Checking the Ozone

I'm now trying out the Granite Gear Nimbus Ozone backpack. It's only a shade heavier and larger than the GG Vapor Trail - my previous pack. The Vapor Trail would have been great for the hike, but was only comfortable with 30-ish lbs. or less. The Ozone has a full-size frame of a tougher material, instead of the relatively flimsy HDPE plastic framesheet sewn into the Vapor Trail. It would be hard to call it an internal-frame backpack, as it's classification suggests. The hipbelt and shoulder straps are bolted to the Tepex (TM) framesheet, and pivot on grommets. The frame is between the padding and the pack, but is outside of the main compartment.

The added structure comes at a price of being 1 lb. heavier than it's little brother, the Vapor Trail. The benefit is the ability to carry an additional 200 ci (3800 ci max. with extension collar) and up to 40-ish pounds. When you're carrying 3 liters of water, 7 days of food, clothing, shelter, fuel, and all the other little things that add up, you should have a pack that can do it all and stay comfortable. This pack does all of that at only 3 lbs. and deserves a trial run, if not a ride from Maine to Georgia on my back.