What's different about the vest-style harness?

Instead of narrow shoulder straps, wide vest straps spread the load across your chest and shoulders like a running vest, with pockets that keep snacks, phone and water reachable without stopping. Owners consistently say it carries beautifully — and that dialing in the fit takes more patience than a conventional harness.

How much weight before it stops being comfortable?

Testers put the comfortable ceiling around 20-25 lbs with a disciplined ultralight kit. It's frameless, so past that the load lands on your shoulders no matter how good the vest straps are.

How long is the wait, and why order custom?

Cutaways are made to order, so lead times run weeks rather than days — but the upside is torso and belt sized to you, which matters on a pack with no post-purchase adjustment. Check Nashville Pack's current queue before planning a start date around one.

Can it handle a bear canister and a week of food?

That combination is where 40 L frameless runs out — the cutaway front panel helps the mesh pocket swallow overflow, but a canister plus seven days of food is framed-pack territory. For canister-free stretches with 4-5 days of food it's in its element.

Is it a good first ultralight pack?

Most reviewers say no — it rewards hikers who already have a dialed ultralight kit, and loading it like a traditional pack misses the point. If you're transitioning from a framed pack, something with stays and a returns policy is a gentler step.

🎒

Ultralight Pack

~$350

Nashville Pack

Nashville Pack The Cutaway

Name: Nashville Pack The Cutaway
Brand: Nashville Pack
Price: 350 USD
Availability: InStock

The Cutaway is Nashville Pack's frameless 40 L, built around a cutaway front panel that lets the mesh pocket expand rather than being pinched by the pack body. At 22 oz it sits between the Pa'lante V2 and the framed cottage packs.

Approx. price

~$350

Capacity

40 L

Weight

1.38 lbs

Best For

Thru-hikers with low base weights who want more volume than a 37 L frameless pack

Buy from Nashville Pack →

Price and availability on Nashville Pack’s site may differ.

Specifications

What do these specs mean? →

Type

Ultralight Pack

Frame Type

Frameless

Capacity

40 L

Weight

1.38 lbs

Max Recommended Load

Not specified by the manufacturer

Torso Fit

See manufacturer sizing

Material

210D Venom Gridstop ECO

Back Panel

None (frameless)

Warranty

Manufacturer warranty; terms not published

Raincover Included

Fits BV500 Bear Canister

Features

Hipbelt Pockets

Pros

✓22 oz for 40 L is an excellent weight-to-volume ratio for a frameless pack.
✓The cutaway front panel lets the external mesh expand properly instead of being compressed by the main bag.
✓210D Venom Gridstop ECO uses recycled content without giving up the gridded tear resistance.
✓3 L more capacity than the Pa'lante V2 for only 3.4 oz more weight.
✓Made to order, so torso and belt sizing can be matched to the buyer.
✓Frameless construction has nothing rigid to fail.
✓Hipbelt pockets included.
✓Strong reputation among long-distance hikers despite being a small operation.

Cons

✗Frameless, so loads above roughly 20-25 lb transfer straight to the shoulders.
✗$350 is premium pricing for a pack with no frame.
✗Made-to-order means long lead times compared with buying off the shelf.
✗No published maximum load figure.
✗40 L struggles with a bear canister plus a week of food.
✗Warranty terms are not published the way major brands publish them.
✗Resale and support depend on a very small company continuing to operate.
✗Requires disciplined packing to carry well.

Common Questions

Compare the Nashville Pack The Cutaway

vs Hyperlite Mountain Gear Contour 35 vs Six Moon Designs Swift X

Related backpacks

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Contour 35

The Contour 35 is Hyperlite's frameless fast-and-light pack, and at 15.9 oz it is the only sub-pound pack in this catalog outside the Cotopaxi Batac. Dyneema Composite Fabric makes it effectively waterproof at a weight woven fabrics cannot reach.

35 L0.99 lbsDCF with Dyneema Gridstop and stretch mesh

Weight

0.99 lbs

Capacity

35 L

Frame

Frameless

Best for: Fastpacking and low-base-weight trips where every ounce is counted

View details Hyperlite Mountain Gear

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Six Moon Designs

Six Moon Designs Swift X

4.7(42)

The Swift X is the X-Pac version of Six Moon Designs' Swift, using the same Delrin hoop frame as the Swift V but in a waterproof laminate. At 38.8 oz it is heavier than most packs in this segment, which is the cost of the hoop and the fabric.

50 L2.43 lbsX-Pac laminate with Ultra Stretch pockets

Weight

2.43 lbs

Capacity

50 L

Frame

Internal Frame

Best for: Hikers wanting a flexible hoop frame in a waterproof laminate

View details Six Moon Designs

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~$369

Ultralight Pack

Bonfus

Bonfus Framus 58

The Bonfus Framus is a 58 L framed pack at 26.6 oz, built in Challenge Ultra 200X -- a non-woven laminate with UHMWPE fibres that is effectively waterproof and extremely tear-resistant. Its weight-to-volume ratio is among the best of any framed pack here.

58 L1.66 lbsChallenge Ultra 200X

Weight

1.66 lbs

Capacity

58 L

Frame

Internal Frame

Best for: Long thru-hikes where a framed pack is wanted but weight is critical

View details Bonfus

~$330

Ultralight Pack

Osprey

Osprey Exos Pro 55

4.1(37)

The Exos Pro is Osprey's answer to the cottage ultralight brands: 33.2 oz for 55 L, or 30.4 oz with the lid removed. It uses NanoFly, a 100D nylon crossed with 200D UHMWPE, over a 3.5 mm LightWire frame, and saves nearly a full pound against the standard Exos 58 at the cost of load rating and a fixed hipbelt.

55 L2.08 lbsRemovable LidVentilated back

Weight

2.08 lbs

Capacity

55 L

Frame

Internal Frame

Best for: Thru-hikers with sub-30 lb loads who still want a suspended-mesh frame

View details Check price

~$330

Ultralight Pack

Outdoor Vitals

Outdoor Vitals CS40 Ultra

The CS40 Ultra pairs Challenge UltraWeave 200 with carbon fibre stays for 28.6 oz at 53 L. Outdoor Vitals sells direct, which is why the price sits below comparable cottage packs using the same fabric.

53 L1.79 lbsChallenge UltraWeave 200

Weight

1.79 lbs

Capacity

53 L

Frame

Internal Frame

Best for: Thru-hikers wanting an Ultra-fabric framed pack without cottage-brand lead times

View details Outdoor Vitals

🎒

~$380

Ultralight Pack

ULA Equipment

ULA Equipment Ultra Circuit

The Ultra Circuit is the Ultra-fabric version of ULA's best-known pack. It keeps the Circuit's carbon hoop and aluminium stay combination but rebuilds it in Ultra 400X and 200X, making it waterproof and considerably more tear-resistant than the standard Robic version.

68 L2.24 lbsUltra 400X body

Weight

2.24 lbs

Capacity

68 L

Frame

Internal Frame

Best for: Thru-hikers who want the Circuit's carry in a waterproof laminate

View details ULA Equipment

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