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.
Price and availability on Pa'lante Packs’s site may differ.
Specifications
What do these specs mean? →Features
Pros
- ✓18.6 oz is the lightest pack in this catalog by a clear margin, over 3 oz under the next lightest.
- ✓210D UHMWPE Gridstop is far tougher than its weight suggests, using a gridded high-modulus yarn to stop tears spreading.
- ✓The signature bottom pocket puts rain gear and snacks within reach without removing the pack.
- ✓Frameless construction means nothing rigid to break, bend or rattle.
- ✓Simplicity is the point: fewer seams, buckles and panels than any framed competitor.
- ✓Holds its value strongly on the used market, which offsets the price.
- ✓A genuine cult following among long-distance hikers, earned over multiple design generations.
- ✓Hipbelt pockets are included despite the minimal design.
Cons
- ✗Frameless means the load rides entirely on the shoulders; above roughly 20 lb it becomes punishing.
- ✗37 L is too small for winter kit, long food carries or bear canisters.
- ✗$240 is a lot for a pack with no frame, no lid and minimal hardware.
- ✗Requires careful, disciplined packing -- a foam pad against the back is effectively mandatory.
- ✗Pa'lante runs limited production drops, so availability is intermittent.
- ✗No published maximum load figure.
- ✗Warranty terms are not published in the way major brands publish them.
- ✗Entirely the wrong pack for anyone still carrying a 25 lb base weight.
Common Questions
Compare the Pa'lante Packs V2
Related backpacks
More from Pa'lante Packs →Zpacks
Zpacks Nero Classic 40
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.
Weight
0.62 lbs
Capacity
40 L
Frame
Frameless
Also in 30 L / 50 L
LiteAF
LiteAF ECOPAK 30L Curve
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.
Weight
0.81 lbs
Capacity
45 L
Frame
Frameless
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.
Weight
1.13 lbs
Capacity
58 L
Frame
Frameless
Mountainsmith
Mountainsmith Zerk 40
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.
Weight
1.81 lbs
Capacity
51 L
Frame
Internal Frame
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.
Weight
2.4 lbs
Capacity
60 L
Frame
Internal Frame
Also in 40 L
Gregory
Gregory Focal 58
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.
Weight
2.7 lbs
Capacity
58 L
Frame
Internal Frame
Also in 48 L