Review: THULE Guidepost 75L The heavier the more comfortable it becomes, and the three traits of robustness, comfortable, stylish, and a satisfying companion
Written by Yasushi Hisatomi
It's like an art museum. The first thing that comes to mind about the THULE brand is the THULE booth I saw at the outdoor gear exhibition "Outdoor Retailer" held in North America in the summer of 2015, when I had little knowledge or experience. A row of rugged mountain tools suddenly appears, colorful backpacks all over the wall. The space is so sophisticated that I hesitate to enter it a little, I still have my eyes burning into my mind.
Quote: Carryology
But to be honest, when I saw the sight, I didn't know anything about the brand and only had the image of it as a "colored item." I think it's the type who focuses on appearance and should be patient with the feel of use. In 2017, I realized that all around me is full of THULE products, from everyday business bags to travel and of course backpacks for hiking. It goes without saying that the preconceived notion that "brackets are just" was a complete misunderstanding.
As mentioned in my previous daypack review, Sweden-based THULE is a global company with the world's largest share in car racks and carriers. Perhaps because it was an emerging brand that first entered the outdoor field in 2015, it may not be said that it is still highly recognized in Japan. In reality, we have a wide range of products that are no less than those of a well-established brand, and have become an authentic outdoor backpack manufacturer worldwide for the past few years.
the Guidepost 75L a backpack made to carry the heaviest luggage in the lineup for long distances and for long periods . Let's start a review of this model, which is packed with charm that is not inferior to the large backpacks, packed with famous items from long-established brands, with outstanding stability and high functionality that you wouldn't imagine from its sophisticated design.
table of contents
General features
This large backpack features a "Transhub suspension system" that efficiently transmits loads to your waist, and a "reinforced hip belt," and a hip belt with a pivot mechanism that follows the movement of your body when walking, making it a comfortable backpack even under large loads. It features highly flexible adjustment functions, including a choice of hip belt size, an adjustment mechanism that allows you to change the back length within a 15cm range, and a "QuickFit Shoulder Harness" that allows you to switch the width of the shoulder strap in three levels, making it perfect for people of all body types and walk comfortably. It has a wide range of storage spaces, including a wide range of pockets of large and small, and the top lid (canopy) is removed to form a 28L sub-pack for climbing, and the hip belt is compatible with the unique "VersaClick accessories", allowing you to customize a variety of attachments to suit your needs (weather resistant roll top pockets are standard equipment, and others are sold separately).
Recommended points
- The heavier luggage you feel, the more stable the back system you have.
- Easy and quick adjustment system on the back
- Multi-functional and easy to use storage and attachment
Points that interest me
- Hardness of the waist pad (if possible, add cushion to make it thicker)
- The side straps are not vertically arranged so it is difficult to insert long items (it's no problem if you make packing).
Main Specifications and ratings
| Specs | |
|---|---|
| item | Thule Guidepost 75L |
| material |
|
| color |
|
| Size (back length) |
|
| Capacity (liters) | 75 |
| Weight (actual measurement) | 2,885g (Actual measurement of the hip belt M size, VersaClick Rolltop Safezone Pocket, rain cover included) |
| size | 36.06 x 32 x 85.09 cm |
| Variations |
*Female models are available at 75 and 65L. |
| Main Access | Top side (bottom) |
| Rear system | The Transhub suspension system and reinforced hip belt that efficiently transfer loads to your waist. |
| Rear length adjustment | Possible |
| Hydration compatible | ◯ |
| Rain cover | Included |
| Storage and functions |
|
| evaluation | |
| Comfort | ★★★☆☆ |
| weight | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Stability | ★★★★★ |
| Ease of use | ★★★★★ |
| Storage and functionality | ★★★★☆ |
| Versatility | ★★★☆☆ |
| Durability | ★★★★☆ |
| General | ★★★★☆ |
Detailed review
The heavier luggage you feel, the more stable the back system you have.
For review, I tried walking along the general mountain trail carrying 10-20kg of luggage on my back. What I learned is that this pack is really "strong."
The highly rigid hip belt is directly connected to the support post, wrapping around the hip bones and firmly secures them, so no matter how heavy the weight the load is, it completely transmits to your lower back. Furthermore, the "pivoting mechanism" that slightly rotates the hip belt as your hips sway left and right when walking, helps to keep your backpack shaking, providing excellent stability as long as you walk straight without making acrobatic movements. In other words, this pivot mechanism would be more stable if the left and right hip belts moved independently, but considering that they would not have been able to achieve this stiffness, I think it is understandable.
The rigidity of the hip belt is one of the most powerful large backpacks I've ever encountered. No matter how heavy it is, it won't get worn out.
The straps from the back to the shoulders are ergonomically flowing and extend under the armpits, providing a firm fit to the body lines. Although the pads are flexible and breathable, at first glance they are a little stiff to the touch. However, this is also the result of being conscious of heavy luggage, and on the other hand, it is not too soft and worn out (and slips) from heavy luggage. If you are inevitably concerned, you can DIY and add pads to the back of the tailbone, which is subject to load, and make it thicker.
Back pads with cushions to the required areas along the body lines. The upper side of the hip belt, which hits the top of the tailbone, is a bit of a concern, so it's a good idea to make some effort by applying pads to each person.
The backpack is long and has a slightly higher center of gravity, and the load just feels like it's just covering your body. It doesn't put any strain on your shoulders and doesn't really get tired easily.
The body is located higher than the hip belt, so the load is good and it can be carried over the waist (top of the tailbone).
