Best Ultralight Backpacks for Backpacking, Ranked by the Data

This ranking leads with the lowest empty weight, then load and durability. It still gates on capacity, so a pack that is light only because it is small does not take the top spot on ounces alone.

Top 3 picksUltralight backpacks, ranked by GearScore. Updates live as you tune the algorithm or filter.

83score ZpacksArc Haul Ultra 60 1 lb 6 ozWeight60 LCapacity$399Price View specs & breakdown → 83score ZpacksArc Haul Ultra 50 1 lb 6 ozWeight50 LCapacity$399Price View specs & breakdown → 81score ZpacksArc Zip Ultra 62 1 lb 9 ozWeight62 LCapacity$449Price View specs & breakdown →

Backpacks | Gear Matrix

Algorithm Default Sorted by

Best for

Product	GearScore (Ultralight)	Type	Weight	Capacity	Load	Denier	Price	Frame	Buy
ZpacksTop pickArc Haul Ultra 60	83	Ultralight	1 lb 6 oz	60 L	40 lb	100 D	$399	Internal
ZpacksArc Haul Ultra 50	83	Ultralight	1 lb 6 oz	50 L	40 lb	100 D	$399	Internal
ZpacksArc Zip Ultra 62	81	Ultralight	1 lb 9 oz	62 L	40 lb	100 D	$449	Internal
4Hyperlite Mountain GearUnbound 55	79	Ultralight	1 lb 13 oz	55 L	40 lb	n/s	$420	Internal
5DurstonKakwa 55	79	Ultralight	2 lb	55 L	45 lb	200 D	$279	Internal
6Hyperlite Mountain GearJunction 55	78	Ultralight	1 lb 15 oz	55 L	40 lb	n/s	$420	Internal
7Hyperlite Mountain GearSouthwest 55	78	Ultralight	1 lb 15 oz	55 L	40 lb	n/s	$420	Internal
8DurstonKakwa 40	78	Ultralight	1 lb 12 oz	40 L	45 lb	200 D	$250	Internal
9Hyperlite Mountain GearWindrider 55	78	Ultralight	1 lb 15 oz	55 L	40 lb	n/s	$420	Internal
10Hyperlite Mountain GearUnbound 40	77	Ultralight	1 lb 11 oz	40 L	40 lb	n/s	$395	Internal
11Granite GearVirga3 55	77	Ultralight	1 lb 11 oz	55 L	25 lb	100 D	$200	Frameless
12ULACDT	77	Ultralight	1 lb 11 oz	50 L	25 lb	200 D	$200	Frameless
13Pa'lanteDesert	76	Ultralight	1 lb 6 oz	43 L	n/s	400 D	$300	Frameless
14OspreyLevity 45	76	Ultralight	1 lb 12 oz	45 L	25 lb	30 D	$250	Internal	Buy
15Hyperlite Mountain GearWindrider 40	76	Ultralight	1 lb 14 oz	40 L	40 lb	n/s	$395	Internal
16ULAOhm	76	Ultralight	1 lb 14 oz	55 L	30 lb	200 D	$250	Internal
17Hyperlite Mountain GearSouthwest 40	76	Ultralight	1 lb 14 oz	40 L	40 lb	n/s	$395	Internal
18ZpacksNero Classic 30	76	Ultralight	9.9 oz	30 L	20 lb	100 D	$239	Frameless
19Granite GearCrown3 60 Women's	76	Ultralight	2 lb 5 oz	60 L	43 lb	100 D	$260	Internal
20Gossamer GearMariposa 60	75	Ultralight	2 lb 2 oz	60 L	35 lb	100 D	$315	Internal
21Gossamer GearGorilla 50	75	Ultralight	2 lb	50 L	30 lb	70 D	$275	Internal
22Gossamer GearKumo 36	75	Ultralight	1 lb 4 oz	36 L	25 lb	70 D	$180	Frameless
23REI Co-opFlash Air 50	75	Ultralight	1 lb 14 oz	50 L	25 lb	n/s	$299	Internal	Buy
24Granite GearCrown3 60	75	Ultralight	2 lb 6 oz	60 L	43 lb	100 D	$260	Internal
25Gossamer GearFast Kumo 36	75	Ultralight	1 lb 5 oz	36 L	25 lb	70 D	$190	Frameless
26OspreyExos Pro 55	75	Ultralight	2 lb 1 oz	55 L	30 lb	100 D	$330	Internal	Buy
27Six Moon DesignsSwift V	74	Ultralight	2 lb 4 oz	56 L	35 lb	n/s	$275	Internal
28Pa'lanteV2	74	Ultralight	1 lb 3 oz	37 L	n/s	200 D	$240	Frameless
29ExpedLightning 60	74	Backpacking	2 lb 11 oz	60 L	49 lb	210 D	$300	Internal
30ULAUltra Circuit	74	Ultralight	2 lb 5 oz	68 L	35 lb	400 D	$380	Internal
31ULACircuit	73	Ultralight	2 lb 7 oz	68 L	35 lb	400 D	$300	Internal
32Six Moon DesignsSwift X	73	Ultralight	2 lb 7 oz	56 L	35 lb	210 D	$375	Internal
