First Steps with a Mariposa Backpack

In May, I embark on another coast-to-coast walk on The Great Outdoor Challenge event. Fellow Trail Ambassador Philip Werner and Gossamer Gear's Grant Sible are accompanying me on this walk. 215 miles of mountains, high moorland and wild land to cross in two weeks.

Travelling light on an event like this has to be a priority. I will be using a Mariposa backpack for this trek and took it for a training walk in the English Lake District recently. The mountains here close to the coast rise steeply up from the valley floor and give the backpacker a stern test in preparation for the mountains of Scotland that await.

The walk had tremendous vistas of the highest mountains in England with sunset views to make the cold high camp worth every effort to get to.

The dawn had a cloud inversion over Lake Coniston and I was soon up and over the mountains walking high alone.

My Mariposa carried my equipment with sublime comfort. It was as comfortable as my old Gorilla Pack, but has more volume and pockets, which I soon found useful and can see this as a ideal pack for 3 season backpacking in the United Kingdom. It's light, durable and over rocky terrain climbing down rocky ridges it also proved to be stable. I have high hopes for this pack's performance on the upcoming walk with Grant and Philip. I am excited to meet up with my teammates and look forward to our upcoming journey together.

Submitted by Trail Ambassador Martin Rye