Good lightweight pack for about 30lb?

The ULA Circuit would be your best bet I think, price being considered. My Ohm 2.0 can easily carry 25 lbs; the load transfer and hip belt are best in class, IMO, without dropping $400+. The Catalyst would be overkill. The Circuit should fit your camera gear and food for 5+ days, depending on the volume of your other gear.

Another vote for the Circuit which I have recently purchased and am quite fond of.

I didn't see you mention a price range, but I would venture a guess that if you have 10lbs of camera gear, you have a pretty decent budget. The only thing I hate about photography is the $$$ for nice lenses and bodies.

Anyhow, if you do want to get something that doesn't break the bank I have to recommend the Granite Gear Crown VC 60. It weighs just over 2lbs and can be found online for $160 or less. One just sold in Gear Swap for around $120. I have this pack and upgraded the frame sheet to the Klymit Airbeam frame and love it. Very comfortable, VERY durable, and still feels good loaded up. It's easy to add a even more rigid 'frame' by adding a Gossamer Gear aluminum stay or making your own using about $5 of Home Depot materials.

I think the Circuit is a good mix of features, price, and weight. Carries 30lbs with no problem. I really hope the Zpacks Haul proves its 40lbs claim, but I'm skeptical. If so, it will be a real winner.

Ryan

Last year I started an 8-day PCT hike with ~32 lbs. in an Ohm 2.0. This included a Garcia bear can, sitting vertically on top of my sleeping bag. I used my shelter, clothes and a few other items to fill in the void around the bear can. My folded neoair provided some padding between the bear can and my back.

Overall I'd say it was not uncomfortable, but it felt strange with the bear can bulge. I don't think the weight handling was ever an issue. The Ohm's hip belt is luxurious.

Have you thought about the Unaweep?

http://store.seekoutside.com/unaweep-exposure-panel-loader/

These sacks are mean to be great for carrying heavier weights, and this one is designed for people who carry a lot of photo gear.

I am in the same situation as you, carry similar pack weights and camera gear, including a tripod. I've used the GG Mariposa for a few years, which I like a lot – great number of pockets and on the whole comfortable, but with heavier weights in winter I find it uncomfortable.

Pete

The OP asked about a pack to carry UP TO 30 loads..

Not 40 lbs, or 50 ,or an Elk quarter.

And yet we have folks here on BPL recommending 2.5 to 3 pound packs to haul 20 to 30 lbs..?

Heck, why not get a Kelty Redwing 50 at 3.25 lbs for a hundred bucks and call it good ;)?

The Arc Blast has carried 20 to 30 for comfortably for many over the last few years.
For thoze who require more comfort at those weights,Zpacks has intri
oduced the Arc Hauler all for 24 oz .Just the hip belt upgrade alone on the new Arc Hauler should make a 30 pound load very bearable. There are several other improvements that Joe V made to the Arc frame that should insure that and a bit more…

But,

As to 40lbs? Who cares? The question here was about loads up to 30 pounds. I cannot see the need for a pack weighing more than 2lbs for such a task.

Considering that there are pretty much no usage reports of the Arc Haul and that many people have problems with the Arc Blast at 20-25lbs pounds, I don't think it's wrong to recommend proven performers that weigh a few ounces more.

Ryan

"As to 40lbs? Who cares? The question here was about loads up to 30 pounds. I cannot see the need for a pack weighing more than 2lbs for such a task."

You cannot see the need, but others might. 30lbs in any pack is going to be a unique experience for everyone. For you, it seems that the lightest packs would be fine. I'm 6', 185lbs and I cannot comfortably wear ANY Arc Blast because the trampoline mesh edges rub exactly on my scapula.

30lbs in a Arc Blast (or Haul) is going to feel a lot different than 30lbs in a Unaweep. I can only speak from what I've read/watched, but carrying 31.5 lbs total using a zpacks pack is going to feel heavier or less comfortable than a total pack weight of 33.5 because you're using a Unaweep. But again, it's going to be subjective and never always the case. In my case, the difference would only be about +1.1% of my bodyweight. Go to the bathroom before your hike and call it even.

No argument from me recommending packs other than either of the Arcs..

My problem is with a few of the ones being mentioned to the OP .Carrying a 2.5 to 3 pound pack is quite a weight penalty to pay just to haul an average of 20 to 30 pounds.

PS- and to Drew.. Glad you like your Unaweep.Not saying folks should not own them..
I just feel given the OPs question 20-30 lbs recommending a Unaweep to him is not really very germaine to his question.
Also, while your scaplua may not not have liked the Arc Blast frame ,does your body have an issue with a ULA Ohm or a Mariposa, Gorilla ? None of those packs weigh over 2 pounds..

