Internal Frame Pack Under $350

Hi Atif,

Check out SWD- I have the rugged Long Haul 50 and it’s amazing. The build quality is stupendous, the strapping options are awesome and intuitive, and the lead time isn’t onerous. Not to mention it’s quite light and can carry heavy loads without blinking an eye. I love it.

Look at ULA packs.  Great value for the $.

ULA for sure.

I am really liking my Atom+. It is wonderfully comfortable with plush shoulder straps and a light frame.

If doing the HMG SW why not the 3400?  Weight difference vs 2400 is very minor and utility for multi day trips or warm gear improves. Not sure if there is a difference in width / diameter.

I have the 3400 and it works for me in the PNW for summer multi day backpacking as long as toys and technology are minimized (fishing gear, gps,  etc). I am not the most minimalist person, but am working on it.

Have you considered Exped lightning?

<p>Packs can be quite personal – For example I’ve tried two different HMG packs and found neither comfortable, but I have a friend that has done two thru hikes in a HMG pack and loves it.   I have been quite happy with SWD and Seek Outside (although their bigger packs are external).  </p><p>My current crop of packs is probably not going to wear out or need replacing anytime soon, but if I was buying a new pack today it would probably be a SWD Long Haul 50 Ultralight with the Ultra200 Ecopak, a 3.5oz UHMWPE fabric.  It’s $355 so just $5 over your limit, and I imagine the fabric would last a lifetime of backpacking for most people. </p>

Brad: I am looking closely at Ultra from a pack builder stand point. It’s not all as it seems, but it’s also complicated – maybe beyond the scope of a sub $350 pack thread.

The pack below did a PCT thru hike; and a Waymark looked similar after 600 km.

View post on imgur.com

<p>Interesting…it’s delaminating.   I assume the face fabric is still structurally sound and it’s the waterproof coating that is wearing off (like PU delaminating from Codura(sp)) or is the fabric not structurally sound without the coating? </p>

I saw a MYOGer on Reddit say that in his opinion, Ultra must be seam taped because the outer UHMW fabric has some degree of stretch, but the mylar film backing has nearly zero. Because of this, over time, Ultra’s mylar backer is prone to seam and panel delamination or pin-holing as seen in the pic Nunutak links above. This is the first real world proof I’ve seen of his comment, but appears to hold true on n=1 sample.

The seams make sense – a natural stress point, but that problem can be taped away. The mid-panel delamination is more concerning to me, as there isnt much you can do to reduce stress in the middle of a backpack panel over time.

Regardless, I think I’ll end up with a Kakwa 55 for my next pack, but will tape the seams immediately with DCF tape (or whatever is recommended for Ultra. Same stuff?) not for waterproofness, but for mylar delamination prevention.

As for the OP question, does an Osprey pack not meet the durability threshold? I had a Kestrel 68 as a starter pack and although it was relatively heavy, it was pretty bomber. Everyone seems to love SWD too, but cant comment on them personally.

Thank you all for the recommendations. SWD looks interesting. We’ve got some Ospreys in the group that seem to carry well but the mesh is gone in a few seasons of bushwacking.

Marcus: A TX version of Ultra is available: Like Xpac VX types it will have an inside layer of 50d polyester ripstop. While this will make it hard to tape (current crop of tapes stick well to PET film but not ripstop), the 50d might act like tape in itself and thus reinforce both seams and mid panel from delam.

The weight of this Ultra variety is no longer super competitive, but its unparalleled abrasion resistance is unchanged.

I liked the old white scrim inside the Xpac VX fabrics. It added abrasion protection to the PET film, made the inside of the pack lighter for finding stuff, and took Aquaseal brilliantly. I would definitely choose that if it were an option. The fabric choice on a pack does not have a large effect on overall pack weight, so why not avail yourself of the benefits of the scrim?

Elemental Horizons.  This brand has won several BPL awards yet get forgotten consistently.  The Kalais will outperform every pack mentioned on this thread at a smidge over 2 lbs.

“I saw a MYOGer on Reddit say that in his opinion, Ultra must be seam taped….regardless, I think I’ll end up with a Kakwa 55 for my next pack, but will tape the seams immediately with DCF tape (or whatever is recommended for Ultra. Same stuff?)”

When a pack is singled stitched construction, then the stitch holes are a natural spot for delamination to start because the stresses on the packbag are pulling and stretching on them. Seam tape does help to minimize this issue, but in a lot of circumstances I think a better solution is folded seams. Tape just reinforces those pressure points, while a folded seam avoids the pressure points in the first place because when you fold a seam (e.g. flat felled seam) then the stress is pulling all along that folded edge instead of focused at individual stitch points. For sure a folded seam is a lot stronger than a single stitched seam, and then whether it helps more or less for minimizing delamination is hard to say without more data, but it certainly helps and seems to work well.

With the Kakwa we use folded seam construction almost everywhere because (1) it is a long stronger than single stitched seams, (2) it helps to avoid delamination, and (3) some of the seams are too complicated to seam tape (e.g. they have webbing sewn into them). Because of the more complex frame and folded seams it’s not readily possible to seam tape the Kakwa, but it does well for avoiding delamination. We have a lot of packs out there (over 1000) and we haven’t seen a single instance of this type of delam in the Kakwa. That’s not to say it will never happen because it might with enough use/flexing/strain/time but it doesn’t appear to be a substantial issue.