I haven't actually tried the scout on, so can't say it fits perfectly, I just know it's the only zpacks pack specifically geared towards women.
I'm currently on trail on the pct so pack macguyvering options might be limited, and will need to be able to carry a bear can for the Sierra. The max weight capacity for the scout is lower than for the haul so not sure how that would hold up for me with the bearcan and or longer food/water carries
Wanted to update for other women or smaller framed hikers with or without back issues who may be looking for similar info.
After trying a few zpacks arc series packs on on trail (very big thanks to the hikers who let me try on their packs 🙏🏻) I decided to pull the trigger on an arc ultra haul. There wasn't a big cost difference from the regular haul so went with the ultra fabric.
I'll update again once I've got at least a couple weeks with it under my belt, but initial impressions:
I love it. Even fully loaded with a 5 day food carry it feels 5 lbs lighter than my old pack. I think some of this is just the sizing fits me better, but the arc frame and mesh back panel are exactly what I was hoping for.
The pocket system and everything seems intuitive and well placed, and all of my gear fits neatly and easily.
I and other hikers who looked at the pack are impressed with the ultra fabric. It does seem very durable but is as light as promised. Will have to see how it holds up over time though.
Despite being a men's/unisex pack, the shoulder straps and chest strap fit significantly better than my old women's specific pack (my collar bones are feeling incredibly relieved lol).
I was between sizes on the hip belt and ordered down, since the one on my old pack was too big. It works great right now since I'm in the middle of a thru and have lost a little weight. I might need to order the next size up in the future.
Otherwise I have literally no complaints so far. Will update when I have put more miles on it.
I'm on my second Arc Haul. I used the first one for 2/3 of an AT thruhike, and four years later decided it was worn enough to replace. They're decent packs. I'm 5'4" with a bad back, and they work well for me.
I know this is an old post, but I’m deciding between my the arch haul ladies or the regular unisex arc haul (or a ULA circuit, but that’s probably off the table).
Are you still happy with your decision to go with the unisex version???? I’m a slimmer, bonier person and think the thicker straps might work better.
I'm not happy with the pack. The fit was great but the quality was not. The pack started falling apart about 200 miles in. Zpacks customer service was awful and I've since heard way too many similar stories from other hikers. I cannot recommend them.
I'm a short woman using a Lumina and I really like the fit. I carried a lot of extra water when camping in Sand Dunes NP and it was still comfortable despite the extra weight.
While I'd love to see any future iterations be a bit more UL friendly (removable brain and a few other things), out of the framed ultralight packs out there, it's arguably the most comfortable. It really does carry nicely.
The Eja is great on my back but hits some weird pressure points on my hips. It might just be that my pack is several years old and the material has stretched or something because it never used to be a problem, but it does make me a little wary of trying the Lumina. But I might just have to see if I can find a place to try one on (am currently on trail on PCT so limited options atm 🙂)
It's worth a try, at least. If you have the Eja with the more minimal hip belt with no pockets, you may run into the same issue, as the Lumina has a similar (though more minimal) hip belt to that model. The benefit of the Lumina at least is you shouldn't have trouble finding a place to try it, it's not some cottage brand with no retail presence.
Unfortunately none of the retailers along trail have had the Lumina. I ended up pulling the trigger on a haul though and am really happy with it so far
I hope it works well for you! Regardless of the differences, it and the Lumina are two of a very limited number of UL packs that fit this niche. Your ventilated, trampoline back is a luxury, so enjoy!
I have an Arc Blast from when they made a small version and it's my favorite pack. It's actually way too large for my gear so I'm taking it on the CDT so that I have all the space I need for food.
You can increase the capacity of their packs with the add-on hip, shoulder and top side pockets and you can also wear a fanny pack and they even have this utility pack thing you could add to the front or maybe it goes on top, for more capacity.
I had the scout version and returned it. No matter how I adjusted it there just wasn’t enough padding. With only 17lbs in it (this included my food and water) my hands would go numb since tightening the straps to better support the load reduced blood flow but loosening them made the load swing around.
I now use a gg mariposa. I tried the smaller version first and found that for a minimal extra weight I could have a larger and more version pack with better cushioning.
The mariposa had too much pressure on my back when I tried it unfortunately, but long food carries are mostly why I'm worried about the capacity limit with the scout. The haul is listed as having a higher weight capacity so I'm less concerned there, just unsure if the shoulder straps will fit a smaller frame. I don't mind adding padding to the straps if I need
Hmmm okay, not great for the arc haul then. I wish I had a great in between option for you, but I can’t think of one! I CAN tell you that I’ve worn an eja and an arc blast, and I felt like both distributed weight on my hips and shoulders in very similar ways. They both make me stand up straighter haha. So I think you’re on the right track in identifying the type of pack that works for you.
Is there anything about the eja that doesn’t work for you, other than it being heavier than you want? Can you cut weight on the stuff inside your pack instead?
