# Ultralight backpacks



## bakerjw (Oct 8, 2014)

I have an Outdoor Research Antimatter backpack that weighs in at 10 ounces. It serves me well but without ventilation, it makes me sweat like crazy. Part of what derailed me on the TD last year was caused by sweat running down my back and into areas where it is not good to have sweat.

I'm about to pull the trigger on an Osprey Talon 11 (or 22) and wondered what backpacks others use. I am also not trying to break the bank as I still have a few things to get for the bike.


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## baltobrewer (Apr 22, 2015)

Not a bikepacking bag, but more of a datapoint for you. I have an Osprey 28 for day hiking, and I can tell you that their new mesh suspension system is stellar at keeping the pack off of your back and the airflow moving through. If that's an issue, you'll not go far wrong with one of the new Ospreys.


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## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

bakerjw said:


> I have an Outdoor Research Antimatter backpack that weighs in at 10 ounces. It serves me well but without ventilation, it makes me sweat like crazy. Part of what derailed me on the TD last year was caused by sweat running down my back and into areas where it is not good to have sweat.
> 
> I'm about to pull the trigger on an Osprey Talon 11 (or 22) and wondered what backpacks others use. I am also not trying to break the bank as I still have a few things to get for the bike.


There is absolutely nothing light about the Talon series of packs.


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## richwolf (Dec 8, 2004)

Here is a test on some packs. The Best Day Backpack of 2017 for Hiking and Travel | OutdoorGearLab

Sometimes things are heavier because they are justified. Super lightweight packs may be uncomfortable and lack features you are looking for.

Go to a store like REI and try the different ones on. Not every pack is going to fit every body type well.

Personally I am not a fan of any backpack but sadly when bikepacking I have been forced to wear them due to the needed extra capacity.
I use a frame bag with a 3 liter bladder and Bedrock tapeat bags to hold my stuff when I am out on day rides.
We have two Osprey packs and they are very nice packs but they don't get used much.


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## GPcruiser (Apr 6, 2015)

I have used a Marmot Kompressor Plus for 3 years. It is crazy light and expands to a good sized pack. not as well ventilated as some packs but i can maneuver the straps in a way to get airflow.


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## seedub (Nov 16, 2005)

*Get it off your back*

I hate packs while biking for lots of reasons, not to be re-hashed yet again here/now. When I BP I use the lightest possible pack, only super light items go in there like my dehydrated meals/fleece, socks. As you use them up and volume decreases - stow the pack away until your next resupply. Only wearing the pack 25% of the time riding. Worked well for me over a two week trip.

https://www.rei.com/product/867165/sea-to-summit-ultra-sil-daypack


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## H0WL (Jan 17, 2007)

My plan is to use an REI Flash 18 day pack to carry a down bag and perhaps the body of my ultra light tent, which should come to under 5 lbs, if that. 
The Flash 18 is the anti-Talon, it's basically a stuff sack with shoulder straps.









I don't carry a CamelBak anymore because it bothers my neck when loaded up with water and whatever, but a super light sleeping bag in a pack that weighs only a few ounces shouldn't be a problem.

Seedub, that Sea to Summit sil nylon pack is pretty sweet as well.


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## TubeSSnapper (Nov 15, 2004)

Best to have a system which allows weight on the back....or not.
When I approach a hike and bike area I'll move the weight to my back so the bike is easy to carry. Then on a pedal section I'll switch back. Something to think about.
My pack of shoice is also an opsrey talon, anything lighter has other costs


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## chrisx (Mar 4, 2009)

I sweated the die out of my silk shirt, with a non ventilated pack very similar to this one.

I was unable to wash the black die out of the back of my pants.



June Bug said:


> My plan is to use an REI Flash 18 day pack to carry a down bag and perhaps the body of my ultra light tent, which should come to under 5 lbs, if that.
> The Flash 18 is the anti-Talon, it's basically a stuff sack with shoulder straps.
> 
> View attachment 1132357
> ...


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## Flamingtaco (Mar 12, 2012)

I hate internal frame packs with a passion for all the sweaty reasons, and swear by my 'hellcat' pack (modified ALICE frame with MOLLE bags) for the 15 years I've been running that setup. Yes, some hard-core backpackers want a tighter silhouette, but I have no aspirations to crawl through rotten logs, and can hand carry the pack through all the fat-man squeezes.

Here's what I purchased off woot a few weeks back: Yukon Outfitters Trail Pro 25L

The upper and lower pads are connected with a mesh that is stretched taught by a curved internal frame so the pack arches away from the pads. I loaded the pack up, it works as advertised, keeping itself off your back under a normal load.

