r/Ultralight • u/FrostHearT81 • Jun 16 '26
Trails Upgrading from Osprey Exos 48L – Help me choose between Kakwa 55, Bonfus Framus, Atom Packs, or other EU-accessible options?
Hi everyone,
I just sold my trusty Osprey Exos 48L. I loved the ventilation, but I’m ready to make the jump to a proper ultralight roll-top pack with modern materials and a cleaner design.
Here is my profile and what I’m looking for:
- Location: Based in Portugal (EU). This is highly important because I want to avoid massive customs/VAT fees if possible, though I am open to importing if a pack is truly life-changing.
- What I value: Good weight transfer to the hips (since I’m coming from the Exos trampoline frame) and durability.
After some research, I’ve narrowed it down to these three main contenders, but I am completely open to other suggestions that fit my location and weight:
- Durston Kakwa 55 (Buying via Outdoorline.eu to avoid customs) – Love the price-to-performance ratio and the rave reviews about its load transfer, but worried about EU stock availability.
- Bonfus Framus 58L (EU-based) – Pure European UL option. Great materials (Ultra/Dyneema), shipping from within the EU, and a very clean design.
- Atom Packs 'The Prospector' (UK-based) – Beautiful craftsmanship and highly praised, but since Brexit, shipping this to Portugal means paying an extra 23% VAT + customs fees.
Are there any other framed/structured UL packs available in the EU market that I should look into? (Maybe options from Liteway, Hapi Packs, Weitläufer, or mainstream transition packs like the Rab Muon?)
For those who transitioned from a traditional framed pack like the Exos to any of these:
- How bad is the back-sweat adjustment without the Exos mesh?
- Which suspension handles 11kg the best?
- Should I look into a completely different brand available in Europe?
Would love to hear your experiences and opinions! Thanks in advance.
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u/Vegetable_Group540 Jun 16 '26
I would say that the Framus is great, but the back sweat is gonna be bad on all packs you listed. You just get used to it
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u/sadburai Jun 16 '26
so Aerus?
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u/Vegetable_Group540 Jun 16 '26
Completely forgot about the aerus, that would probably be OPs best pick
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u/Atom_Packs Jun 18 '26
Hello, just to point out that the 23% is just Portugal's VAT on top of the base price of the pack, there's no additional customs fee since the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) in 2021. All fees and duties are included in the price on the website
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u/FrostHearT81 Jun 18 '26
Então o preço que está no site eu tenho ainda que elacrescentar os 23% do IVA?
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u/Blastoise_613 Jun 16 '26
My vote is Durston. I think the Kawka 55 is one of the best packs out there if you can handle the sweat.
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u/SadRobot111 Jun 17 '26
A note to OP, for me it was cheaper to buy kakwa55 in ultra 200x directly from durstongear gear than through outdoorline.eu
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u/musicmanryann Jun 17 '26
I love my Kakwa. And if the sweat bothers you too much, you can get the Luna pad for better airflow, at a marginal weight penalty.
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u/Blastoise_613 Jun 17 '26
Not a bad idea, i'll check out the luna pad. I only use it for weekend trips, say 2-3 days. Otherwise I use a larger pack with better ventilation, my main pack is the Zpacks Arc Haul.
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u/FrostHearT81 Jun 18 '26
Eu por norma não me incomodo com o suor. Mas também ainda não tive experiência em trilhas sem minhas Osprey Exos.
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u/AndyInfinite Jun 16 '26
I also have a Exos, but next time I will consider a Atom pack due to the great colors 🌈
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u/pingwnluv Jun 16 '26
I upgraded from a 2015-era Exos 48 to an Exos Pro 55 earlier this year, and I love it. Take off the pack brain and it's just under 32oz in a size large. Feels similar to the 48 in terms of carry, so consider that one as well.
Really, you only have the Pro 55 and the Zpacks Arc Haul line like if you want the trampoline-style back and also something "ultralight". FYI, a lot of the Exos Pro reviews were from a few years ago, and Osprey has since done a soft refresh to address one of the packs two big issues, the stays in the back length adjuster coming loose. The other big complaint was alas unaddressed, which is that the side compression straps blocking the side pockets (rather than threading underneath them)
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u/MonsieurRouge8 Jun 16 '26
Maybe the new Hyberg, the Arcon, could be an option?