A lot to consider. So many choices.

I guess currently I would prefer from a weight perspective to go with the Arc Haul Dyneema, but I'd need to hear some more testimonials at my required weight with this pack first.

Close second is the Exped Lightning (not much of a name around here though) and the ULA Circuit, though is is still 3 lb and I'd prefer a lighter pack.

There are some of us who came from a huge pack background. I had to carry a pack one time that was 47% of my body weight. However, we were young and strong then.

Now, anytime that I can get my total load down to 25 or 30 pounds, I think that I must be floating in air.

The small detail that I mentioned before and seems to be overlooked is that a photographer often carries a good deal of the camera load on a strap around his neck and shoulder. Therefore, it does not ride inside the pack, so the degree of comfort of the pack straps is shifted.

–B.G.–

OK jimmer I will make this easy, EH Kalais. 30 or 31 oz. depending on size, priced in the same arena as ULA and Gossamer Gear, cheaper than ZPacks. Carries as well or better than all of them, even up to 30-35#.

I was just trying to give a range of possibilities for someone to chose from but if you want one answer this would be mine.

I'm not too sure if you missed my response to that Bob, but I usually carry 4lb or so of that around my neck (or rather on my hip).

"No argument from me recommending packs other than either of the Arcs..

My problem is with a few of the ones being mentioned to the OP .Carrying a 2.5 to 3 pound pack is quite a weight penalty to pay just to haul an average of 20 to 30 pounds."

Yeah, I can definitely agree with that if weight is the number one goal(which it rarely is at BPL anymore rightly or wrongly). I'm glad you're bringing up that side of the conversation. There are some other things that can be considered too.

Ryan

"I'm not too sure if you missed my response to that Bob, but I usually carry 4lb or so of that around my neck (or rather on my hip)."

You stated that you carried something on your hip, but it isn't clear what that was.

So, let me ask again. How much maximum load will you have inside the backpack? You started off asking about 30 pounds. Then the story shifted to 30-40 pounds. Now there is 4 pounds on the hip.

–B.G.–

"PS- and to Drew.. Glad you like your Unaweep.Not saying folks should not own them..
I just feel given the OPs question 20-30 lbs recommending a Unaweep to him is not really very germaine to his question.
Also, while your scaplua may not not have liked the Arc Blast frame ,does your body have an issue with a ULA Ohm or a Mariposa, Gorilla ? None of those packs weigh over 2 pounds.."

Jimmer, I don't have a Unaweep. I have a GG Crown VC60 and my wife has an Arc Blast 52L. The Unaweep is well known to carry relatively big weight with relative ease and a user in this thread recommended it. That's why I stated I could not go off of experience, but the experience of others.

I'm not sure, but I think the Mariposa/Gorilla and Ohm would fit me comfortably, and those are good choices for sub 2lbs from what I understand. My pack is technically sub 2lbs (31oz w/klymit framesheet instead of HDPE framesheet) and also is super comfortable. I think for regular loads of 30lbs I'd switch to something else, though.

I never said 30-40, maybe some people made that assumption with their recommendations? My original post was asking about a maximum of 30, then you asked what I carry around my neck in terms of camera gear and I stated around 4lb.. so I'm a little confused as to what you're questioning?

In response to your question though, I mostly do carry my camera and a lens on a strap resting against my hip (about 4lb), meaning I would have around 25-26lb in my pack, but sometimes I want the option of not carrying the camera on a strap if I'm not taking photos at that time, meaning I would have 30lb in the pack.

The majority of the time though I'll be doing 1-3 night trips and carrying a maximum weight of around 25lb instead of 30.

OK. So, your intended pack load will be from 25 to 30 pounds.

Personally, I would not be one big afraid of carrying such a load in my Zpacks Blast. I think last summer my biggest load was maybe 33-34 pounds, plus the weight of a camera on a strap around my neck and shoulder. I often keep the total weight 6-10 pounds lower.

Just don't do like I did for my last trip to Alaska. My baggage limit for the float plane was 50 pounds. That consisted of 40 pounds of camera gear, plus 10 pounds of everything else (camping, clothing, and food for six days).

–B.G.–

Thanks for the feedback, appreciated.

Definitely the Blast, Haul and EH Kalais are leading the choices ATM. I had never heard of the Kalais before this thread, but looking it up it seems people having nothing but great things to say. Seems to be strong material, carry high loads and only 30oz.

I just bought a 50L Flash on the REI Outlet that with the 20% off member coupon was $78.

It is just over two pounds. I bought it for one of my boys to use backpacking but it strikes me as a reasonable buy at that price.

del