Wrangler 35L Ultralight Backpack

What we loved about the Ultralight Backpack: water resistancy, which makes it the perfect backpack for quick alpine missions. In the Beartooth mountains we get a lot of "surprise" storms and keeping gear and extra layers dry makes our backcountry ventures safer. The roll-top is easy to use and adds water protection to the pack. A highlight is the bright color of the pack - perfect for guiding - guests appreciate good visibility. The outside pockets are great for wet crampons, snacks, water and quick access gear. They compress well when empty, but accommodate larger items like camp shoes easily.

I got one of the wranglers for myself and took it on a backpacking trip in Moab and loved it. Definitely all good things from me even with having to carry a lot more weight than I usually would backpacking with the extra water.

So far (200 miles!) I love this pack! When I hiked the Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail I used Hyperlite Mountain Gear packs and I do love those packs too.

The construction and materials feel very high quality, I think this pack will last for a long time. The modular ability and size of this pack is perfect for thru hiking with an ultralight base weight and climbing. The webbing hip belt that comes with the pack isn’t suitable for taking weight off the shoulders, however the modular attachment system of the hip belt allowed me to install a padded hip belt (the HMG contour hip belt) - my biggest recommendation is for high mtn gear to create and offer a padded hip belt as an option but even as is it’s quite easy to buy and attach another hip belt. Lastly, I prefer my sleeping pad attached to the lower part of the pack because attaching it to the top makes travel in heavy vegetation more difficult and added a restriction in visibility when looking behind yourself. I rigged a system using the ice axe loops/shock cord but with the key placement of the smaller loops, such as the ones on the side, this could be a bit easier.

I am so stoked to be using this pack and am going to use it for the rest of the CDT.

When I first got my hands on this backpack, I was excited about the versatility it had within such a simple design. It is similar in many ways to a thru-hiking pack design, which emphasizes minimal "bells and whistles", but has some features that make it adaptable to light alpine pursuits. I am excited to utilize this pack on quick scrambles, climbs that demand speed, some fast packing, and thru-hiking.

The Wrangler is well constructed, has durable hardware, attractive, and comfortable. Its simplicity is a valuable attribute that is refreshing when looking at so many backpacks that are bulky, over-engineered, and make me feel like the pack is wearing me. It also has some features that make it stand out. The removable shoulder straps and hip belt allow for hauling with fewer snags and hypothetically allow for changing the strap design should you have the ability. The various attachment points for adjusting the compression cords make it possible to customize how you distribute your load. This modularity makes it adjustable to various objectives and pack weights. Overall, this is a solid pack that has some niche details and features, and has only what you need to go fast and light.

Super light, customizable, durable backpack