How much load can the hoop frame handle?

Six Moon Designs' recommended range tops out around 25-30 lbs, with the hoop stay and hipbelt keeping things tolerable to roughly 35. The Delrin hoop flexes with your body rather than fighting it — owners love that on uneven terrain, though it gives up some rigidity to aluminum stays at the top of the range.

Should I get the vest straps or regular straps?

Both harnesses are offered; the vest spreads weight across your chest with pockets for food, phone and bottles, and owners who adapt to it rarely go back. It is a genuinely different carry that takes an adjustment period — if you want a conventional feel, order the standard harness.

Is 100D Robic a downgrade from the Ultra-fabric packs?

It's less tear-resistant and not waterproof, so you'll want a pack liner in sustained rain. The flip side matters on long trips: woven Robic is far easier to field-repair than laminates, and it's a big part of why the Swift V costs $275 instead of $370.

Does a bear canister fit?

50 L covers a canister plus several days of food, which the 37-40 L frameless packs in this class can't claim. Vertical placement with soft goods packed around it is the usual approach.

At 38 oz, is it still ultralight?

It's the heaviest pack in this ultralight comparison group, and that's the honest criticism. What the weight buys is a proven flexible-hoop carry, conventional repairable fabric, and one of the longest track records of any cottage maker — a fair trade for hikers not counting every ounce.

🎒

Ultralight Pack

~$275

Six Moon Designs

Six Moon Designs Swift V

Name: Six Moon Designs Swift V
Brand: Six Moon Designs
Price: 275 USD
Availability: InStock

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.

Approx. price

~$275

Capacity

50 L

Weight

2.38 lbs

Best For

Hikers who want a flexible hoop frame and a conventional fabric

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Specifications

What do these specs mean? →

Type

Ultralight Pack

Frame Type

Internal Frame

Capacity

50 L

Weight

2.38 lbs

Max Recommended Load

Not specified by the manufacturer

Torso Fit

See manufacturer sizing

Material

100D Robic nylon with Ultra Stretch pockets

Back Panel

Delrin hoop stay frame

Warranty

Manufacturer warranty; terms not published

Raincover Included

Fits BV500 Bear Canister

Features

Hipbelt Pockets

Pros

✓The Delrin hoop flexes with body movement instead of resisting it, which suits uneven terrain.
✓100D Robic nylon is a conventional woven fabric that is far easier to field-repair than Ultra laminates.
✓$275 is mid-range for this segment and below most Ultra-fabric packs.
✓Ultra Stretch external pockets hold shape better than plain mesh.
✓50 L covers a bear canister and several days of food.
✓Six Moon Designs has one of the longest track records among cottage makers.
✓The hoop frame has no stays to bend or lose.
✓Hipbelt pockets included.

Cons

✗At 38 oz it is the heaviest pack in this ultralight comparison group.
✗100D Robic is less tear-resistant than gridded or laminate fabrics of similar weight.
✗Not waterproof, unlike the Ultra-fabric packs at this price.
✗No published maximum load figure.
✗A Delrin hoop is less rigid than aluminium stays under heavy loads.
✗No adjustable torso.
✗Warranty terms are not published in detail.
✗Limited retail presence for in-person fitting.

Common Questions

Compare the Six Moon Designs Swift V

vs Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50 vs Six Moon Designs Swift X

Related backpacks

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

~$275

Ultralight Pack

Gossamer Gear

Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50

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 Gossamer Gear

~$279

Ultralight Pack

Durston Gear

Durston Kakwa 55

4.81(1,003)

The Kakwa 55 is Dan Durston's disruptively priced ultralight — under 2 lbs, a 45 lb load rating, and a 2026 update with a redesigned hipbelt, all starting around $200 in UltraGrid fabric. It has become the value benchmark every new UL pack gets measured against.

55 L1.94 lbs45 lb Rating at $200

Weight

1.94 lbs

Capacity

55 L

Frame

Internal Frame

Also in 40 L

Best for: Value-hunting ultralighters who want the best specs-per-dollar in UL

View details Durston Gear

🎒

~$279

Ultralight Pack

Zpacks

Zpacks Nero Pro 40

The Nero Pro is the upgraded Nero: 11.1 oz against the Classic's 9.9, for a $40 premium. The extra weight buys a more robust build in the same frameless, waterproof format across the same 30 to 50 L range.

40 L0.69 lbsUltra fabric with waterproof taped seams

Weight

0.69 lbs

Capacity

40 L

Frame

Frameless

Also in 30 L / 50 L

Best for: Frameless hikers wanting more durability than the Nero Classic offers

View details Zpacks

~$270

Ultralight Pack

Gregory

Gregory Focal 58

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

View details Gregory

~$285

Ultralight Pack

Osprey

Osprey Exos 58

4.3(105)

The Exos 58 is Osprey's crossover ultralight — a sub-3-pound pack that keeps a real suspended-mesh frame and lifetime warranty. It has been an Appalachian Trail staple for a decade, and the current generation added an adjustable torso. The women's version is the Eja 58.

58 L2.84 lbsSuspended Mesh BackVentilated back

Weight

2.84 lbs

Capacity

58 L

Frame

Internal Frame

Also in 38 L / 48 L

Best for: Hikers stepping down from traditional packs without going full cottage

View details Check price

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