← Gear database

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Prism 40L vs Zpacks Nero Classic 40L

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

Zpacks Nero Classic 40L is the lighter option — 538 g lighter than the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Prism 40L (65% less weight). If grams matter to you, that is the one to beat.
Spec Hyperlite Mountain Gear Prism 40L Zpacks Nero Classic 40L
Weight 827 g · 0.827 kg · 1.82 lb 289 g · 0.289 kg · 0.64 lb
Brand Hyperlite Mountain Gear Zpacks
Category Backpack Backpack
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Prism 40L
827 g

Technical alpine pack in DCH150 Dyneema with crampon pouch, ice tool carry, and removable lid. Load capacity up to 22kg.

Check price Full details →
Zpacks Nero Classic 40L
289 g

Frameless ultralight pack in 30L or 40L, built from Dyneema CF fabric. One of the lightest load-carrying packs available for thru-hiking.

Check price Full details →

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Prism 40L vs Zpacks Nero Classic 40L: which should you buy?

If saving weight is your priority, the Zpacks Nero Classic 40L wins — at 289 g it is 538 g (65%) lighter than the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Prism 40L (827 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.

More backpack comparisons