[at-l] MountainTools FlexFrame: Any Experience?

[tmcginnis@ucclan.state.in.us (Thomas McGinnis)]

     I'm searching for the 80cc Y2K2K (that's the Alison, Tom, Connor and 
     Cole Year 2000 2000-mile AT hike) backpack. I want it 
     
     light (no more than 1 lb packweight per 1000ci pack capacity),
     
     field replaceable suspension (particularly the hip belt and shoulder 
     strap padding)
     
     around 5000ci capacity,
     
     and domestically made.
     
     I've tried ArcTeryx, Dana, Gregory, Jansport, Kelty, Lowe, 
     Mountainsmith, North Face, Osprey, and probably some I'm forgetting. 
     The front runners are the 
     
     Mountainsmith MountainLight ($300, 5000ci, 3lbs. foreign made)
     
     Jansport Rockies ($175, 5500ci, 5lbs. sewn-on suspension)
     
     I'd like to try the MountainTools Ultra's, (roughly $275, 5000ci, 4 
     lbs.) but would feel alot more confident about it if I could hear 
     others thoughts, especially relative to other brands I've tried. THANK 
     YOUUUUU!
     
     

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