GoLite Quest 80L
GoLite is no longer in business, and the Quest 80L has been discontinued. If you're looking for something new, check out the best expedition packs for 2024.
Reviewed by
Ukpacker
+34
April 20, 2013
I used the 80 litre version on a 600-mile, 2.5-month hike in Idaho last year.
Pros
- Great weight for the carry comfort
- Easy to replace belt padding when it flattens out.
Cons
- Padding on hip belt flattened out after a few weeks, can easily be removed and replaced.
- Lower part of shoulder straps abraid the hip belt where it contacts, needs to be reinforced with a bit of duct tape, compeed etc.
- Side pockets will not last
This is a big pack for the weight. The simple big bag swallows stuff like a whale. The suspension system works better than any pack I have ever used. Been backpacking for 30 years+ often for months at a time so I know a revolutionary design in packs when I carry one. With 18 kilos the carry was comfortable, with 20 to 24 kilos I used a tump line to spread the load.
The hip belt is not wide, this helps to focus the weight on a narrow area which stops it from slipping but it allso means a heavy load can produce sore spots on the hips. I countered this by puting a little padding under the belt where it hurt, a wadge of toilet paper worked ok sometimes with 20 kilos+ I needed to wrap my fleece around my waist.
After a few weeks the padding in the belt flattened out and became inefective, the padding was easily removed, it is held in placed by a velcro tab. A pair of socks inserted into the belt worked ok but something more sensible like a strip of sleeping pad foam would work well. The forward facing pockets worked well untill they shredded, these need to be re inforced if you want to keep them.
Source: bought it new
