Bushwalk Australia

As the title says, who's doing multiple-day trail runs... or fastpacking as it (sometimes) gets called?

Long story short, I'm struggling to get in enough hiking and fishing these days due to run training/racing commitments, so the only logical solution is to combine all three

I'm curious as to what kind and size vest packs people are using. I'm perilously close to pulling the trigger on a Salomon S-Lab Peak 20, partially because I can use it in the upcoming Cradle Ultra (slightly bigger than absolutely necessary, but easier to carry all the required safety gear than in a regular vestpack).... a mate used this for an overnight run into Melaluca but reckons he was struggling for space despite going cold-food only and using a bivvy rather than a tarp etc. Then I've read of one guy doing a 7-day John Muir Trail run who squeezed in a 'mid tent, quilt, inflatable mat and all usual comforts as well as a bear canister merrily.

Personally I'd be going MYOG down quilt, short mat and tarp with net inner. Fishing gear is minimalist Tenkara, nothing really. Salomon do a 30L version of the pack but I think that just opens the temptation to take more gear than's absolutely necessary. I think I'd rather embrace the challenge, but maybe it's a step too far. Thoughts?

Cheers, Ben.

I recently got an OMM Phantom 25CL - was due for a new pack and it fits my gear for an overnighter. I'm just toying with fastpacking / running at the moment, but I'd like to head down that path for similar reasons (time constraints). It's a pretty good pack, I took it out for a test last week, and it worked pretty well. Inside I had my winter kit: Tarptent Moment DW, -8c quilt from Mike on these forums, Exped synmat UL7S, 650ml Toaks titanium pot with a 110g canister and stove inside, 220g merino thermals (long johns and long sleeve), gloves, beanie, pair of spare socks, down jacket, rain jacket, plus odds and ends (first aid, headlamp, etc) and I can fit about an overnight's trip worth of food inside. That leaves me with no more room inside, so I have 1Lwater bottles in the side pockets. The main mesh is empty If I wanted to use my bladder, I'd be screwed, basically. Summer kit would give me more space for longer trips, given a smaller quilt, and lighter thermals/down vest. If I was to get more in to running, I'd take different kit - tarp & bivy, half bag to work with the down jacket. My tent and quilt take up about 2/3 of the space in the pack.

Can you get to a shop that sells the vest, and see if your gear physically fits? Some manufacturers include all the front and mesh pockets in their capacity. Ultimate Direction might be worth looking at as well.

I'd really love to do this and I've got everything I'd need to do it, but the sad reality is I'm just not fit enough . Which kinda surprised me, I seem to be able to put in 30k days hiking without to much drama, so I wrongly assumed that I would be up to the task of fastpacking. My aim for this year is to really work on my cardio

Rosscodj wrote:I recently got an OMM Phantom 25CL - was due for a new pack and it fits my gear for an overnighter. I'm just toying with fastpacking / running at the moment, but I'd like to head down that path for similar reasons (time constraints). It's a pretty good pack, I took it out for a test last week, and it worked pretty well. Inside I had my winter kit: Tarptent Moment DW, -8c quilt from Mike on these forums, Exped synmat UL7S, 650ml Toaks titanium pot with a 110g canister and stove inside, 220g merino thermals (long johns and long sleeve), gloves, beanie, pair of spare socks, down jacket, rain jacket, plus odds and ends (first aid, headlamp, etc) and I can fit about an overnight's trip worth of food inside. That leaves me with no more room inside, so I have 1Lwater bottles in the side pockets. The main mesh is empty If I wanted to use my bladder, I'd be screwed, basically. Summer kit would give me more space for longer trips, given a smaller quilt, and lighter thermals/down vest. If I was to get more in to running, I'd take different kit - tarp & bivy, half bag to work with the down jacket. My tent and quilt take up about 2/3 of the space in the pack.

Can you get to a shop that sells the vest, and see if your gear physically fits? Some manufacturers include all the front and mesh pockets in their capacity. Ultimate Direction might be worth looking at as well.

Yeah I've looked at some of the Ultimate Direction offerings... unfortunately for better or worse I'm wedded through habit to Salomon's "bottle-each-side" harness layout to monitor consumption of electrolyte versus plain water, the Fastpack 25 has bottle pouches either side but the 15 doesn't - missed opportunity there. To be honest the suspension and strapping system on their larger vestpacks seems more 'pack' and less 'vest' too, if you catch my drift. The OMM stuff looks good but I don't know of anyone in Tassie who stocks it... it's either Salomon or UD here, and that's it.

