Backpacking packs and backpacking gear have gotten a lot lighter weight in recent times attributable to improvements within the supplies and materials obtainable to backpack producers. Most 40-60L ultralight backpacks now weigh between 2 and three kilos. The ones we record under all have frames or body stays and may often carry between 25 and 35 kilos of backpacking gear, meals, gas, and water. If it’s worthwhile to carry greater than that, you’ll need a larger backpack. Less than that, you’ll most likely need to get a good lighter, frameless, ultralight backpack.
Here are the ten finest ultralight backpacks within the 40L-60L vary that we advocate.
Be certain to learn our Ultralight Backpack Selection Guide under and the linked FAQs for much more recommendation and reader suggestions. SectionHiker has a world status for its complete males’s and ladies’s backpack evaluations and we’re keen about serving to our readers discover the very best backpacks for his or her wants.
1. Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra 60L Backpack
The Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra 60L is an ultralight ventilated backpack with a suspended mesh again panel to maintain you cool in scorching climate. Made with waterproof and very sturdy Ultra 200 and 100 cloth, the 20.9 oz Arc Haul Ultra 60 is a seam-taped roll-top backpack with aspect water bottle pockets and a entrance mesh pocket for exterior gear storage. The torso size is adjustable by elevating and reducing the shoulder pads, whereas the hip belt is out there in a number of lengths. Daisy chains on the shoulder straps and hip belt allow you to simply customise the pack with accent pockets, together with ones from different pack producers. The Arc Haul Ultra can haul as much as 30 lbs comfortably. A Woman’s mannequin can also be obtainable. Read the SectionHiker Arc Haul Ultra 60L Review.
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear 3400 Southwest (55L) is a streamlined and sturdy backpack good for any sort of out of doors journey from thru-hiking to wilderness backpacking. Made with super-strong however ultralight Dyneema Composite Fabrics, it’s seam-taped and successfully waterproof, with strong exterior pockets for elevated sturdiness. The body on this roll-top pack consists of two aluminum rods, known as body stays, that may be bent for a {custom} match. Weighing 2 lbs 2.5 oz, it has a most really helpful load of 40 kilos. We advocate getting the black-colored model as a result of it’s extra sturdy than the white-colored one. The sizing is unisex. Read the SectionHiker.com 3400 Southwest Backpack Review.
The Granite Gear Crown 3 60 is an ultralight-style roll-top backpack that’s well-suited for thru-hiking, part mountain climbing, and multi-day backpacking journeys. Weighing between 32.6 oz to 44.6 oz with all of its non-obligatory parts, it has all the options you’d count on together with an non-obligatory high lid (there’s a roll-top beneath), a big mesh entrance pocket, and aspect water bottle pockets. What makes this pack distinctive is an adjustable size hip belt so that you get a {custom} match, the power to hold a bear can canister beneath the highest lid, and wrap-around compression straps that make it simple to hold cumbersome gear. The Crown 3 60 has a most really helpful load of 30-35 kilos. A ladies’s mannequin of the Crown 3 – 60, can also be obtainable. Read the SectionHiker Crown3 60 Review.
The Osprey Packs Exos Pro 55 is a brand new ultralight model of the famed Osprey Exos Backpack, a longtime thru-hiker favourite, which sheds practically one pound of pack weight. Weighing 2 lbs 2.6 oz totally configured, the Exos Pro 55 has a ventilated mesh again panel, an adjustable torso size, and inflexible perimeter body that makes it good for hauling heavier hundreds as much as 25-30 kilos. The floating high lid could be eliminated if not wanted, dropping the pack weight to 2 lbs even. Ultralight particulars and again air flow make the Exos Pro 55 a perfect backpack for mountain climbing in scorching or humid circumstances. A ladies’s mannequin is out there known as the Osprey Eja Pro 55.
The ULA Circuit Backpack is a well-liked multi-day backpack for thru-hikers and weekend backpackers. Weighing 37.3 ounces, this 68-liter backpack has a load-carrying capability of 35 kilos and is out there with males’s or ladies’s particular shoulder pads and a unisex hip belt. The Circuit has a roll-top favored by long-distance hikers, with a entrance mesh pocket, two massive aspect water bottle pockets, and two massive hip belt pockets. Lightweight, however bomber powerful, this pack can final via a long-distance hike and are available again for extra! Read the SectionHiker Circuit Backpack Review.
The Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60 is a superb pack for backpackers who’re lightening their hundreds as a result of it has loads of storage. It’s intuitively organized for multi-day thru-hikes and part hikes with loads of exterior pockets and lined storage. The Mariposa has a light-weight aluminum body able to carrying 35 kilos comfortably, and interchangeable hip belt sizes can be found, making certain a great match. It’s made with Robic nylon which is nice for on-trail use, however you might have considered trying one thing extra sturdy for harder terrain. Weighing 1 lb 14.5 oz, it has a novel aspect quiver pocket that’s excellent for storing a tent or hammock. The sizing is unisex. Read the SectionHiker Mariposa 60 Review.
The REI Flash 55 Backpack (newly up to date in 2023) is a 2 lbs 13 oz ultralight-style roll-top backpack with an non-obligatory high lid. The pack has all the commonplace options of an ultralight-style backpack together with a entrance mesh pocket, aspect water bottle pockets, and hip belt pockets. There are two issues that set this pack other than others. First, it comes with pockets and straps (known as “packmods”) that may be eliminated with out having to resort to scissors and may save a further 7 oz of weight. Those similar pack mods could be moved round to tailor the pack to your wants. The Flash 55 additionally has revolutionary aspect water bottle pockets that make it very simple to achieve your bottles, with snap closures to safe tall bottles in the event you use them. A ladies’s particular mannequin can also be obtainable. Read the SectionHiker REI Flash 55 Review.