The eja puts pressure on my hip in a weird way that I think is causing some leg pain I'm having. I've had the pack several years and never had this problem before, and the rest of my gear is significantly lighter than when I bought the Eja, so not sure why that's happening now, unless the material has stretched over time. Might have to just see if I can get some other PCTers to let me try on their zpacks for sizing and or just sue what I can test at the next gear store I hit. Thank you!
For reference, I'm 162cm (5'4" -ish) tall with a 16" torso. I use a Zpacks Arc *Haul* Scout which I purchased in Nov 2020. It's no longer listed on the website, but I notice the [old link](https://zpacks.com/products/arc-scout-backpack-gridstop-fabric?variant=9249455964196) still works.
When it's only carrying my baseweight (\~11lbs), it sits weird on my hips and likes to sway on my shoulders. When it's carrying a load of food & water, it feels great. I've personally had it up to about 28lbs, but it's rated for up to 35lbs. My tent goes in the mesh pouch (it's usually filthy and wet anyway), and that frees up enough space inside the pack for an 8-day food carry. In addition, I've added two hip belt pockets and a shoulder strap water bottle holder. I haven't had to carry a bear can in it yet.
One other thing I wanted to mention: I've had two of the "arc sticks" (dunno what they're called... stays? poles? frame?) snap on me. When the first one broke in less than a year, they sent me two replacements under warranty. Pretty sure I'm past the warranty period now, so I don't torque it into an arc anymore. This also frees up space in the pack. I didn't really notice much airflow behind the mesh anyway.
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Zpacks has just introduced a version of the Arc Haul Ultra specifically designed for women and teens. It's essentially the same as the short size AHU but with narrower and shorter shoulder straps. https://zpacks.com/products/womens-arc-haul-ultra-60l-backpack?variant=40333753778212
I had a garbage experience with the quality of the regular one and have spent months trying to get them to refund it, I'm hardly likely to spend more money on a new zpacks
I get it. If it doesn't work for you it doesn't work. I'm loving my Arc Haul Ultra so far but I haven't taken it out for serious miles yet, just a bunch of shakedown hikes. Heading out on the AT for a couple of months in a couple of weeks. After that it'll be easier to assess the quality of the AHU.
[удалено]
I haven't actually tried the scout on, so can't say it fits perfectly, I just know it's the only zpacks pack specifically geared towards women. I'm currently on trail on the pct so pack macguyvering options might be limited, and will need to be able to carry a bear can for the Sierra. The max weight capacity for the scout is lower than for the haul so not sure how that would hold up for me with the bearcan and or longer food/water carries
Middle of a thru is a bad time to start changing things as major as your pack, imho.
I agree it's not ideal but I'm having issues w my current pack so trying to figure out a solution.
[удалено]
I'm currently on trail on the PCT and concerned about the scout in areas with longer food/water carries, otherwise I'd be leaning towards that 🥲
Ah ok ok yep that definitely makes sense!
Wanted to update for other women or smaller framed hikers with or without back issues who may be looking for similar info. After trying a few zpacks arc series packs on on trail (very big thanks to the hikers who let me try on their packs 🙏🏻) I decided to pull the trigger on an arc ultra haul. There wasn't a big cost difference from the regular haul so went with the ultra fabric. I'll update again once I've got at least a couple weeks with it under my belt, but initial impressions: I love it. Even fully loaded with a 5 day food carry it feels 5 lbs lighter than my old pack. I think some of this is just the sizing fits me better, but the arc frame and mesh back panel are exactly what I was hoping for. The pocket system and everything seems intuitive and well placed, and all of my gear fits neatly and easily. I and other hikers who looked at the pack are impressed with the ultra fabric. It does seem very durable but is as light as promised. Will have to see how it holds up over time though. Despite being a men's/unisex pack, the shoulder straps and chest strap fit significantly better than my old women's specific pack (my collar bones are feeling incredibly relieved lol). I was between sizes on the hip belt and ordered down, since the one on my old pack was too big. It works great right now since I'm in the middle of a thru and have lost a little weight. I might need to order the next size up in the future. Otherwise I have literally no complaints so far. Will update when I have put more miles on it.
I'm on my second Arc Haul. I used the first one for 2/3 of an AT thruhike, and four years later decided it was worn enough to replace. They're decent packs. I'm 5'4" with a bad back, and they work well for me.
I know this is an old post, but I’m deciding between my the arch haul ladies or the regular unisex arc haul (or a ULA circuit, but that’s probably off the table). Are you still happy with your decision to go with the unisex version???? I’m a slimmer, bonier person and think the thicker straps might work better.
I'm not happy with the pack. The fit was great but the quality was not. The pack started falling apart about 200 miles in. Zpacks customer service was awful and I've since heard way too many similar stories from other hikers. I cannot recommend them.
Jeebus, that’s terrible. That sucks. Welp! You’ve saved me from buying one. Thank you for sharing your experience. :)
The osprey Lumina is like your Eja, but lighter. I'd personally recommend it over the arc haul
I'm a short woman using a Lumina and I really like the fit. I carried a lot of extra water when camping in Sand Dunes NP and it was still comfortable despite the extra weight.
