Exped lightning 45

A place to chat about gear and the philosphy of ultralight. Ultralight bushwalking or backpacking focuses on carrying the lightest and simplest kit. There is still a good focus on safety and skill.
Forum rules
Ultralight Bushwalking/backpacking is about more than just gear lists. Ultralight walkers carefully consider gear based on the environment they are entering, the weather forecast, their own skill, other people in the group. Gear and systems are tested and tweaked.
If you are new to this area then welcome - Please remember that although the same ultralight philosophy can be used in all environments that the specific gear and skill required will vary greatly. It is very dangerous to assume that you can just copy someone else's gear list, but you are encouraged to ask questions, learn and start reducing the pack weight and enjoying the freedom that comes.

Common words
Base pack backpacking the mass of the backpack and the gear inside - not including consumables such as food, water and fuel
light backpacking base weight less than 9.1kg
ultralight backpacking base weight less than 4.5kg
super-ultralight backpacking base weight less than 2.3kg
extreme-ultralight backpacking base weight less than 1.4kg

Exped lightning 45

Postby BB74 » Mon 16 Jul, 2018 11:03 am

Hi guys
Just wondering if anyone has any experience with the Exped lightning packs,and if so, their comfort and carrying capacity on loads less than 10-12kg.
There are mixed reviews online, in regards to their harness system, and overall durability, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Brett.
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Re: Exped lightning 45

Postby J M » Tue 17 Jul, 2018 12:21 am

G'day Brett.
I've owned and used a lightning 60 for about 4 years now and am very happy with it. I find the harness comfortable up to higher weights than what you're looking at and my pack is holding up very well despite copping its fair share of mud/snow/rock/spinifex/baggage handlers. I'd recommend it for sure and I believe the latest iterations have a few design improvements over my older model as well.
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Re: Exped lightning 45

Postby BB74 » Tue 17 Jul, 2018 10:38 am

Hi JM
Thanks for your reply, I have been looking for something around 1kg that is both comfortable and functional, the Exped seems to tick all the boxes. Just wondering how you find the hip belt?
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Re: Exped lightning 45

Postby J M » Tue 17 Jul, 2018 12:29 pm

This is all subjective and only my opinion, but I find the hip belt fine. People have commented that it doesn't have much padding compared to other packs but I'm comfortable walking in it and don't have any complaints. Although who knows, maybe I've just gotten used to it over the last few years!
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Re: Exped lightning 45

Postby BB74 » Tue 17 Jul, 2018 4:02 pm

Yep, I totally agree. The only real way to make sure would be to load it up and take it for a hike, short of that. Loading it in the shop, and seeing how it feels? Will most likely pick one up next time I'm in Melbourne.
Thanks again for your help!!
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Re: Exped lightning 45

Postby J M » Tue 17 Jul, 2018 4:33 pm

Yep, that's about all you can do. Make sure you get someone to fit it to you while you're in the shop and have it loaded. The guys at bogong know their stuff so they'll be able to help you out.

Another piece of advice - go in with an open mind and be prepared to walk out with a different pack if the exped doesn't feel right. Regardless, just trying on different packs will you give you more points of comparison to judge the exped by.

Happy pack hunting!
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Re: Exped lightning 45

Postby BB74 » Tue 17 Jul, 2018 8:08 pm

Yeah,the Bogong crowd are fantastic! Will definitely load the pack and see how it feels, they have a pretty good range, so if the Exped doesnt fit there are always others to try!
Thanks again for your help, super appreciated!!
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