Getting the maxpedition vulture II ready for a camping trip

[kev]

Next weekend, my son and I are supposed to be going on a camping trip. To get ready for that trip, I'am going over my maxpedition vulture II.

YouTube- Setting up a maxpedition vulture II for...

Contents of the backpack:
One man tent
Sleeping pad
Sleeping bag
Hammock
3 eversafe meals
Rain poncho
Garmin GPS
TOPO maps
Water Bladder

Here is the video of the one man tent I'am going to use

YouTube- Checking out the new one man tent

[AKpredator]

Kev,

You had it right.

The nylon loops on the corners of your tent are for hooking onto tent stakes in order to prevent damage or loss when you are away from it or sleeping inside. They are needed on alpine type tents.

Bad winds will tear and pull at the corners like 5 kids playing tug-o-war with your shelter. Any slack can create a virtual sail and your stakes and tent will be torn or yanked free eventually. Tacking them down as tightly and evenly as possible prevents this.

[COlongshot]

ah cool! you found your one man tent. i remember you posting asking recommendations. i'll have to watch the vids when i get home from work

[kev]

Originally Posted by COlongshot

ah cool! you found your one man tent.

I'am going to take it for a test drive pretty soon, but I'am not sure about the weight (5.1 pounds) and how big the tent is - 6 inches in diameter is kinda big.

If I dont like the tent, it will go to my son.

Another one I'am looking at is a Coleman one man tube tent. It weighs in at around 3 pounds.

I'am planning on taking my kids on a camping trip along a local river this summer. Everyone is going to need a good one man tent to keep the mosquitos off. Right now I have 2 one man tents - a wenzel starlight, and a No Limits Sunlight Peak Backpacking Tent.

The other tent I'am looking at is a Coleman Exponent Kraz X1 Tent. But I'am still looking at that tent and have not made my mind up yet.

YouTube- Looking for a camping spot on the river

[die_trying45]

Kev,
Question: Are you able to attach that sleeping bag on the bottom of the Vulture II backpack? I'm curious to know, if thats the case, I'm going to pull the trigger and buy one. I need a good 3-day bug out bag but want to be able to attach my sleeping bag on the bottom of the pack. Thanks!

[kev]

Originally Posted by die_trying45

Kev,
Question: Are you able to attach that sleeping bag on the bottom of the Vulture II backpack?

I can not say that I rank the Vulture II high on my list. The loops that you would attach the sleeping bag to, are sewn so tight, the buckles will not go through them. You have to undo the nylon strap from the buckle, and insert "just" the strap under the loop at the bottom of the pack. Then thread the nylon strap back through the buckle.

The belt seems to be sewn at some kind of weird angle. Its a little difficult to describe without pictures.

The belt seems like it needs more padding - especially around the hips.

I contacted maxpedition about the problem, and have not received a reply.

When the two main compartments are filled, the smaller outside compartment is squeezed so tight, its almost useless. I can not even put a camera in it.

I'am taking the Vulture II on this hiking/camping trip so that I can offer a real "hands on, in the field" type of review.

As of right now, the Vulture II would probably do great as a warm weather / hot weather pack. Where you would not need a large sleeping bag.

Plans are to take the pack on at least 2 trips - one in the next couple of weeks and another one in may, june or july.

[PartisonConfederat]

Looks good, I just go t the falcon II in the other day and I like it. Good review Kev.

[kev]

Originally Posted by PartisonConfederat

Looks good, I just go t the falcon II in the other day and I like it. Good review Kev.

My son (Korey) - he has a maxpedition Falcon II. He thinks the world of that pack.

The Falcon II and the Condor II are a couple of my favorite dayhiking/ hot weather overnight bags.

[briz954]

Kev, do you purchase all of the bags or does Maxpedition send them to you free for reviewing them?

[DakotaS]

Kev a one man tent is less than ideal for anyone.
In my personal experience, a "one man" tent is enough room for one man... but not his gear. I am not a huge guy, and I use a 2 man tent on all my camping trips. (Eureka Apex 2XT)

The general rule of thumb is that a two man tent is comfortable for one man + gear.
3 man tent is good for 2 men + gear.
4 man tent is good for 3 men + gear.
5 man for 4 men.
So on and so forth.

With tents, you really do get what you pay for.
A better one man tent is the Eureka Solitaire...
Anything Eureka is excellent IMHO.

My experience with Coleman tents have been pretty bad, they function great in keeping the bugs out, but are not waterproof by any stretch of the imagination.

[Richard18]

I know I am posting a little late but this sounds like a lot of fun. The only thing missing from your pack is a good LED Flashlight and some beef jerky.

[corndogggy]

Originally Posted by kev

Contents of the backpack:
One man tent
Sleeping pad
Sleeping bag
Hammock
3 eversafe meals
Rain poncho
Garmin GPS
TOPO maps
Water Bladder

I find it humorously ironic that on another thread you're making fun of us with larger 60-65L (3600-4000 cu. in) packs for weekend trips, yet you can't even fit this small list into your supposedly adequately large 48L (2810 cu. in) pack, even though apparently you're only going overnight in very fair weather, since you only have 3 meals, no change of clothes, no water filter, and no extra warm clothes such as a jacket other than a thin poncho.

I mean, do whatever you want, but you obviously have no room to be laughing at our larger packs.

Originally Posted by kev

Has anyone seen Backpacker magazine - editors choice awards, April 2010 edition?

Starting on page 57 there is a list of recommended pcaks. When I saw the size of the packs, I laughed out loud. These people must be carrying a lot of gear.

