The Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60 is a light-weight ultralight-style backpack that weighs 34.5 oz. It’s excellent for weekend backpacking and long-distance journeys, notably in the event you want a backpack that has a lot of pockets and a body, like a extra typical backpack, however weighs half as a lot. Sporting a singular mixture of pockets, it’s a straightforward backpack to make use of as a result of you possibly can pack “like” gear collectively and discover it rapidly with out having to take away every thing in your backpack first.
Specs at a Look
- Weight: 34.2 oz (dimension medium, straight hipbelt)
- Gender: Unisex
- Body: Sure
- Pockets: 7, plus the primary compartment
- Load lifters: Sure
- Hydration Prepared: Central hose port, no bladder pocket
- Bear Canister Appropriate: BV500 suits vertically, BV475 suits horizontally.
- Torso size vary (a number of sizes out there): 16″-22″
- Hip belt lengths vary (a number of sizes out there): 26″-61.5″
- Supplies: 100d and 200d Robic nylon
- For full specs and sizing, go to the Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60 product web page
What Makes the Mariposa 60 so Distinctive?
The Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60 has been available on the market for over 15 years and has undergone many design modifications throughout its lifetime. Whereas these modifications have improved its sturdiness, carrying capability, and high quality, the pack’s character and widespread recognition have stayed the identical. What’s it that makes the Mariposa 60 so beloved by the folks that use it? I’ve lengthy contemplated that query since I purchased my first Mariposa 60 again in 2008 to hike Vermont’s Lengthy Path.
If there’s one factor that’s remained fixed through the Mariposa’s evolution, it’s the configuration of its facet pockets, with one lengthy tent pocket on the left and two smaller pockets on the suitable facet of the pack. This pocket structure enables you to transfer among the cumbersome gear that often hogs up the primary compartment, like a tent and or a Jetboil, to an outdoor pocket, making it a lot simpler to pack the gear that you simply don’t want through the day and wish to maintain dry and protected contained in the pack.
This pocket structure enables you to simply pack your backpacking gear by operate, frequency of use, or time of day with out resorting to utilizing further stuff sacks. For instance, you may pack your shelter and all of its equipment in an exterior pocket so that you don’t should dig round for them while you get to camp. I do that myself, packing my tent and stakes in my Mariposa’s lengthy left pocket so I can get to them out quicky. You are able to do an identical factor together with your “kitchen”, “rain gear”, or “water filter/purification”.
However the Mariposa isn’t for everybody. For all of their advantages, the pack’s exterior pockets could be troublesome to regulate to in the event you don’t carry a tent otherwise you’ve been weaned on ultralight-style packs which have symmetrical water bottle pockets. Additionally they make it inconceivable so as to add useful compression straps to the pack, which may make it awkward to compress lower than full hundreds. You may nonetheless connect gear to the skin of the backpack, however the compression functionality is missing.
What’s new on this newest model of the Mariposa 60? The pack weighs about 4 ozmore, up from 30 oz, and is now priced over $300. There’s a wholly new body that pivots as you stroll. There are two new hip belt choices and the shoulder straps are S-shaped to suit women and men. The out there torso lengths have modified. There are new trekking pole holders on the entrance of the pack and the pack is now made with recycled Robic cloth.
Backpack Group and Storage
The Mariposa 60 has seven exterior pockets and a fundamental storage compartment.
- Entrance stretch mesh pocket
- Left-hand tent pocket
- Higher proper accent pocket
- Decrease proper water bottle pocket
- Over-the-top map pocket
- Two hip belt pockets
There isn’t an inside hydration pocket, only a loop which you can dangle a bladder from.
Entrance Stretch Mesh Pocket
The entrance stretch mesh pocket is an efficient place to retailer moist gadgets and additional layers you need easy accessibility to through the day so that you don’t should cease and open the primary compartment. The mesh weave is open so it drains effectively and it’s gotten a lot more durable over time, so it has good sturdiness. The bottom of the mesh pocket is bolstered with 200D Robic nylon like the remainder of the pack backside so it gained’t rip or abrade while you set it on the bottom. There’s additionally a drain gap on the base so the pocket gained’t gather water within the rain.
