No. 1 among hiking packs around 30L is the Mammut Lithium 30. It's 930g, 31.0g per liter of capacity. It was the lightest of the 6 models, and its price of ¥23,100 was the lowest too.
The Gear Nerd's Pick
The weight of a 30L pack is mostly set by how the back side is built. The two that the maker says "let air pass through the back" and have "tensioned mesh" are 1,350g and 1,520g, while the Lithium 30, which presses grooved foam against your back, is 930g. For a day hike or one-night hut load, I'd rather put these 420–590g into water and warm clothes.
Key points
- The 6 models weigh 930–1,520g. Per liter of capacity that's 31.0–50.0g, and the heaviest is about 1.6 times the lightest
- Back length is fitted three ways: types where you choose a size (karrimor 3 sizes, Millet 2 sizes), types you adjust within one pack (Osprey 43–56cm, mont-bell 49–57cm), and types whose official page gives no number
- A rain cover is listed as included on the official pages of 5 of the 6 models. Only the Gregory Zulu 30 page doesn't mention a cover
A 30L hiking pack ranges from 930g to 1,520g at the same capacity
The Mammut Lithium 30 is 930g. The Osprey Stratos 34 is 1.52kg. Both are sized for day hikes up to one-night hut stays, and the gap is 590g, more than a 500mL bottle of water.
But the capacities differ, so I divide the 6 models' official numbers by capacity before lining them up.
How I chose
The first thing I looked at was weight divided by capacity, "weight per liter." Only the 31.0g Lithium 30 stands apart. The other five cluster at 42–50g. From second place down, I split by this number and by whether the official page gives a back length.
This ranking is made from what you can buy on Rakuten. mont-bell, sold only through its official shop, is shown as out of ranking, with its numbers listed.
Quick table of 6 hiking packs at 30L
Scroll the table sideways →
| Model | Weight | Capacity | Official price | Weight per liter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mammut Lithium 30 | 930g | 30L | ¥23,100 | 31.0g |
| Deuter Futura 32 | 1,350g | 32L | ¥29,700 | 42.2g |
| Osprey Stratos 34 | 1.52kg | 34L | ¥34,100 | 44.7g |
| Millet Saas-Fee NX 30+5 | 1,500g | 30+5L | ¥28,050 | 50.0g |
| karrimor ridge 30+ (M) | 1,420g | 30L+ | ¥31,900 | 47.3g |
| Gregory Zulu 30 MD/LG | 1.42kg | 30L | ¥29,700 | 47.3g |
| Out of ranking: mont-bell Cha-Cha Pack 30 | 1.4kg | 30L | ¥23,800 | 46.7g |
No. 1 is the Lithium 30, No. 2 the Futura 32 and No. 3 the Stratos 34.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Mammut Lithium 30
Lowest price on Rakuten: ¥16,800 (as of 10/13). Prices vary by shop, up to ¥29,900, and change daily.
RecommendedSee it at L-BreathSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanChoose a 30L hiking pack by back length: from the neck bone to the hip bone
Pack size is decided by back length, not height. In Deuter's explanation, it's the length from the bone that sticks out when you tilt your head forward to the top edge of the hip bone.
| Model | Back length (official) | How it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Out of ranking: Cha-Cha Pack 30 | 49–57cm | Adjusted within one pack |
| Stratos 34 | 43–56cm | Adjusted within one pack |
| Saas-Fee NX 30+5 | M 48cm · L 51cm | Choose from 2 sizes |
| ridge 30+ | S 42 · M 47 · L 52cm | Choose from 3 sizes |
Only two fit a back length under 45cm: the S of the ridge 30+, and the Stratos 34.
Why this order
| Rank | Model | Why it's ranked here |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mammut Lithium 30 | 31.0g per liter and ¥770, the lowest in both weight and price among the 6 models. |
| 2 | Deuter Futura 32 | The lightest of the airflow designs at 42.2g per liter, but it's 420g heavier than No. 1 and ¥6,600 more. |
| 3 | Osprey Stratos 34 | The back length adjusts over 13cm, the widest, but it's also the top of the six in weight and price. |
| 4 | Millet Saas-Fee NX 30+5 | Expanded to 35L it's 42.9g per liter, but left at 30L it's 50.0g, the heaviest. |
| 5 | karrimor ridge 30+ | You can choose back length from 3 sizes, but ¥1,063 per liter is the highest of the 6 models. |
| 6 | Gregory Zulu 30 | 47.3g per liter and ¥990 puts it in the middle, but whether it fits your back and whether it has a rain cover you can only check in a shop. |
No. 1: Mammut Lithium 30
930g and ¥23,100. The usual order, where light packs cost more, is reversed. I recommend this with some heat.
The weak spot is that back length and size range aren't given officially. Whether your back is short or long, you try it on in a shop, and it suits people who want to go light on day hikes and one-night hut stays.
No. 2: Deuter Futura 32
It delivers a tensioned-mesh design that lets air across your back at 1,350g. It's 170g lighter and ¥4,400 cheaper than the Stratos 34, which also says air passes through. The product page has no back length number, so you try it on to check the fit.
