Ultralight backpacks made with high-tech materials like Dyneema DCF, Woven Dyneema, or Extremely have gotten very costly and usually are not reasonably priced for many hikers. Whereas much less waterproof and sturdy, there are nonetheless loads of sturdy ultralight packs accessible made with Ultragrid, Dyneema Grid, and Robic Nylon which can be completely appropriate for thru-hiking and backpacking. Alternatively, you should purchase a decrease quantity and cheaper backpack in case you’ve already decreased your gear quantity and weight necessities, one thing that has turn into more and more attainable with right this moment’s lighter-weight and extra compressible gear.
| Make / Mannequin |
Weight |
Worth |
| Gossamer Gear G4-20 |
24.8 oz |
$240 |
| Mountainsmith Zerk 40 |
25 oz |
$225 |
| Durston Kakwa 55 |
30.3 oz |
$199 |
| MLD Exodus 55 |
18 oz |
$245 |
| Exped Lightning 45 |
39.8 oz |
$225 |
| Osprey Exos 48 |
42 oz |
$240 |
| Granite Gear Crown 3 40 |
36.7 oz |
$240 |
| Gossamer Gear Kumo 36 |
20 oz |
$180 |
| ULA CDT 54 |
27.1 oz |
$220 |
| REI Flash 55 |
45 oz |
$199 |
Listed here are the very best budget-friendly ultralight backpacks priced underneath $250 that we advocate.
1. Gossamer Gear G4-20 (42L)
The Gossamer Gear G4-20 is a 42L frameless ultralight backpack that weighs 24.8 ozand may carry as much as 25 lbs comfortably. The G4-20 has a entrance stretch mesh pocket, two facet pockets together with one which’s massive sufficient to hold a shelter, an exterior map pocket, and a roll-top closure. Its inner storage capability is 30L with 12L in its mesh and facet pockets. The well-padded hip belt, which incorporates pockets, shouldn’t be detachable, however you’ll be able to ditch the molded foam sit pad overlaying the pack’s again panel and additional cut back the pack weight.
Learn the SectionHiker G4-20 Overview.
2. Mountainsmith Zerk 40L
The Mountainsmith Zerk 40 is a 25 ozbackpack made with recycled nylon ripstop. It has a roll-top closure, a detachable hip belt strap, and a working vest-style shoulder strap system. Quite a few open mesh pockets make it straightforward to retailer steadily accessed gear and meals on the pack’s exterior so that you don’t should open it through the day. The pack comes with bear can straps so you’ll be able to lash a canister on prime and contains quite a few exterior gear loops to connect extra gear to its exterior. Whereas there’s a foam pad in a pad pocket behind the Zerk’s shoulder straps, its major goal is to guard your again from being poked by the pack’s contents.
Learn the SectionHiker Zerk 40 Overview.
3. Durston Gear Kakwa 55L Backpack
The Durston Gear Kakwa 55 is a streamlined ultralight-type backpack made with Ultragrid that’s optimized for thru-hiking and backpacking. It has loads of exterior pockets so you’ll be able to carry all your daytime necessities with out stopping to open the pack. However the place this pack shines is within the body and suspension system, which does an exceptionally superb job of transferring the load to your hips. Sizing is unisex.
Learn the SectionHiker Kakwa 55 Backpack Overview.
4. Mountain Laurel Designs Exodus 55L
The Mountain Laurel Designs Exodus 55L is a high-volume frameless backpack accessible in a number of materials, together with a model made with Ultragrid. Weighing 18 oz, it has a regular ultralight roll-top design with a strong entrance stretch pocket and facet pockets made with strong cloth as an alternative of mesh for added sturdiness. The Exodus additionally has a sewn-in hip belt and female-friendly S-shaped shoulder straps. The pack’s most really helpful load is 25 lbs. Sizing is Unisex.
Learn the SectionHiker Exodus Overview.
5. Exped Lightning 45L
The Exped Lightning 40 is a roll-top backpack with an adjustable torso size, one thing that’s very uncommon within the ultralight backpacking world however helps present a customized match. Weighing 39.8 oz, it’s made with a water-repellent 210d ripstop nylon which may take critical abuse. It’s an especially good backpack for carrying cumbersome gear on the outside of the pack, with quite a few exterior compression straps that may be reconfigured as wanted.
Learn the SectionHiker Lightning 60 Overview, which is almost an identical however larger quantity.
A girl’s Lightning 45 can also be accessible.
6. Osprey Exos 48/Eja 48 Backpack
The Osprey Packs Exos 48 is a light-weight minimalist pack favored by thru-hikers, part hikers, and weekend backpackers alike. Weighing 2 lbs 12 ozfully configured, it has a inflexible body that makes it good for hauling heavier hundreds as much as 30-35 kilos. The highest lid could be eliminated if not wanted, dropping the pack weight near 2 lbs 7 ozounces. Ultralight particulars and again air flow make the Exos a superb backpack for climbing in sizzling or humid situations. The 48 liter quantity of this pack doesn’t embrace its open facet or entrance pockets, so it could possibly maintain much more gear than you’d count on.
The ladies’s model known as the Eja 48.
