Osprey Exos 58

The Exos 58 has been the gateway drug to ultralight backpacking for a decade, and the current version remains the best compromise between true UL frameless packs and traditional load-haulers. At around 2 pounds 13 ounces you get things genuine ultralight packs sacrifice: a real suspended AirSpeed mesh back panel that keeps sweat off your back, an adjustable torso, a removable lid, and Osprey's essentially unconditional All Mighty Guarantee. Carrying 25 to 30 pounds, it is more comfortable than packs a pound heavier. The limits are clear and worth respecting. Push past 35 pounds and the light peripheral frame and thin hipbelt padding start transmitting the load to your shoulders — this is not a pack for week-long food carries or bear-canister-plus-winter-gear loads. The 100-denier nylon shell demands more care than workhorse packs; granite and blowdowns will eventually scar it, and the stretchy side pockets wear first. Organization is minimalist: hipbelt pockets are modest, and the trekking-pole attachment is more clever than useful. Some hikers also find the tensioned mesh pushes the load noticeably away from the back, which feels tippy on scrambles. Within its weight envelope, though, the Exos is still the benchmark lightweight trail pack.