For people bothered by sweat on their back, this is the one I pick.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Deuter Futura 32
Lowest price on Rakuten: ¥21,750 (as of 10/13). Prices vary by shop, up to ¥46,200, and change daily.
RecommendedSee it at L-BreathSee it on RakutenNo. 3: Osprey Stratos 34
The adjustable back length is 43–56cm. A recommended load weight (5–14kg) is given, the only one that serves as a guide to overpacking. In exchange, it's heavy. 1.52kg and ¥34,100 are the top of the 6 models in both weight and price.
For people whose back length falls between sizes, and people whose one-night hut load grows, the whole 34L size pays off.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Osprey Stratos 34
Lowest price on Rakuten: ¥34,100 (as of 10/13). Prices vary by shop, up to ¥74,310, and change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaNo. 4: Millet Saas-Fee NX 30+5
Change the height of the top lid and it expands from 30L to 35L. Divided by 35L, it's 42.9g per liter, about level with the Futura 32. Left at 30L it's 50.0g, the heaviest, and back length comes in only 2 sizes. Here's the weak spot.
It suits people who want even a rain cover that fits two compartments from the start.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Millet Saas-Fee NX 30+5
Lowest price on Rakuten: ¥20,999 (as of 10/13). Prices vary by shop, up to ¥28,050, and change daily.
RecommendedSee it at L-BreathSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanI looked at the difference from its sibling model in a separate article. Read the Millet Saas-Fee NX 30+5 review
No. 5: karrimor ridge 30+
Back length comes in 3 sizes: S 42cm, M 47cm, L 52cm. Having an S that fits smaller people is its strength. ¥31,900 works out to the highest per liter of the 6 models, which is the weak spot.
One for smaller people who want to match their back length properly.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
karrimor ridge 30+
Lowest price on Rakuten: ¥27,115 (as of 10/13). Prices vary by shop, up to ¥31,900, and change daily.
RecommendedSee it at L-BreathSee it on RakutenNo. 6: Gregory Zulu 30
Its numbers are in the middle. The MD/LG is 1.42kg and ¥29,700. I lowered it because it's hard to decide before buying whether it fits your back and whether it has a rain cover. Also watch that choosing the SM/MD cuts capacity to 28L.
It suits people who can decide after seeing the real tag in a shop.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Gregory Zulu 30
Lowest price on Rakuten: ¥21,840 (as of 10/13). Prices vary by shop, up to ¥29,700, and change daily.
RecommendedSee it at L-BreathSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanOut of ranking: mont-bell Cha-Cha Pack 30 (bought at the official online shop)
The Cha-Cha Pack 30 is 1.4kg and ¥23,800. That's 470g heavier and ¥700 more than No. 1. Back length adjusts between 49 and 57cm. The pack cover is built into the bottom. The official page gives a back length number, and the price per liter was ¥793.
Even if a hiking pack comes with a rain cover, put your gear in bags
A cover wraps only the outside of the pack, and the back and shoulder-strap side stay open. Millet also gives the fabric's water resistance as 1,500mm or more, but doesn't write that the whole pack is waterproof. Pack spare clothes and what you sleep in into waterproof bags first.
Who is it for?
This suits people who want to walk with one pack from day hikes to one-night hut stays.
For half-day low mountains only, your current 20L-class pack is enough. If you carry a tent and sleeping bag, 40L or more; and if your back length is under 42cm, none of these six fits by the numbers, so there are other ways to choose.
FAQ
Can I stay in a hut with a 30L pack?
Yes, it's enough. Millet writes that the Saas-Fee NX 30+5 is for "hiking from day hikes to hut stays," and this size is enough. When the load grows, the Saas-Fee that expands to 35L or the 34L Stratos 34 are candidates. I decide capacity by use in how to choose hiking pack capacity.
Can I measure my own back length?
Yes. Deuter's official procedure is to wrap a belt horizontally above your hip bones, hang a tape measure from the bone at the base of your neck, and read where it meets the top edge of the belt.
What's different about a hiking pack with a mesh back?
The weight. The Futura 32 with its tensioned mesh is 1,350g, and the Lithium 30 with grooves cut into the foam is 930g. I split it this way: people who walk summer low mountains for long want airflow, and people who want to pack light want lightness.
Gear in this article
Ad · Images: Rakuten IchibaSources
- Mammut official online store: Lithium 30 (2530-03152)
- mont-bell official online store: Cha-Cha Pack 30
- Iwatani-Primus (Deuter's authorized distributor in Japan) official: Futura 32
- Blue Sheep (Osprey's authorized distributor in Japan) official store: Stratos 34
- Millet official online store: Saas-Fee NX 30+5
- karrimor official online store: ridge 30+
- Gregory official online store: Free Float Zulu 30 MD/LG
- Gregory official online store: Free Float Zulu 30 SM/MD
- deuter official: How to measure your back length
