LiteAF ECOPAK 30L Curve vs LiteAF ECOPAK 46L Curve Full Suspension
Quick take: The LiteAF ECOPAK 30L Curve costs $95 less; the LiteAF ECOPAK 46L Curve Full Suspension carries more (46 vs 45 liters); the LiteAF ECOPAK 30L Curve is lighter (0.81 vs 1.94 lbs).
Which one to buy
This is a choice about stays, not fabric. Both LiteAF packs are made to order in the same recycled, waterproof ECOPAK laminate and sized to your torso. The LiteAF ECOPAK 30L Curve is frameless and weighs 13 oz. The LiteAF ECOPAK 46L Curve Full Suspension adds a padded foam back panel over two removable curved aluminum stays and a removable hipbelt. It weighs about 1.1 lb more and carries about 35 lb.
That load figure decides it. LiteAF designs the frameless Curve to carry around 20 lb, the realistic limit before the weight lands on your shoulders. It is a pack for hikers whose base weight already justifies it, not a first step into ultralight. If your food and water days push past that, the stays carry what the frameless pack can't. The Full Suspension also fits a bear canister, which LiteAF states, and its torso and hipbelt are chosen separately from four sizes each, including an XL torso.
Both carry the same small-maker risks: a quoted 12-week lead time, a 1-year warranty, no retail try-on, and support that depends on a very small shop. Owners say dealing directly with the builders is a plus. Laminate is also hard to repair on trail with either pack. The stays only earn their extra 1.1 lb if your loads climb past 20 lb, and on a first ultralight pack you can't yet be sure they won't.
LiteAF ECOPAK 30L Curve
Right for experienced hikers with a low base weight who keep loads near 20 lb and want the lightest custom-fit pack LiteAF makes.
LiteAF ECOPAK 46L Curve Full Suspension
For thru-hikers whose food and water carries approach 35 lb, or who need a bear canister inside, and want torso and hipbelt sized separately.
| Spec | LiteAF ECOPAK 30L Curve | LiteAF ECOPAK 46L Curve Full Suspension |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $235 | $330 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Ultralight Pack | Ultralight Pack |
| Frame Type | Frameless | Internal Frame |
| Capacity | 45 L (30 L body + 15 L pockets) | 46 L |
| Weight | 0.81 lbs | 1.94 lbs |
| Max Load | Around 20 lbs (maker: designed to comfortably carry) | About 35 lbs |
| Torso Fit | Sized XS 15-16.5 / S 17-18.5 / M 19-20.5 / L 21-22.5 in | Sized S 17-18.5 / M 19-20.5 / L 21-22.5 / XL 23+ in (40 L adds XS 15-16.5 in); hipbelt S 28-32 / M 33-38 / L 39-44 / XL 45-50 in |
| Material | ECOPAK EPLX200 recycled laminate | ECOPAK EPLX200 recycled polyester laminate (UltraWeave and Dyneema options) |
| Back Panel | Frameless | Padded closed-cell foam back panel over two removable curved aluminium stays |
| 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 | Yes |
| Warranty | LiteAF 1-year warranty to the original owner against defects in materials and craftsmanship | LiteAF 1-year warranty to the original owner against defects in materials and craftsmanship |
Pros & cons
LiteAF ECOPAK 30L Curve
- ✓13 oz is exceptionally light, second only to the Cotopaxi Batac among packs here.
- ✓ECOPAK EPLX200 is waterproof and made from post-consumer recycled polyester.
- ✓Offered in four torso sizes (XS to L) with separate hipbelt sizing.
- ✓45 L of total volume is generous for the weight.
- ✓$235 is reasonable for a made-to-order pack in a premium laminate.
- ✓Colour choices and add-ons (removable hipbelt, shoulder-strap pockets) go further than most off-the-shelf packs.
- ✓A genuinely small maker, so buyers deal directly with the people building the pack.
- ✗Frameless at 45 L is a demanding combination that punishes careless packing.
- ✗LiteAF designs it to carry only around 20 lb, a low ceiling for 45 L of space.
- ✗Made-to-order means a lead time LiteAF currently quotes at 12 weeks.
- ✗Laminate fabrics are difficult to field-repair.
- ✗No adjustable torso, though four torso sizes partly compensate.
- ✗The warranty is 1 year, and long-term support depends on a very small operation continuing to trade.
- ✗Negligible resale market compared with the better-known cottage brands.
- ✗No retail presence at all for trying one on.
LiteAF ECOPAK 46L Curve Full Suspension
- ✓Torso and hipbelt are chosen independently from four sizes each, so fit is close to custom.
- ✓Two removable curved aluminium stays carry about 35 lb at under 2 lb of pack.
- ✓LiteAF states a bear canister fits inside.
- ✓About 15 L of external pocketing on top of the 46 L main body.
- ✓The hipbelt is now removable and interchangeable.
- ✓Three fabric choices, with ECOPAK EPLX200 the cheapest.
- ✗The hipbelt has no pockets; shoulder-strap pockets are an add-on.
- ✗Made to order, so it is not an off-the-shelf purchase.
- ✗No hydration sleeve is described.
- ✗Weight varies from 25 to 36 oz depending on the sizes chosen, so the headline figure is for a medium build.
- ✗No ventilated back or raincover.
LiteAF ECOPAK 30L Curve vs LiteAF ECOPAK 46L Curve Full Suspension: common questions
How much weight can the frameless ECOPAK Curve carry compared with the Full Suspension?▾
LiteAF designs the frameless Curve to carry around 20 lb, its realistic limit before the load sits hard on your shoulders. The Full Suspension's two aluminum stays and padded back panel are rated for about 35 lb.
Will a bear canister fit in either LiteAF Curve?▾
LiteAF states a bear canister fits inside the 46L Curve Full Suspension. It makes no such claim for the frameless Curve, so if your route requires a canister, the framed version is the one built to carry it.
Is waiting weeks for a made-to-order LiteAF pack a problem?▾
It can be if you have a trip date. LiteAF currently quotes 12 weeks, because every pack is built to order by a very small shop. Order well ahead, and measure your torso and hips carefully, since there's no try-on and no adjustment after delivery.