Backpack Selection Advice

you can get both packs for reasonable cost. much cheaper than cuben hmg packs.

try looking at a ula catalyst, circuit

granite gear ac blaze etc.

I think the Exped Lightning 60 meets all your listed requirements. REI carries it, as do many other stores

I would not choose any ULA pack for above 30 lbs.

Keep in mind that packs are designed to carry a certain weight, so you can't just trim weight by getting a lighter pack, if you overload it then it won't be comfortable (and worse it could start pulling apart at shoulder strap attachment points and such). Get your gear to where you want it to be and then look to get a new pack. If a well-fitting pack carries the load well then it will be comfortable and you won't experience it as "heavier".

With the weights you want to carry, I would stay with the pack you have.

When switching to ultralight, you want to buy your pack last, not first. That allows working on other expensive items like shelter and sleeping gear until you are satisfied, then buying the pack that has the volume and weight handling capabilities that you need.

Just because a pack is large doesn't mean it is meant to carry heavy loads. My Gossamer Gear Mariposa is rated at 65 liters and weighs 29.2oz, but the recommended load is 30 pounds, with some leeway up to 35 pounds. Carrying 45 pounds is a whole different thing than 28.

I would try an REI Flash 62 if you can get your base weight down to UL levels. That covers all your criteria except the heavier end of the weight range. $189 for now and they come on sale often too.

The Exped is the obvious candidate in terms of having the load carry you want and being obtainable from REI, et al.

Some of the cottage packs like ULA or the HMG 4400 series might be as comfortable as the Aether, but might not. There seems to be quite a lot of subjectivity in terms of the upper limit of comfortable load carry, I suspect because at 40 lbs packs in this class are approaching their max.

The Paradox Unaweep will carry 40 lbs far better than your Osprey, but is expensive.

I would agree with others that you should probably buy the pack last. Replace other gear and get your total base weight (i.e. gear only) down first.

I have used the Exped Lighting 60 and still like it a lot. Because of its shape is has very good airflow on your back. Others may disagree but I consider it a way more solid load hauler then the HMG packs out there. My Porter carried 35 pounds okay but I was sore. The Exped regularly carries 35+ pounds about as comfortably as you can expect.

+1 JR's Advice.

Generally, with UL/Lightweight backpacking, it is advised to buy your backpacking last.

What you carry in your frameless backpack gives shape/form to your pack.

An under filled UL Pack can be just as uncomfortable as a pack that is overloaded/heavy.

It might make sense for you to focus on reducing the weight of your other parts of your gear list.

In some cases, you might simply save weight by deciding that you don't need to carry a particular item and therefore don't need to invest money into buying a lighter weight alternative to a traditional piece of gear.

Once you have done that, you really do have the "final" volume of the gear that you are going to be carrying.

Then you can reverse engineer your needs for a UL/Lightweight backpack and end up with one that is not over loaded nor under filled.

Hope that helps.

Tony

Six Moons Fusion 50L or 65L

What ever you do, get a pack with a good frame. 30 lbs is too heavy for the light frames on packs made to carry 20 lbs (unless you have a high tolerance for weight on your shoulders).

I'd suggest the granite gear blaze AC. It has a stiff frame sheet, thickly padded belt and straps, a very sturdy / non sagging belt to frame connection, and durable fabrics (especially for a "lightweight" pack). The fabric denier looks the same as many others "on paper", but the cordora fabric is about twice as burly as regular fabric with the same denier "in person".

Heres a way to drop a lot of weight, without spending a huge of money:
Get a lightweight pack in a 50-60 liter size so it forces you to take less stuff (blaze AC), a single skin tarp-tent (tarptent.com), a non self inflating air pad (big Agnes insulated air core), a 32 degree 600 fill down sleeping bag, a canister stove (pocket rocket), 1 liter coated aluminum pot/mug/spoon, Gatorade or platypus water bottles, Aqua Mira drops instead of a water filter, and take only the amount of cloths needed to be comfortable while hiking, at night, and if soaked by rain – but no extras to have something fresh smelling to put on each day (ie: the pants, shirt, socks, and base layer top/bottom you are wearing to hike + an extra base layer top, wind shirt, rain jacket and pants, beanie hat, liner gloves, 1 extra pair of hiking socks, 1 pair of thicker base layer top/bottom and wool socks for camp / sleeping, and a sweater-thickness puffy jacket). Ensure your toiletries, 1st aid, repair kit, and fire starting kit, and other accessories all fit into a single quart freezer bag together. Water proof your gear by lining your pack with a garbage compactor bag, and skip the stuff sacks and pack cover. Carry a 12×16" piece of blue camping pad and a garbage bag to sit on when the ground is wet. That should get you down into the 10 lb range before food and water, allow you to hike in trail shoes instead of heavy boots – and be somewhat similar to the camping experience you are used to now. (Compared to sleeping under a tarp, cooking with an alcohol stove, using your pack as part of your sleeping pad, etc)

Osprey among other companies has a pretty good guide on their website that says what weights will fill comfortable. At 40 lbs exos is my favorite but if you see yourself going any heavier its gonna feel like death on your shoulders. Only weighs 2.2 and has tons of features.

A good 2 lb backpack 40-50 liter with a 40 lb weight range is pretty versatile for all summer and most 4 season use. I have a 1 lb Virga pack but its really only viable half the time because of weight issues.

I can't recommend the Paradox Unaweep highly enough for carrying heavy loads.

I work in Outdoor Education and regularly have to carry up to 15l of water on top of my own gear and water needs. Nothing I tried beats the Unaweep.

I agree with the others. Still the most comfortable pack I've used. I have a SMD Fusion 50 and anything over 25 pounds rapidly becomes painful. The Unaweep, I can carry 40 pounds or so without much discomfort, other than carrying a pack weighing 40 pounds would feel. I've carried as little as 15 pounds and it wasn't even noticeable. Such a simple design shouldn't feel that good.