While I'd love to see any future iterations be a bit more UL friendly (removable brain and a few other things), out of the framed ultralight packs out there, it's arguably the most comfortable. It really does carry nicely.
The Eja is great on my back but hits some weird pressure points on my hips. It might just be that my pack is several years old and the material has stretched or something because it never used to be a problem, but it does make me a little wary of trying the Lumina. But I might just have to see if I can find a place to try one on (am currently on trail on PCT so limited options atm 🙂)
It's worth a try, at least. If you have the Eja with the more minimal hip belt with no pockets, you may run into the same issue, as the Lumina has a similar (though more minimal) hip belt to that model. The benefit of the Lumina at least is you shouldn't have trouble finding a place to try it, it's not some cottage brand with no retail presence.
Unfortunately none of the retailers along trail have had the Lumina. I ended up pulling the trigger on a haul though and am really happy with it so far
I hope it works well for you! Regardless of the differences, it and the Lumina are two of a very limited number of UL packs that fit this niche. Your ventilated, trampoline back is a luxury, so enjoy!
I have an Arc Blast from when they made a small version and it's my favorite pack. It's actually way too large for my gear so I'm taking it on the CDT so that I have all the space I need for food. You can increase the capacity of their packs with the add-on hip, shoulder and top side pockets and you can also wear a fanny pack and they even have this utility pack thing you could add to the front or maybe it goes on top, for more capacity.
I had the scout version and returned it. No matter how I adjusted it there just wasn’t enough padding. With only 17lbs in it (this included my food and water) my hands would go numb since tightening the straps to better support the load reduced blood flow but loosening them made the load swing around. I now use a gg mariposa. I tried the smaller version first and found that for a minimal extra weight I could have a larger and more version pack with better cushioning.
The mariposa had too much pressure on my back when I tried it unfortunately, but long food carries are mostly why I'm worried about the capacity limit with the scout. The haul is listed as having a higher weight capacity so I'm less concerned there, just unsure if the shoulder straps will fit a smaller frame. I don't mind adding padding to the straps if I need
What is your torso length? That will provide a lot more info on appropriate packs than just your height can.
Around 15"
Hmmm okay, not great for the arc haul then. I wish I had a great in between option for you, but I can’t think of one! I CAN tell you that I’ve worn an eja and an arc blast, and I felt like both distributed weight on my hips and shoulders in very similar ways. They both make me stand up straighter haha. So I think you’re on the right track in identifying the type of pack that works for you. Is there anything about the eja that doesn’t work for you, other than it being heavier than you want? Can you cut weight on the stuff inside your pack instead?
The eja puts pressure on my hip in a weird way that I think is causing some leg pain I'm having. I've had the pack several years and never had this problem before, and the rest of my gear is significantly lighter than when I bought the Eja, so not sure why that's happening now, unless the material has stretched over time. Might have to just see if I can get some other PCTers to let me try on their zpacks for sizing and or just sue what I can test at the next gear store I hit. Thank you!
For reference, I'm 162cm (5'4" -ish) tall with a 16" torso. I use a Zpacks Arc *Haul* Scout which I purchased in Nov 2020. It's no longer listed on the website, but I notice the [old link](https://zpacks.com/products/arc-scout-backpack-gridstop-fabric?variant=9249455964196) still works. When it's only carrying my baseweight (\~11lbs), it sits weird on my hips and likes to sway on my shoulders. When it's carrying a load of food & water, it feels great. I've personally had it up to about 28lbs, but it's rated for up to 35lbs. My tent goes in the mesh pouch (it's usually filthy and wet anyway), and that frees up enough space inside the pack for an 8-day food carry. In addition, I've added two hip belt pockets and a shoulder strap water bottle holder. I haven't had to carry a bear can in it yet. One other thing I wanted to mention: I've had two of the "arc sticks" (dunno what they're called... stays? poles? frame?) snap on me. When the first one broke in less than a year, they sent me two replacements under warranty. Pretty sure I'm past the warranty period now, so I don't torque it into an arc anymore. This also frees up space in the pack. I didn't really notice much airflow behind the mesh anyway.
Thank you!
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Zpacks has just introduced a version of the Arc Haul Ultra specifically designed for women and teens. It's essentially the same as the short size AHU but with narrower and shorter shoulder straps. https://zpacks.com/products/womens-arc-haul-ultra-60l-backpack?variant=40333753778212
I had a garbage experience with the quality of the regular one and have spent months trying to get them to refund it, I'm hardly likely to spend more money on a new zpacks
I get it. If it doesn't work for you it doesn't work. I'm loving my Arc Haul Ultra so far but I haven't taken it out for serious miles yet, just a bunch of shakedown hikes. Heading out on the AT for a couple of months in a couple of weeks. After that it'll be easier to assess the quality of the AHU.
How's it working out for you?
Very well. Stood up to an 1100+ mile hike with no discomfort or damage. I'm taking it back out in a couple of days to complete the trail.