Carrying a pack for days on the trail can become cumbersome. More and more, trekkers are looking for lightweight options which don’t compromise on comfort. These backpacks are in the 55 to 65 litre grouping and are designed for backpacking, as opposed to day trips. On these outings you need to carry a shelter, sleeping bag and mat, a stove, food and spare clothing. The best backpacking packs and their contents can make or break any backpacking trip. Poorly balanced packs that don’t fit you – or your gear – are not only uncomfortable but could potentially be dangerous.
Your pack should fit your body shape well and be big enough to carry the load. We recommend you try packs on in person to find one that fits your shoulders, back length and hip measurements well. A pack should be fitted so that most of the weight is carried on the hips. If you are shopping online, it’s important that you take accurate measurements – or get someone to help you do so. While many packs are made adjustable, not all adjustability is made equal.
Different people want different things in a pack. Some are looking to shave weight, and so a smaller or frameless pack may be attractive. Others are looking for more comfort at camp after you’ve pitched your tent, or breathability while walking, and might opt for a larger capacity or a suspension back system to suit. Carefully consider the materials the pack is made of – some fabrics are more abrasion or water resistant, while others (like mesh, for example) allow the water to drain fast but are prone to snagging.
How your gear is organised is also important. Many travel or expedition-orientated packs come with several built-in compartments, which can either be useful, or confusing depending on your preference – and they will also add weight. Hipbelt pockets can be useful to keep phone, camera and snacks to hand. Side pockets are useful for water or fuel bottles, tent poles and the like. A lid pocket is useful for lunch, a map or other navigation tools, perhaps goggles or gloves. Having all these to hand means you are more likely to use them, but lots of external pockets can become a nuisance on very steep or technical ground. You can learn more about how to pack a backpack from Chris Townsend’s expert skills advice in The Great Outdoors magazine.
Of course, even the best backpacking packs do need some TLC, especially after heavy use. Find out how to clean your backpack and how to re-proof your backpack so they’ll last as long in the hills as you.
Why you can trust The Great Outdoors
The Great Outdoors is here to help you make the most of your time outside. We have been helping people to explore from sea to summit, valley to mountain top for over 40 years. Our gear tests remain completely impartial. If you are wary of websites that only review brands that advertise with them, or sceptical of social media accounts always singing the praises of their latest freebie, you’ve come to the right place! Our reviews rank #1 for rigour, trustworthiness, and independence, and our gear testing team is the most experienced in Britain. With over 200 years’ experience between us, we are professional mountain leaders and instructors, wildlife photographers and rangers, outdoor authors, guidebook writers and trail addicts.
Our pick of the best ultralight backpacks
Here’s our list of the best backpacking packs tested. We’ve looked at four men’s packs and four women’s or unisex packs from the likes of Osprey, and Mountain Laurel Designs and more. To find out more about each pack, please see their full reviews.
| Quick List |
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| Best in Test: Atom Packs The Prospector 60 (available from atompacks.co.uk) |
| Lightest in Test: Mountain Laurel Designs Exodus 55l (available from Mountain Laurel Designs) |
| Best value: Sierra Designs Gigawatt 60L (available from Sierra Designs) |
| Most durable: Granite Gear Crown 3 60 (available from Ultralight Outdoor Gear) |
| Most features: Osprey Exos Pro 55 (available from Ellis Brigham) |
Best overall
Atom Packs The Prospector 60
Chris Townsend’s Best in Test
This customisable pack is remarkably light to carry but also offered capacious storage.- durable
- light
- well-crafted
- expensive
| Quick Specs | |
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| Price: $310 | £285 (available from atompacks.co.uk) Weight: 930g Capacity: 60l Materials: Ecopak EXPX200, 210D Robic Extreema pockets, straps and hipbelt, Dyneema mesh, 500D nylon back panel Closure: rolltop Back: fixed length Hipbelt: cushioned, adjustable, 4 inches Pockets: two stretch mesh on harness, two side pockets, 5L front pocket Sizes: S, M, L, XL and various hipbelt sizes Women/Mens version: Unisex atompacks.co.uk |
Atom Packs was created by Tom Gale, an experienced long-distance hiker who has completed the Appalachian, Pacific Crest, and Continental Divide Trails in the USA and the Te Araroa in New Zealand. This particular model, one of the latest from the brand, is capable of managing loads of up to 19kg. It features a durable but lightweight fabric, a 4-inch wide adjustable hipbelt, EVA foam lumbar pad, removable closed cell foam back panel and various pockets. In our tests, the Mo VX60 pack was superb, handling loads extremely well while feeling comfortable to wear. It was also remarkably light to carry but also offered capacious storage. This pack can be customised, so there’s potential control over fabrics, colours, and features.
Editor’s note: This first look review of The Prospector EP50 was first published in December 2021. At the time of writing, the pack was known as The Mo EP50.