The Tent Pocket
The left facet of the Mariposa has an extended tent pocket (I wish to name it a “quiver”), 13 inches deep and open on the high, which is good in the event you carry a one or two-person tent. Along with a tent, you possibly can put something you need into this lengthy pocket, like a hammock/tarp or bigger gadgets that you simply wish to segregate from the remainder of your gear. For instance, in case your tent will get moist at night time, or soaked with inside condensation, this tent pocket is an efficient place to retailer it separate out of your different dry gear. It additionally makes it handy to tug out to dry within the solar in the event you cease for a relaxation break.
The tent pocket additionally works effectively with tents which have elements that make them laborious to pack sideways in the primary compartment, just like the tents with longer tent poles. Nevertheless, the contents of the tent pocket can’t be reached while you’re sporting the backpack, so it’s not a very good place to place a water bottle until it’s being held in reserve.
Proper-hand Accent and Water Bottle Pockets
The Mariposa has two right-hand pockets, one on high and one on the underside. They’re each 8″ tall and open on high with an elastic band to maintain their contents from coming out. The underside pocket is designed particularly to carry two, one-liter water bottles, together with 32 ozNalgenes or Smartwater bottles. Water bottles saved there are straightforward to achieve and substitute whereas sporting the backpack. I usually carry my cook dinner system within the higher right-hand pocket, particularly if it’s moist.
Map Pocket
There’s a map pocket within the fold-over lid that’s additionally helpful for storing your private results. It extends the width of the fold-over lid, so it’s fairly massive, however no matter you set inside it must be versatile to wrap excessive of the primary compartment.
Hip belt pockets
The hip belt comes with two massive zippered pockets which are solid-faced for sturdiness and water resistance. I often use these to retailer my compass and a folded-up map, Aquamira water therapy drops, or bug dope, however they’re additionally massive sufficient to retailer a smartphone or a point-and-shoot digicam.
Predominant Compartment
The principle compartment is cavernous and unstructured. I often line the Mariposa with a white plastic compactor trash bag to assist shield my gear from moisture regardless that the Mariposa’s Robic nylon cloth is sort of water resistant. A white compactor bag additionally makes it simpler to seek out gear contained in the pack.
There’s a dangle loop in the primary compartment, the place you possibly can droop a water reservoir in the event you select to make use of one. The hydration port is centered between the shoulder straps and coated to forestall rain from leaking in. Utilizing a hydration system will not be a nasty approach to carry water in a Mariposa as a result of it may be tough to steadiness the load throughout the right-hand water bottle pocket and the left-side tent pocket. Alternatively, you possibly can carry your water by attaching Gossamer Gear’s water bottle sleeves to your shoulder straps.
However the closure on the high of the primary compartment is a bit clunky, notably in the event you lack guide dexterity (assume arthritis). There’s a small plastic clip used to cinch shut the highest of the extension collar earlier than you possibly can fold the over-the-top flap over it. It’s a little bit awkward, however you shouldn’t have to make use of it fairly often through the day in the event you pack all of the meals and kit you want within the pockets on the skin of the backpack. Rolltop closures could be equally annoying, however then once more, not in the event you pack the gear you want through the day within the exterior pockets of the pack.
Backpack Body and Suspension
Whereas the Mariposa 60 seems to be the identical because the earlier mannequin, the body and suspension system have been utterly changed on this newest mannequin to offer extra inclusive sizing for women and men. Up to now, Gossamer Gear was very “unisex” in its orientation, however as the marketplace for ultralight backpacks has grown, it grew to become clear that ladies (and other people with small statures) needed breast-friendly S-shaped shoulder straps and pre-curved female-friendly hip belts.
Since S-shaped shoulder straps are snug for each women and men, they’re now commonplace on the Mariposa 60. There are additionally two new PVT (stands for Pivot) hipbelt choices out there for the Mariposa: a Straight hipbelt comparable in match to the unisex hipbelt bought on earlier fashions and one with curved wings designed for folks (largely ladies) with curvier hips and smaller waists. See Gossamer Gear for becoming directions (scroll down the web page).
