Pa'lante Packs Desert Pack
Ultralight Pack
~$240

Pa'lante Packs

Pa'lante Packs Desert Pack

Sized for long water carries, the Desert Pack is Pa'lante's higher-volume frameless pack: 37 L in the 17 in torso and 43 L in the 19 in. The brown UHMWPE gridstop version weighs 18.2-18.8 oz; a white Ultraweave 400X build costs $300. It uses a webbing belt, and a $270 variant swaps in the Joey's vest straps.

Approx. price
~$240
Capacity
37 L
Weight
1.14 lbs
Best For
Desert hikers carrying extra water on a light frameless setup
Type
Ultralight Pack
Frame Type
Frameless
Capacity
37 L
Weight
1.14 lbs
Max Recommended Load
Not specified by the manufacturer
Torso Fit
17 in (S/M, 37 L) or 19 in (M/L, 43 L)
Material
210D UHMWPE gridstop (or Ultraweave 400X), 70D 3x3 UHMWPE grid mesh
Back Panel
No back pad listed; frameless contact back
Warranty
Manufacturer warranty; terms not published
Raincover Included
No
Fits BV500 Bear Canister
No

Sizes Available

CapacityPriceWeight
37 Lthis pack$2401.14 lbs
43 L$2401.18 lbs

Pros

  • ✓Two torso lengths, and the larger one gains 6 L of volume for only 0.6 oz more.
  • ✓Under 19 oz in gridstop for up to 43 L.
  • ✓UHMWPE gridstop and grid mesh pockets hold up to brush and rock.
  • ✓Same $240 price across both sizes.
  • ✓A vest-strap option suits hikers who want front bottle storage.

Cons

  • ✗Frameless with no stated load limit, a real concern for a pack meant for heavy water carries.
  • ✗Only a webbing belt; no padded hipbelt or hipbelt pockets.
  • ✗No hydration sleeve.
  • ✗Bear-canister fit is not addressed.
  • ✗The Ultraweave 400X version adds $60 and about 2 oz.
Pa'lante Packs V2
~$240
Ultralight Pack

Pa'lante Packs

Pa'lante Packs V2

At 18.6 oz the Pa'lante V2 is 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

Also in 32 L

Best for: Sub-10 lb base weight thru-hikers and fastpackers
🎒
~$240
Ultralight Pack

Coated UHMWPE gridstop and a 1.2 oz foam back pad make up Pa'lante's Alpine Pack, a 33 L frameless pack. It weighs 20.1 oz with straps or 17.3 oz without, and comes in one 18 in torso length.

33 L1.26 lbsCoated UHMWPE gridstop

Weight

1.26 lbs

Capacity

33 L

Frame

Frameless

Best for: Scramblers and alpine day objectives where abrasion resistance matters more than pockets
Pa'lante Packs Joey
~$240
Ultralight Pack

Pa'lante Packs

Pa'lante Packs Joey

Running-vest shoulder straps go on the Joey, Pa'lante's small frameless pack holding 24 L in the main body. The purple UHMWPE gridstop version weighs 14.1 oz with standard straps; a black Ultraweave 200X build costs $300. There is no hipbelt and no back pad unless you buy the $330 pad-and-sleeve variant.

24 L0.88 lbsVest straps

Weight

0.88 lbs

Capacity

24 L

Frame

Frameless

Best for: Minimalist overnighters and long-day hikers carrying a sub-10 lb kit
LiteAF ECOPAK 30L Curve
~$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 (a 30 L body plus 15+ L of external pockets) it is one of the lightest packs on this site, and it comes in four torso sizes.

30 L + 15 L pockets0.81 lbsECOPAK EPLX200 recycled laminate

Weight

0.81 lbs

Capacity

45 L (30 L body + 15 L pockets)

Frame

Frameless

Best for: Hikers wanting a torso-sized frameless pack in a recycled waterproof fabric
Mountain Laurel Designs Exodus 55
~$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
ULA Equipment UltraGrid Ohm
~$249.99
Ultralight Pack

Now built in UltraGrid throughout, the Ohm is ULA's lighter framed pack: 55 L, 30.4 oz, rated to 30 lb. A 3/4 roll-top with a sewn-in Y-strap closes it, and the side pockets are bellowed UltraGrid.

55 L1.9 lbsUltraGrid body

Weight

1.9 lbs

Capacity

55 L

Frame

Internal Frame

Best for: Lightweight backpackers carrying 20-30 lb who find the Circuit more pack than they need