later, this one will be used to proselytize my friends to the ultralight way. I'm enclosing my current gear list; thought you might like to see what's going into your pack. I hike and camp in the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana area, with the occasional trip to Isle Royale. Mostly, I can only get away for weekends, but I manage one or two week-long trips most years. Thanks for the prompt service and well-designed product. I'm anxious to get my pack out on the trail. Glenn Roberts

I completed a G4 pack using 1.35 oz Si ripstop (total weight 9.5 oz) and walked the JMT with it last Summer. With careful handling, it held up very well and is ready for another walk next Summer. Thanks for the good instructions. Best Regards, Robert Grant

Thanks, Glen. I received the G4 today and it looks great! I'm looking forward to trying it out. It'll be with me in South America this winter. Kurt :)

Picked my pack up at the office today. Am I pumped! I filled it with approximately the same amount of weight that I'm shooting for on my extended hikes, and man, what a difference! It sure beats the 60lb weight I started out with on the AT last summer on a section hike (although my Gregory Shasta was still better than the Low Alpine that I hiked with the first time). I can't wait until next summer when I hike the AT again. Next July I'm taking a group of teenagers on a 5 day AT hike in VA that's sponsored by several Methodist Churches here in the Southeast. Check out the website at www.wtrail.com sometime - I think you'd get a kick out of it! The gearheads up there will have a ball with this pack. Who knows, we'll probably bring you even more business. North GA trails, beware! Here I come! Sincerely, Jim Hendrix

I have been extremely remiss in not thanking you for producing such a great product. I just love the backpack and have tested it on a couple of 10 day "hard core" off trail hikes in the Salmon/Trinity Primitive Wilderness as well as hauling it all the way around Mt. Rainier on the Wonderland Trail this year. I'm working on a New Zealand thru-hike for 04/05 so I 'll be plugging your packs "down under" as well as up here. Regards, Hikin' & Grinnin' Heidrun (aka Xkanuck)

Well after 130 miles of section hiking the AT with the GVP-4 you can add me to the list of happy GVP-4 users. I cant think of anything I dont like about it. Sincerely, Robert Moore

You keep making improvements and I'll keep buying more packs. This is getting ridiculous!! I think I own 3 now. -Jim

Got the large GVP pack right after i wrote you and it is WONDERFUL! this is exactly what i have been looking for for several years. hope you grand canyon adventure was awesome! it's one of my favorite places. i just returned from big bend national park in texas, did a 3 day solo on the south rim! but had a five pound pack (empty!) wish i had the GVP then! thanks for everything you're doing-- turko

The pack is first rate!!! Take care, George

The pack arrived today and has been loaded and tried and I am having a great deal of fun with it. I had hiked a couple of hours with the EMS pack, like I had said, and find yours to be much more comfortable at the same weight and just has a nicer and more gentle feel to it . Maybe I had made up my mind that that would be the case since I like alternative ways of doing things. I am looking forward to next weekend's outing very much now. What I appreciated as much or more than the pack was the testimony you sent and the challenge to think about our need for God. And I liked your analogy very much about no matter how much we try, or how much we carry, we won't be able to make the trip to Him on our own. I tend to think in analogies so I found this one especially neat. I have been a believer for some 25 years or so now, out of my 48 years, and have wondered sometimes what kind of a percentage of the hiking community might also be believers. Would you hazard a guess? Have people written back to you about your including this spiritual challenge either positively or negatively? Knowing that God is important to you will make the wearing and using of your pack even nicer. Take care, Warmly, Ann

Thank you for designing and making your pack, the G4. I received my pack four weeks ago and due to prior commitments, I have not been able to go backpacking until this last weekend. Wow, what a difference. For a three day, two night trip, my pack weighed in at 23 pounds (which includes a bear canister)! I still can not believe that I waited so long to try the light weight approach to backpacking. After hiking eight miles to Thousand Island Lake, I still had the time and the energy to hike around the lake. Thank you, Jack

Got it today. AWESOME!!! That new hip belt is amazing. What a difference in support that will make. Thanks much. I will be singing the praises on this one. Regards, Jim

Thank you. I brought the basic pack as a present for my boyfriend Miah. He has talked about your website and the light weight gear you make at home. We make quilt like sleeping bags for two people and one person and he is always looking for new ideas for things to make and that is how he ran across your website. I am very excited about giving this pack to him. Thank You so much for making this wonderful pack :) Sarah Vergane

My wife Barbara and I just completed the John Muir Trail this August--17 days, including 2-1/2 lay days for resupply at VVR and near Kearsarge Pass, where some real trail angels schlepped in 15 lbs or more food--way more than needed to get us to Whitney Portal. We're over sixty, and going light for the last 3 years has made a huge difference--we going more often, farther and faster than ever before. We've met Roy Robinson dong the AT, missed Brian by only a few days near Hot Springs, NC, and have had too many adventures to tell here. But...the JMT is rough on gear, and my blue G4 sustained two tiny cuts--is it possible to get a swatch of the blue material, I think 3x3 or a tiny bit larger would do forme to sew on some patches? I will be glad to pay any shipping and handling costs. One final note: We had a hard time getting used to the G4 until we figured out that the Z-rest is an essential component for them to work. Once we got that across they were great, especially for carrying those darn bear canisters. Thanks! Hermann and Barbara Gucinski

I took a quick little 11 mile trip this last weekend to shakedown my new pack, no problems with capacity with this pack! I used socks for my hip belt pads, I like to wear those lowrider ankle socks and they are just right. I used the regular closed cell foam pad material you supplied for my shoulder straps and loaded up for a overnighter. I went somewhat heavy with the filter and carried three liters of water... is hot and humid in the forest in TX this time of year... still came in at 17 pounds. I made a good honest 5 miles well before dark and that was hitting the trail at 630pm. I had dinner simmering in the boil bag in my sleeping bag and my tent up (mosquitos big as bats!) well before dark. This has been my first true light pack trip, I wore lowcut hiking shoes and it was actually a lot like strolling in the park. I carried 1/2 liter going out and it was just too nice! Great pack, it rides really well, packs easy and is tough enough for how I handle my gear. I am going to the 4 C's trail this next weekend for a 20 mile trip. I am going to wear my sneakers this trip and pack the aqua mira instead of the filter to save a little weight. Thanks for a great product. The next trip I take with someone else, I will get some pic's for you. Mike Malone

I recently tried my G4 with my 3/4 length thermarest and two carbon fiber arrow shafts for pack stays. I folded the thermarest in fourths and tucked the stays on each side inside the folds. This did a much better job of transfering a little weight to my hips than the way I had been using it before. I would guess that you could do the same with a full length pad. Steve

Like the improvements a lot. The pad holder and thicker waist belt strap especially. Take care, T

Good morning Glen. I just received my pack (via Laura Moss) and I'm already in love. I have a 8 day trip in the Sawtooth's coming up and can't wait to give it the test. Thanks for getting it out to us so quickly. Wendy Todd

I have the packs here. May I say from a quality standpoint, y'all do a fabulous job. Further, I had no idea your pack would hold so much. I think having the sleeping pad on the outside and therefore not sucking up cube makes a big difference, as compared to my kelty flight. Well, I tossed about 16 lbs of stuff in the packs, I have almost my complete winter load in there, with food and water and still have room to spare. I walked each around the block once. So far, the medium rides lower and maybe too low. The small rides higher on my hip, but I am not sure I could get the weight off my shoulders if I wanted to change the load bearing points from shoulder to waist. The shoulder is almost out of shoulder strap. Tomorrow night I will check the fit with a bulky jacket on. I will make a decision here and ship back the second pack. When I handed my husband the little square out of the box he looked at it and said "what is this?" I told him it was the pack I had been waiting for. He looked at it, unfolded it, and just stood there in disbelief. I took him upstairs and had him hold his mountainsmith in the other hand. He finally realized just how heavy his pack really is. Thanks again for your product design, quality work and amazing customer service. I look forward to taking the G4 I keep off road for a trek. I am still trying to come to grips with the idea something so minimal could feel so good! Sincerely, Cynthia

