Great Travel bag! I needed a bag that was just big enough to fit formal pants and shirts without wrinkling, daily clothes and other gear for a week. Compression was critical! I was invited to drive a Ferrari across the US in a Cannon Ball style race(PlayersRun.com) and needed a small very light weight pack for the trip. The trunk is non existent in a Ferrari and needed a bag that I could put clean clothes in and compress. I also bought it for future climbing and approaches . The bag is very well designed and well built. Everything works; zippers, straps, pockets, harness system. I had the bag way over stuffed on the way back, I filled every cubic inch with all kinds of crap and it held up beautifully and using the zippers were a joy. The shoulder straps were a little shy for this but it wasn't designed for this abuse. Bulky items did well, I wasn't able to feel them on my back. The pack seemed well balanced when I maxed it out. The material was great and seems appropriate for this type of bag. The small pockets inside main compartment were perfect for a book and small items with easy access when bag is full. My only concern is the zipper, it does not have a rain flap but at the same time it doesn't get in the way when opening and closing. When maxed out the zipper spreads leaving visible gaps for water to enter. The zipper is the new water resistant kind, it just can't be maxed out while it's raining or your going to get water inside. The bag is big (cu.in.)for this style of bag. If you fill up with normal climbing and camping gear, your going to have a heavy load but perfect for down bags and jackets, freeze dried foods and other items that take up volume but not weight. I had one day notice to prepare and buy the pack, I thought it was expensive but now realize it's worth every cent! I have had many ultra light weight packs and have designed and manufactured backpacks myself in the past and I can highly recommend this bag if used accordingly.

Customer Service

So far I haven't needed customer service.

Similar Products Used:

Karrimor Hot Ice, Wild things, Chouinard, Lowe Alpine

I own this pack and a Dana Design Terraplane LTW. If I'm ever carrying less than 25 pounds, this is the pack I take. It is unbelievably comfortable. In fact, I carry this pack when the alternative is a fanny pack because I find it so lightweight and comforable. The durability has been great. It has just enough features (water bladder holder and zipper pocket for car keys)that I don't miss anything my bigger pack has. The only mistake I've made is when I've carried too much weight (30 pounds plus due to lugging water in the Grand Canyon) and then the pack has not provided the support I've wanted - my fault. Use this pack for light loads and you'll love it. I've used it for 10 trips now and it shows absolutely no wear.

Customer Service

Not necessary.

This is simply the best backpack that I have ever used. I am large (6'2" 230) and it still fits very well. I've used it for multi-day trips and have been able to pack everything I need. The pack hugs your back and I didn't experience any balance problems while scrambling over loose rocks with a 30-pound load. The 3100 c.i. rating is a little scary at first for multi-day trips, but it's amazing what you can fit in there--I cary the tent, food, stove, cooking supplies, filter, water, etc. for my wife (she carries a 15-pound pack for week-long trips) and it all fits (along with all of my personal supplies). This pack is as good as it gets!

Customer Service

Never needed it.

Similar Products Used:

TNF, Gregory, Kelty

I used this pack on a 3 day trip in the Ventana Wilderness. I didn''t miss any of the features of my larger pack, except weight. I carried a 25 pound load 20 miles over rough terrain without any problems. I was worried about the lack of padding in the hip belt and shoulder straps, but when properly adjusted they caused no discomfort. I stuck all of my gear including the tent and bag on the inside and lashed the pad on the outside. This pack is great!

Customer Service

no contact

Similar Products Used:

Lowe

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For a 20-25 lb load this is the most comfortable pack I''''ve ever used. The lack of a top pocket is slightly inconvenient, but this is a negligible disadvantage considering its light weight and comfort. (It also serves quite well as a daypack, making a 10 lb load feel as if it were no load at all.) Using a 20 degree down bag, an OR Deluxe Bivy, and a Z-Rest pad (attached to the outside), I can easily carry enough supplies for a four or five day hike, maybe even more.

Similar Products Used:

Dana Designs M80

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On behalf of Mountainsmith, I''d like to address the problems that we have had with the Ghost. As a new product for 2001, we were finding that the fiberglass suspension hoop was poking through the hypalon sleeve during intensive use. We are now reinforcing this stress point by using an extremely strong plastic, conical cap at the ends of the rod, in addition to the hypalon sleeve. This is distributing the weight of the rod over a greater surface area, and we have not had any problems since this fix. Mountainsmith stands behind all of it''s products and does have an excellent lifetime warranty. If anyone has purchased an early make model and has problems with the rod, or any other part of their pack, please contact us for a repair, free of charge. Daria McKay Mountainsmith Sales & Customer Service 1-800-551-588

Similar Products Used:

None

I was attracted to this pack because of its light weight and smaller size. I bought it to use on a 3 1/2 month Europe trip becaues I wanted something smaller than the Lowe Alpine Sirocco I use for my backcountry trips. At the start of the trip I was extremely impressed, it seemed to be holding up really well. The pack was extremely comfortable and a great fit. I also loved being able to have access to almost everything in the pack instantly.

I never filled the pack up completely but I believe that the daily use was too much for it. After about six weeks of consecutive use the frame broke. Actually, it wasn't the frame itself, but the Single U-frame pole broke thru its leather holder and then thru the pack. This of course caused my loads to shift while moving and the pole would poke out and scrape against my leg. When I took the pack apart to inspect it, I discovered that the U-frame pole was actually anchored by two small leather holders on either side about three inches from the bottom of the pack. On one side, the pole had broken through the leather holder. Unfortunately, the bottom of the pack is not at all reinforced and the pole immediately broke through that as well.

