Update 1/12/2020: It appears that this pack is no longer being made. If you’re looking for a similar (and cheaper) pack, check out our review of the REI Flash 22 Hiking Daypack!
Gossamer
Noun
1. A Film of Cobwebs Floating in Air in Calm, Clear Weather
2. Something Light, Delicate, or Insubstantial
-Source: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gossamer
As a lifelong student, day use sized backpacks are an essential tool for daily life. I need them to carry all the essential and non essential crud that I use every day. Depending on the day, and time of year, this can include, but is not limited too:
• Textbooks
• Notebooks
• Pens/Pencils
• Sunglasses
• Extra layer
• Sunscreen
• Snacks
• Water
• Beanie
• Buff
• Headlamp
• Climbing Shoes-for after work gym sessions
• Personal Computer
• ‘It’s Nothing Personal’ Computer
This list is not exhaustive, and only covers what I use when I’m not hiking a trail or climbing at the crag. I like my backpacks to be able to comfortably carry everything I need for a day of climbing or hiking, and to easily transfer to use in the front country.
Many people use a dedicated school backpack, like the classic Jansport, and keep separate packs for their outdoor fun. That’s fine, but I’d prefer something that can do it all. Like my search for the do-it-all climbing harness (see my reviews of the Misty Mountain Custom Harness, and the 2018 Petzl Adjama Harness), my daypack needs to transfer seamlessly between disciplines
For years, I had used a second hand REI 30 liter day pack. This worked just fine for a while, until a hole tore in the bottom, and the zipper kept getting stuck. I got tired of stuffing said hole with a layer, so I decided to upgrade.
Gossamer Gear
Table of Contents
In the spirit of Conspicuous Consumerism, I needed to buy a pack that would make me seem cooler than all the rest. Where I live, everyone has an Osprey backpack. I’m too cool for that. I have always liked Gossamer gear’s stuff, so I looked to their offerings. The Type II 26 Summit Pack caught my attention. I snagged one at a sale for a song. It arrived some days later, and the rest is history. Sort of.
The Type II 26 Summit Pack at a Glance
Gossamer Gear, known for their larger multi day packs, as well as their ultralight shelter options, also make and sell daypacks. Of their offerings, the Summit Pack has the most features, and promises to be the most versatile. Gossamer Gear claims that it is at home just as easily on a quick overnight outing, as it would be on a long day hike. Here are some quick specs, taken from their website:
• Total Weight: 15.1 oz. (14.2 when foam pad is removed)
• 23 L/1400 Cubic Inch capacity in main body, 26L total.
• 210 Robin Nylon/ Extreema construction (I assume that Extreema is some sort of variant of Dyneema)
• Compatible with the Fast Belt
First Impressions
The pack arrived in a plastic bag, inside a cardboard box. It was flattened, with straps and buckles neatly folded. Attached was a tag advertising the features and functions of the pack.
I was impressed with the craftsmanship. Gossamer Gear is a cottage manufacturer, meaning that they may not have access to the means of production that other larger pack makers like Osprey or Patagonia may have. Yet, I don’t expect them to be a two person team sewing away in a garage. The truth likely lies somewhere in between.
The pack features three compartments to organize your gear. There is the large, main compartment, which is covered by a flapjack lid, and closed tight with a draw string. The front of the flapjack sports a smaller zippered pocket, while another, smaller pocket is sewn just under the lid.
The pack is well constructed, and the quality of the material is readily apparent. After six months of heavy use in various conditions, including journeys through a snow storm, and being dragged through off width chimneys, the pack has held up great. There is little to no cosmetic wear, and the stitching and buckles remain steadfast.
Fit
On my slender, 6’1” frame, the pack fits well. All of the straps are adjustable to fit my torso. There is an adjustable sternum strap, along with adjustable shoulder straps. The adjustable shoulder straps feature plastic snapping buckles on the ends, the purpose of which remains a mystery to me. They ride too high to be waist straps, and too low to be sternum straps.
Comfort
For the most part, the Gossamer Gear summit pack is fairly comfortable. It sits well on my body, and the pack does a good job to distribute light loads. When loaded to its limit, the pack becomes overly heavy. The shoulder straps dig into my shoulders, and the soft, conforming backside of the pack does a poor job of keeping objects within the pack from jabbing into my back.
Yet, when loaded sensibly, the Summit Pack does a good job of keeping the load comfy. Truthfully, if you are loading this thing beyond its limits, you should probably opt for a larger pack anyways.
Capacity
Pack capacity is a tricky thing. Different packs with the same capacity can appear to be very different in size and function. I am immediately skeptical of any capacity claim, as they all seem to vary.
The Summit Pack’s main compartment seems to be “taller” rather than wider. Personally I prefer a pack that can heft wider objects, but the Summit carries all I need comfortably. 23 of the pack’s 26 Liters are found in its main compartment, with the last three maid up by its zipper flapjack pocket, and the interior stash pocket.
