• Weight: 2 lb/910 g
• Volume: 3950 in³ + 700 in³/65 liters + 11 liters
• Imported Dyneema gridstop body
• SilLite HG top lid (lighter than paper)
• 420 denier Cordura bottom
• Contoured foam back
• Foam accentuated webbing hip belt
• Contoured shoulder straps
• Sternum strap
• Top stabilizer straps
• Side compression straps
• Floating top lid with pocket
• Internal 3-liter hydration sleeve
• Integrated Daisy chain
• Tool loop
• Haul loop
• Three external mesh pockets
• Built for loads up to 30 pounds

Bling: Buy it

The GoLite Trek backpack surprised me in its versatility as I tested it over a month and a half from the trekking in the Himalayas to solo spring mountaineering in the Rockies.

There are many reasons I found this pack beautiful. By virtue of it being a GoLight pack it is of course extremely lightweight. But pick it up and it is like lifting a piece of paper. Then look at the construction. Ripstop nylon, webbing, straps, the material, zips, removables... This is a lightweight pack with burly DNA.

Storage, Volume and Packabilty
One thing I discovered that even GoLight may not be aware of is the entire pack folds into the removable lid's top zip pocket. I have never seen a pack able to do that, and I own a few Cold Cold World packs with a removable pad as the support system. Contortion at its best.

But what astounded me, given the lightweight properties of the pack, was the surprising amount of storage and packability. With a volume of 4050 in/66 Liters, the pack had seemingly endless expandability. For one trip I filled the Trek pack with lightweight, winter, solo mountaineering gear for up to a week and marched up to do a spring solo trip up a few 14-ers in Colorado. It was full...or so I thought. Later I added a rope and a mass of gear. The pack was stuffed but I kept being able to slide equipment, random Capilene, food, into areas and kept being able to expand areas that I thought were tapped. The expandability of the GoLite Trek backpack was impressive.

Comfort
The comfort level of GoLite's Trek backpack was excellent. I was apprehensive about heading off on a trek with an elevation gain of 6,000 feet using an unfamiliar pack. If it dug into my shoulders or collar bones I would be forced to retaliate with duct tape and moleskin. Things could get ugly.

Versatility and Balance
The Trek is flexible yet balances on your body extremely well. Whether you have loaded barely enough gear for the pack to keep it's shape, fully with winter gear, or (for testing purposes) positioned all heavy items to one side of the pack, it always felt balanced and was very easy to rig. With all the adjustments and non-rigidity of the back, I could adjust for weight and balance while on the move. Everything was in reach.

With one exception. I would like to have seen this pack implement water bottle pockets on a 50-degree angle allowing the user to efficiently pull out and securely place back a 1L water bottle that would stay in, even when you start running downhill. The move pulled my shoulder muscle each time I reached to grab my water bottle. However if you are using the internal hydration sleeve, this point does not apply.

This is the lightest, large-volume pack I have ever tested. It was always comfortable both completely stuffed or half-full, over a down jacket or strappy climbing top. It is definitely for trekking, backpacking and some mountaineering but not for winter trips - my expedition sleeping bag required too great a percentage of the volume.