Mt. Whitney Trip Essentials
By Matt Smith

It started out as a fantasy, but soon the plans evolved for a 50 mile overland approach and ascent of Mount Whitney, the highest point in the lower 48. No sooner had the permits been acquired, than I was looking for backpacking gear to take advantage of such a great opportunity. Here are the products I took, how I used them and my impressions of each.

Granite Gear Cirrus Access 7000 Pack
Vasque Apex
Mountain Hardware Pack Pant
Mountain Hardware Wicked Tee

Granite Gear Cirrus Access 7000 Pack

This pack is a mammoth, no doubt about it. Under normal circumstances I wouldn't take such a large pack for a mere week in the wilderness, but in this particular part of the Sierras bear resistant food containers are mandatory. Due to the bulkiness and weight of the bear container, I wanted to be able to put it inside my pack rather than lashed to the outside. The Cirrus Access 7000 ended up being just the right size, although since the main compartment of the pack was large enough that I didn't need to telescope the top of the pack.

At 6 lb. 14 oz. the Access 7000 is at least a pound lighter than most comparable 7000 cu. in. packs. The lightweight can be attributed to the high tech fabric used to construct the pack body and the carbon frame sheet. The pack is made with VX-21 that is reported to be lighter, stronger and more water-resistant than conventional nylon. The weave of the fabric also makes an attractive shift from the plain look and feel of the nylon used in most other packs.

Granite Gear packs, the Cirrus Access included, are almost completely customizable to fit your body shape and size. Granite Gear offers a wide variety of shoulder straps, hip belts and framesheets. Adjustments for positioning of straps are made via a short Phillips screw on each strap. An extra screw and an extra buckle come with the pack and are stored in their own pouch in the lid of the pack Furthermore, within a model series, the frame sheet, waist belt and straps are interchangeable between pack bodies. The waist belt and straps are interchangeable with all Cirrus, Nimbus and Stratus series packs.

I found the pack to be quite comfortable. The shoulder straps pivot freely allowing them to adjust to the shape of your neck and shoulder muscles. The regular waist belt on the pack I tested had slightly less padding than I prefer, so if you like a lot of padding around your hips you should definitely look into one of the other belts available from Granite Gear. The frame sheet/ back panel is well padded, but the foam is not molded to allow much air to circulate between you and the pack.

The pack itself is the most functional pack I have ever used. Zippers run almost the entire length down both sides of the panel, making it the first true panel loading pack I have ever seen. Compression straps inside the pack hold all your gear in place even when the zippers are open making it a cinch to get at anything you need. The internal compression straps also virtually eliminate any strain on the zippers m aking them easy to operate and holding everything in place. External compression straps make it easy to attach your hiking sticks, camp sandals or sleeping pad to your pack. There are three side compression straps, two along the body of the pack and one at the bottom where most people would put their sleeping bag. An extra strap along the upper part of the pack would be useful to compress the load and reduce bulges between straps. The lower compression strap runs directly over the side pocket, which can be useful if you need to hold something in, but inconvenient if that is where you like to store your trail snacks.

As with many packs today, the lid converts into a fanny pack. On current models the waist belt from the pack is removed and slid through an opening in the lid making a truly comfortable fanny pack. But don't forget your screwdriver because you will need that to get your waist belt off the pack. On future models the lid will have it's own 2" webbing belt sewn in...a bittersweet change I suppose. I really enjoyed the padding and support of a real waist belt, despite the inconvenience of having to unscrew it from the pack.

The Cirrus Access is designed to be used with the Granite Gear hydration system, which fits under the lid and is held in place by a compression strap. I used a hydration system from another company and put it in the spacious lid. There was plenty of room for it there, but I hated having to fight it every time I wanted to look at the map or pull a snack out. If fighting with your water bladder bugs you, you will probably want to invest in a Granite Gear hydration system.

Summary: Listing at $525 (7000 Model) this is a premium pack at a premium price. For quality and comfort I give this pack a thumbs up. If you backpack a lot and carry monster loads, this pack is for you.

Contact Granite Gear at (218)834-6157 or on the internet at www.granitegear.com.

Vasque Apex

Looking for a versatile boot designed for heavier loads, I came across the Vasque Apex about a year ago. I knew right away that the Apex is what I wanted to wear on this hike. The Apex is essentially the same boot at the Alpine, minus the Gore-Tex. The Apex is rugged and tough. A steel shank runs the full length of the boot, a feature I greatly appreciated while carrying my fifty pound pack over a trail constructed from fist sized rocks. The Apex is one of the less technical mountaineering boots offered by Vasque. The Apex is crampon compatible, a feature I didn't have to use on this trip, but was grateful to have at my disposal after reading other accounts of late summer attempts on Mt. Whitney.