If you don't Woot, Yukon Outfitters alone is worth it. I've had two YO mosquito hammocks and an Alpha pack for four years that have held up great. $15 ea for the hammocks, $20 for the Alpha pack, $25 for the Trail Pro, all via woot. The hammocks and alpha are $80 direct from YO.


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## evdog (Mar 18, 2007)

OP you might look at Wingnut packs. They are fairly lightweight and keep the load low on your hips. This helps keep your back clear, and dry(er). They have large capacity compared to what you'd expect for their size and have convenient side pockets. Not everyone likes them, but may be worth looking at as I think it would be a good tradeoff for your needs. 

The Talon 22 may be a bit heavier but it really isn't enough weight difference to be noticeable. I find it to be a very comfortable pack to wear. It doesn't have the mesh suspension system to keep your back dry like some of the other osprey packs have (unless the newer version is redesigned) so maybe sweaty back would still be an issue. The Talon will probably be better than the Antimatter in that regard, but you'd have to try it to find out for sure. I sweat a ton though and have never had an issue with sweat running down *there* with the Talon or any pack. 

I am accustomed to carrying a heavy pack for long rides so the neither weight nor the sweaty back really bothers me. I got a new Manta last fall which is far too big for day rides but great for me for bikepacking as I can't get a frame bag on my bikes. It is definitely heavy, close to 3 lbs, but very comfortable, nice layout, and awesome suspension system that really keeps the pack off my back. Even that won't stop you from sweating though, but it is better than the Talon in that respect.


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## seedub (Nov 16, 2005)

chrisx said:


> I sweated the die out of my silk shirt, with a non ventilated pack very similar to this one.
> 
> I was unable to wash the black die out of the back of my pants.


My daughters burgundy REI Flash 22 (that I borrowed for my trip) sweat stained my Icebreaker wool LS button shirt I wear as my jersey. Bummer, but it's not bad. I don't wear it to church, only biking and drinking.


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## H0WL (Jan 17, 2007)

The back of mine is a light gray rip stop nylon -- no possibility of fabric staining. I might wash it just to see if anything happens, though. Fabric color bleeding onto clothes is very odd with nylon.


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## sapva (Feb 20, 2017)

My preferred small pack for hiking is a 30 year old LL Bean 1200 cc day pack, which is fine except it's a little sweaty on the back, the long straps tend to get caught in branches and it's just too big for the bike. Recently found a "TECOOL Nylon Ultra Lightweight Daypack" on amazon that solves the bike problem. Breathable and so light you forget it's there. However, don't expect it to last 30+ years. But just right if you just want to carry a diet coke, protein bar and folding saw.


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## seedub (Nov 16, 2005)

June Bug said:


> ...is very odd with nylon.


IKR? But none-the-less it happened... blew my mind.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

I've been riding with an Osprey Talon 22 for quite a number of years. I mostly like it, but it has a few quirks that I don't care about. I don't like the small top pocket where it is. It interferes with loading/unloading of the main compartment. It's roomy enough for supplementing on-bike carrying. I often use it for gear intensive long day rides where I'm packing lunch, water treatment (my pump filter), maybe a small stove/kettle for warm drinks in the cold, extra layers, first aid kit, repair kit, etc when coaching/guiding, and so on. It's kinda beat up and I want to get something that carries as well (or better), has a supportive hip belt, has better organization for small items so they don't interfere with loading the main compartment, and hopefully has better back ventilation.

I have an Osprey Atmos 50 for backpacking that I like a lot. It has a much more airy backpanel which is much appreciated in summer. It's way too much for bikepacking, though, so it only gets used when foot travel is prescribed. I tried out a Wingnut pack recently, and while I liked many things about it, I'm not a fan of the hipbelt, which I feel should be more substantial, especially for a pack that carries more on the hips the way Wingnuts do. That makes it a non-starter for me.

I tried on an Ergon BA3 pack not long ago that rates pretty high for me to replace my Talon. I do want to add a smaller pack so I don't always have to carry the big one, though. 

I'm not a particular fan of ultralight backpacks. That whole stuffsack with straps concept doesn't work for me. It really only works if you're using it to carry light, soft things like a sleeping bag and clothes. Once you start putting dense and poky things in it, carry comfort declines rapidly.


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## jmctav23 (Oct 16, 2010)

Ultimate Direction Fastpacks...check them out, first generation on closeout now. Front pockets are the shiznit, I have no idea why more bike specific pack makers are not catching on, been done in ultra running packs for years now.


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