It's taken awhile to report back on the G-4, but I think the pack is outstanding! The quality of the bag construction was excellent, though I had my doubts after years of conventional backpacking that it would hold up since it was so light (13.44 oz out of the box). I received it promptly after I ordered it in late may (early june?) and took it on a three day- two night trip on the escarpment trail near Windham, NY in the northern Catskills starting June 21. My total pack weight was 24 lbs at the start, roughly half the weight of the other adults packs in our group. That included all my gear (7 1/2 lbs), all the food for myself and my two boys (8 & 11 yrs, so their packweights were 10 and 14 pounds respectively), steaks for the first night, 4- 14 oz Guinness stouts (for medicinal purposes of course), and 32 oz of water (another in the group had a purifier). Since I had the kids with me, and June is notorious for blackflies in the Catskills, I decided to take my SD Clip 3 (5 lbs 9 oz) with me instead of a tarp. I used spare socks in the shoulder straps and hip belt. For a waterproof pack liner, I took one of those cheap emergency space blanket sleeping bags, which worked great (heavy thunderstorm). My Thermarest explorer 3/4 sleeping pad worked nicely folded into the Z-rest pocket. The pack was very comfortable. The hip belt really worked well with the Thermarest providing rigidity as a packframe. I left a little air in it which helped stiffen it up and cushioned my back. The trail has a good bit of elevation change up and down and I never felt as if I needed to stop to rest or readjust (although we did for the kids sake as well as for some of the more heavily laden adults). The pack also hugged my back nicely, which was appreciated on some of the steeper areas which require a bit of rock scrambling. As far as my initial misgivings about durability, I am pleased to say that the pack looked brand new when we got back, with no rips, seam pulls or anything frayed (I took care of it, but not overly so). Thanks for a great product. Even the hardcore heavyweight backpackers in our group of friends had to admit that your pack and the lightweight concept was hard to beat. I was as comfortable as they were in camp, and much more comfortable on the trail. I expect that you might have some more orders from NY soon- Best, Gregg

I took the GVP4 overnight for the first time this weekend into the Indian Peaks Wilderness here in Colorado. The ranger checking permits thought I was day hiking. Ultra light has not caught on over at BLM. The pack obviously is designed by a packer and not a marketing department. I do have a couple of ideas. One would be to have a couple of elastic straps across the bottom to stow the rest of the ZRest and to protect the pack. The other is that I likely will string a front pack on the thumb loops to carry my maps etc.

Thanks for a great pack. I sincerely hope that you make enough from the sales for some pretty nice product testing and research. Dick Matthews

Glen, thanks for the prompt response. I just completed a 9 mile test of the pack fully loaded for the 1st leg of my JMT trip. About 35 lbs with bear container, fuel, water, but it felt good. Tried tying bear container on top, using those 4 loops, but pretty unstable, so just stuffed it inside vertically and that worked fine. I heard a couple of pops during the hike, and thought maybe a seam had started to go, but couldn't find anything. Reviewed all my gear and found 2.5 lbs I didn't have to have, so a little less stress on the pack and me. Will give you an update at end of trip. Thanks, Ralph Alcorn

Just returned from my first hike with my G4. The pack performed beautifully, easily accomodating the required bear cannister. The only thing that slowed me down was having to respond to questions and compliments on the ultralight gear. Next time I'll carry a sign stating "It's a G4, not a Golite!" My planned two-day, nearly 29mile hike over three passes (one over 11,000 feet), was accomplished in one day.Your excellent gear, your suggestions packing lighter, and a lot of hungry mosquitos made the extra distance possible. Many thanks from me and my 55 year-old knees, Ken Schwarz, Corona del Mar PS. When I don't need the bear cannister and can get a spinshelter, I will be five pounds lighter. Can't wait!

My new G4 arrived yesterday, about 2 weeks ahead of my expectations. Thanks for sending it out before your vacation. I look forward to enjoying the use of this pack for many years. Thanks for an excellent product at an excellent price. It is as you say on your Website - you are focused on giving back to the hiking community more than on making money. James Andrews

Thank you very much for both the way you solved my dilemma, and for the timely way in which you went about it... you went beyond what one would normally expect! My hike around the Wonderland Trail continues as scheduled, thanks to you. My best to you, Larry Kofsky

I just returned from 3 days up in San Gorgonio Wilderness and about 30 mile of up and down (training for the JMT in August) and all I can say about your pack is "Wow"!!. Thank you so much for inventing that pack. In addition to the light weight, I just couldn't believe the accessibility your pack provides. Everything is easy to get to. What an unexpected benefit. I do have a couple of questions that I will call you about. Thank you again. Regards, Pat Marfisi

Just a note to let you know I have received the GVP-4 and love it at first sight....I have test loaded it and love the hip belt and the capacity...the sleeping bag (a Western Mountaineering Versalite) sits right in the small of my back)..dont know if this is good or bad yet but it feels good...I will test the setup on an AT hike June 26-28 in the Smokies from Newfound Gap to Davenport Gap---aprox 33 miles....some is over 6000 feet with 80 percent above 5000 so I will take some warm clothes just in case-it has snowed at those altitudes in our region in July before....anyway thanks for what appears to be a super product. Sincerely, Robert Moore p.s. still have my doubts about the z-rest---pine needles and a garbage bag or two should help a lot!

Glen, I received the pack yesterday and am already in love with it. Thank you also for the gift of the micros. It wasn't necessary, but i appreciate your generosity and customer care. I can't wait to use it for real. -larry

Received my $50 G4 pack yesterday from Glen. It was shipped priority mail the same day I ordered and I had it two days later (shipping was included in the cost!). First impressions, absolutely delighted. Happy happy joy joy. I have sewn some of my own gear and I can tell you the workmanship is very very good with top materials used. The pack is HUGE compaired to my go-lite breeze. This will become my winter pack. I don't need the volume for most summer trips unless I use one of my synthetic sleeping bags. The weight on my scale for the pack out of the box is 12.9 oz. Glen included optional blocks of foam padding (1.6 oz) for the shoulder straps and waist belt which I will use so my total weight is 14.5 oz. The only thing about the pack I didn't like was very minor and easy to fix. Elastic cord and a toggle was used to close the top of the pack. I will replace the elastic with a standard cord. This pack is worth at least three times what I paid for it. Cheers, and thanks to Glen, -KevinS

I tried out my pack for the first time this past weekend. Total wt.a little under 20 pounds including food for 2 days and 2 liters of water.The pack handled extremely well. Plenty of room in the outside pockets too. I used the foam you supplied to pad the straps rather than wrestle around balancing underwear on both sides. Very comfortable The trail I was on was very steep and difficult. I appreciated the balance of the load and the extreme ease with which it can be removed and put back on during rest stops. What a great design. I did have some trouble when I tried to use a single waste bag as a liner . It was difficult to keep it open to load items. It also slipped a lot. I ended up putting sleeping bag , clothes , and tarp in separate bags which was still a somewhat slippery process. Ithink I will trya single giant lawn bag next time and see how that works. Anyway, I more than pleased with the pack. The guy I hiked with is an experinced backpacker and was impressed with the pack. When will the spinnaker tarp be available. When it is I want one Thanks again for a great quality pack, Rich Danilchak

Thanks for the pack...it is way cool. Best deal on the internet! I have set 27 pounds as my weight (that includes 12 pounds of food and a CamelBack unbottle, 70 ounces) for a 6 day trip. I have been hiking (5 miles) everyday with it and barely notice the weight. I made one small change to the pack. I had my wife sew on a Grateful Dead, Steal Your Face patch on it! I took my load and put it in the Osprey Aether 60 and it actually felt heavier in that pack! (I subtracted 3 pounds of food to counter the weight of the Osprey). The hip belt felt as though it was choking me. Also, there were tiny voices telling me to add more to the Osprey, that it can take it, etc. I didn't listen to them Yes you did - No I didn't - sorry, I hate when they butt in :) Bottom line...I am returning the Osprey (got it at Campmor) for a refund and will use the G4 as my pack of choice. Thanks! Jim

I received the pack on Thursday, and went on a 2 1/2 day short hike on Friday in the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. The pack work out just fine. I had more weight in it than recommended ( I estimate in the mid twenties with 3 liters of water), but on a short hike it was very easy to handle. When the weather warms up just a little more, and I take my lighter sleeping bag and less clothes, it will be just right. Thank you. Mark Rabin

I'm ecstatic! I've got most of my stuff in the pack and slipped my 3/4 Thermarest folded in the pad pocket, walked around and, it's so light! My daughter is jealous. I told her she can use my old pack while I'm gone. Martin R. Fors [marty aka rusty]

I wanted to provide some feedback on the G4 pack, so you can post it and others not familiar with the pack can benefit from my research and experiences. I'm an ultralight backpacker. I have used the Golite Breeze pack for nearly two years now, and find it to be an excellent pack for shorter, summertime backpacks carrying less than 20#. However, I found that for longer (>5 day) backpacks and spring/fall trips, where I need to carry more weight and volume, the Breeze simply doesn't have the volume or weight capacity to carry the bigger load (more food and/or warmer clothes and bag). I needed a lightweight pack with about 50% more volume and weight capacity than the Breeze.

I considered "light" internal frame packs like the Mountainsmith Auspex, Osprey Aether, and Serratus Superlite. These are all good packs, but they are simply not light enough. As long as I carry light loads (25# max), I don't need all of the features these packs have. Next, I did a roundup of ultralight packs. This included the Golite Gust, the new Golite Land and Earth, the ULA-1, and the G4. The Gust was the largest, but it weighs 20 oz, much of its claimed volume is in its extension collar, and it doesn't have external mesh pockets (which I really like on my Breeze). The Earth has good capacity, but it weighs 35 oz and costs $159. As near as I can tell, the ULA-1 is about the same as the Breeze, only more modular. The winner was the G4.