At 3 pounds 10 oz. the Apex is on the heavy side for day hikes and lightweight backpacking trips. I would not recommend the Apex for any application where flexibility or feeling the trail is an issue, as they are designed to protect you from the trail, rather than put you in contact with it. I didn't find the weight of the boot to be a problem on this hike. At the end of each day I was glad to have had the extra stiffness and support, even with the extra weight. The high stiff collar saved my ankles from countless rolls and twists. I did take the Apex on several day hikes to break them in a bit before the moment of truth. I have to admit that despite their weight, I was never sorry to have worn them.

I treated the boots with Vasque NaturSeal several times before exposing them to water and was pleased with their performance. I didn't notice a significant loss of breathablility after applying the sealant. When water got on the treated boots in small amounts it beaded up and ran right off. The thick sole kept the majority of the boot out of the water when stepping across streams. As of yet, I have not worn the Apex in the snow.

Summary: For about $250 the Apex is a great boot for the money. If you do a variety of hiking and only want one boot, I recommend the Apex. If you can afford a couple of pairs of boots, I would recommend the Apex for backpacking with heavy loads over rough terrain.

Contact Vasque at (800)224-4453 or on the internet at www.vasque.com.

Mountain Hardware Pack Pant

We have come to associate quality with the name Mountain Hardware. The Pack Pant only provides further evidence of this fact. The Pack Pant is far and away the most comfortable backpacking pant I have ever worn. In addition to being comfortable, the pant is also extremely functional.

The waist and crotch of the pant are lined with a micro-chamois fleece, which I found wicked moisture quite well. The lining also provided a little more protection from my backpack. The cut of the pants allowed almost complete freedom of movement. A fly and included belt make visiting the great outdoors a little more convenient. I do wish there was a place to put the tail of the belt.

Knee high zips make getting the boots on easier while wearing boots. Zip off scree cuffs significantly reduced the amount of extra baggage I was carrying in my boots by the end of the day. Clipping the scree cuff to your boot does reduce your range of motion, particularly when squatting or kneeling. Maybe on future models the strap between the cuff and the clip could be made from an elastic material to reduce this problem. Side entry pockets both front and back make accessing their contents possible, even while wearing your pack.

While not the slowest drying pant on the market, the pack pant is not the fastest drying either. After washing them in an alpine lake, it took between 30-45 minutes to dry laying in direct sunlight. Since I was prepared for this, it didn't create an inconvenience, but it is something to consider when deciding which pants to take on which trips. The pack pant weighs 15 oz.

Summary: The fit, function and comfort of the pack pant are excellent, bordering on outstanding. The cost also borders on outstanding, retailing at $115; these pants may be out of many peoples budget. But hey if you can afford Œem, I haven't worn anything better yet.

Contact Mountain Hardware at 800-953-8375 or on the internet at www.mountainhardwear.com.

Mountain Hardware Wicked Tee

Light weight, quick drying, and very breathable the Wicked Tee is an ideal warm weather backpacking shirt or base layer on those chilly mountain mornings. The Wicked Tee is made of gossamer KoolKnit fabric, which is a polyester knit mesh. The feel of the fabric is soft and a little stretchy. At 4.2 oz. this Tee can be thrown into your pack for almost any excursion.

I loved almost everything about this shirt. It was cool and light to wear. Even the slightest breeze brought a wonderful cooling effect. The shirt dried in about twenty minutes after being washed in an alpine lake near 12,000 feet. The only thing I didn't like about this shirt how easy it is to snag. The mesh is so open that even brushing against a branch across the trail could cause a snag. I would definitely not take this tee bush whacking. The snagging problem is inherent in almost any mesh fabric. It is a catch 22. For weight and breatheability you want the mesh; but for durability you want Cordura nylon. You just have t o decide what is most important.

Summary: For warm weather technical activities I loved the Wicked Tee. At $29 the Wicked Tee is a good buy for a great product. If you plan to bush whack, you might want to consider taking another product.

Contact Mountain Hardware at 800-953-8375 or on the internet at www.mountainhardwear.com.

Matt is the canyoneering editor of GearReview.com and can usually be found is some deep dark canyon "somewhere in the southwest".