All -

Does anyone out there have experience with Granite Gear's "Nimbus Great Northern" canoe pack?  [See: (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links) ]  Is it worth the money?  As I know I can knock $50 off the listed price, would it be worth $269?

OR, would GG's Superior One, the BWJ's Extra-Wide Super Pack (or whatever Stu calls it), or the Kondos or Duluth Pack or Ostrom or the CCS Hybrid equivalents of the Nimbus Great Northern be a better canoe pack?

I just recently "retired" my two ancient Granite Gear packs & I'm looking a BIG comfortable pack to slide in the middle of my SR17 for my typical 8-12 day expeditions.  I'm really not interested in immersion packs, either.  Also, its not really a question of money.  Mainly, I want a top-flight, easy-to-wear & handle, tough-wearing canoe pack (maybe with a few bells & whistles but not necessarily loaded) that will last me the rest of my canoeing days (figure 15 years for sure but I fully expect to recalibrate that horizon in the year 2025).

I welcome all recommendations & thoughts on the matter... and, if you own one of these Nimbus Great Northerns, please weigh in!

Thanks!

Jimbo  

solotripper wrote on Aug 28^th, 2009 at 5:07pm:


ST,

What makes it so?  Extra features?  High quality materials?  The bikini-clad lass from Thunder Bay who jumps out of the pack?

Jimbo  

Jimbo, Check out CCS too. I got a Pioneer size. It holds all I need,,,carries nice,,,well made too. Both CCS and Ostrom are home grown, not off shore. You can talk to the guys that make'm. They're comparable in quality, just depends on the cdn/us exchange rate at the time to which is cheaper.

Thanks for the replies!  I'm evaluating the value of the "internal frame".  The options seem to be: the Nimbus Great Northern & Ostrom's "Algonquin" & "Wabakimi".  IF I decide to go with internal frame, those are my choices.  Having said that, I'm not altogether keen on the notion of GG's Chinese labor & possible use of 12 year-old's doing the sewing.

On the other hand, putting aside internal frame offerings, the top-of-the-line options seem to be Ostrom's WiniskIII and CCS's Guide Pack.  I'm in the process of evaluating the difference in value between the two.

Ostrom's stuff IS expensive.  Maybe it's worth it.  I'm trying to sort that out.  I've sent an e-mail to Dan Cooke asking him to elaborate on materials, etc..  I have absolutely NO question re: his workmanship on CCS products (I already own a canoe spray skirt AND a screened-in lean-to shelter & they are great!).  Ostrom packs his website info with tons of material info.  Dan offers less info on his website so I'm asking for more.  IF materials are equal or close, I'll go with the CCS product since I am quite comfortable with workmanship.

Unless, of course, I decide the value of the internal frame overshadows other considerations.  In that case, it seems to be a Nimbus Great Northern versus Wabakimi (Ostrom offering) choice.

Thanks, again, for the inputs.  I'll keep you posted re: my choice.

Jimbo  

Portage lass OR portage monkeys... for the price they're asking for gear, one or the other ought to be forthcoming in the bargain!

Jimbo   

Jimbo wrote on Aug 31^st, 2009 at 1:59am:


THEY must be tuned into the
'its not really a question of money" customers

I have come to really dislike the "floating lid" concept.  I have that setup on 3 of my mid-sized packs (a Mountainsmith, and two Gregory packs).  The damned top is always falling off the back whenever I just want to open the main pack for a second or two.  It is also a nuisance to readjust the lid attachments when you change the load.

Givel me an old fashioned sewn on flap top anyday.

A bag is a bag - a lot of what you would be paying for with that Nimbus is all the buckles and D rings that stick out all over - a nice addition if you will make use of them, but otherwise, just useless added weight and cost.  Looks like a nice comfy hipbelt and shoulder straps - sew on the lid, cut off most of the excess attachment points, and I'd like it.

I have this pack, have had it for 2 years and I love it.  Costly but worth it.  Good luck in your search.  It really is personal preference, we really are lucky to have so many choices......Kim 

Well, I appreciate all the comments here & inputs I have received via PM's.  I decided that I wanted to try an internal frame pack because of periodic pinched nerve issues that I have with my back.  That decision quickly narrowed the field down to Granite Gear's "Nimbus Great Northern" and Ostrom's "Wabakimi".  

Both bags are pricey.  I'll agree w/Red Lake Rob & state that the Ostrom Pack is clearly the better made bag of the two.  HOWEVER, I wasn't sure it was really worth the price difference.  The Wabakimi retails in excess of $475 American versus the generally listed price of $319 for the Nimbus (which only this week went on sale for $255 w/free shipping from MooseJaw).  Well, I've made my decision about that value differential & I'll get around to sharing my selection in a second.  First, though, I want to share the key thoughts that kept ringing around my head in advance of my decision:

Mad Mat:  "A bag is a bag".

Ranger (via IM):  "I'd find it tough to pay almost $500 for a pack. One way to think of it is: you could almost buy TWO Nimbus packs for the price of the Ostrom. Are their useful lives going to be that much different? Is their respective utility going to be that different?"

Tooth Fairy: "I have this pack [Nimbus], have had it for 2 years and I love it.  Costly but worth it."

Yes, you've guessed it.  I went with the Nimbus Great Northern, after all.  That special sale on gear through MooseJaw put me over the edge.  The price differential was just too much to ignore, so my new Granite Gear bag is on the way.  Hopefully the internal frame concept will help with my back issue.

I suppose I am somewhat at risk of having buyer's remorse when I amble past the Ostrom display at CanoeCopia next year & eyeball their primo Wabakimi bag with all those doodads & its superior construction.  Red Lake Rob is right; it's TRULY top-of-the-line.  Nevertheless, MM's profound sagely advice - "a bag is a bag" - haunted me back into fiscal responsiblity... and that ain't easy to do when it comes to my free-spending ways with canoe gear.

Next on the agenda: a good pack for my solo canoe.  Of course, this one is easy... CCS's "Explorer Pack" all the way!

Again, thanks for all the advice!

Jimbo  

Man I would like that big old snapper in the pod shell side down with the Nimbus...Quetico is the one for me, or the solos. Quality is a bit different from 15-20 years ago, though, IMHO