I've had an S-Lab Peak 20 on loan for the past week, did 12km of stairs and hills around Trevallyn in the heat then about 36km yesterday running into Narcissus from the Visitor Centre and back... was supposed to be via the Curvier Valley track, but it's not really navigable at a trot in trail runners and long socks Anyway, have been really impressed with it... quite cavernous when you open it all up, and all the cords and suspension systems cinch everything down tight onto you for minimum movement and bounce with a decent load. Quite impressive. It does however take quite a while to 'dial it' into your fit and I found myself having to retighten things every so often... not sure if this was due to cord locks slipping or the settling of what was being carried. The other weird omission is the complete inability to carry a bladder in/on it... personally I'm at the point where I'm sick of bladders anyway, and would rather squirrel away extra bottles, but still, a weird thing to not include for the sake of a hanging tag, toggle and tube hole.

I think it is entirely possible to carry a full compliment of UL/SUL gear in it, and be comfortable maintaining a good trail run/hike page... probably your limiting factor will be fitting enough food for more than say 3 days/2 nights.

racca wrote:I'd really love to do this and I've got everything I'd need to do it, but the sad reality is I'm just not fit enough . Which kinda surprised me, I seem to be able to put in 30k days hiking without to much drama, so I wrongly assumed that I would be up to the task of fastpacking. My aim for this year is to really work on my cardio

Actually the secret isn't cardio but to work on your aerobic pace ie. run slow and steady and a low(er) heart rate... 180 minus your age is the default target ceiling. Took me a fair while to master this (while being constantly badgered by my coach to slow down) as my natural inclination is to run hard and put my HR through the roof (I regularly do supersprint tris with an average HR of over 185 bpm... I'm nearly 38 too, not exactly a spring chicken). As my race distances have increased the need to preserve oneself has increased obviously, and that's where finding that steady, easy effort that you can literally maintain all day (or close to it) is key. Walk the ups, glide the downs. Of course it doesn't hurt to know how to move over rough ground efficiently either... fortunately I have good coaches for that too. It's quite a skill to learn, and takes time to master. I learn more every time I fall over!

But yeah, fastpacking is one of those things where it is probably easier to come into it as a runner first and hiker second, than the other way round. Don't get discouraged though. It was barely 3 years ago I did my first continuous 5km run since probably high school.... if you put in the training, you'll progress quickly.

Cheers, Ben.

I haven't been on here in ages. Mostly posting on FB lately. Have a few trip reports etc up in some groups.

We are kinda the same mate. I'm into ultras and do fastpack. Have the peak 20. Great pack. Few overnight and multi day trips with mine now. Food is the issue with the peak 20. 3 days is really pushing them for capacity.

Was never a runner but was eyeing out a Peak 30 in Mountain Designs just yesterday. Pretty good and comfortable I thought. Lots of pockets and straps and if I remember correctly had a compartment to put a bladder inside the pack that would rest against your back. 40% off ATM ($138.00).
https://www.mountaindesigns.com/store/products/182098/salomon-peak-30

forest wrote:We are kinda the same mate. I'm into ultras and do fastpack. Have the peak 20. Great pack. Few overnight and multi day trips with mine now. Food is the issue with the peak 20. 3 days is really pushing them for capacity.

Great to know there’s a few people out there doing it.

I don’t suppose you’d mind sharing your gear setup and how you use the pack? I’m sure I’m not the only person here who would find such info very interesting.

I'm not active on here mate and I've posted up a few times in this group on FB. Sorry but I'm not dual posting things on multiple platforms anymore.

Have a search in this group for fastpacking. Happy to chat further on there mate.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/633071566859366/

Ok found you Thanks...

As a continuation of the conversation, this week I'm trying an older (circa 2014) Salomon Skin Pro 14+3L vest pack. Not far off the capacity to the Peak 20 but an entirely different concept. Will be putting it through its paces tomorrow afternoon with a long run loaded up, but already I'm frankensteining the two together in my mind



Cheers, Ben.

Hi Ben
As an old slow multiday trail runner my 2c worth.
For a 12 hour run such as Cradle the 20l pack as you already know will be a little larger than you need
For a multi day run if you are planning to stop overnight I wouldn't go under 30l but I'm soft
See you at Pelion in a few weeks

This guy seems to be stuffing a hell of a lot into a 20L bag. Thought you might be interested
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1a3i0pUX-R6_wysDkC_I05czc-NgxpmAXl496eygE5UQ/edit#gid=0

Yeah I have done a fair bit of fastpacking. It's basically the same as SUL or XUL hiking but in a running pack! I did GSER (which has the same gear requirements as Cradle Mountain) and used the Salomon Adv Skin 5 (which was pushing it!! The 12L would be much more comfortable).

I have an OMM Phantom 20L, however I am not very impressed with the durability. The back panel is silnylon which is just awful in a pack in my opinion. I only paid $60 for it though which is why I overlooked it.

This is what I take if you are interested.
https://lighterpack.com/r/7dygd7

Might like to consider a MLD core 22 with two sternum straps and a waist belt that can carry a decent amount of water, like an ultimate direction groove stereo.