Gourdon Reviews

I completely agree with Bob’s idea for a wet/dry Gourdon, but I’m not sure about the having an internal divider. I’d rather see some way of stowing my wet gear externally so that it can stand a chance of drying out. Maybe a big rear mesh pocket like GoLite’s Breeze’s had, or even a few fabric loops along the side seams like the GoLite Gust? That way I could string a bit of bungee around them, securing my dripping waterproof and compressing the sack at the same time.

Superb bit of kit though, all in all. Gets used for everything from dossing around upwards. Many thanks.

Email received from Bob Feuillade 24th March 2006.

I have an Idea for development into a Wet and Dry Gourdon. Simply making the main chamber into 2 by having a vertical baffle from top to bottom of the bag. This would simply use the current roll closure, rolling three bits of cloth instead of two, but allow you to have a wet side and a dry side of the bag.

Think of it a nice warm day and then a shower appears. After the shower finishes the sun comes out, where do you put the wet coat that it is now too warm to wear? In the Gourdon, on the wet side of the baffle of course. Canoeists, Swimmers, climbers all want to keep their camera dry but also get wet kit to carry. Think of all the times you wanted to carry wet kit separate from dry, in the same rucksac!

Hi Terry,

we’ll get some photo’s up of a DIY fix over the next week.

AlpCol.

Hey, just received my Gourdon.  Very pleased with it.  Any news on your diy fix for a hydration pack?  Very many thanks, Terry

A quick report on the camping in Wales - my 30L Gourdon was the envy of everyone else - they were all carrying big packs, most not waterproof. I was able to get all my kit in and I used it to extend my 3/4 sleeping mat at night.
In the past I have suffered with lower back pain after carrying a conventional backpack, I’m sure the weight carried was similar but I didn’t have any pain at all !
The only things I really missed were some kind of external pockets. Adding the Phud buckles to the straps solved the slipping issue.
Roll on v2.0 !

I was given a 30L as a gift - so far I’m really impressed ! I used to use a Craghoppers sack which had a built-in liner but it was so much bulkier and all the extra pockets just meant I took too much stuff !
Now I am really choosy about what goes in - the real test will come in March - an all-day hike with an overnight wild-camp in Snowdonia, will I manage to get the tent in ?
Issues so far are as previously reported - straps loosening when walking, hydration pocket is upside-down and seat-pad fights back.
Suggestions for improvements:
Slip-free straps.
Ice-axe/walking-pole loop and strap on one or both sides.
Invert the hydration pocket.
Add some loops to the front of the shoulder straps for clipping small accessories to.
My workaround: I have clipped wire-gate accessory karabiner to the shoulder strap (at the bottom) and run a length of accessory cord with a strung toggle through the loop formed when closing the roll top - the end of my walking-pole sits snugly in the karabiner and the top is held in place by the accessory cord. Vary rarely does the pole jump out of the karabiner - you know when it does because it pokes you in the leg !
I’ll be keeping an eye out for the new models.

Purchased 25L Gordon to go skiing – experienced similar problems with the straps that said, it’s a great little piece of kit which is worth purchasing once those teething problems have been sorted out.  I think I’ll try the phud buckle idea - thanks for the tip.

I _would_ remove the padded back and use it as a seat if it weren’t so hard to get in/out. I’ve replaced my back pad with a bit of old sleeping mat, which isn’t quite as nice, but a good deal lighter.

does anyone remove the padded back as a seat or could this be sewn in, maybe a little stiffer?

Cheers

Nick

Hi Thomas
You beat me to it, i had been thinking about a quick fix wih those buckles.
Nice thinking!!!

Cheers
nick