Read more: Chris Townsend’s Atom Packs Mo EP50 review
Most durable
Granite Gear Crown 3 60
Chris Townsend’s Best in Test
Unless you’ll be carrying very heavy loads, it’s an excellent choice.- adjustable hipbelt
- compression straps
- pockets
- low weight
- tall and narrow with only top access
| Quick Specs |
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| Price: $220 | £190 (available from Ultralight Outdoor Gear) Weight: 1290g (regular) Capacity: 60l Materials: 100D & 210D high tenacity nylon Closure: detachable lid, rolltop Back: compression moulded polyethylene framesheet, moulded foam panel Hipbelt: adjustable dual density foam Pockets: zipped lid, 2 drawcord-closed side, stretch mesh front, 2 zipped hipbelt Features: side compression straps, front compression straps, ice axe/trekking pole loops, loops on the base for attaching cord Sizes: short, regular, long Women/Mens version: Unisex www.granitegear.com |
The Crown has an excellent, well-padded, supportive hipbelt. The padded section can be adjusted in length for fit, a really useful feature not found on many packs. The shoulder straps are well-padded too and overall, the harness system is more comfortable than on many lightweight packs. It hugs the body well too, which is good for scrambling and rough terrain. For some reason, there are two sternum straps. Luckily, they’re detachable.
The Crown 3 60 is lightweight but not so light that it feels flimsy or has tiny, fiddly components. For backpacking it should last well. Unless you’ll be carrying very heavy loads, it’s an excellent choice.
Read more: Chris’ full review of the Granite Gear Crown 3 60
Lightest in test
Mountain Laurel Designs Exodus 55L
Francesca Donovan recommends
Despite some scepticism regarding frameless packs, the weight-saving measures and stabilising straps of the MLD Exodus resulted in a comfortable carry.- extremely lightweight
- excellent construction
- sizing options
- expensive
| Quick Specs |
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| Price: $245 | £199.15 plus additional costs for optional add-ons Weight: 596g (size medium, inc. additional sternum strap, 10″ of black 1/8″ bungee cord, 2 mini cord clips and 3 cord locks) Capacity: 55l Materials: UltraGrid 200d RipStop Closure: rolltop Back: frameless Hipbelt: Large padded lightweight DX 210D Black Ripstop hip-belt wings (separate from shoulder strap so can be cut off) with 1″ webbing and optional removable hip pockets Pockets: main compartment Features: seam taped construction, curved side panels move load closer to upper back Sizes: M – XL Women/Mens version: Unisex mountainlaureldesigns.com |
The roll-top design is blissfully simple to use. The pack has the smallest capacity, but can be expanded or compressed for more or less gear with the external straps. The over the top adjustable Y strap also stabilises the load and even carrying 12kg with trekking poles and an ice axe on the lower loops, the Exodus felt balanced, light and liberating.
Despite some scepticism regarding frameless packs, the weight-saving measures and stabilising straps of the MLD Exodus resulted in a comfortable carry. It is also incredibly well-crafted for a durable yet ultralight pack.
Read more: Francesca’s full review of the Mountain Laurel Designs Exodus 55l
Best value
Sierra Designs Gigawatt 60L
Chris Townsend recommends
For the cost, this is an excellent pack.- easy access
- pockets
- cost
- non-adjustable closure
- weight
| Quick Specs |
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| Price: $149.95 | £130 Weight: 1830g Capacity: 60l Materials: 300 x 400D polyester ripstop Closure: zip-round top, side zip Back: perimeter frame, framesheet, padded panel Hipbelt: padded, shaped Pockets: zipped lid with inner compartment, 2 stretch mesh side, stretch mesh front, 2 zipped hipbelt Features: side compression straps, base straps, ice axe/trekking pole loops, internal hydration sleeve Sizes: one, adjustable for torso 16-21 inches (40-53cm) Women/Mens version: Unisex sierradesigns.com |
This new pack – Sierra Designs Gigawatt 60l – is comfortable with heavy loads and the price is low for a pack of this quality. It is heavy though. There are much lighter packs than the Gigawatt that perform as well or better but they are also much more expensive. For the cost, this is an excellent pack.
Read more: Chris’ full review of the Sierra Designs Gigawatt 60l
Most featured
Osprey Exos Pro 55
Chris Townsend recommends
It has all the features of the other packs reviewed, just made with lighter, thinner materials.- ultralight
- adjustability
- size range
- quite expensive
- limited load capacity
| Quick Specs |
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| Price: $289.95 | £230 (available from Osprey) Weight: 950g (S/M) Capacity: S/M 55 litres, L/XL 58 litres Materials: 100D Nylon x 200D UHMWPE (ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene) ripstop Closure: detachable lid, buck Back: wire frame, tensioned mesh panel Hipbelt: padded, shaped Pockets: zipped lid, 2 stretch mesh side, stretch mesh/fabric front, zipped hipbelt, zipped open top hipbelt Features: side compression straps, ice axe/trekking pole straps, inner hydration sleeve, front and lid attachment loops Sizes: men S/M, L/XL, women (Eja Pro) WXS/S, WM/L Women/Mens version: Eja Pro ospreyeurope.com |
Weighing less than a kilo the Osprey Exos Pro 55 (Eja Pro55 for women) really deserves the description ultralight. This doesn’t mean it’s a minimalist pack though. It has all the features of the other packs reviewed, just made with lighter, thinner materials. In fact, it’s very similar in design to the heavier Exos 58. For backpackers looking to cut weight, the Exos/Eja Pro 55 is excellent.
Read more: Chris’ full review of the Osprey Exos Pro 55
How we test
Chris tested these packs on trips in the Cairngorms with plenty of ascent and rough terrain in snow, rain, high winds and occasional sunshine in the autumn, winter, and early spring.
Francesca tested these packs on a number of overnight backpacking routes with plenty of ascent and rough terrain in snow, rain and high winds, as well as unseasonably milder days in the Southern Uplands, Eryri (Snowdonia), the Lake District and the Peak District, throughout late winter and spring.