I must admit that I did not pay enough attention to the G4 when I bought my Breeze, but having both packs provides some versatility. When you evaluate the specs of the Breeze and the G4, they seem pretty similar, but believe me, the G4 has about 40-50% more volume. I got out my lightweight gear for a winter backpack I am planning and put it into both packs. The Breeze was packed tight and I barely got it all in; the G4 took it all and had room left for about 50% more!

Comparing the G4 and the Breeze, some things worth mentioning are as follows. The Breeze has a lot of its claimed volume in the extension collar and pockets, but not all of that volume is usable. When the main pack is stuffed full, it is hard to get things in and out of the mesh pockets on the outside. With the extension collar stuffed full, the Breeze is quite top heavy. Also, the shoulder straps on the Breeze are fairly heavy and a little too hard. The G4, on the other hand, has a larger pack body, smaller extension collar, mesh pockets that billow out more, and much lighter shoulder straps and hip belt. The result is more usable volume, and I can get more into the outside pockets and get it in/out easier. At 12.7 oz, the G4 has a better volume/weight ratio. That all said, I believe my preference will be for the Breeze for shorter trips/lighter loads and the G4 for longer trips/heavier loads.

We made a few modifications to the G4 to meet my preferences. We removed the drink tube loops and thumb loops on the shoulder straps, removed the ice axe loop, converted the extension collar closure to the Breeze system, added a sternum strap, installed side-squeeze buckles on the shoulder straps so they can be easily released to put on a rain cover, and sewed in some lightweight padding in the shoulder straps (we found that the velcro closure made it difficult to stuff the shoulder straps because the socks stuck to the velcro). The pack now weighs 13.9 oz with modifications. Overall, the G4 is a great lightweight pack with lots of room. I look forward to putting several hundred miles on it this year. Thanks for making it available. Will Rietveld

I just wanted to email you and let you know your G4 pack worked great on the Appalachian Trail! I started the hike on March 31, and finished on August 3rd. Of course, I was packing light, which is undoubtedly the smart way to go on these long hikes! My pack averaged a little over 20 pounds. The pack worked out very well and I was glad to have it. It was, of course, extremely light and quite comfortable. It also held up remarkably well. I made only the most minor of repairs; a few stitches with dental floss. The mesh got a few holes in it from getting snagged on brush, but with a few pieces of duct tape easily made it the whole way. Slightly heavier mesh would be worthwhile, though, I believe. It looks to me that this pack could make the whole hike again. Another change that would definitely be worth the weight, in my mind, is the addition of a sternum strap. I sewed one on myself and the extra comfort easily justified the extra oz. or so. Because most folks use hiking poles on the trail, a sternum strap is much more useful that it normally is, because your hands aren't free. About the only other criticism I have is that it tended to ride a bit low. I'm not sure what the fix for this is, but even with packing more loosely at the bottom the center of gravity was still a little low. Bottom line: the G4 is a great pack, and in my opinion a better ultralight pack than any of the others I saw on the trail. Thank you for your help in getting my pack in time for hiking the trail, and thanks for an excellent pack. Bruce L. Nelson aka "Colter"

Thanks for the quick delivery for the royal blue G4. Your emial about its size for woman was right on - we will purchase another when the smallere size becomes available, this one is too big for my wife. It appears to fit me OK, so have decided to keep it -- will do full scale testing next opportunity.

General comment: Excellent quality in terms of how it is put together! Thoughtful design, and the padding concept for hip belt and shoulder straps works and feels great! The pack does seem absolutely huge! Even loaded at 15 lbs, nobody will mistake me for a dayhiker1 But when we do the JMT next summer and will have to carry bear-proof food canisters, the size will seem just right (we have had starting weights, using the Golite "breeze" of 26 and 28 lbs for a 6 day traverse of the Glacier Peak wilderness, WA, and 23 and 26 lbs for a 6 day traverse of the Pasayten Wilderness (Manning Par, BC to Stehekin, WA) and carry between 15 to 19 lbs starting weights for 3 night jaunts. Please let me know when the smaller one becomes available. I plan to lend mine to a friend that is planning a week-long trip in New Zealand -- he carried 44 lbs and a 7 lb pack for the Pasayten trip, but has promised to learn to cut back!! thanks again report will follow -hermann

Thanks for the excellent pack plans. I learned how to sew by making a g4 this weekend. It turned out so well. It is the perfect size for my load and has lightened it by many pounds. I can't thank you enough. Jon VanderPloeg

I was fortunate to be able to bring my son to the fifth game of the World Series. Before going to the game we went to lower Manhattan but not all the way to the WTC site. As you may know, backpacks were banned from the game, but I figured that if it was rolled up small enough to fit into my pocket, maybe just maybe it would be ok. Well, the guards never made me empty my pockets so we got in with it ok. It was needed because the temps did not get below the mid 50's and we had enough clothing, along with souveneirs, to get down to the 30's. Anyway, hope these get through to you. I did not have the balls to try to get a picture of me wearing it inside the stadium since we probably would have been thrown out. Hope to see you soon. Caboose tells me he already ordered a G5 for me. Make mine first! ;--) --Paddy

I thought I'd report in with some comments on the G-4. I put a good 300+ miles on the pack this summer, completing both the High Sierra Trail and John Muir Trail(plus a few short trips). I must say the g-4 performed to and above my expectations. I found it to be comfortable, easy to use, and durable. In regard to durability I was surprised at how well the pack held up. With a bit of common sense involved in handling the pack, I expect it to last many summers to come. Overall, I have to say this was the best hiking purchase I've ever made.. Keep up the good work. Cheers, William Davies

Glen, we just returned from the Boundary Waters Canoeing Area. Ann carried her Wild Things pack with all of our food (about 30 pounds worth). I carried my G4 with our sleeping quilt, tarp, etc., all the light and bulky stuff, so I could carry the canoe. The large mesh pockets on the G4 were perfect for the canoe. It was easy to reach in and get things while paddling. Because weight was not as critical we took our MSR Whisperlight stove. The side mesh pocket was big enough for me to carry the fuel bottle with stove attached, protected by a zip-lock, and secured by a rubber band. We carried our Thermo-Rests for sleeping, but the 6-panel Z-Rest from my pack was the most popular pad for sitting. When you are ready to ship a G5 we would like one for Ann in a short length. Thanks. Larry I forgot to mention the most dramatic G4 success. Typically when portaging we would get out of the canoe in knee-deep water, put on our packs, and Ann picked up the paddles and life preservers while I picked up the canoe. Once as I was turning after picking up the canoe I stumbled on the rocks and slipped into deeper water, falling to my knees with water up to my shoulders. The G4 was pretty much underwater. Everything inside stayed perfectly dry. Thanks for a great pack. Larry

We purchased a G4 pack for my wife earlier this summer. In June/July we used it on about 70 miles section hiking the AT in NC. Our goal was to lighten up the pack weight. In general she loved the pack. It adequately held the approximately 20 to 25 lbs she carried and held up well. We were surprised that the outside mesh cloth was relatively tear resistant. The Zrest sections worked great. When she was only wearing her sports bra, she slipped here tee shirt over the Zrest to absorb the sweat. She did have to fashion a sterum strap to keep the shoulder straps in place - we will add a permanent one soon. She will also have to reduce the shoulder straps length some. Overall it did what we wanted - thanks for your time in developing this pack. Sincerely, Jim Moomaw

Awesome pack! Shoulder strap to waist belt dimension just right for me. Took the pack on our last troop checkout hike, yesterday, up Mt. Diablo in the San Francisco East Bay. Hike started out at 700 feet and ends at the top, obviously, at 3849 and 2.5 hours later. I thought that I'd never find a pack that was as comfortable as my Dana Bridger but I think that yours is it (sure beats the GoLite). Had my basic load down to about 12 lbs and then added bear cannister, two five pound bags of sugar and 3 liters of water to top off at about 32-35 lbs. I can't prove it for sure, but it seems that the Z-Rest somehow distributes some of load to the large surface area of your back, thus taking it off of your shoulders. I must admit, that as I loaded it up Friday night, I had serious doubts. I almost repacked everything into my Dana but I'm glad that I didn't. I'll be taking your pack on our 50-miler in a couple of weeks. Thanks, Charlie Ruefenacht

I've been using my G4 custom for the last five months every other week end friday thru Monday and will not go back to my old Jansport!!!!! Would like to put my name in for the new G5 custom.... Ray Welliver