Robic ripstop nylon, which has a supple feel and durability, combines durability and light weight, reduces the weight by about 10% from the previous model while maintaining its high durability.
Robic ripstop nylon is woven at a high density and is lightweight and durable.
Easy and quick adjustment system on the back
The heavier the load, the more important it is to fit the backpack. Nowadays, it is no longer uncommon for the back length to be adjusted, and with this model, the shoulder width can also be adjusted to S/M/L to suit your body. This is by no means the first time this model is, but there are no manufacturers that can do this much. This is very helpful for Japanese people, as it is not uncommon for some overseas brands to have wide shoulders.
The shoulder strap can be adjusted to three levels: S/M/L. Adjustment is easy by simply sliding it.
Your body shape doesn't change that easily, so once you've adjusted it, you might think there's no need to adjust the fitting, but from experience, for some reason, the fit is slightly different each time you carry it on your back. In such cases, it would be great if you could quickly adjust the back, but on the other hand, it would be a bit disappointing if it would take a lot of effort. This model is the former. Simply peel off the velcro on the strap and slide it to instantly adjust the back length. Unlike other models, the fitting of the shoulder width and back is very easy.
Simply slide the Velcro, which can be easily removed and secured, to adjust the length of the back.
Multi-functional and easy to use storage and attachment
Main storage
As it is a large backpack that is designed for travel, it also has a wealth of convenient storage functions. The main storage area is smaller at the bottom and grows larger as you go upwards, and the entrance is quite large. You can also open and close it with just one touch operation by pulling the loop on the cord lock.
Pull the loop attached to the cord lock from its tight state (left) to fully open the entrance without any stress.
You can also access the main storage using a large zipper that opens in the shape of "shi" from the left side. You can quickly remove it no matter where you pack it.
Access to the main storage from the side is convenient for organizing your belongings inside a tent, etc.
Top lid (canopy)
Another thing that is worth noting is this top lid. It's so big and has a large mouth that it's easy to use, and you'll want to put lots of small items in it.
A large top lid pocket with plenty of room. Don't put it in too much and get too heavy.
What came out from the inside pocket was a 28L sub-pack for summits that could be assembled and used. It's no longer uncommon with great large backpacks these days, but it's still useful to have one.
Remove and transform the top lid to form a summit pack that is convenient for top attacks.
The sleeve that can store hydration is the same as in a typical model, and the tube opening is located in the middle that is easy to swing on either the left or right side.
Hydration sleeve inside the main storage.
Outer pocket attachment
There are two pockets on the outer front. The pocket on the left of the photo below is about A4 size, making it convenient for storing small items and thin items. The rain cover is also stored here. On the other hand, the pocket on the right of the photo below is a large pocket that can be opened both at the top and the sides, making it easy to store bulky items that you can easily take out, such as outerwear and winter clothing.
There are two pockets on the front that can be accessed from the left and right. A rain cover that was not found in the previous model is standard equipment.
There are one side pocket on each side. Both are facing diagonally, so if you put the bottle in it, it's easy to take out as you walk. In particular, the pocket on the right can be opened to securely store even large bottles all the way to the back.
The right side pocket is large and can store thick bottles deeply.
The side straps can store long items such as trekking poles. However, as you can see from the photo, the top and bottom straps are not vertically lined up, and the bottom pockets are only facing diagonally, so long, uneven items such as tent poles are difficult to store on the sides, so be careful.
The side straps are lined up at an angle, making them convenient for storing poles, but on the other hand, long items with large diameters are difficult to attach.
Customizable storage "VersaClick System"
On the left side of the hip belt is THULE's unique attachment system, the VersaClick System, which allows you to select and add the storage you need from a variety of attachments (sold separately). How much will it be that you can change your equipment to suit your purpose will tickle your sense of adventure? To be honest, I love this kind of system.
The Guidepost series comes standard with the Rolltop Safezone Pocket, which is completely waterproof and shock-resistant, allowing you to safely store electronic devices. In addition, including highly versatile pouches, holsters for SLR cameras, and hooks that can store trekking poles while standing , allowing you to build your own pack to suit your needs and preferences.
The VersaClick system is an attachment that allows you to change equipment according to your needs.
Summary: What kind of activities do you recommend?
The Guidepost series is a very well-made large pack that carefully considers what is necessary for people who walk for long periods of time with heavy burdens, and carefully packs them in a balanced way. It is true that no backpack is lighter than the same class, and some people may have a lot of unnecessary features, but that doesn't mean it's too heavy, and many of the features have been successfully made clear with the sophisticated design. The balance is very good.
It is stable to carry and durable even with heavy loads, making it easy to use and versatile storage, making it the perfect companion for hikers who travel for longer than three nights. The sophisticated design, typical of Scandinavians, is also sure to be great for traveling abroad and backpacking. In that sense, it would be perfect for students from the mountain club who would be doing long-term traverse training camps or traveling alone overseas. I regret that if I had discovered this pack when I was a student.
On the other hand, considering the high center of gravity, the arrangement of attachments and pockets, it is designed to walk calmly, and it seems that it is not flexible as it is (although not impossible) for activities such as variations, stream climbing, and winter mountains. In this regard, this is a backpack that is an extremely through-hiking backpack, and is a model that I would definitely recommend to those of mountain lovers who like this type of mountains.
We also recommend this article about backpacks
- How to choose a mountain climbing backpack that won't make a mistake and 10 recommended for beginners
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- Comparison review: Comparing the best introductory backpacks for those just starting to climb
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