10 Best Ultralight Frameless Backpacks of 2023

As ultralight backpacking gear has gotten lighter weight, so have ultralight backpacks. So a lot so, that many thru-hikers, section-hikers, and long-distance backpackers are turning to frameless ultralight backpacks for his or her adventures. Designed for a great deal of 20-25 kilos or much less (together with meals, water, and gasoline), these backpacks and their producers have confirmed to be wildly progressive of their use of cutting-edge supplies, colours, and options.  While backpacking this mild isn’t for everybody, the elevated availability of ultralight backpacking gear and entry to know-how by means of social media has made it extra achievable than ever.

If your goal is to scale back the load of your backpack to shut to a pound or much less, listed below are some methods of attaining that aim.

1. Use a frameless backpack, because you don’t want the added assist or weight of a body or perhaps a hip belt for masses underneath 20-25 kilos.
2. Reduce the amount of your pack to 40L or much less. which forces you to make use of lighter-weight and extra compact gear.
3. Pick backpacks made with ultralight materials like Dyneema DCF, Ultra, or EcoPaokay that are waterproof and extremely sturdy.

Here are the ten frameless ultralight backpacks that we suggest that embody these qualities.

Be certain to learn our Frameless Ultralight Backpack Selection Guide under which explains these tradeoffs in higher element.

1. Nashville Packs Cutaway (42L)

2. Pa’lante Packs V2 (31-37L)

3. LiteAF Ultra Curve 30L (45L)

4. Waymark EVLV Ultra (35L)

5. Dandee Pack’s The Standard Pack (35L)

6. Superior Wilderness Designs Ultralight Superior (40L)

7. Mountain Laurel Designs Burn (38L)

8. Gossamer Gear G4-20 (42L)

9. Mountainsmith Zerk (40L)

10. Atom Packs – The Atom (35L)

Frameless Ultralight Backpack Selection Guide

Custom vs. Off-the-Shelf Backpacks

Many frameless ultralight backpacks are made by hand by cottage producers and may be personalized when it comes to colours, material, or options. Some of the extra established backpack producers or retailers listed above solely supply “stock” backpacks with a set set of options. The benefit of buying a inventory backpack is that it’s normally obtainable instantly and not using a lengthy wait time. If you determined to go the customized route, remember to contact the producer when you’ve got any questions earlier than you order. Most customized backpacks are non-returnable.

Frameless Ultralight Backpack Volume

How a lot quantity do you really want in an ultralight backpack, once you’re actually making an attempt to get your TOTAL pack weight under 20 kilos? It’s arduous to make a blanket advice as a result of it finally comes all the way down to the local weather you intend to hike in and what your clothes, sleep insulation, shelter, diet, and water wants might be. For common three-season situations, most UL backpackers discover {that a} 40L pack supplies greater than sufficient quantity for a 3-5 day journey, together with gear, meals, gasoline, and water. It will get way more troublesome to suit every thing you want right into a 30L backpack, nevertheless, until you possibly can resupply extra steadily, you go stoveless, otherwise you don’t want to hold a lot water. However, given the listing of packs above, there’s not an enormous weight penalty for carrying the next quantity pack than you want, since they’re all so light-weight and you may compress them utilizing a roll-top closure or aspect compression.

Massive External Storage

Frameless ultralight backpacks are inclined to have lots of exterior storage which is accessible whilst you’re nonetheless carrying the backpack. This is as a lot a mantra as a design philosophy with the underlying aim of climbing as many miles as doable (like all day) with out ever having to cease and take your backpack off. Many frameless ultralight packs include pockets sewn onto their shoulder straps, backside stretch pockets so you possibly can attain beneath a pack when worn to drag out snacks or deposit used wrappers, and accessible aspect pockets.

Ultralight Backpack Fabrics

Most ultralight backpacks are made with Dyneema Composite Fabrics (DCF), XPac, Nylon (Robic, Cordura, Dyneema X, and so on.) In phrases of sturdiness, Ultra is normally probably the most sturdy when it comes to abrasion resistance, then EcoPaokay, XPac and LiteSkin, then DCF, and eventually Nylon, though it relies on the denier or weight of the fabric used. DCF and XPac revolutionized UL backpack manufacturing as a result of they’re so light-weight, however are being rapidly overtaken by newer waterproof materials like EcoPaokay and Ultra that are much more sturdy and ecologically sustainable merchandise.

The largest areas of damage and tear on a backpack is the bottom, the place you set it down on the bottom, and the aspect pockets, particularly in the event that they’re made with mesh. Most UL pack makers have switched to extra sturdy mesh, use extra sturdy stretch mesh that has finer holes and is much less vulnerable to snagging, or have switched to creating exterior pockets with stable materials for higher sturdiness.

DCF, XPac, ECOPAK, Ultra, and LiteSkin are all waterproof supplies so that they gained’t take in water when it rains. DCF has the benefit that it may be seam-taped which tremendously will increase the waterproofing of a backpack. While XPac, ECOPAK, and Liteskin may be seam-sealed, most individuals don’t trouble and line their packs with trash compactor baggage or use waterproof stuff sacks. Very little water will get in anyway. It’s a lot the identical with Robic Nylon and different high-tenacity nylons though they are going to soak via, could make your gear moist, and take some time to dry out. See the next FAQs for extra recommendation and reader dialogue:

Hip Belts on Frameless Backpacks

The hip belts discovered on frameless backpacks will not be load-bearing as a result of there’s no body to switch to load to the hips. This explains why many ultralight packs don’t have them, they’re detachable, or stowable, and solely made with webbing in the event that they’re included in any respect. Their solely actual goal is to offer an anchorage for hip belt pockets or to stop the pack from bouncing in opposition to your torso should you stroll quick.

Since the hip belts will not be load-bearing, all the load will relaxation in your shoulders. When selecting packs, it is best to think about how a lot shoulder strap padding you like and the strap width that you just discover most snug.

Shoulder Straps

An growing variety of frameless pack makers are together with S-shaped backpack straps on their packs, that are extra snug for girls as a result of they accommodate breasts extra comfortably.  Many males additionally discover them extra snug than the J-shaped shoulder straps that had been used beforehand.

There’s additionally an growing use of vest-style shoulder straps on many backpacks which may take some getting used to should you had been born and bred on extra typical shoulder straps. The added width and pocket storage on vest-style packs makes them a sexy characteristic and might help distribute the load throughout your shoulders, particularly in case your pack lacks a hip belt.

Torso Length

Shorter torso lengths are additionally more and more obtainable to accommodate girls, who on common, aren’t as tall as males. However, matching your actual torso size is much less vital on a frameless backpack as a result of the hip belt just isn’t load-bearing. The becoming course of is definitely extra just like becoming a daypack (and not using a hip belt) than an everyday framed backpack, though matching your torso size continues to be a very good benchmark to goal for.

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