I received my pack today, and am extremely pleased with it! It is truly a wonderfully designed pack - excellent consideration for the sleeping bag, and the Z-Rest padding system is so comfortable. Kudos to you for innovating such a thoughtful ultra-light product. I've been toying around with it all day. I stuffed all my gear into it, and just like I calculated it was 13 pounds. I then added a generous 4 day supply of food, plus 48oz of water and the total came to 20 pounds. I'm sure that's heavy by ultra-light standards, but hey - I took 40 pounds on my last trip. I'm pleased as heck to chop my load in half! Of course, I've gained 20 pounds since then.....hrmph.... :-) And thanks for the encouraging words about the SilShelter. I needed to hear from a happy customer, to qualm my fears about it. Anyway, I'll mail you the check for the remaining balance ASAP. I hit the PCT next Monday - I will be sure to gloat about the G4 to any interested passer-by! Best Regards, Andrew Geibel

I would just like to say, I love your approach to selling your packs. You sell them for a reasonable price, and you give people every chance to make their own. You have really thrown the regular rules of sales out the window. I am glad you are doing so well too. A while back I asked your advice on my design for my first backpack, and first homemade piece of gear. You were just starting to think about selling your own pack design. Since then I have made quilts, tarps, and soon I will be working on my 3rd pack (my AT thruhiker). I just wanted to say thanks and good luck in the future Devin Krevetski

Glen, I wanted you to know got the pack, I looks really good, Stitching and all looks great. I have a large signal job to complete so I have to wait a couple of weeks now so I can really try it out. Everyone that has looked at it is impressed with the quality and weight. I have several people that are interested and may order one for themselves as they aren't gonna get mine :-), including a local dealer, (or at least the people that work there ) Thanks Roy

Hi Glen- Yes, I would like a second one! I'm planning a thru-hike of the PCT this spring/summer/fall and am not sure that one pack will make it the whole way so I thought I'd have a second one on hand. I got your email that you had some in stock and thought I'd take advantage of it. I sent you a check today for $75 and would love it if you sent the pack off right away as there are a few modifications I could then do to it before leaving (we're flying out on 4/27). I ordered a green one but any color is fine. I checked out the two Golite packs (Gust and Breeze) and thought yours was superior - there're some great design features! Thanks a lot- Cecelia

Just thought I'd send a photo of a recent 4 day backpack in the Grand Canyon. The GVP pack held up great & helped make the climb out the easiest to date. Keep up the good work! Todd

Thank you very much. The packs are great! Don Jackson

Just wanted to drop you a line and let you know how pleased I am with your pack. I was a traditional 'heavyweight' backpacker until this season. After a sprained knee last year (and realizing I wasn't 25 anymore!), I knew my pack weight had to be lightened. After seeing your GVP4 and reading about some good write-ups (Backpacker Mag and newsgroups), I decided to give it a try. When I got the pack in a small USPS box, I couldn't believe it. How could something so light and "supportless" be able to carry a load and do it comfortably? I have to admit, after loading my 20lbs for my 3 day trip (on the right track to lightweight backpacking!!) last weekend, I was surprised how comfortable the pack was. By the way, a 3/4 thermarest (1.5" thick!) - folded into 1/4's, fit into the support sleeve perfectly. I had plenty of room left over in the main compartment and the external pockets held alot of gear. The pack carried very comfortably over the 3 days and didn't shift or sway on my back. The hipbelt, though small and light, did an excellent job!! The pack held up wonderfully with only the slightest bit of attention being paid to how I set it down and what kind of stuff I hiked through - as with most ultralight gear, SOME attention now has to be paid to wear-and-tear. It was a treat being able to pull out my thermarest during breaks and sit on it. All in all I'm sold on your packs! I have plans to replace my youngest daughters pack with one of yours and was glad to see you've added a small size to your off-the-shelf offering. My backpacking enthusiasm is renewed and I have plans to hit the trail once or twice a month through this coming Fall. Oh, and my knee felt GREAT to boot (or should I say "running shoe"?) It was also fun to outwalk my hiking partner who last year was always several steps in front of me! Thanks for a GREAT pack and I can't wait to check out the GVP5. I assume it's silnylon? Take care & God bless! Randy Rhodes Columbus, OH Editor's note: In the interest of truth-in-advertising, Randy's order happened to be the 500th for a standard pack, so he got the pack free. These comments were unsolicited.

My GVP came and I used it this weekend on a 25 mile backpacking trip here in the Santa Barbara backcountry to Madulce Peak (el. 6500). I loved the pack! Thank you. It was so comfortable and the Z-rest was just great - framing the pack, very comfortable hiking and sleeping. I have gone from 8 lbs, to 4 lbs to now an 11 oz pack and it feels great. Pls let me know about the G5. Many thanks, John Tynan

The G4 has arrived. I came home last night after 3 days on the JMT (Rae Lakes loop) and found your package. Thank you. Just wanted to give you first impressions. I've been very hesitant to get an internal frame/frameless pack because everything I've tried on has not compared to the comfort/weight ratio of my 3 pound external frame pack (a Jansport frame with my own homemade packbag). Also, I guess I'm a bit of a traditionalist and prefer the tried-and-true simplicity of an external frame pack to that of the overweight, over-hyped internal frame packs that dominate the market these days. I've known of your pack for quite some time but had not seen/wore one before 10 days ago. Packs are very much a personal choice I think--more so than almost any other piece of equipment--and I'm quite happy with my choice though still hoping to shave a bit more weight. When I saw your pack I thought I'd give it a shot. First off, it's a beautifully made pack, obviously designed by someone who's walked the walk. Kudos. Your pack really stands out above all others in its dedication to simplicity and the real-world needs of the long distance hiker. The stuff-your-own straps/frame concept is brilliant, and, of course, the packweight is exceptional. And now for the load test. I went out this morning and picked up a Z-Rest for the frame and then tried the pack on with 20 and 28 pound loads. I found the 20 pound load to be ok and the 28 pound load to be uncomfortable with too much pull on my shoulders. When I looked in the mirror I could see the frame bending and only contacting my back at the hip and the top of the shoulder. I tried moving things around inside the pack with some success but still too much bend (compared to the feel of my external frame pack). Then I borrowed the poles from my tarptent (18-inch sections) and shoved them down between the Z-rest sections on each half and voila! No more bend and MUCH MORE COMFORT. I'm happy! I always carry my tarptent anyway so the net weight cost is zero (otherwise 1.6 ounces for two single poles or 2.5 ounces for the tarptent double/single pole configuration). I don't know if you've had the complaint before but for me it really seems to make all the difference. I think the G4 will be a weaning process and clearly there will be times when I'll go back to my external frame (like last weekend's 40-pound load) but I'm really looking forward to taking the G4 on a multi-day hike and, for the first time, starting off with a 10-pound base weight (including the 20-ounce down quilt I made and took on last weekend's hike).

Thanks Glen for offering such a great product to the hiking community. Sincererly, Henry Shires

I received my G-4 yesterday. OUTSTANDING piece of work! Megan Leupold

I received my pack today, and am extremely pleased with it! It is truly a wonderfully designed pack - excellent consideration for the sleeping bag, and the Z-Rest padding system is so comfortable. Kudos to you for innovating such a thoughtful ultra-light product. Best Regards, -Andrew Geibel

Hi Glen! Your hand-crafted masterpiece arrived today - or I guess I arrived today. Whatever. As I anticipated, it's a real work of art. Shame to get it dirty, but that's the point I guess. It'll help me get through all those miles a little more quickly. Thanks for being a part of my adventure. Brian Robinson [Calendar Triple Crown '01]

This is my second pack. No one in my family will hike with anymore unless I get them one. I waited almost a year for my first one - and it was worth it! I hope it won't be quite that long this time :-) Rick Silberman

My husband ordered a pack from you earlier this summer and loves it. I plan to buy one for myself too. Thanks, Karen Davies

Thank you thank you thank you thank you. Thank you thank you thank you thank you. Thank you thank you thank you thank you. George Boggs (I love the pack!)

Just a howdy to say thanks for the pack, its a beauty and a real bargain. Scott Craig (satisfied customer)

Season's Greetings from Florida, Glad to hear that the end might be in sight for you. You certainly deserve a break. The pack I received was just fantastic, the colors were great, and the fit is excellent, I cannot wait till I get a chance to go hiking. Had a couple of people take a real hard look at it, were I work at, so I might be sending more orders your way? Just what you wanted to hear. I had already send the check out for the difference in the prices when I got the pack, I'll be sending out the additional five dollars shortly. Sorry for any inconvenience. Happy Holidays to you and your family, Blue Skies and Green Trails, Sherri

I used the hip belt for extra underwear. Since I am not a true ultralighter, it gave me the ability to rationalize that third pair! I also used the fillers for a pair of glove liners and fleece hearband. Probably the best use, it was used for extra money. When you hike in Nepal, especially the Annapurna Curcuit, you have to figure out how much money you need the whole time, so I had to carry a lot of money with me. I figured that would not be a place that people would look! Sue Williams

Glen, our new G4 packs are the envy of nearly every hiker we have met on the AT this year. We weighed our packs without food in Hiawassee, GA at 7 pounds for Ann's pack and 9 pounds for mine, by far our lightest ever. We are flying along the trail. The 6-panel Z-Rest is plenty of padding. Thanks so much for your major contribution to our hike. Annie and the Salesman PCT 1999 AT 2000

I received my G4 pack yesterday and based on first impressions found it to be OUTSTANDING! I loaded it up with the gear I had used this past weedend using a Kelty WhiteCloud pack and found it to be more spacious in capacity and more comfortable, not to say much lighter! Cindy did a wonderful job in creating the pack! I brought my pack in to work to show it to a fellow lightweight packer, Dick Vogel, and he is mailing in his order today. I am looking forward to taking out on a trip soon. I had tried out the Golite Breeze pack and found it to be smaller in size, uncomfortable in fit, and did not know what to expect with the G4 pack, but on first impressions will meet and exceed all my expectations in a lightweight pack.

