shawnb

Originally Posted by Dogwood

Originally Posted by Coffee

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread but Dogwood's comment on a virtual frame for the CDT caught my attention when I did a search. So I figured I'd comment on this thread rather than starting a new one. I just received a custom CDT (specified a rolltop like the Circuit vs. the draw string closure) and I'm experimenting with various ways of packing it. I carry both a regular Neoair xlite and a cut down piece of blue foam that I use as a sit pad. I removed the standard foam that ULA ships with the CDT and have packed up with both the Neoair and the blue foam as "virtual" frames. The neo air, slightly inflated, is indeed more comfortable I think... but I am, to some degree, still worried about punctures even though I have now used the pad for an extended amount of time (six weeks on the PCT this spring). I always kept it in a stuff sack and was protective of it in camp only using it on my cuben floor after taking time to clear the underlying ground of sharp objects. I don't believe that I have sharp objects inside my pack typically so that's probably not an issue. But what about setting the pack down during breaks? The back panel is pretty thin, as is the bottom of the pack. Should I be overly concerned about popping the neo air when used in this manner?

For now, the CDT is going to be my summer pack for shorter trips where total weight is likely going to be in the 15 pound range. Possibly 20 if I go out for several days. But I am looking at going in a more ultralight direction for all of my hiking longer term and possibly using the CDT for hikes where I would have, in the past, used my Circuit. On some occasions with longer food and water carries, I can see myself going up to 25 pounds or so even with a UL base weight. So the virtual frame concept is something I want to explore while I still am carrying minimal weight so I can push it further in the future.

Wow, 4 yrs ago.

Gotcha. IMO, you're transitioning to lighter wt kits wisely in multiple steps carefully considering many aspects of your hikes and your hiking style(s) rather than the one big leap approach to saving wt which I see becoming increasingly common among the more inexperienced who seem to think going to lighter kits is all/largely about purchasing new sometimes expensive gear often not commensurate with their entire growing skill set or expansion of their types of hikes.

My goal for employing the ULA CDT was kit integration employing an UL hiking style that include considerations beyond gear too. I strip all my CDTs down to about 18 -20 oz(m/L torso, 34-36" waist belt) removing all the removable items including the back foam pad. I still use the NeoAir Xlite Shortie and med length XLite(this is the woman's version but who says a man can't use it too?, I like this length at times as a 6'4" man) as a virtual framesheet.
A NeoAir XLite is DEFLATED, then folded into the appropriate number of folds(longer your inflatable pad the more number of folds), and then placed w/ the air valve UP within the empty ULA CDT securing it with the elastic holding straps on the top(these keep the pad in place as the pad sometimes wants to rise up out of the pack). The folded DEFLATED pad takes up very little volume! I don't carry a CCF pad inside a pack when I have wt saving goals. They simply take up too much valuable interior volume which can be used for other things that need greater protection. ULA used to, and still might, have a vid on using/placing an inflatable pad into the CDT to be used as a framesheet/suspension.

The only items that go into my CDT that could possibly cause a puncture or pinch from the inside are things like foldable carbon fiber tarp/tent poles(I could store these outside but since they are SUL I don't want the risk of them being damaged, if I'm using trekking poles these aren't usually necessary and I will store trekking poles on the outside) and or tent stakes or maybe something in my cook set. This is easily remedied by placing tent stakes in an old microfiber sunglass pouch w/ a drawcord, and rubber banding(mini hair bungees work well too) this pouch and the poles together placing the poles slightly off to the side of NeoAir as my next pack loading step. If really concerned I may sleeve a 2nd pr of socks I almost always have onto each end of these poles. All cookware items are stored inside my pot inside a mesh storage bag.

Then a quilt or sleeping bag is loaded that sits on the bottom of the pack. Then, the rest of my gear in order of the items I may have the most use for towards the top of the pack i.e.; wind/rain jacket, extra shirt, vest, jacket. etc. Once loaded/mostly loaded I THEN PARTIALLY INFLATE the Neo Air so it is NOT fully inflated but stabilizes the load, creates a virtual suspension, and provides cushion against my back. I do NOT want, as Muddy stated as a concern, the pad taking up undue valuable interior volume OR risking a deflated inflatable pad!

The ULA uses their ULA 210 Robic for the main pack material. It is tough! It lasts! They also reinforce the bottom of the pack. It has much greater puncture resistance than say straight non hybrid CF 6 or 8 used in tarps. Only after many 1000's of abrasive trail and traveling miles(CDT, CT, Deserts, high elev traverses, lava, flights, bus rides, being thrown into car trunks and the back of PUs, etc) do I notice the bottom of the backpack receiving any noticeable wear issues that MIGHT cause concern for puncturing a Neo Air. This is easily remedied with a few dabs of McNetts Seam Grip.

DO be mindful of how you throw your CDT onto the ground or what you lay it up against when using an inflatable pad as your virtual frame after having removed the stock foam back when in high puncture environs like cacti and mesquite abundant desert areas of the possible punctures that can occur through the back panel.

I have had ZERO issues puncturing a Neo Air either from external or internal sources after extensive use doing it this way. My only punctures with the NeoAir have occurred once the pad is outside the backpack like when I haven't adequately checked the ground(using no ground sheet) before I sat on it.