Best Support for a Frameless Pack

I can only say what has worked for me. I have used a 3/4 length ridgerest folded four times and stuffed into my frameless MLD Exodus between the gear and my back.
I tried the "rolled up" method with the gear inside the ridgerest and didn't like it as much as the folded method.
One little tip for you about frameless packs. It really helps to make sure you have your gear stuffed into the pack. if there is too much void space; as in too big a volume for the gear, then you might have fitment problems. Mainly the pack might sag and transfer most of the weight to the shoulders rendering the hipbelt useless.
I tend to kinda stuff all my gear into my Exodus and cinch down the compression straps and top strap. This prevents the pad from shifting a lot, though it does tend to shift a little.
You might find, as i did, that stuffing gear like a sleeping bag or quilt into the pack without a stuff sack helps. I always use a trash bag (Nylo-fume) liner and stuffing my quilt into it at the bottom of the pack forms the foundation of my frameless strategy. Then i pack clothes and bivy/tarp in the middle, and food sack on top. Not telling you what to do mind you just saying what worked for me.
The bear canister i had to use for the PCT was never comfortable in my Golite Pinnacle.. just had to grin and "bear" it.. yikes .. sorry for that pun.
A Bear Vault 500 fits vertically in both the Pinnacle and Exodus… but it's tight!
For me both my Go Lite Pinnacle and my MLD Exodus were somewhat uncomfortable above 30 lbs total weight. Fortunately that weight was usually when i was carrying a lot of water and would decrease during the day to 25lbs or less.
At 15 lbs I barely need my hipbelt with my MLD Exodus and at my base weight of 10 lbs The pack is almost invisible.
Your experience, and that of others, will most definitely vary!

I've used my virga with the Zlite as a "frame" with great results, really conforms nicely to the curve of my back, transfers a decent amount of weight to the small of your back/hip area, overall carried nicely.

I've also loaded it up at home with a ridgerest inserted "burrito" style with the pad allowed to unfurl and all my gear stuffed into the pad "tube." I liked this MUCH less than the zlite, didn't conform to your body, left a good amount of slack in the pack fabric in spots (wasted pack volume) etc. Just didn't seem to be as well-polished a system. I have not, however, tried the ridgerest folded as mentioned above, so that might be better.

Become a member or buy access to this article published last week.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/frameless_backpacks_sotm_part2b_2011.html

Will Rietveld discusses this very issue and comes up with a surprise or two as well.

I think one of my favorite methods is a Thermarest Prolite folded and slightly infated. It lets you tension the contents slightly with the amount of air you put in. Sadly the Prolite doesn't work well as a pad for me so I ditched it and find it slightly harder (but not impossible) to accomplish the same thing with a neoair.

If I roll a Ridgerest I be sure to get it filling the pack out completely and put the part with the most overlap against my back. I'm not fond of the circle it puts against the back though.

I'd wait a few weeks – Ron's said he's releasing an Exodus S – which is an Exodus with a suspension, and apparently which will weigh 20-22 oz. The exodus is a great frameless pack as it is, 4-6oz extra for the suspension will likely be worth it.

The recent BPL article surprisingly had the Jam, with its quasi-framey foam thing as a strong contender as well.

I don't know much about the OP but the 20 or so packs in the first run of framed exodus are going to go fast and you have to have purchased an item over $150 from MLD in the past to even get one from the first run. I wouldn't count on most people being able to get one before Christmas just yet.

On another note the Jam is nice at 40% off. Great bang for the buck.

Thanks for the advice everyone. It seems like everyone likes something different. Since I'm using a big agnes air core for now I think I'll just go to my local store buy a few different pads and give them all a try to see what works best.

And it's also not a bad idea to just sign up for this sight. The $25 is well worth the gained knowledge.

Rather than go out and buy a pad just for a frame, many use a sit pad as their frame.

I use a 3/8 evazote pad just big enough to be used as a frame.

It works great as long as I am careful how I pack and don't forget to tighten the straps before I hit the trail. A loose pack is noticeably less comfortable after a while.

The sit pad has many uses like sitting or kneeling on wet ground, wind break for cooking, …

Cut from a blue foam pad I found at Sears for a couple bux (in fact, I think I made about 4 of them from the one pad). I recently switched to using the compactor bag method in my pack and I found that my ULA Circuit then bulged into my back (factor of the hoop stay) until I wedged my sit pad in there.

Try using the Air Core by folding it into equal sections roughly the width of the back panel while it's not inflated and with the valve pointing up. Then pack everything in pretty tight and slightly inflated the pad. This will help firm everything up.

If I have any cylindrical items I like to pack them against the pad, on top of my insulation, and on the sides. This puts them in the middle and top and further keeps the pack from collapsing.

I bought my first frameless pack and am wondering as a hammock user what other hammock users are using. I don't want to add weight just to add support so what is the best multi-purpose support for those that don't need insulation to sleep on?

I use four pieces of a z-rest trimmed down slightly in my golite jam. Using just this worked just fine for 20lb loads and kept the pack just stiff enough. I also stitched/designed a sub 2 ounce carbon-fiber frame similar to the ZPacks Exo that in conjunction with the z-rest could probably push the jam to 35lb's with no problemo.

I use a 3/4th UQ and the trimmed z-rest for my legs. No waste

Ya, I have a z-rest and may go that route. It may also come in handy to sit or kneel on when I'm playing with a stove or something. Either that or I was thinking of the small inflatable seat (could be used as a pillow). I have a Jarbidge UQ which is 3/4 as well.

An inflatable sit pad may do the trick. Some use a sit pad under their feet for insulation, or under their knees so their legs are slightly bent.

Some frameless packs are adaptable to use frame stays or maybe a frame sheet. Just plain careful packing can do the trick too.