I know what grief you have been going through in producing the G4 pack in recent months, particularly with mass manufactuerers, however, I wanted to express my thanks to your efforts in creating this great pack. It sure will make my backpacking more enjoyable. Take Care, and I'll give you more feedback on the pack in the near future! James Zoschenko

I have taken a 3-day, 40 mile hike with my G4 pack on the Appalachian Trail in Maryland and West Virginia. I wanted to do 100 miles but I got bad blisters (picked the wrong boots) and had to drop out. I'm going back on the trail sometime in July. Some comments: The pack worked well in general and I'm a happy camper. Not carrying all that weight around was great and stamina was not an issue. The pack was extremely comfortable even with a load in excess of 30 pounds (6 days of food and 3 quarts of water; water is scarce on the AT and it was very hot). The pack generated a lot of interest among AT through hikers. Some weren't comfortable with giving up their sturdier packs, but some were very enthusiastic and wanted more information. I gave them your web address. Hal Wright

Glen- I mentioned to you that I am borrowing Tom Reynolds G-4 for a section hike of the jmt. I wanted to let you know what a cool pack this is. I stuffed the shoulder straps last night and was surprised by the additional padding they provided. I also am using a plastic hook as a sternum strap. I have it rigged between the two inside thumb holes. Man! does it ever throw the weight forward. My base weight is at just under 15 and it feels great. Not even too bad with a bear canister full of food. Tom Hopkins I will probably order the custom G-4 when I get home in August.

Used my new G4 for the first time this past wk on the annual fall break hiking club backpack trip in TN. What an elegant, simple solution to a challenge that's had a lot of $ spent on it! I found my G4 more comfortable than my Dana and easier to use. The large outside pockets work great. Thx for developing the "right" answer! Happy Trails, Mac Johnson

Well, we're back from a wonderful trip to the Tetons. The weather was great (we beat the big snow which came about a week later) and the G4 worked flawlessly! I was the envy of all with the lightest pack. After we evenly distributed and packed the common items such as food, fuel, and cooking gear, my pack weighed in at exactly 30 lbs. Jim, who is also a "lightweighter" began the trip at 37 lbs, and Ted, the other adult in the group had a wopping 54 lb pack! (he only weighs 150 lbs, too.) In all fairness, Ted was usually the one setting the pace, though, he's in such good shape. My 13 yr old (100 lb) son did well too with his 25 lb pack (a small Camp Trails pack). He was also carrying half the tent (a 6 lb Dana Garuda Mojo). I loved the Z rest in the pack, but hated it for sleeping, so next year I might try folding my Thermarest into the pack (I tried it when I got home and it seems to work). What a joy it was to go lightweight! Scott Berg

I just got back from a three night, four day bp trip in the Great Smokies Ntl Park along the AT with my new G4 pack. It was simply incredible! What a difference going light and using Glen's backpack made in my trip! I LOVED IT!!! I have slimmed my packing down from 42 lbs. the last time I went into the Smokies and another 10 from my last backpack trip. The lighter weight made it one of the most enjoyable trips I have ever taken. This was the first trip I have ever taken where I actually forgot that I was carrying a pack while hiking! My pack weight was around 18 lbs before food, (another 5 lbs.) for a total of approx. 23 lbs. I used iodine pills and neutralizer instead of a filter, a trangia stove and Heet with a homemade coffee can pot stand. My pot was the grease pot found at Walmarts. I carried a plastic sipping cup and plastic spoon and knife. I used a one battery mag flashlight, with one spare, and the MicroLeatherman. I carried the eight section z-rest (I'm 6'3 and 240 lbs.) as my pad. I wore my Air-Nike running shoes with heel and arch inserts. Clothes consisted of: one polypro long sleeve shirt, one coolmax t-shirt, nylon bathing trunks as shorts, one midweight polypro long underwear, one nylon windpants, one 100 wt. fleece, one 200 wt. fleece vest, one L.L.Bean goretex rain jacket, (a present), a campmor poncho (just in case), one pair of smartsocks, two nylon sock liners, on coolmax brief, one 100 weight fleece bedsocks. I hike with adjustable poles and carry an umbrella. I wrapped my clothes and bag in turkey bags. I found them slippery to put in the bag, but not unmanagable. Also, the sleeping bag hung over my butt, which felt a little low to me, but I accepted it and it didn't bother me in the least. I kept my food, divided by days, in ziplocks and carried it all in plastic grocery bag. A couple of little stories: The second day, I got up and started hiking. I had hiked for an hour before I remembered that I had not buckled the hip belt! I decided to not buckle it that day and then buckle it the third day. Half way through the third day I unbuckled it again as I found it more comfortable without the belt. (Maybe I'll cut it off?? (*smiling*) The third night we shared a shelter with five thru-hikers. Questioning them, they all carried at least 50-60 lb. packs and this group was averaging 8-10 miles a day and had only gone about 200 miles so far. Most of them had been on the trail already from 15 days to about a month and were scheduling six months to finish. One young man had already developed tendonitis in his knee, but still had on heavy boots and a ton of gear. He had the same pack I got rid of to get my G4, (Jansport Rockies). I asked a couple of them what was the most important idea they had learned and their answer will amaze you! They thought going as light as possible was the answer! I asked them what that meant and they thought getting down to about 40 lb. pack was going light! Oh well??? Two of my hiking partners with 40+ lbs packs had extremely sore calf muscles when we finished. I, being 13-15 years older, never felt better. My brother-in-law was extremely proud that this was the first hike he had been able to avoid blisters from his 'great' boots - and only because he duct-taped his heels every morning. BTW, he asked for the pattern for Glen's pack! Richard

Hi. I have a custom G4 that Glen made for me. I am 5'6" and 125 lbs. I love the pack design logistically. For it to feel comfortable for me with a bad back and max 30-32 lbs., I adapted the pack using a "compression sling". This is a rectangle of cloth sewed onto grosgrain ribbon that shoulder strap are attached to. Top of cloth has two compression straps affixed at 45 degree angles that hook into top water system loops just above mesh pockets. I reinforced these loops before connection. When all is cinched tight, the G4 is outstanding. Before cinching, however, my shorter torso length does not provide enough stability for comfortable weight distribution. An added benefit is that tying extra long cinching strap ends in front of pack holds my hiking poles tight to the pack when their points are hooked into my ice axe loop. Also holds a small section of Z-rest for trailside sit-upons. Just finished this sling last night and have yet to try this adaptation over time and distance. So it's still " shake down" time for me. However, my experience with assorted packs over the years and comparing at-home feel to distance feel says the G-4 plus sling is a winner for a woman my size. Judith

Well I took a short walk in the neighborhood with the G4C pack; weight was 24 pounds, which is equivalent to 5 days of food & 1 liter of water. The pack weight was 13.2 oz. I had my sleeping bag at the base of the pack, my clothes including jacket, Nomad tent and ground cloth, Poles for tent on sidewall inside, stuff sack with food and 1 liter of water in a safe water container. In one outside side pocket I had 1 liter of water in another safe water filter container and was using 8 sections of a Z-Rest as frame sheet in the pockets provided. Well the pack sits low on my back. The sleeping bag is below my waistline. The hip belt & shoulder straps had the foam Glen provides. I secured the hip belt and adjusted the shoulder straps and took a walk. The pack carries well and I felt comfortable wearing it. It's bigger than the MountainLight 3500 I'm used to using. Being this was such a short walk I'll have to wait until this weekend hike before I know for sure how it carries. First impression is very positive. The quality workmanship of this pack is obvious. I have plenty of room to store all the gear and food I'll need for any hike. The waist belt does its job and carries most of the pack weight. All in all I'm real pleased with Glen's GVP pack. Well I couldn't wait for this weekend so I took the G4C pack on a 5.5 mile loop hike at a state park nearby. I loaded it up with 24 pounds that included 1 liter of water, food and gear for 5 days. I had more than enough room in the pack after loading it up. Well after 1 hour and 50 minutes I had completed the trail and the pack felt great. It clings to my back and I didn't feel it move around at all. Nothing felt sore after wearing the pack. The true test will be carrying it all day for a 2-3 day trip. From what I've seen this pack will be my partner for my Canada to Florida trek next month. Later this month I'll be taking a 9 day shake down hike and this will be my pack for the hike. John O

