Seek Outside packs
Is anyone familiar with the Seek Outside packs? I am trying to decide between the Divide or the Uniweep 3900.
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Thom
Of course we don't know where you plan to hike or your personal needs, but do you realize that these are huge packs (74 and 64 liters) that are far more robust and heavily built than needed for AT type of hiking?Originally Posted by Grau
OTOH maybe you're doing packrafting in Alaska or hauling elk out of the backcountry of Montana and actually need such a pack.
Next time Im in Turner, I'll bring my pack so you can look at it.
external frame packs that are extremely adjustable. I use a 4800 Unaweep for most longer trips and Winter hikes. Carries well. Can strap all kinds of stuff like snowshoes or skis using the talon. I have two and four inch frame extensions for mine, but usually leave the four inche extensions in.
The 4800 was perfect size for a 10 day trip of the HMW.
They have changed the design a bit since I bought mine in oct 2014, but the basic idea is still the same. A cavernous pack that can carry as little as 10 pounds or as much as Tipi Walter carries.
no experience with the Divide.
I have a Unaweep 4800, great pack for big loads, it weighs about 3.5 lbs.. Strong, big pockets, water resistant.
humor is the gadfly on the corpse of tragedy
I've owned a fair number of packs over the years. The Seek Outside Unaweep is by far the most comfortable and versatile of all. The pack bags come in different sizes. The 3900 is not much larger than a Osprey Atmos 50 I have and just a few ounces heavier. The only difference between the Unaweep and Divide is that the Unaweep is one large bag accessible only through the top but the Divides are also accessible from side zippers. The whole system looks complicated but it is extremely adjustable. The packs are engineered to keep the majority of the weight on your hips but can be quickly and easily adjusted to balance the weight over your hips/shoulders in anyway that is comfortable for you.
I own a Divide, great pack. I don't know the OP requirements but I'll address a LD hike. Seek Outside caters to the light weight hunting community. The divide is their purpose built backpacking bag. Their other offerings have additional features that help secure unusual shapes like elk qrts that short of stuff but they are still very suitable for a LD hike. The 4800 uniweep with a mesh talon is similar to the Divide.
This pack is a roll top, the listed 70L capacity is with the bag extended. With the bag rolled down to the top of the frame it looks to be about 55L and it cinches down well. The Divide isn't over built like a military style pack. At a little under 3lbs, the weight and 55L size is about what I've seen common with A.T. thru-hikers.
Most fitted packs will work with typical light-weight load. For me what sets the Divide apart is the comfort and capability when carrying cold weather gear and making the climb out of town after a resupply or humping extra water into a dry camp. The hip belt doesn't look special but it is remarkable the way it conforms, doesn't slip and I don't have to cinch it down tight.The suspension can be rigged loose or firm, adjustable in torso length and frame height (think functional load lifters). Others have mentioned that the shoulder strap attachment is wide. I'm ok with it but something to keep in mind.
For me but the bottom line is the divide won't go from comfortable to miserable in 5lbs like other packs that I've had.
The smallest Unaweep pack is pretty sleek. I wouldn't say it's huge. It compresses well enough that I don't think it would feel like too much pack for just about anything. It's not like the heavy duty internal frame packs that hunters use that can sometimes feel like a stiff board strapped to your back.
The Divide pack, which I owned, did seem big. In the end it was bigger than I wanted and I sold it. Still have second thoughts, but I just couldn't get the fit right and I felt like it had to be perfect if it was going to cost $400. It wasn't perfect for me, but I think it could be for a lot of folks who are willing to make the investment.
The Divide is ~2-4oz more than an Osprey Exos 58 (w/brain). Considering you don't need a pack cover with the Seek Outside pack and it won't absorb moisture, it's an intriguing option for lightweight backpacking.
I bought a Divide over Christmas which I'm going to try out on a three day trip later this week.
The Divide is ~2-4oz more than an Osprey Exos 58 (w/brain). Considering you don't need a pack cover with the Seek Outside pack and it won't absorb moisture, it's an intriguing option for lightweight backpacking.
I bought a Divide over Christmas which I'm going to try out on a three day trip later this week.
No personal experience but I've looked at them a ton online and came close to buying one. Unless you're hauling really big, oddly shaped loads I think they Divide is the better pack for backpacking. If you need to carry an elk quarter, ski's , packraft stuff, etc then it might be worth looking at the unaweep. Someone above mentioned that the divide has side zippers but pretty sure that's incorrect. The divide is just a single, top load bag with a mesh front pocket.
I ended up getting the Seek Outside Fortress 6,300 on the Revolution platform. I can use it for winter trips as well and it carries a slight weight penalty. It is remarkably comfortable. That weight penalty is reduced by 5oz if I remove the two horizontal stays which the Divide doesn't have.
I love their approach to backpacks and opted for the Revolution vs integrated platform so I could remove the pack bag entirely in the field and haul wood without potentially damaging the bag.
One other benefit is that with Seek Outside, you can remove the existing bag and use another one. Have one large bag for winter treks and a smaller one for three seasons. I might opt to do that and get a smaller bag such as the Peregrine 3500.
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