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Ultralight Pack
~$245

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.

Approx. price
~$245
Capacity
58 L
Weight
1.13 lbs
Best For
Experienced ultralight hikers wanting maximum volume at minimum weight
Buy from Mountain Laurel Designs

Price and availability on Mountain Laurel Designs’s site may differ.

Type
Ultralight Pack
Frame Type
Frameless
Capacity
58 L
Weight
1.13 lbs
Max Recommended Load
Not specified by the manufacturer
Torso Fit
See manufacturer sizing
Material
UltraGrid 200D or Ultra X 200/100D
Back Panel
Frameless
Warranty
Manufacturer warranty; terms not published
Raincover Included
No
Fits BV500 Bear Canister
No

Features

Hipbelt Pockets

Pros

  • 1 lb 2 oz for 58 L of measured volume is among the best weight-to-volume ratios in this catalog.
  • A choice of UltraGrid or Ultra X fabric lets the buyer trade cost against durability.
  • 58 L is large enough for a bear canister and a long food carry.
  • MLD has been building ultralight packs longer than almost anyone in the segment.
  • The $245 entry price is reasonable for a made-to-order pack in a premium fabric.
  • Frameless construction has nothing rigid to bend or break.
  • Hipbelt pockets included.
  • Simple, proven design refined across many generations.

Cons

  • Frameless at 58 L is the most demanding volume-to-support combination in this catalog.
  • Price varies from $245 to $325 by fabric, so the headline figure understates most builds.
  • No published maximum load figure.
  • MLD does not publish pack weights on its own shop pages, so weight comes from third-party testing.
  • No adjustable torso.
  • Made-to-order lead times.
  • Only suits hikers with genuinely low base weights.
  • Warranty terms are not published in detail.

Common Questions

Compare the Mountain Laurel Designs Exodus 55

🎒
~$240
Ultralight Pack

Pa'lante Packs

Pa'lante Packs V2

The Pa'lante V2 is the lightest pack in this catalog at 18.6 oz, and the clearest expression of the frameless ultralight philosophy: no frame, no stays, no lid, and a bottom pocket instead of a brain. It only works for hikers whose base weight is low enough that a frame is genuinely unnecessary.

37 L1.16 lbs210D UHMWPE Gridstop

Weight

1.16 lbs

Capacity

37 L

Frame

Frameless

Best for: Sub-10 lb base weight thru-hikers and fastpackers
🎒
~$239
Ultralight Pack

The Nero is Zpacks' frameless pack and at 9.9 oz the lightest framed-or-otherwise hiking pack in this catalog. Ultra 100X with taped seams makes it genuinely waterproof at a weight where most packs are barely water-resistant.

40 L0.62 lbsUltra 100X with waterproof taped seams

Weight

0.62 lbs

Capacity

40 L

Frame

Frameless

Also in 30 L / 50 L

Best for: Sub-10 lb base weight hikers who want a waterproof frameless pack
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~$235
Ultralight Pack

LiteAF builds to order in ECOPAK, a recycled laminate that is waterproof like Ultra but made from post-consumer polyester. At 13 oz for 45 L of total volume it is one of the lightest packs in this catalog, and custom sizing is included in the price.

45 L0.81 lbsECOPAK EPLX200 recycled laminate

Weight

0.81 lbs

Capacity

45 L

Frame

Frameless

Best for: Hikers wanting a custom-fitted frameless pack in a recycled waterproof fabric
Granite Gear Crown3 60
~$260
Ultralight Pack

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.

60 L2.55 lbsPCT Budget Favorite

Weight

2.4 lbs

Capacity

60 L

Frame

Internal Frame

Also in 40 L

Best for: Thru-hikers who want cottage-level weight with retail availability
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~$225
Ultralight Pack

The Zerk 40 is Mountainsmith's ultralight entry, using a recycled Extreema ripstop and a removable frame sheet so it can run framed or frameless. At 51 L of measured volume for a 40 L badge it is one of the more honest under-claimers in this catalog.

51 L1.81 lbs210D recycled Extreema ripstop

Weight

1.81 lbs

Capacity

51 L

Frame

Internal Frame

Best for: Hikers wanting the option to run framed or frameless from one pack
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