A close look at two backpacks buyers cross-shop. The Desert takes a modest overall edge, led by low weight, but the Windrider 40 has its own case.
| Pa'lante Desert | Hyperlite Mountain Gear Windrider 40 | |
|---|---|---|
| GearScore | 68✓ | 61 |
| Capacity | 43 L | 40 L |
| Weight | 1 lb 6 oz✓ | 1 lb 14 oz |
| Rated load | n/s | 40 lb |
| Fabric denier | 400 D | n/s |
| Price | $300✓ | $395 |
| Type | Ultralight | Ultralight |
| Frame | Frameless | Internal |
Highlighted cells mark the better spec: Desert in blue, Windrider 40 in amber. A blank spec is never counted as a win. Capacity is shown for context and is not scored, since more volume is a sizing choice rather than better. GearScore is the overall rating (0 to 100); re-weight it on the full backpack comparison. Prices are current MSRP.
Put the Pa'lante Desert next to the Hyperlite Windrider 40 and the trade-offs are clear. The Desert wins on low weight and price, and the Windrider 40 pushes back on value.
The Desert is 8 oz lighter and $95 cheaper. On the default GearScore the Desert leads 68 to 61.
Pick the Desert if you care most about low weight and price, which makes it the better call for counting grams on long miles. Pick the Windrider 40 if you would rather save the difference.
The Pa'lante Desert. It is 8 oz lighter than the Windrider 40.
The Pa'lante Desert. It is $95 cheaper than the Windrider 40.
The Pa'lante Desert, 68 to 61 on the default algorithm. You can re-weight the factors to match your trip.
It depends on your priorities. Go with the Desert for low weight, or the Windrider 40 for the price. The spec table above shows exactly where each wins.