I'll be looking on my front porch all week for the delivery
fm
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I'll be looking on my front porch all week for the delivery
fm
I don't know about stock right now, I thought we had 20 or so left, at least last I heard last week we did... The boss is on his way back from Peru, so I will have to wait to here back about stock. Second shipment is in November I believe.
As for folks who are in on the first shipment they should be shipping next week. They left Asia by air already. Thank you for remaining stoked and not publicly slagging us for our tardiness. It's not always an easy task.
I was actually just about to post some pics so good timing with the bump... Here is a few pics of the 'Black Loka'. I have never wanted to get sexually active with a bag before but I had some strange thoughts yesterday and am a little worried about my next solo adventure in the back country...
For those that ordered- I hope you got black.
http://cdn.fstopgear.com/images/fwbi...0/dsc_0867.jpg
http://cdn.fstopgear.com/images/fwbi...0/dsc_0878.jpg
http://cdn.fstopgear.com/images/fwbi...0/dsc_0879.jpg
http://cdn.fstopgear.com/images/fwbi...0/dsc_0881.jpg
Where do I place my order?Quote:
Originally Posted by saaka!
follow me for order info> http://fstopgear.com/en/product/mountain/loka
I got the grey/white-ish one, but damn that black looks good. I'll be awaiting my email notification from Point Roberts for when my pack arrives!
edit: Loka has shipped! looking forward to September 16th.
I'm eagerly awaiting a green one.
just talked to Druid....ICU's are stuck in customs for past 9 days. they are doing what they can to get them out and shipped.
Transaction just showed up on my amex, hopefully that's a good sign and fucking customs can release the stuff soon.
got my pack today. great looking and feeling pack.
working on understanding the transition b/t my current set-up and using the f-stop
insights coming later
thats good news hope my icu shows up soon.
Mine arrived in Point Roberts yesterday, going to pick it up on Saturday morning. I'm very excited. Will post short review after.
Looks like Pondella already got his Loka in the high country. envy.
http://cdn.fstopgear.com/images/stor...llaloka/-3.jpg
http://cdn.fstopgear.com/images/stor...llaloka/-2.jpg
some more info for those looking for ski specific fits and various ICU possibilities. Ski photog Dan Carr just made a super sized post on his blog with 42 images of different fits for almost everything.
check it out... its your one stop Loka answers page.
http://dancarrphotography.com/blog/2...-tilopa-fstop/
Only thing I would personally side against is the shovel in the front panel pocket... not sure how he manages this. Only thing I can see is if he uses a small shovel(although not sure what he uses). Personally I try push the use of bigger blades... as small ones don't move much snow and its ideal to have all your avi gear accessed from the same zip when time matters.
The Loka blog write-up looks sweet. When are the Lokas going to be available for order again? Right now it says everything is sold out. I'm wanting to get a Loka with the small ICU.
Quote:
Originally Posted by saaka!
I haven't seen my pack yet (it's arrived but I'm not home), but I was expecting/under the impression that the front pocket was designed to be big enough to hold a real shovel and probe. I agree that it's good to have all of my avy gear in the same place for easy access, and that same place is not buried under my skins, lunch, extra clothes, and everything else in the main body of my pack.
Hopefully my shovel and probe will fit up front. If it doesn't, I may have a Loka for sale.
Can anyone that has received a pack confirm/deny that a shovel and probe fit up front? FWIW I've got a Voile Tele-D and a 320cm probe - some "guide" model by BD or G3?
The Loka will NOT fit a full size shovel blade in the outside front pocket. Nor will one fit inside in the little sleeve (though I believe that was made more for hydration). I have an older Black Diamond shovel (with a full size blade) that I'm thinking about giving to my brother and picking up a G3 spadetech shovel (that blade WILL fit inside the outside front pocket). The full-size blade will fit inside in front of the ICU and it looks like there is still room to put a hydration bladder in the sleeve. I haven't tried putting my probe in that outside front pocket (G3 320 tech) but I was planning to put that either inside the pack or in/on the side of the pack (bottom in pocket, secured with straps).
edit: Hop, I'll try and grab some pictures this evening for you (and others).
That is most disheartening. What a bummer!
:nonono2::tdo13::cussing:
It'll actually be faster to fetch it from via the top opening than trying to wrastle it out of the front pocket. A blade and probe will easily slide in along the ICU.