The Gregory Focal 58 (ladies’s Facet 55) are multi-day backpacks with mesh-backed trampoline-style perimeter frames able to hauling 30-35 kilos. Weighing 2 lbs 9.3 oz, totally configured, the floating high lid and included rain cowl could be changed by an ultralight climate flap, dropping the pack weight near 2 lbs 6.5 oz ounces. A entrance stretch mesh pocket, aspect water bottle pockets, and again air flow make the Focal and Facet good packs for mountain climbing in humid climate. The greatest distinction between the Osprey Exos and Eja above, and Gregory Focal and Facet is that the 2022 Exos and Eja have an adjustable size torso. Read our Gregory Focal 58 Backpack evaluation or our Gregory Facet 55 evaluation.
The Waymark Gear Lite 50 is a light-weight inside body backpack made with EcoPak EPX200 that’s appropriate for multi-day backpacking and thru-hiking journeys. Weighing 32.8 oz, the Lite 50 has an ordinary UL rolltop design with a sewn-on hip belt, a entrance mesh pocket, and sturdy aspect pockets, together with two aspect pocket configurations to select from. The pack is out there in a number of colours and the stitching and building are completely top-notch, making the Lite 50 an actual contender for backpackers that need a light-weight roll-top pack made with waterproof cloth. Note: the seams on this pack are usually not seam-taped, so a pack liner continues to be really helpful. Read the SectionHiker Waymark Gear LITE 50 Review. Sizing is Unisex.
Atom Pack’s The Mo EP50 is a 32.1 oz ultralight backpack made with EcoPak EPX200 . It has an inside body consisting of a plastic framesheet and a single aluminum keep. It has an ultralight fashion roll-top construct with a 4″ twin adjustable hip belt and S-shaped shoulder straps. The Mo is out there in an off-the-shelf model with a hard and fast characteristic set and an enhanced custom-made mannequin which features a backside stretch pocket. The seams on this pack are usually not seam-taped, so a pack liner is really helpful. Atom Packs is situated within the UK. Sizing is unisex. Read the SectionHiker Mo EP50 Review.
Most ultralight backpacks vary from about 40 liters as much as 60 liters in quantity and often weigh between 2 and three kilos. They’re supposed for carrying hundreds between 25 and 40 kilos and have full frames or body stays. The quantity and weight capability you want will depend upon the quantity of substances, meals, gas, and water it’s worthwhile to carry. This can range from journey to journey, or city to city in the event you’re a thru-hiker or part hiker, however compression straps allow you to shrink a pack’s quantity from 40L right down to 60L as wanted. Generally talking, you need extra “frame” for heavier hundreds, however this generally is a matter of non-public choice.
See the next FAQs for extra recommendation and reader dialogue:
Gender-Specific Backpack Features
Many ultralight backpacks are actually obtainable in males’s and ladies’s particular fashions, though there are a number of exceptions. They additionally are inclined to have mounted torso lengths and hip belt lengths, though many backpack producers have discovered that adjustable torsos and hip belts or ventilated backpacks give them a major aggressive edge. Many ladies choose S-shaped shoulder straps and female-specific hip belts as a result of they mildew higher to a “curvier” feminine kind.
Backpack Fabric Durability
Most ultralight backpacks are made with Nylon and it’s variants embody Robic Nylon, Dyneema Composite Fabrics (DCF), XPac, EcoPack, and Ultra. In phrases of sturdiness, Ultra is often essentially the most sturdy when it comes to abrasion resistance, then EcoPak, XPac, DCF, after which Nylon, though it will depend on the thickness of the fabric used. In addition, there are various various kinds of Nylon and thicknesses, that are measured by “deniers”, additionally abbreviated as “D” in “20D Nylon Ripstop. Usually, increased denier counts end in extra sturdy materials.
Cost
Dyneema (DCF) packs are the costliest when it comes to worth, then Ultra, EcoPak, XPac, after which Nylon.
Backpack Covers and Pack Liners
DCF, Ultra, EcoPak, and XPac are waterproof supplies so you may get by with no backpack cowl if you want. That stated, the shoulder pads and hip belts on all backpacks are usually not waterproof and can soak up some water, however your gear will keep dry even in the event you don’t!
Most ultralight backpacks don’t embody a rain cowl. If your backpack is just not waterproof and rain is probably going the place you intend to hike, we advocate you get a backpack rain cowl or line the within of your backpack with a plastic bag. Some folks do each or put on ponchos that cowl themselves and their backpacks. See the next FAQs for extra recommendation and reader dialogue:
Roll Tops vs Top Lids
Some of the backpacks listed above are roll tops and a few have high lids. Which you select is a matter of non-public choice. Roll tops could be good as a result of they’re extra minimalist and require fewer webbing straps. But high lids are helpful if it’s worthwhile to change hats or gloves regularly or entry a map and navigation gear. Still, different packs, just like the Granite Gear Crown3 60 and the REI Flash 55 are roll-tops, however include an adjunct high lid that may you connect over them. That’s actually the very best of each worlds.
Backpacking Fit
The most necessary issue when selecting an ultralight backpack is match. Keep attempting ones on till you get a torso size and hip-belt that matches you completely. Return insurance policies and warranties matter. Stick near producers that assure their merchandise, are simple to contact and wish you to have the very best expertise doable. What makes an ultralight backpack nice? It matches you, has easy-to-use exterior pockets or daisy chains to connect your individual, and works properly along with your different backpacking gear decisions.
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