Durston Gear Wapta 30 UL Backpack Review: 6 Comparisons

Article by Markus Zinkl

Wapta 30 UL Backpack ($280.00)

Introduction

When it comes to ultralight backpacking, finding the perfect balance between weight, durability, and functionality can be a challenge. The Durston Gear Wapta 30 ultralight backpack promises to deliver on all fronts, boasting advanced materials and thoughtful design features. In this review, I’ll share my experiences with the Wapta 30, highlighting its technical specifications, standout features, and how it performed on the trail. Whether you’re a seasoned backpacker or new to ultralight gear, this review will help you determine if the Wapta 30 is the right pack for your adventures.

The Durston Gear Wapta 30 has been a standout in my ultralight backpacking gear kit since I received itand most recently was my pack for a trek in the Dolomites. 

Technical Specifications

• Weight:

• Complete Pack: 16.9 oz (M), 17.9 oz (L) / 480 g (M), 505 g (L)

• Minimum Weight: 12.8 oz / 365 g (M), 13.3 oz / 380 g (L)

• Minimum Weight (without hipbelt): 13.9 oz / 395 g (M)

• Removable Items:

• Sternum strap (0.5 oz / 15 g)

• Hipbelt (3.7 oz / 105 g (S/M) or 4.0 oz / 115 g (M/L))

• Materials:

• Main Fabric: ALUULA Graflyte™ V98

• Daisy Chain Fabric: ALUULA Durlyte™ HH190

• Sizing:

• Recommended Torso Length: Medium: 16" - 19" (41 - 48 cm), Large: 18.5" - 21.5" (47 - 55 cm)

• Pack Height: 17.5" / 44 cm (M), 20" / 51 cm (L)

• Hipbelt Min & Max Circumference: S/M: 28" - 48" (71 - 123 cm), M/L: 32" - 52" (81 - 133 cm)

• Hipbelt Recommended Hip Size: S/M: 29" - 38" (76 - 96 cm), M/L: 33" - 42" (86 - 106 cm)

• Top Circumference: 35" (89 cm)

• Bottom Circumference: 29" (74 cm)

• Unrolled Height: 30" (76 cm) / 32" (81 cm)

• Internal Volume: 30L / 32L

• External Volume: 16L

Official Features

• ALUULA Graflyte™: The only composite fabric with 100% UHMWPE fibers for the face fabric, offering superior durability and waterproofing.

• Waterproof: Main compartment is waterproof with seam taping and heat bonding.

• Durable Bottom Pocket: Uses ALUULA Graflyte™ for enhanced durability.

• Advanced Shaping: Ergonomic S-shaped shoulder straps and 3D-shaped hipbelt for comfort.

• Airmesh Ventilation: Dual air mesh strips on the backpanel for padding, grip, and ventilation.

• Removable Hipbelt: Saves over 100g for fast and light trips.

• Advanced Side Compression: Laser cut daisy chain system for versatile attachment.

• Hipbelt Pockets: Large pockets for easy access to phones and other items.

• Shoulder Strap Pockets: Handy storage for small items.

• Simple V Top Strap: Secure and easy to adjust for storing items on top.

Performance

The Wapta 30 is the first pack made with ALUULA fabrics. ALUULA’s proprietary process fuses a durable waterproof film to tough UHMWPE fibers, creating ALUULA Graflyte™. It  is a composite pack fabric, with a 100% UHMWPE woven face, achieves lower weights while maintaining excellent durability. The version used here weighs just 98 g/m² (2.9 oz/yd) and offers higher tear strength and abrasion resistance than comparable fabrics, making the ALUULA pack both lighter and stronger. 

ALUULA Graflyte™ also boasts long-term waterproofness, stain resistance, UV resistance, full recyclability and no PFAS, low water absorption, edge stability, and heat bondability. At least those are the claims, so let's see how the pack did in my testing.The material reminds me of Ultra 100, offering a similar feel and claims even higher durability. 

The numerous attachment points and roomy, easily accessible side pockets are incredibly convenient. It’s very easy to reach for my water bottles in the side pockets and they are big enough to store two 1L bottles in there.

They can also be cinched down, to secure smaller items in there.

To avoid water in the side pockets there are drainage holes in each side pocket.

The pack carries very comfortably, thanks to the ergonomic S-shaped shoulder straps that distribute weight evenly across my shoulders. With a full pack and four days of food I carried around 20 lbs on my latest trip in South Tyrol. I never had any discomfort and the pack carries great for a frameless pack. 

The hipbelt is comfortably padded and 3D-shaped, however I never use a hipbelt. It is great to have the option of one, if you need it.

I found that the chest strap could benefit from a bit of stretch for added comfort during extended use. I would have liked to have a bit of stretch webbing band where it attaches on the left side.

The overall quality of the Wapta 30 is extremely high, with flawless seams and nice details like branded buckles that add a nice touch. The only thing I found worrying are the seamtapes on the inside. More on that later.

Adjusting the shoulder straps requires a bit of effort due to the thin webbing bands, on the other hand they hold incredibly well due to the high friction, ensuring a secure fit.

One improvement I would suggest is the addition of magnets or snap buttons to close the rolltop more securely. This would enhance the ease of use when rolling the top. To secure the roll-top there is a Y-strap, which is narrower than most other UL packs would have. I didn’t have any problems keeping the rolltop secure, but it tends to twist a bit easier than a wider strap would.

I really like the two way adjustment of this strap, which is also used for the side compression straps. This allows you to only cinch down one side as needed and it conforms perfectly if you store something on top, like an additional piece of clothing or any other gear.

