New Sopris Rookie Lite

[Nanno]

If you don't have a regular wooden saddle I'll be bringing a couple of different wooden saddle designs to the Rendy. In fact, I'm teaching a saddle fitting class on Saturday morning and you can bring Blazer and try a few things on him and see what works best. I'm hoping a few folks will bring their own goats and equipment to that class so we can get our hands on things and see what works, what doesn't, and why.

[Kat]

First hike with cuben Sopris Rookie Lite. Replaced the cylinder "stuffing" with my version (only because it was such a pain to get the Sopris version stuffed back in! Will work on that), saddle + pannier weight now down to 4.03 lbs. 

It was a hot day and exposed, subjectively I think the new white saddle did better for him in terms of heat - but we weren't working hard either so hard to say for sure. Only had a 20 oz weight in each pannier.

For comparison purposes, Sammy is 36.5" at withers and ~ 215 lbs by weight tape.

   

[Nanno]

Looks nice! I'm curious why you took the stuffing out of the panels. I'm also curious about what material you replaced it with.

[Kat]

I took the "stuffing" out because I needed to tape the seams inside the cylinders. (due to cuben/DCF material used).

Here is a pic of the Sopris "stuffing" - it consists of:
*foam tube with rigid tubing inside
*foam tube is then rolled in one layer of ?closed? cell foam
*2 ?closed? cell foam end caps, tapered.

   

My "stuffing" consists of just:
*larger diameter foam tube, no rigid tubing inside
*1 of the sopris ?closed? cell foam end caps, tapered.
*Foam tube is then rolled in 1 layer of bubble wrap

I'm not liking my stuffing, the foam tube I used is a bit too rigid I think.  Will be fussing with this as time allows.

   

[Kat]

Just a quick update, the new white cuben/DCF pack is holding up well with 8 more days (3 trips) on the trail so far, last trip just got back from a 4 day backpack up in Slate Peak Pasayten area eastern WA (Fred/Doris lakes).  I am now convinced the white color is making a difference, it was very hot the last two days there coming out the valley (and back in town 100F) but Sammy did very well with the heat.

   

[Ms_Mudd]

Absolutely gorgeous photo.
I love that your goat is an ultralight back packer with his high tech-fabric panniers and saddle ;-)

[Kat]

Thanks.  I figured if ultralight works for my old bones, it should help him too!