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Backpacker Magazine – Gear Guide 2011
Gear Review: Hyperlite Mountain Gear Windrider Weekend Pack
If you travel light and fast, this is your weekend pack.
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Windrider (BP Photo Department)
[best ultralight]
After cruising up to 24 miles per day on his 200-mile AT section hike, our tester proclaimed, “This is an excellent choice for a purist UL hiker who wants enhanced durability and weatherproofing.” Credit the use of a nylon ripstop/Cuben Fiber packbag that’s so tough, he says, “aside from a few dirt scuffs, you can’t detect any signs of wear, even at the seams.”
The material is also waterproof—seams are sealed, and a roll-top closure ensures that no moisture penetrates from above. And the minimalist ultralight design includes two thin, foam-covered aluminum stays for support. That, combined with the quarter-inch-thick foam shoulder straps and hipbelt, makes carrying comfort better than average for this rarified weight class. Even so, our tester found the manufacturer’s 35-pound load limit optimistic. “Thirty pounds is the max I could comfortably carry, but really, hikers who buy this pack shouldn’t be packing more than that anyway.”
Minor gripe: The internal hydration sleeve is too small for the 100-ounce reservoirs that most of our crew likes to carry. $255; 1 lb. 9 oz.; 40 liters
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READERS COMMENTS
The intended users of this pack are likely to have a base weight of 9-12lbs and could make it work for unsupported trips of a week or more (assuming access to water is adequate). If you think this is a weekend pack, then you probably are still transitioning to lightweight backpacking, and it is likely not the best choice for you. For those of you who are transitioning to UL, most budding UL'ers will be better off changing packs as the final step of the transition - trying to fit non-UL gear into an UL pack can be difficult (and uncomfortable!).
I carried the Windrider for more than 1/2 the A/T after another light weight pack failed. The Windrider out performed any of the other packs on the trail. Water proof, easy to load( the white color lets light in) comfortable with loads from 20 to 30 lbs. No order retention, durable and the same size as me so it doesn't get hung up in the tight spots on the trail.
If you are planning a thru hike or weekend trip this is the pack.
For the ultimate ultralight pack that is also waterproof and strong consider the Blast3200 made of cuben fiber by Joe Valesko of ZPacks. I have used one for the past 3 years. For a 7 day trip my pack load starts with 25-27 lbs that is carried comfortably. The ZPack weighs only 5 ounces (less without options).
I still have to say the Osprey Exos 58 is a much better choice for a weekend UL pack. 40 liters just isn't enough for a two to three night trip. The Osprey is only 1 pound more and had nearly 50% more volume. I don't carry more than 30 lbs. in it, and it has many more features than this pack.
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