Sadly the Go-Lite Pinnacle didn't make it to Katahdin. The stitching holding the shoulder adjustment strap ripped off 3 days from Delaware Water Gap in Pennsylvania. The stitching was beginning to come apart much sooner and I tried to hold it together with safety pins but there wasn't much material to hold the strap to the pack.

It turned out to be a very good thing. I bought a better fitting pack, the Granite Gear Nimbus Meridian. After 1,200 miles with the Pinnacle, my waist wasn't out were it use to be and even with the straps as tight as they could be, I wasn't transferring any of the weight onto my waist. With the 'trim' waist strap of the Nimbus, I could again take the weight off my shoulders. Sure, I had an extra 1lb of weight with all those buckles, zippers and padding but it just felt a whole lot better.

Another aspect of the Nimbus that I loved was the zipper that goes vertically along the back. This allowed me to grab something at the bottom of my pack, I'd just unhooked the bottom strap and unzip it a fraction and stick my hand in. There seemed to be this magical space once I put in my sleeping pad and quilt that was perfect for a jar of peanut butter or something I might just need in a hurry, like my rain coat. I also found that I was loading the pack with my sleeping pad and quilt while the pack was laid horizontally, that way I could load it while sitting down.

The only negative of the Nimbus compared to the Pinnacle, was it was much harder to grab my water bottles from the side pockets but I found that if I simply loosen one of the shoulder straps(on same side as the bottle) it would allow me to reach around comfortably. By leaving the other shoulder strap and waist strap holding firm, I could continue to hike while removing, drinking and replacing the water bottle.

Water Bag vs. Water Bottle

Since we are on the subject of water bottles. You might have noticed that I orginally left with a 2L water bag and hydration hose. By the time I was out of the Smokies, the water bag was replaced with a 0.5L water bottle that I kept in the side pocket. Several reasons:

1. With the bag inside the pack it was hard to judge how much water I was carrying at any point in time.
2. I would invariably get the inside of my pack wet when I inserted the bag.
3. 0.5L was the perfect size for the single serve powered energy drink mixes that I began to enjoy.

I did keep the water bag and used it to collect the filtered water from the gravity filter (more on than in Cooking & Filtration review).

To supplement my main water bottle I would also buy bottles of fruit juice (Minute Maid was my preferred brand of bottle) that I'd drink and then use the bottles to mix up hot chocolate or later my cold choc/protein shakes. I'd replace these bottles after a couple of weeks.

Trash Bags vs. Pack Cover

Another item I picked up when I replaced my pack was a pack cover, another Granite Gear brand. It preformed very well compared to lining the Pinnacle with trash bags. After what seemed a short period (maybe 700 miles) the Pinnacle lost its waterproofing and I was carrying rain water at the bottom of my pack and everything inside was getting soaked. The pack cover fit tightly, packed small and was very light weight. It just cost 500% more than a trash bag does. But I was glad to have it when I got to Maine.

If I was to do it all over again?

When I started it was all about getting the lightest pack that had enough capacity. Comfort and fit being secondary. But if I was buying a pack today for a thru-hike, I might consider a pack that allows me to replace the waist belt. I would also take a pack cover.