Does anyone have any experience of one of their sacks? I like the sound of their locally made sacks. Plus I have found out that they offer almost a custom made service where you can choose between fabrics and request additions. For example they will take one of their designs and make the back length shorteer than thee short length or longer than the long lengths. I like that being quite tall. Their sacks are the simple alpine climbing sacks but look capable of a sturdy carry for lighter backpacking. If anyone has any experience plese let me know if they are durable and offer a good carry with a full load. I intend to get something in their range at aboutu 50 litres. If anyone uses them for backpacking please let meknow and if poss the sort of load you reckon they will carry. Might be asking a lot as they are a small UK manufacturer and there's probably not many of them around. I have heard that people I know have been guided by ppl wearing them so that must be a good sign IMHO. Anu advice?
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 You mentioned Aguille on the thread about reducing your base weight, just looked at the Aguille website but the 47L Zenith doesn't look particularily light, certainly more than the 1kg you suggested. Have you checked the weight as it isn't mentioned on the website but I'd expect it to be closer to 1.5kg?
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A friend had one 'virtually' custom made (she happens to be similar build to one of the company). And I understand that they are prepared to make requested changes - although I don't know about costs for that. I certainly found them very pleasant and helpful when I have dealt with them. Why not give them a call, and see what they say?
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I went round to the shop and spoke to one of the guys and it doesn't cost anything to get the mods done. Basically they make them upstairs and charge nothing to make a special back length or change the fabric from the 1000d to a 500 or 600d fabric (almost as durable). Or even add an under lid pocket. As far as weigh goes the standard zenith 47l is 1.1kg but the sack they were moding for someone was a special back length version with the lighter fabric on the body and the heavier one on the base and back and other high wear points. It fitted me well and he weighed it on spring guage scales and it was about 1kg. I know it isn't like the golite jam2 at 600g or so but then it does have alloy stave in the back and a better padded back. It could be considered a simple, old fashioned climbing / alpine sack (by modern sack standards - sorry Aiguille) but it seems to be well made IMHO. At the end of the day a simple sack for carrying a load is all it is and all I need. I don't like side pockets and front pockets take weight away from the centre of gravity. So I dont need them. One lid pocket and one main compartment is all thats truly needed. My concern is will not work for me just that I don't know what their reputation is or what they are like to actually use. They are a minority manufacturer in the end. That also means they probably 100% inspect so the quality should be good as it is too expensive to have failures needing replacing. Likes of Behaus work on a percentage returns / replacements which get faactored into the original cost / selling price. I just wonder if someone has one and how long have you been using it?
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1100g would be a good weight then, what with the integrated back system. They look like a nice un-fussy design, a bit like Crux or POD. If you do go for one it would be interesting to hear your views after you've used it for a while.
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 Sound very interesting TTG. I saw their shop on my way through Staveley last year doing the Dales Way. I just wish I'd spent more time their looking at the packs, but I wasn't looking for one then and am now looking for a 50ltr ish one for wild camping. Look forward to hearing a report on one if you do get one.
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I'm still wavering. Was made difficult due to the PHD sale. I have been looking at the minim 300 for £135. Now if they offer an XL one for not much more than that it will be difficult to decide. The important thing for me is weight saving against cost. For the change in sacks it will be £14.17/100g weight saving for the sleeping bag it would be about £18/100g saving. The maths say the sack but the sale offer might not happen again makes me lean that way. My old sleeping bag is an XL one from MArmot with primaloft and down in it. Good for my single skin but I use a Rab SZ bivvy with it now so down would still work. It does weigh 1350g though. My current sack weighs 1.6kg and the Aiguille sack replacemetn would be about 1.0kg. I'm in a dilemma. What do you reckon? SAck or sleeping bag? Now if anyone can suggest a £135 sleeping bag at 600g that is a standard price for me to get later. I would consider a quilt or a top bag too. R_Mac and Fenwick - I'm the same as you. I would like to hear back from someone who has one, preferably the 47/50l one. So far I have only seen reviews of a 30litre and a bigger sack. I can't find anyone online who has one. Whether a gear review from a mag or blogger or site like this or from a user on a forum. Aiguille don't seem to have sold any to aonyone who blogs or posts on forums. I guess that means they are always on the crags or hill with their sack to tell us what its like. A good sign I guess.
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 I have an Aiguille Stratos. It is an excellent, simple sack that will last a long time. It is quite a generous 40l so may be big enough for your requirements. I got the removable back stave and a couple of other minor additions. That's one of the best reasons for getting one - you can add individual touches. You also get to support a small, local business. Mine cost less than £80 which I think is very good value. If anything does break or you want to change anything them you can take it back for repair/modifications. Whilst not the lightest (c1kg) it is nowhere near as heavy as some rucsacs as it does have any features you don't want or need. All the weight is in the materials and constructionwhich has to be a good thing as far asdurability is concerned. Rich
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 At 6ft 10ins tall, I find many 'off the shelf' items, including very many backpacks do not fit me at all well. So 18 months ago I invested in an Aiguille Jorasses backpack, with an extra long back and a few other minor tweaks I wanted (added as described above at no extra charge). After something over one year's use of it, I can only endorse the comments made above. It is a no-nonsense, hard-wearing, well made old style big pack. Although nominally 75 litres capacity (I think), with its extra length mine must about 80l, so it is a BIG pack. It is certainly not super light, but neither is it excessively heavy: mine is bigger but also lighter than the Osprey Aether it has replaced for example. Because of their relativley simple design and construction, and because you can opt for slightly lighter fabrics if you wish, Aiguille packs are not heavy - they are light but not SUL or UL. Because it fits, mine carries very well (for me). I am very pleased with it. My advice to TTG is definitely to go for it - my expectation is that you will be glad you did.
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R_Mac and Fenwick - I'm the same as you. I would like to hear back from someone who has one, preferably the 47/50l one. ........ ............ Aiguille don't seem to have sold any to aonyone who blogs or posts on forums................ ........ I guess that means they are always on the crags or hill with their sack to tell us what its like. A good sign I guess.
A very good sign I'd say 
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Man on stilts - When I visited them he did say he supplied on to someone about 6'9" I guess he was meaning you and missed the inch. He did say that they made it and thought they had made a mistake but when it was collected it turned out to be right back length. If you say it is worth it I will believe you. My thing is I have an old Berghaus Extrem Alpine sack which is 50l +10l and weighs 1.6kg. It is this sack that I am replacing as the same sack design and fabrics and size was weighed at 1.0kg (spring scale could have been out a bit) but it was a sack they were modding for someone and I got to try it on. My current sack has a good carry so I am having my doubts just to save 600g. This means I have to be sure it is a very good carry and also light for my own piece of mind. The thing I like about my own current sack is the strap that goes from the side of the hip belt to the sack to allow you to cinch it in actually forms a triangle.it is horizontal from the hip belt fin to the sack and the other side goes from the fin to the sack higher up at an angle. This allows you to pull the middle of the sack into your back when extra stability is needed. It is a very good carry. Most of the alpine sacks only have a horizontal strap here. Also the straps on the Aiguille from the shoulder straps to the body of the sack seem to follow the shoulder strap rather than forming a triangle there with the straps and the body of the sack. Is this an issue?
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