Well, my G4 arrived. You pull this thing out of the box and your jaw drops. I was surprised when I first looked at the GoLite Breeze, but Glen has offered an attention to detail that is unbelievable. The pack is extremely well-stitched and the design considers reinforcements at all the right stress points. I loaded it with 30 lb and went for a hike and I was floored. It carried very well, with a 6-section z-rest for a framesheet and no padding in the shoulder or hip straps. The addition of a hip belt on this pack is great--it allows you to carry 30 lbs with ease, while with 20, I admit it isn't really needed (but it sure is nice!). I will field test this baby soon! Kudos to Glen. Ryan (BigSkyRy)

This is a very tardy report on the use of a G4. Listers may remember that Glen offered the first G4 at auction (for benefit of his child's school, I believe) last fall, and I was the successful bidder. For my December trip through Haleakala, I planned to carry it and my wife, Ruby, was to carry my equally new Mountainsmith Mountainlight. Ruby caught a bad cold and had to stay home, and I used the MM, supplemented with two fannypacks. When Glen emailed me to ask how the G4 did, I was a bit embarrassed. We were able to implement the original plan, however, on a Spring Break trip. There are three backcountry cabins in Haleakala, each a short day's hike apart. Reservations must be done two months ahead, through a lottery system. Each cabin has 4 3-tiered bunks, mattresses, stove, fuel, pots and pans, dishes. All we have to carry is a sleeping bag, clothes, and food. My G4 weighed 18 lbs at the start, and the MM 8 lbs. Compared to anything I've carried before, the G4 felt almost weightless. The unpadded shoulder straps and hip belt are more than adequate, at least for such a light load. Glen put 8 z-rest sections in mine-very comfortable. My group of 12 (I told them this was a geriatric trip) included several in their 70's. We had two days of great weather in this fantastic place, but our last 24 hours we faced constant rain and high winds. Our last morning, April 1, we had to go just 4.1 miles, but climb 1600 ft on Halemau'u (House of Ferns) Trail, ending at 8000 ft, 2000 ft below the summit, where we had started Wednesday. With a lapse rate of about three and a half degrees every 1000 ft, the temperature should have been about 28 degrees colder than at sea level. So if it was 70 degrees, windy and rainy, at sea level, we were facing hypothermia conditions at 8000 ft. One of my group was having a really hard time going up the switchbacks, so I took on her standard issue backback; first, I switched my G4 to my wife, and carried her MM on my front, resting on my ample front porch. Still had both hands free to wield my Komperdells. My wife is 13 inches shorter than me; adjusting the G4 to her just required two tugs on the shoulder straps. If you visit Glen's gvp site, the maroon G4 on the left is the very one. To see a photo of my wife carrying it, visit: http://photomail.filmworks.com/sharing/roll.asp?Key=4091669860100201 Yes, that is the trail, not a stream. You may also note her Frogg Toggs. SlowJoe (Joe Bussen)

I just returned from a hike with the G4, loaded with 35 lbs to start (drank 4 qt -- 8 lb -- H2O by end of hike -- ate 1 lb food -- final pack weight was 26 lb), 6-section z-rest for a framesheet, 1/2" closed cell foam padding in shoulder straps and 3/8" in hip belt. 15 miles on trail and snow, hiked in running shoes. Here are a few tidbits: The pack carries extremely well with 25 lb (comfort of 9 on a scale of 1-10, only because hey, nothing's perfect, ya know?). I could go 20+ miles/day day after day with this load. Pack carries very good with 30 lb (comfort = 8), not quite as good as my Kelty Gale, but darn close, I could do a few days at 25-30 miles/day with this load if necessary, and shorter distances (15+) on a regular basis. Pack carries surprisingly well with 35 lb (comfort = 7), better than the Gale (due to better fit of the fixed hip belt & shoulder straps), although I wouldn't want to do it at this weight day in and day out. I think I could carry 35 lb after a resupply for one or two days at 15-20 miles/day without "feeling it" too bad. 40 lbs is doable, but approaching uncomfortable (obviously) 50 lbs is not only uncomfortable, but it begins to stress the key stress points of the pack. Doable for a moderate day here and there without blowing out the pack, sure. But after regular loads like this you're going to put serious stress on the stitching. But I still think the pack would last longer than I'd give it. The Z-rest provides EXCELLENT support--more than I ever thought possible; in fact, I think it's more effective that the curved stay of the Gale, because the load is distributed across more surface area. The G4 lacks the awesome "hip snugger" straps a la Dana packs, but Glen's shoulder strap design accounts for this by attaching the base of the shoulder strap to the sides of the bottom of the bag, acting to compress the load and bring it closer to the hips. Very ingenious. I put 2L Platys in the side pockets and carried my 2RS in the back mesh pocket. Stuffed sleeping bag, clothing, other essentials, and a small TV in the main compartment (just to add a little weight, I couldn't find any plug-ins where I was hiking--but you should have seen the couple that passed me when I was eating lunch and had the TV propped up on a rock. They actually took a double take to see if it was on). Everything worked out fine. I can fit my tent in the main compartment easily, even with a week of food, and that is how I'll probably carry it in the future, to keep the center of gravity closer to me. But I just wanted everyone to know that if you had to carry a small tent in the rear mesh pocket, it can be done comfortably. This pack is super. I am so pleased. I'm eager to read reports of others out there. After I use the pack through the spring, I'll write a more comprehensive review and post it at my web site. My only gripe with the pack is that the fabric is not laser or hot-knife cut, so the edges will fray (they have started already). However, this is purely aesthetic--the high-quality stitching will easily prevent any fraying from entering the seam. I think I will seal the edges of the fabric with a 50/50 silicone/alcohol mixture. I am also planning to seam seal the entire pack. As long as you can prevent punctures with it, there is no reason why this sack shouldn't be completely rainproof with sealed seams. The roll-top closure (similar to a dry bag) is a great touch to the design. Cheers, Ryan (BigSkyRy)

I saw all sorts of homemade packs on the PCT, this one was the best of the lot, now available to the general public that can't sew and well worth the asking price. Sly, PCT 1999, AT 2000

The G4 in my opinion might very well be the top of the food chain, efficiency-wise so to speak. G. Scholz, AT 2000

I can confirm that the GVP pack is not vapor ware. Glen Van Peski called yesterday and offered to loan me his new model for a tryout. How could I say no? I used an earlier version on the PCT for about 1300 miles this summer and loved it so I was expecting to be impressed. I was. The new one weighs 11.2 ounces, over three ounces less than my older one. The volume looks even larger. I haven't been able to measure it but I would guess 4,500 cubic inches. There are three huge external mesh pockets made with stronger material. The mesh pockets were the only part to show wear on my old one. Glen's background as a civil engineer who has sewed most of his life shows in the construction. All the stress points are double or triple stitched. He has widened the shoulder straps and the hip belt and added Velcro pockets in which socks or other items can be placed for padding. The mesh pockets on that hold a ZRest against the back are deeper thus containing the pad more securely when the pack is removed. The older one looks homemade. This one looks quite professional. My test was a short one, about six miles. Since I've seen a number of posts expressing concern about handling heavier loads with very light packs, I loaded it up with all my regular gear, some extra cold weather clothing, 7 days of food, and 5 quarts of water bringing my total load to 37 pounds. After a re-supply on the trail I'm usually in the low 20's and I doubt that I'm ever over 30 pounds. The route I took is one that I do frequently for training, carrying 40 to 50 pound loads in an internal frame pack with lots of padding and support. I could feel that the weight was lighter and therefore more comfortable. I tightened the hip belt snugly and had almost no weight on my shoulders. The padding pockets are fairly small but the straps were wide enough that I felt no need for padding and didn't use any. The load felt stable and comfortable. In fact with the beautiful view of Mount San Jacinto and Mt. San Gorgonio in the distance I tended to forget that I was carrying a pack and should be paying attention to testing. Glen is a close friend so it's hard to be totally objective but I'm convinced that the new GVP is very well suited to the kind of hiking I like (carrying less than 20 pounds and covering about 25 miles per day). On those times when I need to carry more, I expect that the pack should do fine up to 40 pounds. I really like the light weight, the hip belt, the large mesh pockets, the craftsmanship, the easy access to my sleeping pad, and the ability to use clothing for padding when needed. I have a couple of small nits to pick. This version is designed to use a full width six section Z Rest. I narrow mine by 4" saving 3.2 ounces and I naturally feel that those who are interested in an ultra-light pack would want that weight saving. Since I find the wider straps are quite comfortable without the padding, perhaps the pockets could be eliminated, saving a couple of ounces. Can we get to a comfortable, serviceable 8 ounce pack? Read Miller Vista, CA

