Backpacks for Backpacking: Design, Materials, and Use Cases (Member Q&A)

Our research indicates there are over 300 backpack models available for backpackers at the moment – 200 of which come from 50 small-ish brands in the direct-to-consumer space.

So which one to use? If you’ve got questions about which ultralight backpack material, frame style, closure type, pocket design, or more is best for your use case, we’ve got answers. Ask us in the comments and we’ll share our knowledge in the Backpacks for Backpacking: Design, Materials, and Use Cases member Q & A coming up on Friday April 29th at 7:00 pm mountain time.

I’ll start – Suppose I wanted a frameless pack that would also work well for bikepacking? What features should I look for?

I’m interested in knowing more about packs with very light frames to increase comfort into the low 20-pound range where I don’t need a fully structured hipbelt or load lifters. For me, there’s a weird gap between frameless packs (nice below maybe 18 pounds) and more substantial packs like the ULA Catalyst I have carried in the past.

I am specifically interested in the details of frame design and hipbelt. I have recently acquired an Atom+ and my initial impression is the simple carbon fiber & Delrin frame is going to be a good solution for my use case.

Curious to hear more about the new “Ultra” fabric from Zpacks (or other versions).

I’m thinking about internal frame design also.  The Atom and DD40 have the bottom of the hoop set at the bags edge, close to where the hip belt is sewn on.  Most other packs , i.e. Gossamer, OV, have a smaller distance between the verticals that terminate at the lumbar area.   Other pack companies that use bendable stays also seem to have them at a narrow vertical dimension so as to be in line with the top of shoulder strap and rest on the hip belt at the lumbar area.  And then there’s Zpacks.  External, but wider spread for the vertical supports.  I’ve been beating up on a DD40 for a coupla years without issue.  Inquiring minds would like to know of the ins n outs for best weight distribution on a sub 30 lb total pack weight.  ~RL

I think new materials MAY beget some new design advances. Possibly new frame designs in part carbon fiber from 3D printer sources.

However I still feel any advances from this point will be incremental, as they have been since the KELTY external frame pack and first The North Face internal frame pack (which I once owned).

I buckle when I think of the ~4# JanSport external I had back in the early nineties.

> Curious to hear more about the new “Ultra” fabric from Zpacks (or other versions).

“Ultra” would be “Ultra 200”, right? In the Q&A, Ryan states it’s the ECOPAK EPL 200 by Challenge Sailcloth, and he compares with XPac VX21 and ECOPAK EPX200.

strap configuration and adjustments.  theory and practice of type of straps, where they sit, how the adjust, etc.

things that come to mind related to this

• width, type of padding, and placement of shoulder straps
• harness vs more traditional shoulder straps (and the various shapes like S and J)
• sterum strap (no, 1, 2) slightly related to harness
• load lifters
• mchales brilliant bypass
• side vs double pull hip belts