BACKPACK GUIDE
EFFICIENCY SCORE
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating
REVIEWS
MATERIALS GUIDE

THE TEA: BEST PACKRAFTING PACKS ON THE MARKET

BEST OVERALL

Superior Wilderness Designs: Big Wild 95L

  • Ultralight at 38oz/2.3lbs for 95L

  • 95L with comfortable carry capacity >65lbs/

  • Bombproof material

  • Bow-Bag Compatible

  • Paddle-sized side pockets

  • THICCCCC hip belt

  • Bear-Can Compatible

  • AFFORDABLE $500USD

  • Multiple attachment points

  • Reinforced bottom

VERSITLE

HYPERLITE:
Porter 85L

  • Works well for backpacking, packrafting, climbing, ski traverses, canyon trips, and travel

  • Waterproof Dyneema construction

  • Very simple design that's easy to modify

  • Readily available new and used

  • Excellent durability

  • Compatible with aftermarket accessories like Sockdolager Bow Bag

BEST-VALUE

Superior Wilderness Designs: 
Wolverine 70L

  • Ultralight at 38oz/2.3lbs for 70L

  • Light enough to thru-hike, durable enough to take a beating on the river and the trail

  • Bombproof material

  • Bow-Bag Compatible

  • Paddle-sized side pockets

  • THICCCCC hip belt

  • Bear-Can Compatible

  • AFFORDABLE $400USD customized

EXPEDITION

SEEK OUSIDE:
UNAWEEP 103L

  • Carries 100+ lb loads

  • External frame provides outstanding weight transfer to the hips

  • Proven performance with oversized food carries, whitewater gear, and winter equipment

  • Stable with oversized expedition loads

  • Highly adjustable suspension for different torso sizes

A COMPARITIVE GUIDE TO EVERY PACKRAFT BACKPACK ON THE MARKET

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Ratings

Fiordland Packs

  • Alpine 60-75L ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (3.5/5)
    Lots of love for “lightweight + sturdy,” but repeated abrasion/wear complaints

Hyperlite Mountain Gear (HMG)

  • Porter 85 (90L) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.5/5)
    Simple, durable, affordable, water-friendly, points off for suspension and lack of accessories/customization

  • Southwest 70L ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.0/5)
    Simple, durable, affordable, water-friendly, points off for suspension and lack of accessories/customization

Mountain Hardwear

  • Alpine Lite 55L ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.0/5)
    Lightweight, comfortable, durable, but it’s not truly packraft-specific and its pretty small

Scoparia Designs

  • The Beast 90–110L ?????

Seek Outside

  • Silverton 38L ⭐⭐⭐ (3.5/5)
    Great “grab-and-go” concept, but multiple reviews complaining it doesn’t carry as well as a true framed pack.

  • Unaweep 103L+ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.5/5)
    Consistently praised as a legit heavy-hauler that still carries well for the weight

  • Wetlands 163L ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.0/5)
    Awesome for the weird/niche job, not a normal backpacking pack.

Six Moon Designs

  • Flex PR 50L ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)
    Great idea, mixed execution.

  • Flex PR 75L ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)
    Great idea, mixed execution.

Sockdolager Equipment

  • Bad Larry 90L ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
    Not available to general public, unbiase reviews unavailable. Packraft-specific designs, comfortable, compatible accessories, lower max carry weight, convertible straps can are only rated to Class II.

Southern Lite Packs

  • Heavy Duty 90L ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
    High vibes for the customization and big-volume guiding/packrafting; recurring strap padding + pocket swing complaints, expensive

  • Ultra Lite 90L ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
    High vibes for the customization and big-volume guiding/packrafting; recurring strap padding + pocket swing complaints, expensive

Superior Wilderness Designs (SWD)

  • Big Wild 70L ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
    Expedition load hauling ratings; comfort drops once loads get truly huge.

  • Big Wild 95L ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
    Expedition load hauling ratings; comfort drops once loads get truly huge.

  • Wolverine 70L ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.5/5)
    Comfort/light/durable/efficient, seams not fully taped, it’s an awkward middle size for some trips.

  • Wolverine 95L ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.5/5)
    Comfort/light/durable/efficient, seams not fully taped

Virga

  • Cliffrose 55 (63L) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
    Strong reputation for frame/carry (40–50 lb loads), with the main drawback being small-maker availability/lead times.

Whippa Packs

  • Wollemi 90L ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
    Very light for its volume and praised for heavy-load carry, but reported to be uncomfortable at higher weights.

How its Caculated

The “Backpack Efficiency Score” is a combination of several calculations per backpack to give an overall efficiency score, considering: empty weight of the pack, volume capacity of the pack, and weight capacity of the pack. I’ve typed efficient so many times it doesn’t look like a real word anymore.

(Volume Efficiency x Load Efficiency) ÷ 2 = Backpack Efficiency Score

SO WHAT? Efficiency = Energy/Calories/Morale

Calculation 1: Volume Efficiency

Volume (L) ÷ Empty Pack Weight (g)

A higher score indicates that a backpack provides more usable space and load capacity per unit of pack weight

Calculation 2: Load Efficiency

Max Carry Weight (g) ÷ Empty Pack Weight (g)

A higher score indicates that a backpack stronger, more efficient suspension/frame

Higher score = better balance of volume and load capacity for the pack’s weight

Efficiency Ranking

Most to Least Efficient Pack

  1. Seek Outside - Unaweep 103L+

  2. Southern Lite - Ultra Lite 90L

  3. Superior Wilderness Designs - Big Wild 95L

  4. Superior Wilderness Designs - Wolverine 95L

  5. Superior Wilderness Designs - Wolverine 70L

  6. Superior Wilderness Designs - Big Wild 70L

  7. Southern Lite - Heavy Duty 90L

  8. Hyperlite Mountain Gear - Porter 85 (90L)

  9. Whippa Packs - Wollemi 90L

  10. Virga Packs - Cliffrose 55 (63L)

  11. Hyperlite Mountain Gear - Southwest 70L

  12. Sockdolager Equipment - Bad Larry 90L

  13. Fiordland Packs - Alpine 60-70L

  14. Mountain Hardware - Alpine Lite 55L

  15. Seek Outside - Silverton 38L

  16. Six Moon Designs - Flex PR 75L

  17. Six Moon Designs - Flex PR 50L

REVIEWS

Reviews are unbiased, curated from around the internet from multiple manufacturers, websites, blogs, and Reddit.

MATERIALS QUICK REFERENCE

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