The minimalistic and stretchy shoulder strap pockets provide ample storage for small items like phones, headphones, sunglasses, suncream, and small water bottles, and are easy to close with a drawstring.

I did encounter an issue with the seam tape on the opposite side of the shoulder straps getting loose, likely due to the use of too thick tape. Dan from Durston Gear is aware of this and may resolve it with heat bonded seams all together. To address this, I replaced the seam tape with 30mm Ultra TNT PSA tape, which holds up great and conforms better along the seams. This thinner and more pliable tape has proven to be a better choice, enhancing the overall durability of the pack. 

Due to my experience I can’t confirm the waterproofness of this pack. I would always recommend a packliner for this reason. In my option there are no real waterproof UL packs out there, only highly water resistant ones.

The Wapta 30 is very durable, handling rocks and rough surfaces well. I’ve lightly scraped it and put it down on rocks without any noticeable wear. 

This is also the reason DurstonGear opted for a Graflite™ bottom pocket. I really like bottom pockets, which are usually out of a stretch mesh, on UL packs mainly to store snacks and trash. At first I was worried that the non-stretch pocket would hold everything in place, but my worries were unwarranted. 

Also the main front pocket is made out of Graflite™ fabric. It is big enough to store everything I would need. Also without the stretch a mesh fabric would provide. 

The back panel does an excellent job with ventilation, and the material doesn’t retain much moisture, which is also true for the shoulder strap padding. This feature is particularly beneficial during hot and humid conditions, keeping me comfortable throughout my hikes.

Conclusion

Overall, the Durston Gear Wapta 30 is a high-quality, durable, and comfortable ultralight backpack that excels in various conditions. It’s a great choice for those looking for a reliable and well-designed pack for their adventures. Whether you’re tackling rugged trails or embarking on a fast and light trip, the Wapta 30 delivers exceptional performance and convenience.

6 Comparisons

Ultimate Direction - Fastpack 20 (RTR Review)

The Fastpack 20 is a good example when features come with a weight penalty. In my review I mention it to be a bit overbuilt. It has running vest style shoulder straps, but only works fine for me for a few hours. For long days on the trail, it’s the Wapta for me.

Gossamer Gear - Fast Kumo 36 (RTR Review)

The GG Fast Kumo has a similar level of comfort and suits better for longer stretches of running. which is fine with the Wapta 30, but not its strong suit. While the storage options on the shoulder straps are similar, the pocket on the Fast Kumo allow for a bit more gear organization. Overall the Wapta is way more rugged than the Fast Kumo. The Robic Nylon fabric is much more prone to aberration and tearing than the Graflite™ fabric.

Dandee Packs - The Standard (RTR Review)

If you read my review of the Dandee Packs-The Standard, you already know that it’s my favorite pack to date. The Dandee carries a bit closer to the body making it more comfortable when fully loaded. It is out of DFC fabric, which is not as durable as the Graflite­™ fabric. For more rugged treks I would go with the Wapta, for easier terrain for the Dandee.

Volpi Outdoor Gear - Fastpack 30 (RTR Review)

The Volpi Fastpack 30 is not as comfortable as the Wapta 30. The Wapta 30 has a closer fit to the body, and the shoulder straps conform better to my shoulders. The Ultra™ 100 and Graflite™ fabric are similar in feel, but the Wapta 30 edges Volpis Pack in terms of durability. Due to the better comfort I would go with the Wapta 30.

Outdoor Vitals - Skyline 30 (RTR Review)

The Skyline 30 is one of the most feature packed fastpacks out there, while still keeping the weight in check. It is basically the better version of the UD Fastpack. However, I find the comfort and durability of the Wapta 30 superior. However if you are planning on running the majority of your fastpacking trips, the Skyline 30 is worth a look.

Black Diamond - Betalight

While the Betalight has everything on paper and is actually pretty similar to the Wapta 30, it lacks in execution. It is made out of Ultra fabric, 30 liter capacity, has a removable hip belt and has a similar UL pack roll top design. I found the shoulder straps a bit too minimalistic and uncomfortable after a full day. The capacity of the main compartment is in my opinion actually more than 30l, if I compare it to other packs. The layout of the shoulder strap pockets is weird. On the left side, there is supposed to fit a 500 ml soft flask, which barely does. On the right side the zippered pocket doesn't really fit a phone. If you cram it in there, it uncomfortable sticks out into my ribs. It is great to see that a big manufacturer actually uses a unique ultralight fabric. It is just not quite there yet, with most small cottage brands, which are used to this design for years.

The Wapta 30 available a Durston Gear: HERE

Our other Durston Gear reviews:

Durston Gear Iceline Trekking Poles Review

Durston Gear X-Mid Pro 1 Ultralight Tent - What has Changed? 2024 Update Review

Tester Profile

Markus Zinkl: I’m 33 years old and live in a small village in Bavaria, Germany. I started hiking and backpacking 5-6 years ago. Coming from trail running and with light and fast in mind, I started hiking and fast packing with ultralight gear. Over the years I tried and tested a lot of gear, always in search of weight savings. Although still trying to stay out of the ultralight rabbit hole. I spend most of my days off from work on the trail, with at least one 2-3 week thru-hike. Among the more well known trails I have hiked over the last few years are the GR221, WHR (Walker’s Haute Route), TMB (Tour du Mont Blanc), TC (Tour du Cervin-Matterhorn) and Via Alpina Switzerland. As you probably notice by now, I’m at home in the mountains. So if I’m not running or thru-hiking a longer trail, I’m probably somewhere in the Alps checking out some shorter trails.

The products that are the basis of this test were provided to us free of charge by Durston Gear. The opinions presented are our own.

We welcome comments and questions in the comments section.