Granite Gear Crown3 60
Ultralight Pack
~$260

Granite Gear

Granite Gear Crown3 60

The Crown3 60 is the third generation of Granite Gear's beloved Crown line, a fixture of PCT gear surveys and the classic answer to 'ultralight on a budget.' The re-flow hipbelt is adjustable in length, and the frame sheet and lid strip out for a sub-2-lb minimum weight.

Approx. price
~$260
Capacity
60 L
Weight
2.4 lbs
Best For
Thru-hikers who want cottage-level weight with retail availability
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Type
Ultralight Pack
Frame Type
Internal Frame
Capacity
60 L
Weight
2.4 lbs
Max Recommended Load
~35 lbs (tested)
Torso Fit
Sized short/regular/long, 15-21 in
Material
100D and 210D Robic high-tenacity nylon
Back Panel
Current Mark 3 compressed PE framesheet with optional stay
Warranty
Granite Gear limited lifetime
Raincover Included
No
Fits BV500 Bear Canister
Yes

Sizes Available

CapacityPriceWeight
40 L
60 Lthis pack$2602.4 lbs

Features

Hipbelt PocketsRemovable LidHydration SleeveFits Bear Canister

Pros

  • Halfway Anywhere PCT surveys consistently place the Crown line among the most-used packs — thousands have finished trails with one.
  • Redditors call it the best value in ultralight: Circuit-class function at $60 less, often on sale below $200.
  • The adjustable-length hipbelt fits waists that fixed-belt cottage packs exclude.
  • Strips to about 1.9 lbs with the lid and frame sheet removed — a legitimate two-packs-in-one design.
  • A BV500 fits horizontally with room to spare, a canister-country selling point repeated in reviews.
  • The 210D bottom panel takes granite abuse that destroys lighter packs' floors.
  • The huge stretch front pocket and deep bottle pockets carry a full wet-gear kit outside the bag.
  • Its 35 lb rating is honest — reviewers report it carries at its ceiling better than the Flash 55 does.

Cons

  • The foam back panel has zero real airflow; it's the sweatiest back in this roundup after the frameless packs.
  • Fixed torso sizes mean online buyers between sizes must guess.
  • The shoulder straps are unpadded by plush standards and dig under 35 lb food carries.
  • No hydration port on some production runs annoyed bladder users — check the current spec.
  • The lid is floppy when half-full and many owners just leave it home.
  • The roll-top collar fabric is thinner than the body and wears first.
  • Granite Gear's colorways run loud; the muted options sell out first.
  • Warranty service is fine but slower than Osprey's, per owner anecdotes.

Common Questions

🎒
~$200
Ultralight Pack

The Virga3 is Granite Gear's frameless ultralight pack: 1.68 lb as sold, or 1.18 lb stripped of the hipbelt. Granite Gear states a clear 25 lb ceiling, which is more than most cottage brands publish, and offers two torso sizes plus two hipbelt ranges.

55 L1.68 lbsRobic high-tenacity 100D and 210D nylon with Barrier DWR

Weight

1.68 lbs

Capacity

55 L

Frame

Frameless

Best for: Low-base-weight hikers wanting a cheap frameless pack with real sizing
View details
🎒
~$300
Traditional Pack

The Blaze 60 is Granite Gear's load-hauler and the standout number in the whole backpacking comparison: a 50 lb load rating at just 3.0 lb of pack weight. Nothing else in this catalog carries that much at that weight.

60 L3.0 lbs50 lbs

Weight

3.0 lbs

Capacity

60 L

Frame

Internal Frame

Best for: Hikers who need to carry 40-50 lb without a 5 lb pack to do it
View details
Gregory Focal 58
~$270
Ultralight Pack
4.5(33)

The Focal 58 is Gregory's answer to the Exos: an ultralight with a genuinely ventilated FreeFloat suspended mesh back and a dynamic pivoting hipbelt. The women's version is the Facet 55. It undercuts the Exos on features while matching it on weight.

58 L2.57 lbsVentilated FreeFloat BackVentilated back

Weight

2.7 lbs

Capacity

58 L

Frame

Internal Frame

Also in 48 L

Best for: Ventilation-first ultralighters who want hipbelt pockets included
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Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50
~$275
Ultralight Pack

The Gorilla 50 is the Mariposa's smaller, symmetric sibling — 50 liters, under 2 lbs, and the classic 'second pack' people buy once their kit shrinks. It keeps the sit-pad back panel and Robic durability in a cleaner silhouette.

50 L1.95 lbsClassic Second Pack

Weight

2.0 lbs

Capacity

50 L

Frame

Internal Frame

Best for: Dialed three-season kits that no longer need 60 liters
View details
🎒
~$275
Ultralight Pack

Six Moon Designs

Six Moon Designs Swift V

The Swift V uses a Delrin hoop rather than metal stays, a design Six Moon Designs has refined over several generations. It is the heaviest pack in this ultralight group at 38 oz, trading weight for a frame that flexes with the body.

50 L2.38 lbs100D Robic nylon

Weight

2.38 lbs

Capacity

50 L

Frame

Internal Frame

Best for: Hikers who want a flexible hoop frame and a conventional fabric
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🎒
~$245
Ultralight Pack

Mountain Laurel Designs

Mountain Laurel Designs Exodus 55

The Exodus is Mountain Laurel Designs' 55 L frameless pack, offered in a choice of UltraGrid or Ultra X fabrics which is why the price runs from $245 to $325. At 1 lb 2 oz for 58 L of measured volume it has one of the best weight-to-volume ratios here.

58 L1.13 lbsUltraGrid 200D or Ultra X 200/100D

Weight

1.13 lbs

Capacity

58 L

Frame

Frameless

Best for: Experienced ultralight hikers wanting maximum volume at minimum weight
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