Gear Review: Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 70 Ultralight Backpack

Sometimes you need a giant backpack in order to haul everything you need on a backpacking trip. For me, this is often the case because I pack in a full wildlife photography setup. My go-to big volume backpack is the Southwest 70 by Hyperlite Mountain Gear. It's an ultralight backpack that can carry extremely heavy loads, which makes it ideal for me and maybe ideal for you!

Hyperlite Mountain Gear uses Dyneema fabric, which is extremely durable and water resistant. These two factors are super important to me when I'm backpacking. I get up to a lot of tomfoolery bushwhacking and scrambling and my backpack has to be up to the task! Durable Dyneema fabric also means that you can carry much heavier loads than the average ultralight backpack is able to carry. I don't often find myself with a loaded up backpack weighing less than 40 pounds, so it's amazing that the Southwest 70 is ultralight, but can carry up to 60 pounds no problem.

I've been backpacking with Hyperlite's Southwest 70 for many years now and I'm very happy with what it's capable of and how burly it is. It's backpacked over 4,000 miles with me and it's still in phenomenal shape, which is a true testament to the build quality of Hyperlite backpacks!

Quick Rundown of Hyperlite Mountain Gear's Southwest 70 Ultralight Backpack

• Internal volume: 70 liters/External volume: 9.8 liters
• Weight: 39.3 ounces or 2.45 pounds
• Max carry load: 60 pounds
• Made from DCH50 (Main Body) & DCH150 (Bottom)/seam sealed and water resistant
• Three external, solid Hardline with Dyneema® pockets. Hardline with Dyneema® zippered pockets on hip belt
• Roll-Top closure system with side compression straps for vertical compression
• Internal 8" x 14” mesh sleeve for hydration bladder
• Grab Loop & Ice Axe loop. Four exterior triglide buckles for optional pack accessory straps. Daisy chains on shoulder straps

My Experience with Hyperlite Mountain Gear's Southwest 70 Ultralight Backpack

I've backpacked all over the Southwest with my Hyperlite Southwest 70, including section hiking the CDT and Colorado Trail. I have also used the Southwest 70 for base camp trips, where I end up using it as a daypack, which it is actually really great for if you need to carry extra layers and extra gear.

The comfort of this backpack is surprising. Even fully loaded up, carrying 55+ pounds of gear, it's pretty comfortable. It's not as adjustable as many ultralight packs are, but it's designed well and if you pack it correctly, the weight distribution makes it no problem to backpack with a very loaded Southwest 70. The padding in the shoulder straps and hip belt is quite minimal, but doesn't compress much, so stays nice and soft against your bones. The foam back pad has saved my spine from bruising many times!

I love the giant external pockets on this backpack. They are not stretchy, but they're able to hold an incredible amount of stuff! And the side pockets come up high, which is great for securing water bottles, trekking poles and a tent. Stuff like that; stuff that could easily fall out of shorter pockets. The side pockets are pretty huge, and you can definitely squeeze in bear spray, a water bottle, bug spray and a few other choice items into just one! Pretty clutch when you don't want to forgo a single item on your backpacking trip.

I've used the Southwest 70 Ultralight Backpack on winter backpacking trips a few times and the water resistant materials really shine in snowy conditions. You can leave the backpack sitting on snow and ice and it's not a problem. Of course the water resistance in nice in the monsoon season of summer as well, but I still use a pack cover for this backpack because I have camera gear that shouldn't get wet in the external pockets. The rain would get those items wet without a pack cover since the pockets are an open design.

It's truly astounding how much weight I'm able to squeeze into this backpack. And because it has no zippers (aside from the hip belt pockets) I don't risk destroying the closure on the pack when I stuff it completely full.

I am a big backpack nerd and when it comes to gear, backpacks are one of my very favorite things. I have used many and will always geek out hard testing various backpacks. But when I want a reliable, high volume backpack for epic and challenging trips, I am always going to gravitate towards Hyperlite Mountain Gear's Southwest 70. It's one of my all time favorite backpacks.

The Southwest 70 comes in classic Hyperlite white, and it also comes in black. It's available in four sizes. If 70 liters is too many liters for you, it's also available in a 40 liter size and a 55 liter size.

My review is independent of the supplier and reflects my own opinions. Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission if purchases are made through those links at no additional cost to you.