7. Granite Gear Crown3 40L
The Granite Gear Crown3 40 is a roll-top backpack with an elective prime lid pocket. with a hip belt that may be indifferent to make a bomber fanny pack or a prime lid that may be indifferent to create a chest pocket. It has twin compression straps on the perimeters and entrance of the pack, making it straightforward to connect cumbersome gear to its exterior. The 40 liter quantity of this pack additionally doesn’t embrace its open facet or entrance pockets, so it could possibly maintain much more gear than you’d count on.
Learn the SectionHiker Crown3 40 Backpack Overview. A
girl’s mannequin can also be accessible.
8. Gossamer Gear Kumo 36L
The Gossamer Gear Kumo is a frameless backpack made with Robic Nylon that weighs 20 oz. It has 28L of closed storage and 8L of open storage in its facet and entrance mesh pocket. As well as, there’s an exterior pad pocket behind the shoulder straps that holds a foam sit pad (included) and a map-sized zipper pocket within the fold-over lid. The hip belt has pockets and can also be detachable. Gossamer Gear additionally makes a vest-style model of the Kumo referred to as the
Quick Kumo for fastpacking.
Learn the SectionHiker Quick Kumo Overview.
9. ULA Gear CDT 54L
The ULA CDT is a 54-liter frameless rolltop backpack with an inner pad pocket. Weighing 27.1 oz, the CDT is a streamlined backpack with 36 liters of closed storage in the primary pack bag and extension collar, with the rest distributed throughout its facet pockets, entrance mesh pocket, and hip belt pockets. Whereas the CDT shouldn’t be the lightest frameless backpack accessible right this moment, it is likely one of the largest when it comes to total quantity, it’s accessible with J-shaped or female-friendly S-shaped shoulder straps, and is available in a really wide selection of torso sizes and hip belt lengths.
Learn the SectionHiker ULA CDT Overview.
10. REI Flash 55
The REI Flash 55 is a modular ripstop nylon backpack that weighs 45 ozbut could be stripped down to save lots of weight. For instance, it’s a roll prime backpack with a floating prime lid that may be eliminated in case you don’t want it. The Flash 55 additionally has an adjustable torso size, which is a really fascinating function you probably have points getting a superb match. When you’ve by no means owned a backpack that’s this light-weight, the Flash 55 is an efficient ultralight pack to chop your tooth on as a result of it’s so reasonably priced and simply personalized for various journeys, seasons, or locales. The REI return coverage can also’t be beat, one thing that smaller producers don’t provide.
A girls’s model is obtainable as properly.
Learn the Part Hiker Flash 55 Backpack Overview.
Finances Ultralight Backpack Choice Information
Backpack Materials and Sturdiness
Ultragrid, Dyneema Grid, Extreema Ripstop Nylon, and Robic Nylon are all types of strengthened or excessive tensile nylon with glorious sturdiness data. Ultragrid and Dyneema Grid are largely nylon, however have tremendous robust Extremely or Dyneema fibers working by way of them to create a ripstop grid sample which helps forestall catastrophic tears from occurring. Dyneema grid is the oldest of those nylon variants and has a protracted historical past of sturdy use, even earlier than woven or laminated Extremely and Dyneema materials got here on the scene.
As well as, packs are made in quite a lot of nylon thicknesses, that are measured by “deniers”, additionally abbreviated as “D” in “210D Nylon Ripstop. Normally, larger denier counts lead to extra sturdy and abrasion-resistant materials.
UL Backpack Frames
Most ultralight backpacks vary from about 40 liters as much as 60 liters in quantity and normally weigh between 20 and 48 ounces. They’re supposed for carrying hundreds between 25 and 35 kilos and have full frames, body stays, or are frameless. The amount and weight capability you want will rely upon the quantity of drugs, meals, gasoline, and water you want to carry. This may differ from journey to journey, or city to city in case 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. Usually talking, you need extra “body” for heavier hundreds, however this could be a matter of non-public desire.
Gender-Particular Backpacks
Many ultralight backpacks are actually accessible in males’s and girls’s particular fashions, though there are a number of exceptions. Additionally they 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 want S-shaped shoulder straps and female-specific hip belts as a result of they mould higher to a “curvier” feminine kind.
Rain Covers and Pack Liners
Most ultralight backpacks don’t embrace a rain cowl. In case your backpack shouldn’t be 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 individuals do each or put on ponchos that cowl themselves and their backpacks.
Roll Tops vs Prime Lids
Among the backpacks listed above are roll tops, and a few have prime lids. Which you select is a matter of non-public desire. Roll tops could be good as a result of they’re extra minimalist and require fewer webbing straps. However prime lids are useful if you want to change hats or gloves steadily or entry a map and navigation gear. Nonetheless, different packs, just like the Granite Gear Crown3 40 and the REI Flash 55, are roll-tops, however include an adjunct prime lid you could connect over them. That’s actually the very best of each worlds.
Backpacking Match
Crucial issue when selecting an ultralight backpack is match. Preserve attempting them 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 straightforward to contact, and wish you to have the very best expertise attainable. What makes an ultralight backpack nice? It suits you, has easy-to-use exterior pockets or daisy chains to connect your personal, and works properly together with your different backpacking gear selections.
SectionHiker by no means accepts cost for gear evaluations or editorial protection. While you purchase by way of affiliate hyperlinks on our website, we might earn a small fee at no additional price to you. Assist us proceed to check and write unsponsored and impartial gear evaluations, climbing and backpacking FAQs, and free climbing guides.
