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Durston Gear Kakwa 55 vs Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra 60

Weight and specs compared for 2026 — and which one to choose.

Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra 60 is the lighter option — 252 g lighter than the Durston Gear Kakwa 55 (29% less weight). If grams matter to you, that is the one to beat.
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Spec Durston Gear Kakwa 55 Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra 60
Weight 870 g · 0.870 kg · 1.92 lb
size Medium, UltraGrid fabric, incl. removable frame and backpad
618 g · 0.618 kg · 1.36 lb
as listed, size/variant not specified on page
Brand Durston Gear Zpacks
Category Backpack Backpack
Durston Gear Kakwa 55
870 g

Versatile 55L lightweight pack in UltraGrid fabric with aluminum frame stays. Excellent load transfer for heavier loads up to 40 lbs.

See it in your base weight → Full details →
Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra 60
618 g

Ultralight 60L thru-hiking pack with carbon fiber frame and Ultra 100X Dyneema fabric. Seam-taped roll-top design with side water bottle pockets.

See it in your base weight → Full details →

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Durston Gear Kakwa 55 vs Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra 60: which should you buy?

If saving weight is your priority, the Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra 60 wins — at 618 g it is 252 g (29%) lighter than the Durston Gear Kakwa 55 (870 g). That said, the heavier option may justify the extra grams with more capacity, durability or comfort, so weigh the trade-off against how you'll use it.

See where both rank against everything else in this category on the lightest backpack page, or browse the full gear weight database.

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