33DurstonWapta 30	73	Ultralight	1 lb 2 oz	30 L	25 lb	n/s	$299	Frameless
34Granite GearBlaze 60	72	Backpacking	3 lb	60 L	50 lb	100 D	$300	Internal
35Six Moon DesignsMinimalist V2	72	Ultralight	2 lb 9 oz	59 L	35 lb	n/s	$285	Internal
36ULACatalyst	71	Backpacking	2 lb 12 oz	75 L	40 lb	400 D	$320	Internal
37GregoryFocal 58	71	Backpacking	2 lb 10 oz	58 L	35 lb	100 D	$270	Internal	Buy
38OspreyEja 58	70	Backpacking	2 lb 13 oz	58 L	35 lb	100 D	$285	Internal	Buy
39OspreyExos 58	70	Backpacking	2 lb 13 oz	58 L	35 lb	100 D	$285	Internal	Buy
40REI Co-opFlash 55	70	Backpacking	2 lb 13 oz	55 L	35 lb	n/s	$229	Internal	Buy
41DeuterAircontact Ultra 50+5	69	Backpacking	2 lb 13 oz	50 L	33 lb	n/s	$250	Internal
42OspreyExos 48	69	Backpacking	2 lb 12 oz	48 L	30 lb	100 D	$265	Internal	Buy
43Arc'teryxAerios 45	69	Ultralight	2 lb 6 oz	45 L	n/s	100 D	$250	Internal
44Granite GearPerimeter 50	68	Backpacking	3 lb 2 oz	50 L	40 lb	100 D	$250	Internal
45GregoryMaven 55	68	Backpacking	3 lb 7 oz	55 L	50 lb	210 D	$260	Internal
46KeltyZyp 48	67	Backpacking	3 lb 5 oz	48 L	40 lb	210 D	$99.95	Internal
47GregoryParagon 60	66	Backpacking	3 lb 12 oz	60 L	50 lb	210 D	$300	Internal	Buy
48REI Co-opTrailmade 60	65	Backpacking	3 lb 5 oz	60 L	35 lb	100 D	$189	Internal	Buy
49Arc'teryxAlpha AR 55	65	Backpacking	2 lb 14 oz	55 L	n/s	315 D	$250	Internal
50OspreyTalon 44	64	Backpacking	3 lb 7 oz	44 L	35 lb	100 D	$240	Internal	Buy
51DeuterAircontact Lite 50+10	62	Backpacking	3 lb 10 oz	50 L	33 lb	140 D	$230	Internal
52GregoryZulu 55	62	Backpacking	4 lb 3 oz	55 L	50 lb	400 D	$280	Internal
53GregoryDeva 60	60	Backpacking	4 lb 10 oz	60 L	60 lb	210 D	$370	Internal	Buy
54Sierra DesignsFlex Capacitor 40-60	60	Backpacking	3 lb 2 oz	40 L	n/s	100 D	$200	Internal
55KeltyGlendale 65	59	Backpacking	4 lb 12 oz	65 L	60 lb	300 D	$280	Internal
56OspreyRenn 65	58	Backpacking	3 lb 10 oz	65 L	n/s	600 D	$205	Internal	Buy
57OspreyAriel 65	58	Backpacking	4 lb 14 oz	65 L	60 lb	420 D	$370	Internal	Buy
58GregoryBaltoro 65	58	Backpacking	4 lb 15 oz	65 L	60 lb	210 D	$370	Internal	Buy
59OspreyAether 65	58	Backpacking	4 lb 15 oz	65 L	60 lb	420 D	$370	Internal	Buy
60REI Co-opTraverse 60	58	Backpacking	4 lb 8 oz	60 L	45 lb	210 D	$269	Internal	Buy
61Mystery RanchRadix 57	58	Backpacking	3 lb 11 oz	57 L	n/s	100 D	$299	Internal	Buy
62OspreyRook 65	58	Backpacking	3 lb 11 oz	65 L	n/s	600 D	$205	Internal	Buy
63GregoryKatmai 55	57	Backpacking	4 lb 11 oz	55 L	50 lb	210 D	$290	Internal	Buy
64OspreyAtmos AG 65	56	Backpacking	4 lb 10 oz	65 L	40 lb	210 D	$370	Internal	Buy
65OspreyAura AG 65	56	Backpacking	4 lb 10 oz	65 L	40 lb	210 D	$370	Internal	Buy
66Mystery RanchCoulee 50	55	Backpacking	4 lb	50 L	n/s	210 D	$249	Internal
67DeuterFutura Air Trek 50+10	55	Backpacking	4 lb 8 oz	50 L	33 lb	210 D	$255	Internal
68Mystery RanchBridger 65	53	Expedition	5 lb 8 oz	65 L	60 lb	100 D	$375	Internal
69Arc'teryxBora 65	53	Backpacking	4 lb 4 oz	65 L	n/s	210 D	$320	Internal
70DeuterAircontact Core 60+10	53	Expedition	5 lb 2 oz	60 L	44 lb	500 D	$300	Internal
71Arc'teryxBora 75	51	Expedition	4 lb 8 oz	75 L	n/s	210 D	$360	Internal
72FjallravenSingi 48	50	Backpacking	4 lb 10 oz	48 L	n/s	n/s	$295	Internal
73FjallravenKajka 55	35	Expedition	6 lb 6 oz	55 L	n/s	500 D	$350	Internal
74FjallravenKajka 65	30	Expedition	6 lb 15 oz	65 L	n/s	500 D	$400	Internal

