In my ongoing quest to find the best ultra-light backpack for winter backpacking, I recently tried Outdoor Vitals’ Shadowlight™ Ultralight Backpack. This is my first impression.
Most ultralight packs are designed for light loads and 3-season thru-hikers. In recent years larger size ultra-light packs have become available. The challenge is finding ones that are adaptable to winter backpacking requirements, such as a 30–35 pound weight limit, 50–60 liters of capacity, and the ability to put all liquids, a closed-cell pad, an ice ax, and snowshoes on the exterior. The Shadowlight Ultralight Backpack is one such option.
Tag: ultralight winter backpacks
One of the best ways to lower the amount of weight you are carrying in winter is to get an ultralight backpack. Years ago when I set out to find a light winter backpack, I settled on the Granite Gear Leopard A.C. 58. Up until now, it was my gold standard. It was built with Granite Gear’s award-winning “AC” (AirCurrent) suspension, made with durable 100- and 210-denier high-tenacity Cordura nylon, and has a 58 liter/40-lb. capacity. At around 3 pounds (lid removed) it allowed me to keep my total winter pack weight at around 28 pounds, or 32 pounds with snowshoes attached (both base weight + consumables). It worked so well that when my pack began to show signs of wear, I resisted the newer Granite Gear packs and instead picked up a second-hand Leopard that I kept around as a backup.