Much has changed since our last Frameless Backpack Review Summary published back in 2004 and our Superultralight Backpacks Review Summary published in 2006. Although the fundamentals remain the same, the number, diversity, and features available in frameless backpacks have greatly expanded. Our 2004 article contained just seven packs, and our 2006 article contained five packs. Today we have lots of choices, so it's entirely possible to find exactly the pack you want in terms of fabric, sizing, volume, and features. The challenges are to determine exactly what you want and to find it.
A lightweight frameless backpack is a core component of a lightweight backpacking kit, whether you choose to travel superultralight (SUL, base weight less than 5 pounds/2.3 kg), ultralight (UL, base weight less than 10 pounds/4.5 kg), or lightweight (LW, base weight less than 20 pounds/9.1 kg). The base weight is everything but consumables (food, water, and fuel). Pack total weight with consumables for SUL backpacking should normally be less than 12 pounds (5.4 kg), less than 20 pounds (9.1 kg) for UL backpacking, and less than 30 pounds (13.6 kg) for LW backpacking. Stronger people can carry more, but most people prefer less. It's best to keep weight under these limits if you expect to comfortably carry a frameless backpack. The guiding mantra is "less is better."
To carry a light load, all you need is a light pack, so a frameless backpack is the pack of choice for backpackers who've gone lightweight. Frameless backpacks have become very sophisticated and do their job well. However there is a great diversity of users, backpacking conditions, and specific needs and preferences. To accommodate such a diversity, manufacturers offer frameless backpacks with a wide range of volumes, weights, features, and load hauling capability. To cover the range of packs and uses, we divide the topic into six articles as follows:
Lightweight Frameless Backpacks State of the Market Report 2011: Part 1 – Choosing and Using a Frameless Backpack (this article) We discuss the fundamentals of selecting and properly using a frameless backpack, and provide specifications for all packs included.
Lightweight Frameless Backpacks State of the Market Report 2011: Part 2A – Technical Evaluation – Measurement of Pack Volume and Volume Reduction Capability Reports our measurements of actual pack volume and the extent that pack volume can be reduced to accommodate smaller loads.
Lightweight Frameless Backpacks State of the Market Report 2011: Part 2B – Technical Evaluation – Measurement of Pack Load Carrying Capacity Reports our pack torso collapse measurements using different pack loads to determine the comfortable load carrying capacity.
Lightweight Frameless Backpacks State of the Market Report 2011: Part 3 – Packs for Ultralight Backpacking (coming soon) We provide specifications for midsize frameless backpacks popular for ultralight backpacking, rate them according to relevant criteria, and identify the standouts for different situations and needs.
Lightweight Frameless Backpacks State of the Market Report 2011: Part 4 – Packs for Lightweight Backpacking and Load Hauling (coming soon) We provide specifications for larger volume frameless backpacks popular for lightweight backpacking, rate them according to relevant criteria, and identify the standouts for different situations and needs.
ARTICLE OUTLINE
- Overview - Frameless Backpacks State of the Market Report 2011
- Introduction to Part 1: Choosing and Using a Frameless Pack
- Creating a "Virtual Frame"
- Pack Compression/Volume Reduction
- Removable Stays
- Pack Volume
- Proper Fit
- Fabric Choices
- Which Features?
- Proper Packing
- What Really Matters
- Selection Criteria
- Specifications
- Specifications Discussion
- Preview to Parts 2, 3, and 4
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I'm really interested in hearing the logic behind "metering this out every other week." The Iceland pack raft story would've been a great story to spread out into segments over the course of several weeks, but a consumer report? Really? I'm sure a lot of people (including myself) would like to see what packs are recommended before purchasing and going on their 1st hike of season. At this rate, I'll be surprised if this report wraps up by the end of August.
Hey All,
Over the last few years I have gone from the ULA Circuit to the HMG Windrider and than awhile back made the transition to the ZPacks Blast 26, and here recently placed an order for the ZPacks Zero. It has been a great adventure for me, being able to go from a huge pack to a medium size pack and than to a smaller backpack. I have learned so many things over the last few years that I wish I would have learned 20 years ago when it comes to light weight gear.
I did up a video a couple weeks ago after a hike on the ZPacks Blast 26 and thought some of you might be interested in watching the video and seeing some of its features (both included features and add-on features). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhK8E8kDhtc
Once I get my ZPacks Zero and get some miles on it I will try to do a side-by-side video comparison – something I really am looking forward to doing!
If you are interested in seeing how much gear you can stuff into a Blast 26 I also did a video on my six pound setup while I was out hiking this past weekend. The pack was around 90% full. I could have easily of gotten another 3 or 4 days worth of food into the pack, or some heavier clothing, or a larger tent setup.
It has been an absolute amazing pleasure to be using a 6 ounce backpack – and very much look forward to using my ZPacks Zero at ~3 ounces! I truly cannot say that enough… gone are the days of lugging around 20+ ounces just for the backpack!!
Bump a classic.
Stays (internal frame) do NOT need to be “…firmly anchored to the hip belt” to transfer weight to the hip belt.
Stays need to b firmly anchored to the TOP and BOTTOM of the pack so the pack weight pushes down on the stays. Stays transfer weigh INDIRECTLY through the pack fabric to the hip belt by having the hip belt pass through (behind) a padded lumbar hip belt holder that is double sewn and bar tacked to the pack that has been reinforced with webbing sewn at the areas of attachment.
How do I know this? Because that is how my Camelbak Commander hunting pack works with the two 1″ pre-curved aluminum vertical stays I put in the pack myself. And I’ve used this pack weekly for the past 4 years for both training, hunting and backcountry skiing. It uses an REI Ridgeline hip belt as described above, passing behind the factory lumbar pad I’ve had bar tacked by a shoe repair shop.
But these pre-curved 1″ stays are NOT attached directly to the hip belt. They are bolted through the pack fabric to a 10″ top crosspiece that is beneath the pack’s top fabric. Any pack pictured above can do this by adding webbing reinforcement top and bottom where the stay (frame) bolts pass through the pack fabric and webbing via holes melted with a hot spike held in Vise-Grip pliers.
Would I like to carry even a light 15 lb. pack without weight transfer to the hip belt? Not on your life.
Eric, one way or another, all weight is transferred to your legs/feet. For example, the internal framed Gorilla with the Velcro attachments for the hip-bet does NOT work. It works well enough at 15 or 20 pound loads, but fails at overloads. Why? The hip belt is NOT firmly attached to the pack. The new 2017 version does do this but the packs have left the realm of UL and entered the Light Weight world. They are too heavy.
IFF the hip belt is NOT firmly attached to the supporting structure, it doesn’t really matter how the supporting structure of the backpack is arranged. A full frame, by rolling up goods vertically and careful packing, or by having stays to support the load in the pack…nothing helps. In every case, the hip-belt MUST be firmly anchored to the load bearing system (stays as you were discussing) and your hips to transfer the load effectively to your legs and feet. The Gorilla uses a pair of pockets to mount the bottom of the internal frame to the hip-belt.
The stays (internal frame, full frame or no frame) eventually need to transfer the weight to the hip belt, or, it doesn’t work.
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