The Buy column links to retailers we may earn a commission from, at no extra cost to you. It never affects rankings.

Scatter plot

Plot any spec against any other to see the tradeoffs. Point color is the GearScore; size and shape are yours to assign. Hover any point for the details.

Scorelowhigh

The full picture

Ultralight backpacking is about carrying less pack for the same job, so this list rewards the designs that deliver a usable multi-day volume for the fewest ounces. Weight is the headline metric, and this is where cottage-made packs in Dyneema, Ultra, and lightweight nylon pull far ahead: 50 to 60 liters of capacity in a pack that weighs a pound to two pounds, often with a removable frame you can pull to go lighter still.

The lightest number does not automatically win. A pack that is featherweight because it is a 30-liter summit bag cannot carry a multi-day kit, so capacity still gates the score and the top picks pair a very low weight with real volume. Rated load matters too: an ultralight pack carries its recommended load well but gets uncomfortable above it, so the ranking keeps load in view rather than chasing grams off a cliff.

Two things to know when you go this light. Many ultralight packs use a roll-top and a minimal or removable frame, which rewards a base weight that actually fits the pack, since overloading a light suspension is where comfort disappears. And the lightest fabrics, Dyneema and Ultra, are strong for their weight but are scored "n/s" on denier because they are not denier-rated, so this page does not penalize or credit them on that axis. If you want the outright lightest regardless of carry, raise weight to the top and drop the rest.

Common questions

What is an ultralight backpack?

An ultralight backpack is a pack built to carry a light base weight with as little pack weight as possible, typically one to two pounds for 40 to 60 liters. They use minimal or removable frames and lightweight fabrics like Dyneema, Ultra, or thin nylon. The tradeoff is a lighter suspension that carries best when your overall load is modest.

How light is an ultralight backpack?

Most ultralight packs land between one and two pounds, and the lightest frameless models dip well under a pound. Compare that to three to six pounds for a traditional internal-frame pack. This page ranks by empty weight while still gating on capacity, so the featherweights on top are the ones that still hold a full multi-day kit.

Do ultralight backpacks carry weight comfortably?

Up to their rated load, yes. A good ultralight pack with a frame and hipbelt carries a moderate three-season load comfortably. Push past its recommended load and the light suspension starts to sag and dig, which is why the ranking keeps rated load in the score. Ultralight works best once your base weight is low enough to match the pack.

Why is the lightest pack not always ranked first?

Because a list ranked purely by weight would crown packs too small to backpack with. Capacity gates the score, so the top ultralight picks are the lightest packs that still carry a full kit. Want pure weight order? Raise the weight importance to the top and lower the others.

Bang for Your Buck

Dollars per point of GearScore. The lower the number, the more quality you get for your money. Each bar carries both metrics at once: a solid bar for the highlighted one over a faded ghost of the other. Sorted to the best value first, and always scored by the algorithm you've set above.

Value Index ($/point, longer bar = better value) GearScore (0 to 100, red→green) solid bar = highlighted · faded bar = comparison · hover a row for the numbers

GearScore Algorithm

A GearScore ranks products on objective, published specs only, never opinions. It starts on a pre-tuned default; make it yours below, or pick a "Best for" preset up top.

Customize your algorithm

Answer a few quick questions, or grab the sliders yourself. Nothing changes the ranking until you apply it. Then everything re-sorts.