Ultralight backpacks made with high-tech materials like Dyneema DCF, Woven Dyneema, or Extremely have gotten very costly and are usually not reasonably priced for many hikers. Whereas much less modern, there are nonetheless loads of sturdy ultralight packs out there made with Ultragrid, Dyneema Grid, and Robic Nylon which are completely appropriate for thru-hiking and backpacking. Alternatively, you should buy a decrease quantity backpack in case you’ve already decreased your gear quantity and weight necessities, one thing that has turn out to be more and more attainable with immediately’s lighter weight and extra compressible gear.
Listed below are the ten finest budget-friendly ultralight backpacks priced below $250 that we suggest.
1. Gossamer Gear G4-20 (42L)
The Gossamer Gear G4-20 is a 42L frameless ultralight backpack that weighs 24.8 ozand might carry as much as 25 lbs comfortably. The G4-20 has a entrance stretch mesh pocket, two aspect pockets together with one which’s massive sufficient to hold a shelter, an exterior map pocket, and a roll-top closure. Its inside storage capability is 30L with 12L in its mesh and aspect pockets. The well-padded hip belt, which incorporates pockets, will not be detachable, however you may ditch the molded foam sit pad masking the pack’s again panel and additional scale back the pack weight.
Learn the SectionHiker G4-20 Evaluate.
2. Mountainsmith Zerk 40L
The Mountainsmith Zerk 40 is a 25 ozbackpack made with recycled nylon ripstop. It has a roll-top closure, 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 need to open it in the course of the day. The pack comes with bear can straps so you may 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 main objective is to guard your again from being poked by the pack’s contents.
Learn the SectionHiker Zerk 40 Evaluate.
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 may carry your whole 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 advantageous job of transferring the load to your hips. Sizing is unisex.
Learn the SectionHiker Kakwa 55 Backpack Evaluate.
4. Mountain Laurel Designs Exodus 55L
The Mountain Laurel Designs Exodus 55L is a high-volume frameless backpack out there in a number of materials together with a model made with Ultragrid. Weighting 18 oz, it has a typical ultralight roll-top design with a stable entrance stretch pocket and aspect pockets made with stable cloth as a substitute 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 Evaluate.
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 might take critical abuse. It’s a particularly 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 Evaluate, which is sort of an identical however greater quantity.
A ladies’s Lightning 45 can be out there.
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 masses as much as 30-35 kilos. The highest lid may be eliminated if not wanted, dropping the pack weight near 2 lbs 7 ozounces. Ultralight particulars and again air flow make the Exos an excellent backpack for climbing in sizzling or humid circumstances. The 48 liter quantity of this pack doesn’t embrace its open aspect or entrance pockets, so it may well maintain much more gear than you’d anticipate.
The ladies’s model is known as the Eja 48.
7. Granite Gear Crown3 40L
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 aspect 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 be detachable. Gossamer Gear additionally makes a vest-style model of the Kumo known as the
Quick Kumo for fastpacking.
Learn the SectionHiker Quick Kumo Evaluate.
9. ULA Gear CDT 54L
The ULA CDT is a 54-liter frameless rolltop backpack with an inside pad pocket. Weighing 27.1 oz, the CDT is a streamlined backpack with 36 liters of closed storage in the principle pack bag and extension collar, with the rest distributed throughout its aspect pockets, entrance mesh pocket, and hip belt pockets. Whereas the CDT will not be the lightest frameless backpack out there immediately, it is among the largest when it comes to total quantity, it’s out there with J-shaped or female-friendly S-shaped shoulder straps, and is available in a really big selection of torso sizes and hip belt lengths.
Learn the SectionHiker ULA CDT Evaluate.
10. REI Flash 55
The REI Flash 55 is a modular ripstop nylon backpack that weighs 45 ozbut may 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 characteristic in case you have points getting an excellent match. If you happen to’ve by no means owned a backpack that’s this light-weight, the Flash 55 is an effective ultralight pack to chop your enamel 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 ladies’s model is obtainable as nicely.
Learn the Part Hiker Flash 55 Backpack Evaluate.
Funds 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 wonderful sturdiness information. Ultragrid and Dyneema Grid are principally nylon, however have tremendous sturdy Extremely or Dyneema fibers working by way of them to create a ripstop grid sample which helps stop catastrophic tears from occurring. Dyneema grid is the oldest of those nylon variants and has an extended 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 a range nylon thicknesses that are measured by “deniers”, additionally abbreviated as “D” in “210D Nylon Ripstop. Often, greater 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 often weigh between 20 and 48 ounces. They’re meant for carrying masses between 25 and 35 kilos and have full frames, body stays or are framless. The quantity and weight capability you want will rely on the quantity of drugs, meals, gas, and water you want to carry. This will range 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 masses, however this generally is a matter of private choice.
Gender-Particular Backpacks
Many ultralight backpacks at the moment are out there in males’s and girls’s particular fashions, though there are just a few exceptions. In addition they are likely to have fastened torso lengths and hip belt lengths, though many backpack producers have found out 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 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 will not be waterproof and rain is probably going the place you propose to hike, we suggest 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.
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 private choice. Roll tops may be good as a result of they’re extra minimalist and require fewer webbing straps. However prime lids are helpful 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 that may you connect over them. That’s actually the most effective of each worlds.
Backpacking Match
A very powerful issue when selecting an ultralight backpack is match. Preserve 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 straightforward to contact and need you to have the most effective expertise attainable. What makes an ultralight backpack nice? It suits you, has easy-to-use exterior pockets or daisy chains to connect your individual, and works nicely along with your different backpacking gear decisions.
Verify Out All of SectionHiker’s Gear Guides!
SectionHiker by no means accepts cost for gear evaluations or editorial protection. Once you purchase by way of affiliate hyperlinks on our web site, we might earn a small fee at no additional value to you. Assist us proceed to check and write unsponsored and impartial gear evaluations, climbing and backpacking FAQs, and free climbing guides.