The brand new PVT hip belts are usually not appropriate with older mannequin Mariposa backpacks, so that you’ll want to purchase a wholly new backpack if you wish to benefit from the brand new design. Gossamer Gear modified how the body connects the hipbelt, making it a lot less complicated to swap than beforehand. The underside of the body is curved and slots right into a pouch-like cup behind the hipbelt with the additional advantage that the perimeters of the hipbelt can Pivot, that’s, transfer barely up or down together with your hips as you stroll. Different backpack makers Gregory, Deuter, and Osprey have hipbelt programs that supply an identical pivot profit however are a lot heavier of their implementation.
An even bigger advantage of the brand new Pivot system is that it’s a lot simpler to swap in a brand new PVT hipbelt if you wish to substitute the one which comes bundled with the Mariposa. Gossamer Gear sells three out-of-the-box configurations of the Mariposa with preconfigured hip belts and 5 totally different hipbelt sizes, which price a further $25 if you wish to customise your match. Gossamer Gear will refund the $25 in the event you ship again the unique hipbelt – contact them for particulars.
The PVT body can also be a 360 loop as a substitute of the 270 diploma U-shaped body utilized in earlier fashions, making for a a lot stiffer and extra responsive carry. Gossamer Gear additionally added extra stiffeners to the again of the hipbelt, leading to higher load switch to the hips.
As well as, there’s a new foam sit pad included that slots into mesh sleeves behind the shoulder straps. Whereas it has holes in it, they don’t present any air flow to dry perspiration in your shirt. Nonetheless, the sit pad could be very helpful to tug out while you desire a dry spot to sit down down in camp or a porch in entrance of your tent, and straightforward to fit again into the mesh sleeves while you’re able to take off once more. When you can substitute the froth pad with one other of your selecting, you wish to keep away from utilizing one thing like a full Zlite foam pad as a result of will probably be too thick and place the pack too distant out of your torso.
The Mariposa consists of load lifters which I think about necessary on increased quantity backpacks, beginning at about 50 liters of capability. With out load lifters, a closely loaded backpack can have the tendency to tug you backward and off-balance. Load lifters assist counter the backward tilt of a heavy pack, bringing it nearer to your again, and shifting extra of the burden onto your hips.
Exterior Attachment and Compression System
The Mariposa 60 is noticeably mild on facet compression straps and exterior attachment factors as a result of the facet pockets get in the way in which of getting them. Nevertheless, there are tiny webbing loops purposely distributed across the perimeter of the pack that allow you to create your individual compression or attachment factors with some twine and a twine lock. Gossamer Gear sells a handy accent twine equipment for simply this goal.
There are 8 x 2 such webbing loops sewn into the seams of every facet of the backpack and plastic rings on and above the shoulder straps which are good anchors for the accent pockets that Gossamer Gear sells. You may so route accent twine by these webbing loops and plastic loops in many alternative methods. For instance, you possibly can rig up:
- Rig up a pair of parallel cords on both sides to hold snowshoes or a foam pad.
- Crisscross a twine over the entrance mesh pocket to dry moist clothes.
- Safe a photo voltaic panel so it drapes down the entrance of the pack.
The chances are actually countless and assist overcome the truth that the facet pockets make it laborious to offer two tiers of webbing-based facet compression straps.
With a little bit creativeness, you should utilize additionally the highest fold-over pocket to sandwich awkwardly formed gear like a foam sleeping pad or cylindrical tent physique onto the highest of the primary compartment, making it simpler and extra handy to hold. (Up to now, I used to be in a position to match a small bear canister underneath the over-the-top lid pocket, however not on this newest mannequin. YMMV)
The Mariposa has the requisite ice ax loop in addition to trekking pole tip holders discovered on most packs however doesn’t embrace shaft holders for both making them a bit laborious to make use of until you will have a few of that cordage round.
Comparable Inside Body Backpacks
Advice
The Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60 Backpack is ideal for hikers transitioning from a heavier backpack to a lighter-weight one as a result of it supplies loads of storage and pockets to prepare your gear. It has a light-weight body that gives loads of load-carrying assist for heavier hundreds. With a most beneficial load of 30-35 kilos, you’ll be hard-pressed to discover a backpack that’s as snug, refined, and straightforward to make use of because the Mariposa 60.
In case you don’t want 60L of capability, however like what you see within the Mariposa, take a look at the 50L Gossamer Gear Gorilla. It has fewer exterior pockets than the Mariposa however can also be a terrific backpack.
Disclosure: Gossamer Gear donated a backpack for overview.
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