I e-mailed mountainsmith for help while on the road, and they promptly e-mailed me back with a temporary solution(I still had almost two months left to travel). To fix it, I placed the cap of a pen over the end of the pole and then put it back in the leather holder, The cap made it too thick to go thru the hole and I reinforced with plenty of duck tape. This solution worked for the remainder of my trip but I was extremely disappointed that the pack had not been able to withstand the consecutive use. When I returned to the US I returned the pack at REI without a problem.

Customer Service

I really appreciated how prompty mountainsmith e-mailed me back and that they offered solutions that were feasible because i was on the road.

Similar Products Used:

Lowe Alpine Sirocco II

I typically do 2 – 5 day trips and have been wondering if the Ghost could successfully replace my Gregory Reality. When I saw it for $149 I had to snap it up. Glad I did. Fits great. Smart, well thought out design. Weighs next to nothing. Holds everything I need for 3 days - 5 if I'm packing extra light. Going to take it to the JMT in September for a 5-day trip. I'll be bouncing along while my buddy struggles with his overweight pack! I love it’s refreshing “everything you need, nothing you don’t” design. The Ghost is just about perfect, but I would be willing to trade a few ounces for a bit more padding on the shoulder straps and a few loops in the center to attach external items from. All in all it appears to be a great pack. My Gregory is going to be collecting dust – house dust that is!

Customer Service

Similar Products Used:

Gregory Reality and Gravity, Mountain Smith 3500, various packs from Marmot, REI and The North Face.

LOVE this pack...i just got it and haven't actually taken it on a trip, but i loaded it up and it fits like a dream...i've been using a Gregory Reality which is a great pack, but the Ghost smokes it by far, in my opinion...the fit is so much better and the savings in weight are astounding...the Reality is 5 lbs 5 oz...the extra 900 or so cubic inches are nice, but i can fit everything i need into the Ghost and save 3 lbs in weight...

i can't say enough for the fit of this pack...it's like it was made for me...the fit is so good that even loaded up the same as the Reality, the Ghost feels A LOT more than 3 lbs lighter...

at 3100 cubic inches, this is definitely a pack for lightweight packers, not for those accustomed to packing a library, full set of board games and a picnic table...you're not going to fit much more than the essentials for a 3+ day trip...and if you're considering packing a full blown 2-man tent and sleeping bag inside the pack, forget it...i pack a tarp so there's enough room for me...

the quality looks great and the durability is definitely there...if you're going ultra-light, the GoLite Breeze is a consideration at 11-13 oz... but i'd rather go with the 2 lb 6 oz Ghost for the durability...it's not heavy Cordura like other packs, but this material seems tough enough...if you take care of your stuff, i see no reason why this pack couldn't last a good long time for hiking under all sorts of conditions...

i love all the cinch straps they put on this thing...allows you to bring the pack right up to the contour of your back, however you want it to fit...

drawbacks are that it's probably not going to keep out the rain in a good downpour - the zipper only has only just enough material covering it - but i'm content with stuffing a garbage bag inside...(i have no idea about how water resistant the material is)... also, only one main compartment...but what do you want at under 2-1/2 pounds? shoulder straps are a bit thin, but if you keep the packing weight at around 20 pounds, this shouldn't be an issue...i've packed it up to 30 pounds and it's a little awkward in that, because it rides high on me ('m 6' tall)it pulls me back a bit, but it's still comfortable...at 20 pounds it's almost unnoticeable...

i've only recently gotten into lightweight packing (my Gregory Reality was usually packed up around 30-35 pounds) and i must say that the fit and weight of this pack has inspired me to go hog-wild in reducing my weight to the minimum...the new feeling of lightness is awesome...looking forward to doing a lot more packing this summer without any concerns at all about the weight on my back...

Similar Products Used:

Gregory Reality

I totally agree with the other two (at this time) reviews. There can't be a better pack for its intended purpose; it has no competition. Reducing pack weight became a priority after several years of climbing and backpacking in the backcountry.

The laminate nylon material is awesome: seems tougher, way more water resistant, and probably 1/3 the weight of the current king of pack fabrics, cordura. Time will tell which is superior.

The suspension puts the load very close to the back, and the flexibility of the frame make for a great light alpine pack though you can exceed the suspension's capacity fairly easy at about 30 lbs or so.

I am looking strongly at the Specter from the mountainlight series as a way-too-big pack for more than a week trips.

I understand that the Ghost is not selling well despite glowing recommendations. Do not be disuaded by the light weight of this pack. It is plenty "tough". Buy it on sale somewhere, load it with 22lbs, and take off for a 3-day'r. I did and I came back a better man .

Major items in my pack for a 3 day summer high country trip.

Western Mountaineering Hilite bag, rated 40F but was good down to 33F easily. 16 ounces!

Primus Alpine stove and cannister. I really like this stove, and it is reasonably priced. 4 ounces + 7.5 for a full container of fuel. (hopefully it will be about 1/2 full for less weight. that's really the only drawback to cannister stoves, besides poor high altitude performance. simmers awesome though.

MSR Ti .7 liter pot and a
Ti Spork and .4 liter Ti mug from Evernew. love me some titanium.

OR Deluxe bivy. one of the best pieces of gear I have. Rules where it really counts: weatherproofness. screw a tarp. two or more zippers on a bivy sack is a gimmick.

Wow am I going on or what.
climb on
and a big WDE to AU fans.

Similar Products Used:

Nothing like this