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Thank you once again for the rapid shipment of the pack, I got in plenty of time to head out this week. I like the fact that you now pre-cut the foam [inserts for the shoulder straps and waist belt], which I use, and there is still a ton of space inside the pack for what I carry, and that it rides higher. Once again thanks for the pack! I'll be traveling out this year at around 12 pounds and I think the pack will work for me. Hope the trail treats you well amigo. - JL

I saw my comments on hiking SoCal with the G5 in your testimonials (googling myself for lack of better things to do). Thought I should follow up with my Sierras experience, from Onyx/Walker Pass to Echo Lake/So. Lake Tahoe. Did you know that a Garcia Machine bear can will just fit the bottom "sleeping bag" area? Used a little blue foam to keep the center seam of the can from riding on my tailbone. Shoving a 3lb. can with 12lb. of food into a 7oz pack is quite amazing. At Toulumne Meadows I switched to a Ursack for the rest of the trip north. I'm finding the pack rides better, with no buckling of the foam back pad, when I put the food bag in the bottom and the light insulation on top. I managed to rip a waist belt off by standing on the buckle while hoisting the pack. Beats ripping a shoulder muscle. I managed to sew it back on a few evenings later, not that it was really necessary. The pack is still fully functional, if a bit tattered looking, despite all the abuse I could give it for 900 miles. While the standard G4 may be the saner choice, the G5 proves how far you can push the ultralite thing and still come home with your stuff on your back, not in your arms. Thanks for showing the way. - PG

Just wanted to send a quick note saying I'm off to start the PCT on April 21st. I'll be taking my GVP Gear G5 Gossamer with me as I head north. I've had the pack for over a year and have taken it on hundreds of miles of rugged backpacking trips here in Arizona (The Grand Canyon, Paria Canyon, Rainbow Bridge, Superstitions, etc.) and on a trip over the 100+ mile southern half of JMT in the Sierras last June. Its a great pack that fits my lightweight style perfectly. I love to snicker inside when folks tell me "that pack won't hold up on this trip!" Thanks for the great product! - DB

Karin was very happy to get her G4. We'll do a 2-nighter next weekend so she can get better aquainted. The G5 is awesome! What a cool piece of ultraultralight gear. Here's what I REALLY liked: The volume. There is a point in spring and fall when,with a 5-day load of food, my Golite Breeze becomes too little pack and the Golite Gust is still too much....and theres that annoying lack of mesh pockets on the Gust. Rolling up a foam pad in the Breeze eats up some pack volume. I found the G5 with my 3D Quilt stuffed in the bottom held this "Iffy" season load well and was just shy of full with a pure summer load. The perfect warm weather compliment to the G4's winter attributes. What I wasn't too keen on: The light weight mesh back pocket and solid side pockets. I'd prefer the same heavier mesh on all pockets as the G4 comes with. The spinnaker fabric noise: Getting close to wildlife is a big part of the outdoor experience for me. So my gear tends too be light, of natural hue AND quiet. The fabric is cool!!! Just noisy. [ed. note: the fabric softens with use] So I'd prefer the oxford option for that reason AND because I like your pack design so well I'd like to have it in a material that would compare to my Breeze in durability. Which is to say IF I decided to do a little cross-country rambling...I wouldn't be stressing over the pack as much. Though folks who hike with me consider what I feel is normal treatment for MY equipment to be a bit careful for them. Thank you so much for sending the G5 for me to look at. You're a fine fellow. -GD

I received the [G5] pack yesterday. That was a fast 2 day delivery. Thanks. I love the way the sleeping bag fits in the bottom section without a stuff sack. - DC

I just wanted to drop you a note to let you know how much I'm enjoying my semi-custom G5 pack (I ordered one with the oxford nylon bottom and mesh pockets; total weight, about 10 ounces). I've been out on a couple of short trips on San Gorgonio since I received it about two weeks ago, and I just love how it carries and feels. I don't know if I really lucked out on sizing or if it's your superb design, but that pack fits me like a glove. I'm 6'3" and ordered the large. It's a perfect marriage of hiker and pack! With my normal load of about ten pounds, I find myself forgetting that I'm even wearing a pack. I'm nearly 50 years old and ultralight backpacking with gear like yours enables me to continue to enjoy my favorite pastime, which I likely would have had to give up if I was still lugging around a 45-pound pack like a few years ago. Thanks for a great product, great service and great prices. Hope to see you on the trail someday! - MR

Glen - I used the G5 from Campo to just short of Agua Dulce (Robin's Nest CG at Soledad Canyon Rd). Generally very pleased. I did manage to fall into the chapparal the first night, rip a side pocket, pucture a Platypus, and toss the shoe I was trying to adjust further into the brush. So much for following the "don't bushwack" instructions. I was pleased to note that the rips did not enlarge thereafter. I found that socks actually work better than the foam pads (the straps tended to rotate around the pads, causing the outside strap seam to dig into my shoulders). The one real problem was the Z-rest pad collapsing into an "S" shape. Finally, I bought some 1/2 inch wood dowel, cut it into two sticks the width of my pad, rounded the ends, and stuck them into the folds of the Z-rest. Worked fine. Did it with my little bitty knife and a rough rock while hiking up the trail. I may try something fancier, like carbon fiber tubes, as time permits. I'll be using it for the Sierras later this summer. Thanks for the time spent exchanging the stock G5 and discussing fit for the custom one. Paul Griffith

My son Adam and I took some other dads, a kid and a dog out on the AT Memorial Day weekend. We left home with about 16 pounds apiece, stayed 5 days and covered over 40 miles. The weather was great and the G4.3 and G5 worked great. John Potter

I recently purchased one of your new G5 packs and just wanted to let you know that I am very pleased with it. We just returned from 4-day backpack in the Grand Canyon and I started with 20lbs (10.5lbs base weight). It even carried about 25lbs for a few miles when we toted extra water for a dry campsite. Although a little afraid to pick it up loaded at first, I am used to it and it fits good, rides well and is much sturdier than it first appeared. I previously owned & used a G4, however it was much too large for me. The GVP5 is just right. Incidently, I do not use a hipbelt and cut it off... My G5 now weights 5.5oz. Thank you. -John

Anyway, I finally had a chance to really test the G5. I took it on winter trip in the Tetons. I have been a huge fan of the GoLite Breeze since its inception. Well I now have second favorite pack, the G5.And the only reason its comes in 2nd is because of size. The G5 was the perfect pack for a light-weight winter trek. So kudos to you. I know of at least one other happy customer who bought one of your packs this past winter for a spring AT trip. He had emailed me at Adventurelite with some questions and I sent him your way. I will keep sending customers, especially since I've had a chance to put some real miles on this pack. Thanks -Erik "The Mayor 98"

Glen, the [G5] pack is great! I can't believe how much better if fits and rides. You have done a fantastic job of gradual design evolution. I'm leaving in a few minutes with 10 pounds total weight, including two navel oranges, a banana, a towel, and a Thermo-Rest in addition to my Z-Rest, things I would not normally carry. Thanks again so much. Larry

I received the custom G5 from Cindy Saturday, loaded it up with 25 pounds for a walk around the block, and it fits great! Thanks for your efforts. I'll be hiking the southern 500 miles of the PCT next month with it. Paul Griffith

Hi Glen, I received the G5. Looks good. My sample weighs 197 grams (6 7/8 oz). Under spec! And the wider/longer belt and wider shoulder straps look like a definite improvement. In particular, the padded portion of the belt now completely covers my hip bone. Although I have not packed it yet, I had lots of extra space in the G4, so I expect the size of the new G5 to be just right. I plugged the weight into my backpacking spreadsheet and now I have a total dry pack weight of 14.37 pounds (dry) for a 5 day 4 night 3 season trip. I'm impressed. Thanks again, Bob Wright P.S. I will miss the thumb loops. :-)

Hey Glen: I am dumbfounded. My new G5 is so cool. It follows my new philosophy "less to depend on" to a tee. My intention is to just be there. I have been working on a lot of minor adjustments, some i forwarded to travelquest, this is a lot [of] fun. I' working on version of the redbull stove, as well a freestanding tarp. I liked your insert in His name . keep up the Good Work. I am replacing all my lines with either masons twine or whipping twine using simple knots as trailquest say I am a gramweenie. I'd like to catch up with you someday on the trail. Thanks again for the energy you put into this pack it's almost perfect ( nothing is perfect here). Mark S.

