The new Granite Gear Virga3 26L is an ultralight frameless backpack that weighs 1.26 pounds and will appeal to hikers and backpackers alike. Weighing in at 20.2 oz (572 g), it has an adjustable torso length so you can dial in a custom fit with numerous pockets and attachment points to carry bulkier gear. Dual sternum straps, shoulder strap bottle elastics, and a removable cinch belt will appeal to fast packers, but don’t get in the way of wearing the Virga3 26 as a regular pack or accessorizing it with strap pockets. existing third-party bottle sleeves or shoulder straps. own.
Specifications at a glance
- Gender: Unisex
- Type: Frameless
- Adjustable Torso Length/Width: Yes
- Full Weight: 20.2 ounces (572 g)
- Bare Weight: 18.6 oz (526 g)
- Freight elevators: Yes
- Pockets: 3 open
- Hydration Compatible: Yes
- Loops for ice axes/trekking poles: 2
- Colors: White (undyed) or Black
- Materials: 100D and 210D Robic nylon
- Recommended maximum load: 20-25 pounds
The new Virga3 26L is in its third generation in the Granite Gear product line. It has always been popular with hikers who want an ultralight, smaller capacity version of Granite Gear’s multi-day packs. With the exception of the hipbelt and color options, the Virga3 26 is almost identical to the new Virga3 55L, which is also frameless and has also been updated.
The Virga3 26L is a roll-top backpack configured in a classic ultralight style with two side water bottle pockets and a stretch mesh front pocket. It has top and bottom compression straps on three sides, not two, which is a hallmark of most Granite Gear packs and comes in handy when you have to carry bulky gear like snowshoes that won’t fit inside your pack. .
The Virga3 26L has an adjustable torso length so you can lengthen or shorten your torso to best fit. This is done by raising or lowering the shoulder straps which are attached to daisy chains behind the shoulder straps. Granite Gear has carefully marked the torso length corresponding to the inch positions so you can easily reposition the straps using the closed buckles that connect them to the daisy chains.
In addition to elongating the torso, you can widen or narrow the width between the shoulder straps, which is important for women and many shorter men. If you have the straps too wide and you start to feel pain in one of your shoulders, try moving the straps closer. Shoulder strap distance can be a real problem for some people, especially men with thick chests, but this level of adjustability has been present in many of the Granite Gear backpacks I’ve reviewed for over 10 years.
The Virga3 26L is a frameless pack that requires a different packing methodology than packs with frames or frame supports. Many people place a foam sleeping pad inside the main compartment, directly behind the shoulder straps, or rolled up like a large tube in the main compartment to shape the pack so it doesn’t collapse on itself. Once this is done, you can pack as you normally would, placing clothing and gear behind the foam pad or inside the rolled cavity it creates. Personally, I prefer to pack four sections of a ZLite Sol foam sleeping mat behind the shoulder straps, as a roll-up foam mat like the classic Thermarest RidgeRest takes up too much bulk, and thinner mattresses like the Gossamer Gear 1/ 8″ Thinlight does not provide enough rigidity. When worn, the Zlite foam pad flattens against your back and prevents items inside the pack from hitting your back.
Since it’s frameless, the Virga3 26 tends to tip over if you overcrowd the main compartment. This is to be expected and the norm for a frameless backpack. Being frameless also means that the hipbelt, which is a simple webbing strap, is not load-bearing, so the weight of the pack will fall entirely on your shoulders. The function of the hipbelt in this situation is to bring the bottom of the pack closer to your torso to prevent bouncing when walking, although it is also completely removable if you prefer not to use it or want to use a climbing harness with the pack.
The shoulder straps are S-shaped, which are usually comfortable for men and women. They have daisy chains sewn to the front, so you can attach bottle sleeves or pockets to them if you already have the ones you prefer. Alternatively, the pack comes with four bungee bottle-storage cords that you can use to attach smaller bottles to the shoulder straps. I like my own third party pockets better.
The shoulder straps come with two sternum straps so you can transfer more load from your shoulders to your upper chest, sort of like the vest straps that are increasingly appearing on smaller volume packs. However, this is entirely optional and you can easily remove one of the sternum straps if you want a more traditional feel. I have found that crossing the two sternum straps is more comfortable for me, especially when carrying bulky and heavy winter traction aids.
The side pockets are deep and can hold two Smartwater bottles. They have a bungee cord adjustment that runs along the top so you can tighten pockets and keep bottles from falling out. The underside compression strap can also be unzipped through or over the side pocket, so you can still have compression even if the pocket is full. The pack is hydration compatible with a central hose port, though there’s only a switch on the inside to hang a reservoir and not a reservoir pocket.
The roll top clips onto the top of the pack and there is a perpendicular top strap holding it down. If you prefer to use a roll top that attaches to the side of the pack instead of the top because it provides better clearance and compression, you can attach the clips on the roll top to the clips on the top compression strap it covers stretch mesh front pocket. This eliminates additional cinch straps and is a very well executed design feature.
Similar Frameless Backpacks
Recommendation
The new frameless Virga3 26L is a fun pack to carry and can be used for a variety of hikes and outdoor trips as long as you keep the weight of the pack under 20-25lbs and avoid overloading it. I love using the new undyed white colorway, though there are plenty of examples of hikers illustrating their packs with colorful designs on Granite Gear’s Instagram feed. The only real criticism I have of the pack is its performance in winter conditions, where the buckles get stuck in the snow and won’t close. Despite that use case, this new 3rd generation Virga3 26L is a highly functional, adjustable ultralight backpack that’s perfect for hikers who want a miniature version of an ultralight multi-day pack for day hikes or quick packing. .
Disclosure: Granite Gear donated a backpack for review.
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