Hiking Performance
As expected, the summit pack can carry all you need for a day out hiking. I can comfortable fit water, snacks, extra layers, a beanie, buff, headlamp, pocket knife, and a small first aid kit, phone, camera, with plenty of room to spare for various other accoutrements. The main body of the pack is spacious, and the flapjack lid is the perfect size for a small field notebook, my headlamp, and other small items.
There are no complaints here. The Type II 26 Summit does everything I need it to do on a day hike. I have heard talk of hikers using this pack, and similarly sized ones for hyper-extra-ultralight overnight outings. I can maybe see the possibility of this sort of use, but right now my backpacking kit is probably a little too bulky. Maybe if I was reallllly resourceful, taking a good look at my load out and trimming the fat, I could live out if this pack for a night.
Cragging and Climbing
This pack just barely passes as a functional crag pack. With some creative packing, and effective use of exterior straps, the Gossamer Gear Summit Pack can carry a sport rack (12 quickdraws, locking carabiners, slings), a harness, shoes, a helmet, and a rope. I found that you can stuff the main pack body to the gills with all but the rope, of which you strap below the flapjack lid, and strap it down tight. With this setup, you can get your stuff to the sport crag, but it may be an uncomfortable approach. The pack will be digging into your backside, and the pressure of the shoulder straps were causing my arms to go numb.
I don’t necessarily blame that on the pack. I realize that I was pushing it to its limits. For longer approaches, I think I will instead opt for a sturdier, more dedicated pack. Next time I take the Summit Pack out sport climbing, I will split the load a little better between climbers.
While this pack falls short as a crag pack, it shines as a followers pack on multi pitch climbs. When tightened correctly, the pack adheres close to the climber’s back, and can ride above a climbing harness. The sternum strap does a good job of further fastening it in place. At 26 liters, there is plenty of room for water, snacks, extra layers, and whatever else a climbing team could need for a day out on the wall. Despite being repeatedly scraped and bumped against sandstone chimneys, the summit pack has shown little damage or wear. It’s light weight, and small profile make it a great follower’s pack, even though it was never intended to be.
School and Urban Performance
The Type II Summit is a good pack for outdoor pursuits. But how does it hold up in the front country? I used this pack nearly every day while commuting to and from classes in various weather conditions. In it, I stuffed nearly every item I listed near the beginning of this review.
For me, the greatest benefit that this pack offered is its simplicity. When it comes to gear, I am a proponent of maximizing utility, while minimizing design. With only three storage compartments, there were few places to store items. With a design like this, it makes access and organization of items easy. Smaller items, like pens, chapstick, and my headlamp, were stashed in the flapjack pocket. Larger items, such as notebooks and my personal computer, lived in the main compartment. Simple, and I’m happy.
In this capacity, I see only two flaws:
1) The main compartment was never designed to hold books, computers, and other large, rectangular objects. These are not quite “compatible” with the opening to the main compartment, leading to objects getting snagged when entering or leaving the main compartment. Occasionally, the draw string would get wrapped, or snagged.
2) The water bottle holders can be a pain. They are not made from a mesh, like other backpack water bottle holders. Instead, they are made from the extreema fabric that makes up the rest of the pack body. They do not stretch, and are just barely large enough to hold an average sized Nalgene. Often, this means that some finesse is required to get your water bottle to fit into its holder, particularly when the pack is stuffed full.
Durability-A Two Year Update
It’s been two years since I purchased this pack. In that time, I have used and abused it in many ways. After hundreds of hours of use on long hikes, abrasive scrambles, scary multipitch climbs, and in treacherous college lectures, I am happy to report that this pack has held up incredibly well. Aside from the some dirt and scuffs, the Gossamer Gear has sustained no major damage.
Only one part of the pack has suffered any failure-the zip pocket on the pancake flap. After a year, the zipper now fails to work. I can’t close it. This is not a fault of the pack, but I instead blame myself. I kept trying to overstuff the flapjack, causing it to fail. Now, I just don’t use the flapjack pocket, opting to leave it open.
Overall
The Type II Summit Pack is a good, versatile daypack made by a reputable gear manufacturer. It is good for day hiking, quick overnights, and multipitch climbing. As a front country, urban backpack, the Summit’s lightweight, simplistic design makes it adept for toting around town with all your school/work gear in tow. The body material is sturdy and abrasion resistant, and can repel light rainfall.
Pros
• Lightweight
• Simplistic, minimalist design.
• Large enough to carry everything you need for a day hike, an ultralight overnighter, and as a multi pitch followers pack.
• Sturdy, weather resistant, and abrasion resistant.
• Highly adjustable strap and pack design.
• Ice Axe Loops
Cons
• Does not handle heavy loads well.
• Draw String can be snagged
• Water Bottle holders are a pain to use.
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