On and off for well over 10 years, Backpacker magazine has one of my favorite publications. It offers a good variety of reviews and articles. This is the first time I have picked up a Backpacker magazine in a few months, and this is the first time I have ever laughed at one of their articles.


Weekend Packs:
Gregory Z55 / Jade 50 - 3,417 cubic inches
Kelty Lakota - 4,000 cubic inches
Granite Gear Escape AC 60 - 3,660 cubic inches


A weekend pack in the 3,500 - 4,000 cubic inch range? The only way I can justify that is if its cold weather and I need a good sleeping bag and extra clothes.

This is the first time I have scratched my head and asked myself "what are they talking about?" My day packs are under 1,500 cubic inches. Heck, most of my hot weather overnight packs are less then 2,000 cubic inches.

One thing about Backpacker magazine, they seem to always recommend the top end - most expensive stuff. Most of the packs they recommend, I just can not justify it. Maybe the editors have grown out f touch with economy line hikers / backpackers?

this makes no sense. You're within 600-800 cubic inches away from this range and you still can't fit your sleeping bag in the pack. 800 cubic inches is 13 liters. Guess how big a typical sleeping bag stuff sack is? A North Face Cat's meow is pretty typical, look at the specs page:

http://www.rei.com/product/763623

14 liters. Take your 2,800 cubic inch Maxpedition pack but actually cover up your sleeping bag and you're at the same size as the packs you're making fun of. 48L for this pack plus 14 liters for the bag puts you at 62 liters. That puts you larger than 2 of the 3 you're making fun of, and within 3 liters of the largest.

Why is your 48L perfectly fine, even though you can't fit your sleeping bag in during an overnight warm weather trip, yet a Gregory 55 liter for all weekend, probably a weekend in cooler weather than in Texas, and is designed to house your bag... is laughably large?


You also took swipes at the price, saying they're out of touch. Well, you can get at least 2 of those packs for $100 at several places. This Maxpedition typically costs $130. Makes no sense.


I still can't get over this. Watch how tight and crammed packed your pack gets starting at like 8 minutes in. You've got it filled to the max. I doubt you could have gotten your poncho in there either.

[Saberman]

Don't forget a First Aid kit and some things for fire starting.

[MT1]

Corndoggy don't you know if it's not tacticool it's not for most people here. Because acording to everyone on here if it's not crappy army surplus hen it's not good.

[chaosofcreation]

Originally Posted by corndogggy

I find it humorously ironic that on another thread you're making fun of us with larger 60-65L (3600-4000 cu. in) packs for weekend trips, yet you can't even fit this small list into your supposedly adequately large 48L (2810 cu. in) pack, even though apparently you're only going overnight in very fair weather, since you only have 3 meals, no change of clothes, no water filter, and no extra warm clothes such as a jacket other than a thin poncho.

I mean, do whatever you want, but you obviously have no room to be laughing at our larger packs.






this makes no sense. You're within 600-800 cubic inches away from this range and you still can't fit your sleeping bag in the pack. 800 cubic inches is 13 liters. Guess how big a typical sleeping bag stuff sack is? A North Face Cat's meow is pretty typical, look at the specs page:

http://www.rei.com/product/763623

14 liters. Take your 2,800 cubic inch Maxpedition pack but actually cover up your sleeping bag and you're at the same size as the packs you're making fun of. 48L for this pack plus 14 liters for the bag puts you at 62 liters. That puts you larger than 2 of the 3 you're making fun of, and within 3 liters of the largest.

Why is your 48L perfectly fine, even though you can't fit your sleeping bag in during an overnight warm weather trip, yet a Gregory 55 liter for all weekend, probably a weekend in cooler weather than in Texas, and is designed to house your bag... is laughably large?


You also took swipes at the price, saying they're out of touch. Well, you can get at least 2 of those packs for $100 at several places. This Maxpedition typically costs $130. Makes no sense.


I still can't get over this. Watch how tight and crammed packed your pack gets starting at like 8 minutes in. You've got it filled to the max. I doubt you could have gotten your poncho in there either.

Judging from allot of your previous postings in Kev’s threads it would seem that you have something against him and you like to try and pick everything he says apart.

[corndogggy]

Originally Posted by chaosofcreation

Judging from allot of your previous postings in Kev’s threads it would seem that you have something against him and you like to try and pick everything he says apart.

This is the only one I really had a problem with. Anything else would have been a coincidence and treated just like a post from anybody else. The other thread about the pack choices in Backpacker Magazine is this exact same subject so you can't count that.

If you go out of your way to laugh and make fun of the choices of other people, don't be surprised if those other people disagree and point out flaws in your own choices.

For example, don't do your best to make somebody feel like an idiot for buying a 55-60L bag for a weekend trip due to them bringing sooooo much extra stuff if you're already packing a 48L bag drum tight just for one night in fair weather and still can't fit all your gear in there.

[MT1]

corndogggy you are my hero

[chaosofcreation]

Originally Posted by corndogggy

This is the only one I really had a problem with. Anything else would have been a coincidence and treated just like a post from anybody else. The other thread about the pack choices in Backpacker Magazine is this exact same subject so you can't count that.

If you go out of your way to laugh and make fun of the choices of other people, don't be surprised if those other people disagree and point out flaws in your own choices.

For example, don't do your best to make somebody feel like an idiot for buying a 55-60L bag for a weekend trip due to them bringing sooooo much extra stuff if you're already packing a 48L bag drum tight just for one night in fair weather and still can't fit all your gear in there.

Fair enough, I see where your coming from.