That may be the case with the pack as it is, but I'm still disappointed. I (and apparently saaka!) prefer to have our avy gear in one place; the difference is I prefer to have it separate from all the rest of the crap in my pack and he doesn't mind it all mixed up.Quote:
Originally Posted by truth
Oh well. I guess I'll see if I can live with it when I get home, otherwise it's off to Gear Swap until it's redesigned with a larger front pocket.
The other option is to keep the ICU and just use that in a proper BC pack w/ back access?
I'll say that the front pocket is perfect for holding splitboard skins...something my Dakine Ridge couldn't fully handle....they'd stick out a bit when stored...of course, that was in the same pocked as my shovel blade. But I'm happy that they fit completely....good design there. I can also say that with all of my BC stuff loaded in (shovel, handle, probe, down sweater, water bottle), plus a loaded ICU, that this pack feels 1000% better than the Ridge with camera block. It will ride like a champ.
So, for me, the shovel handle goes outside, the blade behind the ICU, and my probe to the side of the ICU along the frame. I'm kinda worried about a carbon probe breaking, but we'll see about that.
I already asked the fine folks at fstop about potential damage to camera gear if the shovel blade is slid down behind the ICU, in the case of a fall where the vertical edges of the shovel are compressed into the ICU. Druid passed my note to Ian...never heard back. Shovel is an old standard Voile blue bomber from way back...maybe it's dished more than newer shovels.
overall, solid pack that feels better than what I had before. can't wait to really put it to the test!
Pics anyone? Curious what it looks like loaded up with gear/on...
Better late than never. Been busy, but wanted to do this for a while.
First off, I think this is a fantastic pack although it is also my first ever photo pack.
As mentioned before, the front outside pocket does not fit a full size shovel blade.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1146/...4beef87d_b.jpg
I can assure you it does fit a G3 spadetech but I don't own one (yet) to show that here. The G3 320 tech probe can probably be squeezed into this pocket, but I don't want to rip anything so I didn't bother. I'll carry it inside or on one of the sides on the outside.
This photo is looking through the open back with the blade fit in between the ICU (small) and the inside sleeve (with a 1.5L bladder). It fits, but I would put it in carefully. I would cringe if my cheap metal shovel blade ripped my nice new pack.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1167/...5b565ef8_b.jpg
Looking through the top of the pack, the shovel blade fits in with lots of room to spare at the top, and the probe just makes it in. No issues closing the top, and lots of room still left inside.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4042/...c79f6d09_b.jpg
I realize now this is a lousy photo. Be assured the pack is not overflowing, I thought at the time I'd place the stuff just in the top to show what is in there. Anyways, inside is the small ICU, a set of XL 130mm skins, a pair of goggles, extra gloves, and a probe. Basically what I carry on a day-to-day basis. There was plenty of room to add a packable layer, snack, beacon, and possible a small first aid kit.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1087/...b1fe8154_b.jpg
All zipped up. Not exactly bulging at the seams, definitely room for more.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1154/...8576df45_b.jpg
I threw my Wrenegades on (no issues with the straps clearing 141mm in the tip or 113mm in the waist) to feel how it would carry in the A-frame formation with a shovel handle on the outside. Wasn't bad at all. The internal frame on the pack makes it feel quite comfortable. The pack wasn't at all heavy, but my DSLR (30D w/17-55) wasn't inside the ICU (I don't own a P&S) although my 70-200 f/4 was. When I bought this I still planned to use my heli-pro for inbounds day stuff, but this pack isn't all that much bigger and may do it all for me (especially since a lot of straps are broken on my heli-pro).
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1137/...68139e41_b.jpg
I'm super excited to actually use this thing on hikes and in the snow. My only complaint would be that a full size shovel blade HAS to go inside the pack. It fits fine, but the angled neck (at least on mine) makes it a little tricky to access things sitting in the main compartment above the ICU. The inside sleeve could have been a bit longer to better fit a hydration bladder, but just to have an ICU and hydration in the same pack is pretty frickin cool I think. It can't snow soon enough.
Thanks for the report Wren. Dan Carr mentioned on his blog that the Tilopa BC is coming out in a couple of months, and that allegedly has a front pocket big enough for a shovel blade. Unfortunately it's also 50l instead of 37l.
Still, for the reasons you and Tap outlined I really think they dropped the ball on this one with the shovel blade needing to go inside. Soooooo close to perfect! Aaargh.
^ Thanks Wren!
Thanks Wren. Would your skins fit in the back pocket?
I sent an email to fstop about availability, and they replied that a new shipment is arriving by mid/late November, but they were hoping earlier. They said the first batch of about 500 sold in a week, but the new shipment was almost ten times that much product so should be easier to get.