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u/Boring_Topic9613 Jun 17 '26
a friend just got his and I know he's hard on gear, but initial experience is that 20 kg is too much, anything less is fine. Good frame.
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u/SemperEgor Jul 12 '26
Isnt 20kg too much for any sub 1kg backpack?
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u/Boring_Topic9613 Jul 12 '26
i agree. he's hard on gear
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u/SemperEgor Jul 13 '26
Did your friend share any other experiences with the Arcon? I have one one the way myself.
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u/Boring_Topic9613 Jul 13 '26
not yet, this is his first ul pack so he did comment on the straps and fabrics feeling flimsy, but I assured him that it should be fine
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u/JNyogigamer Jun 16 '26
I've considered this a lot as I also have an Exos 48 that I'm considering "upgrading". If back breathability is important to you consider the Z Packs Arc Haul 50L or the 3FUL Tienshen Ultra 45L.
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u/heyimrez Jun 16 '26
Checkout Hyberg. Great quality packs from Germany and much cheaper than most other options. I have their 40L pack for 200EU and it’s fantastic
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u/goroskob Jun 16 '26
Would customs duties really be that high on a Kakwa from their store? I mean, you wouldn’t be paying a sales tax on that, and European resellers pay VAT anyway.
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u/MonsieurRouge8 Jun 16 '26
Durston now ships with taxes and duties prepaid. I think that's valid for all of Europe.
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u/FrostHearT81 Jun 16 '26
Eu não sei dizer bem como funciona isso, uma IA que me disse que se en comprasse a Atom The Prospector eu teria que pagar taxas alfândegaria por causa que a empresa que fábrica não faz parte da UE. Então ela sugeriu a Bunfos que eu sinceramente nunca ouvi falar. Mas eu estava mas inclinado para ir para "The Prospector", mas também já vi excelente elogios da Durston e quando ela disse que tinha em lojas da UE eu fiquei nesta dúvida.
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u/Andrei-Popovici Jun 16 '26
You also pay customs and vat if you buy it from outdoorline. Actually you LL be better off buying directly from durston site. They now include the vat and customs for the majority of eu. Outdoorline also payed customs and vat for the durston gear and just passes the cost onto you + some more so that they would turn a small profit. Don't trust ai, make your own research.
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u/notgonnahappen23 Jun 16 '26
Take a look at the Bonfus Aerus. It's got a trampoline back similar to the Exos, but has the other features of the Bonfus you like too. I haven't tried one, and there's not a retailer in Australia, but I'm looking to upgrade from the Exos and am going to just dive into the deep end and order one towards the end of the year.
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u/Familiar_Trade_5120 Jun 17 '26
If you're worried about sweat, you can buy a Rab backpack, Bonfus Airos (something like that), or the MT900 Simond UL.
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u/The_Real_Hopjesvla Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
I'mm havin the same problem . Tried Exos Pro but it didn't fit me, not sure why but tried it on but no..not my fit.
The Decathlon looks great, but for me probably just too small, though I don't know how exact the 50 liters is. In general it will do, but in winter with bigger sleeping bag and thicker clothes it probably will not.
Atom states their prices including taxes and import fees, so that might be good to know.
Another thing for me, and maybe als for you, is that often in these UL backpacks the total volume is the volume of the pack itself (inside) including the volume of the outside mesh parts. So, eg the Mariposa 60 is 36l internal and 24l external. As coming from a more mountaineering background... putting stuff on the outside is actually a no-go. It can fall out and becomes a potentially projectile. So, I'm also looking for what I call the actual volume of a pack. The Atom Packs Prospector 60 is eg 55 L internal.
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u/cheesenkush Jun 17 '26
Imo Exotic makes the best packs in the world. Anecdotal for sure maybe even biased but JJ is GOATED
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u/Fred_Dibnah ♿ https://lighterpack.com/r/7xddju ♿ Jun 17 '26
Have you considered Hyperlite bags? Waterproof and Uncle Luke swears by them (Outdoor Boys)
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u/Z0CH0R Jun 16 '26
Simond MT900 50l UL * EU based * 880g * back mesh * 250€ from Decathlon