Bonfus Framus 58 vs Bonfus Iterus 38L
Quick take: The Bonfus Iterus 38L costs $110 less; the Bonfus Framus 58 carries more (58 vs 38 liters); the Bonfus Iterus 38L is lighter (0.84 vs 1.75 lbs).
Which one to buy
How much you carry picks between these Bonfus packs before anything else does. The Iterus 38L is frameless, under a pound, and Bonfus is unusually candid about its limits: about 20-22 lbs with the optional padded hipbelt, less on the included webbing belt, less again with no belt. The Framus 58 has two removable aluminum stays over EVA foam, 20 L more room, and is rated for 40 lbs. If your full load with food and water regularly passes the low 20s, the Iterus isn't the pack.
The Framus earns its extra $110 on long carries. Its volume and stays make it one of the few packs this light that genuinely handles a bear canister plus a long food carry, a job the Iterus's 30 L main bag and 20-lb comfort ceiling aren't built for. The Iterus's advantages are weight, at less than half the Framus's, and price, though the padded belt and hipbelt pockets that get it to its top load figure cost extra. It also has no back pad, so a foam pad against your back is part of the system.
Fit is handled differently. The Iterus uses two strap-loop positions for torsos up to 20 or 22 in. The Framus comes in S, M and L with no adjustment, so measure carefully, since exchanges mean international shipping. Both share the same Ultra fabric family, which is tear-resistant but abrasion-sensitive at the folds and hard to repair in the field.
Bonfus Framus 58
For thru-hikers with canister sections and long food carries, where a framed 58 L earns its extra weight.
Bonfus Iterus 38L
Suited to hikers with a dialed sub-10 lb base weight whose total load stays around 20 lbs, and who want the lightest pack Bonfus makes.
| Spec | Bonfus Framus 58 | Bonfus Iterus 38L |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $369 | $259 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Ultralight Pack | Ultralight Pack |
| Frame Type | Internal Frame | Frameless |
| Capacity | 58 L | 38 L |
| Weight | 1.75 lbs | 0.84 lbs |
| Max Load | 40 lbs | About 20-22 lbs (9-10 kg) with the optional padded hipbelt |
| Torso Fit | Sized S / M / L | Two strap-loop positions: up to 20 in or up to 22 in |
| Material | Challenge Ultra 200X | Ultra 200X body, Ultra 400X bottom, UltraGrid pockets and straps |
| Back Panel | 2 removable shaped aluminium stays with EVA foam | No back pad listed; frameless contact back |
| Adjustable torso | No | No |
| Ventilated back | No | No |
| Raincover included | No | No |
| Hipbelt pockets | No | No |
| Removable lid | No | No |
| Hydration sleeve | No | No |
| Fits BV500 bear can | No | No |
| Warranty | Bonfus warranty: 2 years from receipt against material defects and workmanship failure; original owner, excludes normal wear and tear | Bonfus warranty: 2 years from receipt against material defects and workmanship failure; original owner, excludes normal wear and tear |
Pros & cons
Bonfus Framus 58
- ✓28 oz for a framed 58 L pack is an outstanding ratio, beating the Kakwa 55 and Mariposa 60.
- ✓Challenge Ultra 200X is a UHMWPE and polyester weave laminated to a waterproof film rather than a coated fabric, so it does not wet out.
- ✓Two shaped aluminium stays are removable, so the pack can be stripped further for light trips.
- ✓58 L handles a bear canister and a long food carry, unlike the 37-40 L frameless options.
- ✓EVA foam backing adds comfort without much weight.
- ✓Taped seams throughout, which is rare even in this segment.
- ✓Undercuts the Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra by $30 at nearly the same volume.
- ✗$369 is expensive, and Bonfus is a small European operation with limited US support.
- ✗Ultra 200X is abrasion-sensitive at the folds despite its tear strength.
- ✗Hipbelt pockets are sold separately.
- ✗Lead times can be long and stock is intermittent.
- ✗The laminate is difficult to field-repair compared with a woven nylon.
- ✗No adjustable torso; sizing must be chosen correctly at purchase.
- ✗Limited retail presence means trying one on before buying is unlikely.
Bonfus Iterus 38L
- ✓380 g for a 38 L pack in Ultra 200X with a 400X floor is near the low end of the frameless class.
- ✓The three-tier load guide (beltless, webbing, padded belt) is more honest than a single headline figure.
- ✓Two strap-loop positions cover torsos up to 22 in without separate sizes.
- ✓UltraGrid on the pockets and straps where abrasion concentrates.
- ✓A webbing belt is included in the price.
- ✗The padded hipbelt and hipbelt pockets are optional extras.
- ✗Comfortable load tops out around 20-22 lb even with the padded belt.
- ✗No back pad is listed, so packing a foam pad against the back is part of the system.
- ✗No hydration sleeve or bear-canister fit is described.
Bonfus Framus 58 vs Bonfus Iterus 38L: common questions
Can the Iterus 38L carry a bear canister?▾
It isn't designed around one: the main bag is 30 L, and its comfortable load tops out around 20-22 lbs even with the optional padded belt, which a full canister eats into fast. The 58 L Framus, with its stays, handles a canister plus a long food carry.
Is the Iterus really $110 cheaper?▾
Its base price is $259 against $369 for the Framus, and a webbing belt is included. The padded hipbelt that gets it to its top load figure, and hipbelt pockets, are optional extras.