I just came across a pre-camino email from you and wanted to send an update. The [G5] pack was indeed fantastic. The last day into Santiago one of our crew was awol without his pack, so I packed all of my stuff into his pack and carried them both until he found us. NOBODY could believe how light my pack was and how little I carried. THANK you a thousand times, from the bottom of my feet! The pack held up well. I found it comfortable without any padding in the shoulder straps. Toward the end the fabric started to fray through the seams around the mouth of the pack. Nothing a little duct tape didn't manage handily, but I thought you might want to know? Thanks again! Liza

Just a note to let you know I am still using and enjoying the G5. It has a lot more room than I am used to, and I just got back from three days of snow camping where my gear (including tent, bivy sack, 8' X 8' tarp, snow shovel and two thermarests) finally filled up the pack. If you remember, my pack has mesh side pockets, and I actually like this because I use them for many small convenient items and I can see what is in each side pocket. After several hundred miles the bottom part of the pack in front has developed a few small holes smaller than a dime, and I surrounded these worn places with a little bit of SilNet to keep the spinnaker cloth fabric from unraveling. This has worked extremely well and might be worth mentioning to other users of the GVP 5 when the inevitable wear places start showing up. I know you state that holes may not be repairable, but I suspect that patches of spinnaker cloth or other materials, sewn on first and then repaired using SilNet as an adhesive may work fine. Best regards, Don

I took the GVP 5 out for a test run this weekend. My Rab top bag fits easily in the expaned bottom section. If I used the stuff sack, half the bottom (or more) would still be empty. In fact, even with all my gear and ample food and water, the pack was nowhere near full. Socks filled out the shoulder and waist straps beautifully (and ingeniously). My platy went in one side pocket, while the other held things I though I might need quick access to. The pack wore like a dream. Within ten minutes of hitting the trail, the pack had disappeared from my back. I couldn't feel it (or at least my mind lost track of it). It fits me as if it was specially tailored for my height and frame. And it breathes much better than my day pack which has some newfangled anti-sweat padding/ribbing/moulding on the back. Basically, I am thrilled. It performed well beyond my expectations. It's sitting on the couch as I write, and I just can't bear to pack it away until next weekend! By the way, as I can't get a z-rest in Hungary, I use a three quarter length self inflater which works fine. I will get a z-rest as soon as I see one! Thanks, thanks, thanks. All the best, and happy trails, Rob P.S. I can't wait to take it down to the local gear store. One time, when I was talking to a shop owner, I asked him why the bags seemed to be getting bigger and bigger. He told me straight out that with the youngsters these days, the bigger the pack volume, the better (cooler) they think it is. In Greece this summer I saw an American backpacker (female) hauling an eighty litre pack in back, and a forty in front!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Thank you for your diligence and help with the Mariposa Pack and the Spinnshelter. I successfully ordered both on the website last night. I heard your phone message this morning and appreciate you going out of the way like that. - GA

You and I have corresponded before. I purchased a G-4 pack from you and after I read about the new mods (last year), you sent me a new G-4 pack in exchange. You also sent me plans for the Scout pack and encouraged me to make one for my son (despite no sewing experience). I want to thank you because my G-4 is outstanding. I have truly enjoyed using it and it has managed to survive in excellent shape after about a year of fairly regular use. It still basically looks brand new (I do tend to baby it). I especially want to thank you for encouraging me to make the Scout pack for my son. I was very apprehensive since I had never used a sewing machine and knew nothing about sewing at all. The pack went together much easier than I expected and I even managed to make a couple of my own modifications to adapt it to my son. He has used it successfully for over a year and loves it. The success in completing my sons pack gave me sufficient confidence to make my own backpacking quilt (ala Jardine). Our scout troop just recently did a backpack trip to Havasupai (Grand Canyon) and four of us are ultralight backpackers. We were obviously the first to finish the trip (by hours) and were still fresh enough to empty our packs, take additional water back down the trail and help the others (i.e. heavy packers) carry their excessive stuff out of the canyon. This generated a lot of interest in ultralight backpacking and the other Dad and I presented an ultralight backpacking seminar for the scouts and parents in our troop last night. I provided information packets that included your website. Since I successfully made a pack and a quilt - I feel like I'm on a roll and would like to tackle another couple of projects. I want to build a hyperlight pack similar to the G-5 with some personal mods. I did not see plans on your website and was wondering if they were available. I also did a search for spinnaker .5 ripstop material, but really had no luck in finding the material. Can you provide me with a contact/source for the material? Is this material silnylon and is it waterproof like the material used on the G-4? I would also like to tackle making my own tarp. Can the same .5 oz material be used for a tarp? Can I simply sew it like the 2.2 oz ripstop and then seam seal it? I would appreciate any help you could provide and again thanks for everything! - SR

Just a quick note about a rather remarkable experience. I have often extolled my love for my GVP G4 pack on these fora. I used the pack on my Long Trail end-to-end hike last September (278 miles) and it held up real well. Unfortunately, the mesh pockets got abraded and i was thinking of sending it in so they could be repaired/replaced, and was interested in having a sternum strap added at the same time. I wrote Glen an email to this effect and asked how i should proceed. He emailed back and said that the mesh pockets really couldn't be repaired and to replace them would require a major reworking of the pack, but he did offer me a closeout pack for $50. He also said i could send my pack in and he would add the sternum strap for $15, or i could just send in $5 and he would send me the strap and i could sew it on myself. I wrote back and thanked him for the offer (closeout pack) but my budget couldn't justify a new pack at this point. I asked for his snailnail address so i could send the $5 for the sternum strap. Glen wrote back the next day (yesterday) and said 'if you're on a budget, don't bother with the $5. Just send me your address and i'll send you a sternum strap'. That blew me away - that's way above and beyond the call, in my opinion. Great pack, great company, great guy. FWIW. - M

You are too efficient. I received the first pack yesterday and I will return it straight away. I have great respect for your products and philosophy. It has allowed me to enoy the outdoors to a greater degree and for that I am truly thankful. - SA

Can I just say how freaking awesome it is to deal with GVPGear? Glen just sold me a pair of hiking sticks at 6.1 oz. for the *pair*. It is a prototype set and used so he sold it at a discount. Amazing. Absolutely amazing. Holding them I can't perceive their weight at all unless I swing them. For all y'all who like hiking with poles, I respectfully suggest you keep an ear peeled toward gvpgear.com for the rollout of these poles. Did I say amazing? BTW I have no connection to GVP except as a customer. Wow. - LP

Thanks for sending the small G4, at no extra charge, and for remembering to include the sternum strap. You are very thoughtful and trusting - unusual qualities in a person these days. Thanks again for taking time with me to answer questions on the phone. Good will, - JB

Thank you for the G4 pack. Your generosity, customer service, and pack are all exceptional. I can understand why you have such an enthusiastic following of both GVP equipment and of yourself as a person and a businessman. The pack arrived much quicker than I expected. I read the instructions, loaded the pack with a reasonable load, and put it through its paces on a three mile walk around a college campus. The pack performed beautifully. The design is creative and thoroughly thought through. The pack has what a pack needs and does not burden a hiker with things that aren't needed. The workmanship is of highest quality. It is obvious that care was taken in construction. In the ultimate test - functionality - the backpack performed flawlessly. I can't wait to take it on the trail. We chart the capacity and weight of each of our packs, using the number of cubic inches per ounce as the measuring standard for volume/weight. The G4 has the highest rating of any of our packs, and we have some very light packs. You certainly have a winner in the G4. I think it is going to become my favorite pack. Thank you, Glen. Warm regards, Buddy Gilchrest, Ed.D Professor Emeritus, Baylor University [note: Prof. Gilcrest's check was returned with his pack, in deference to his assuming responsibility for updating a backpacking handbook when his colleague could not take it on. His comments were unsolicited, and are reprinted with permission.]

Both G4's arrived (new and repaired). Your service is, as always, excellent. Paul "Walkdad" Weader

Thanks for such prompt order filling and shipment. I ordered one of your older G4's (extra stock?) and received it 4 days later! That's service. I look forward to using it soon. It looks fantastic and the quality appears first rate. Keep up the good work. Jon Young

Got the G4 pack in the mail yesterday. I am very pleased with the looks and the quality. Thanks for the super fast response, and all the info. -Rob

Thanks so much for your help... I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. You have wonderful customer service...I look forward to working with you again. Jennifer

I was very impressed with your talk and presentation at A16, (San Diego) you are a good speaker and have a great sense of humor. I was also impressed with the Quality construction of your G-4. As you may remember from my e mails and meeting you in person, I have built some packs, but I'd like to buy 2 at this time. I would like a medium for myself and a small for my wife. My wife was impressed enough with my comments about your clinic that she is planning on attending your Costa Mesa clinic. If you have the 2 packs in stock, would it be ok to take delivery at that time? Thank you, Burt Fieser

Hi Glen, I just wanted to let you know the pack arrived on Monday the 16th and how pleased I am with it. My inital impression is the pack is well thought out and beautifully constructed. I had hoped to try it out this weekend, but due to some last minute changes it looks like I'll have to wait until early August. In the meantime, I've loaded, unloaded, adjusted, walked around, and generally fiddled with it quite a bit and it looks like it's going to nicely fit my style of backpacking. Once again, thank you for your prompt and personal attention to my emails and for shipping the pack so quickly. In the instructions that came with the pack, I read how GVP Gear is a family hobby. Hobby or not, I want to complement you on the professionalism and quality of your product, your website, your documentation, and the way you handled my inquiries and order. Everything has been top notch in my opinion. Thanks again! Bill Loud

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