Backpack Reviews

The ULA CDT is a frameless backpack designed for ultralight backpacking, day hiking, and travel with a manufacturer maximum recommended load of 18 pounds or less. Weighing 19 to 24 ounces (with optional pockets), it’s a streamlined backpack with limited closed storage (36 liters in the main bag+extension collar/54 liters …

The Six Moon Designs Minimalist is a 48-liter ultralight style backpack that weighs 34 oz. The pack has an adjustable torso length and can be outfitted with a variety of shoulder straps and hip belt lengths so you can get a near-custom fit. It’s also available with vest-style shoulder straps …

The Granite Gear Crown 2 Backpack is a roll-top, multi-day backpack with an optional top lid pocket. An upgrade to the first generation V.C. Crown 60 backpack (See Best Ultralight Backpacks), this new model includes large zippered hip belt pockets, an optional top lid, and adjustable-length hip belt. These are all …

The Katabatic Gear Onni V40 65L is a 34 ounce rolltop backpack that’s designed for challenging multi-day backpacking trips. It’s made with a water-proof laminate called V40 (XPac) which is slightly heavier than cuben fiber but less expensive and more abrasion resistant. Katabatic Gear offers all of their packs in …

The ULA Circuit Backpack is a streamlined lightweight backpack with a surprising amount of flexibility for many types of backcountry adventure. Made with bomber fabrics and feature-rich, the Circuit is tough enough for year-round use in 4 season conditions. Internal Storage and Organization With 68 liters of total capacity, the ULA …

The Mountain Laurel Designs Exodus is a frameless 58L backpack that weighs 16 ounces. With a max recommended load of 20-25 pounds, it’s well sized for three-season thru-hiking and ultralight backpacking, when you need a higher volume pack to carry a bear canister or bulky hammock insulation. But the thing that …

The Seek Outside Gila 3500 (57L) is an 2 pound 15 ounce external frame backpack capable of carrying heavy loads, up to 100 pounds. It’s made with a waterproof laminate fabric called XPac which is more durable than Dyneema Composite Fabric (formerly called cuben fiber) and less expensive. While the …

The Seek Outside Divide is a 4500 cubic inch (74L) lightweight external frame backpack capable of hauling 50, 60, and even 70-pound loads even though it only weighs 44 ounces. Best suited for backpacking, packrafting, hunting, fishing, and expedition style trips, the Divide fills a niche that isn’t addressed by …

Hyperlite Mountain Gear (HMG) specializes in making backpacks and shelters with Dyneema Composite Fabrics (formerly called cuben fiber.) Their distinctive white and black colored backpacks are quite popular and easy to spot in the backcountry. One of the things that sets Hyperlite off from other cottage ultralight gear manufacturers is their …

The Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor is a top-loading, minimalist backpack with a unique top lid and two side water bottle pockets. Designed by National Geographic’s 2007 Adventurer of the Year, Andrew Skurka, it has volume adjustment straps that let you shrink or expand its capacity from 40L to 60L so …

The Gregory Packs Paragon 48 is a lightweight, alpine-style backpack designed to fill the void between minimalist ultralight backpacks and the plush and deluxe, monster capacity backpacks that Gregory is known for like the Denali 100 or the Baltoro 85. Weighing 3 pounds (minus an optional rain cover), the Paragon 48 has …

The My Trail Company Backpack UL 50 is new multi-day ultralight backpack that weighs 22 oz and is inexpensively priced ($119). I’d classify it a frameless backpack, although comes with a thin, removable foam stiffener in the back panel. It has a front stretch mesh pocket, mesh water bottle pockets, …

The Gossamer Gear Murmur is one of oldest continuously made frameless ultralight backpacks available today. While the materials it’s made with have evolved over the years (this is the third time I’ve reviewed the Murmur since 2009), the basic ultralight design remains unchanged. This is a backpack designed for people …

Granite Gear backpacks are popular packs for long distance backpacking in the United States and are a common sight on the Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail. I really like Granite Gear’s packs because I think they strike an excellent balance between weight and function, many have adjustable length frames and hip belts, and because they’re quite …