I need a pack for the Pacific Crest Trail. What is the best frameless backpack with a hip belt for heavy water carries?

If heavy water carries are the priority, I’d make one distinction up front: a hip belt on a truly frameless pack helps stabilize the load, but it cannot transfer weight to your hips nearly as effectively as a frame. For the PCT, that matters a lot when you hit the Southern California dry stretches.

My pick: Nashville Cutaway 40

The Cutaway 20 | 30 | 40

$335.00

For a true frameless pack with a useful hip belt, the Nashville Pack Cutaway 40 is my first choice. Current testing gives it a recommended load around 25 lb, while praising its carry as unusually good for a frameless pack.www.backpacker.com+1

Why I like it for the PCT:

• Excellent harness/hip-belt integration rather than a flimsy webbing belt.
• Very good exterior water storage and access.
• Around 1 lb, depending on configuration.
• 39–47 L of capacity depending on torso size.
• Current testing specifically rates it highly for frameless comfort up to about 25 lb.www.backpacker.com+1
• There is also recent real-world feedback from a hiker who used a Cutaway on a 200-mile section of the PCT, including a 7-day food carry.nashvillepack.com

But here's the important part

If by "heavy water carries" you mean 6–7 L of water, I'd not choose a frameless pack unless your base weight is exceptionally low.

Six liters is 13.2 lb of water alone. Add:

• 9–11 lb base weight
• 5–7 lb food
• 13.2 lb water
• fuel/miscellaneous

…and you're easily at 27–32+ lb.

At that point, I'd take the small weight penalty of a frame.

My actual PCT choices would be:

So if you're absolutely committed to frameless + hip belt, I'd buy the Cutaway 40. If you're committed to comfortable 6–7 L water carries, I'd change the requirement and use a lightweight framed pack.

If you give me your base weight + maximum water carry in liters + whether you're carrying a BV500, I can narrow this down to the exact pack I'd take on the PCT and compare the Cutaway against 2–3 alternatives.

When tackling the Pacific Crest Trail —especially the grueling desert stretches where water carries can hit 6 liters (13.2 lbs) or more—choosing a completely frameless backpack requires a reality check: true frameless packs are generally rated for comfort up to 20-25 lbs . [1][2]

If you are packing a heavy water load plus food, a completely frameless pack will sag against your spine and put heavy shear pressure on your shoulders, regardless of the hip belt. However, if your base weight is ultra-low (< 8-10 lbs) and you are strictly committed to a frameless setup with a supportive, padded hip belt to stabilize a temporary heavy liquid surge, a few cottage industry options stand out.

LiteAF Dyneema 40L Curve Frameless Custom Backpack : Highly customizable with an optional, fully padded 4-inch wide removable hip belt made of spacer mesh and closed-cell foam. It is shaped with a curve to better hug your lumbar and features robust dual side pockets that securely lock down 4 × 1-liter Smartwater bottles when you need to max out capacity.

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Contour 35 : While it comes standard with a webbing belt, you can upgrade to a dedicated padded hip belt with pockets. It features an entirely frameless, contoured back panel designed to flex and mimic your body's shape, relying heavily on tight, compact packing discipline to handle dynamic shifting loads.[1][2][3][4]

Note on Trail Reality: If your total weight (base weight + food + 12+ lbs of water) pushes past 30 lbs, strongly consider a hybrid/removable-frame pack like the Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60 or Granite Gear Crown3 60 . They weigh roughly two pounds, have phenomenal structured hip belts, and feature a removable aluminum stay/frame sheet that you can keep in during the desert water-carry stretches and pull out later in the Sierra.

What is your anticipated base weight and maximum total weight (including food and water) for the PCT? Knowing that helps determine if you can genuinely get away with a frameless pack or if a lightweight framed option is safer.

Carrying heavy water loads (4 to 6 liters = 8.8 to 13.2 lbs of just water) with a truly frameless backpack is a tall order. Without a frame or internal stay, weight transfer to a hip belt breaks down once total pack weight exceeds roughly 22 to 25 lbs. A plush hip belt on a frameless bag can also cause the pack body to "accordion" or sag under heavy shifting liquid.

However, if your base weight is deeply dialed in (< 10 lbs) and you specifically want a frameless pack with a real, structured/padded hip belt option to stabilize high-volume water capacity, a few specialized cottage-industry options stand out:

LiteAF Curve Frameless Custom (available via LiteAF)

• Why it fits: LiteAF offers a fully padded, interchangeable 4-inch wide hip belt on their frameless Curve models. The dual-adjust pull system helps lock the hip belt in place, and the flat-bottom side pockets are structurally designed to securely swallow up to two 1-liter Smartwater bottles per side (4 liters total external water capacity) without sagging.

Pa'lante V2 (available via Garage Grown Gear)

• Why it fits: A legendary PCT thru-hiking pack, the V2 is frameless with a stashable, minimalist padded hip belt . While it doesn't give heavy structural load-transfer, its massive dual side pockets easily accommodate large water carries, and the bottom stash pocket lets you redistribute weight low. Note: It performs best when you pack carefully so the water weight hugs your lumbar.

Gossamer Gear Kumo 36 / Fast Kumo 36 (explore options on Gossamer Gear)

• Why it fits: Features a removable, structured hip belt and an external foam sit pad that slides into the back panel. That sit pad doubles as a minor makeshift frame sheet to prevent water bottles or hard items from poking into your spine when the pack is maxed out.[1][2]

To help narrow down the ideal choice, what is your estimated base weight and maximum expected water/food carry in pounds? I can give you a better breakdown on whether a frameless pack will safely handle your specific setup or if a featherweight framed alternative is safer.

For a PCT thru-hike where heavy water carries are a real concern, I’d be careful about going truly frameless.

• Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra 60L Backpack - $399.00 (Zpacks)

My pick: ULA CDT — if you insist on truly frameless

The ULA CDT is the one I’d look at first among true frameless packs. ULA rates it at 50 L and 25 lb maximum load, and it has a real hip belt rather than just a minimalist webbing belt.Ula Equipment

The catch is important: 6 L of water weighs about 13.2 lb. Add a 9–10 lb base weight, food and fuel, and you're quickly pushing a frameless pack toward or beyond its intended load.

If "heavy water carries" is the priority

I'd actually step up to the ULA Circuit. It's not frameless—it has a minimal frame—but that's exactly what makes it much more appropriate for long PCT water carries. ULA rates it to 35 lb, and independent PCT testing has found it particularly comfortable below about 30 lb.CleverHiker+1

The Circuit has also been specifically used on the PCT and is noted for its ability to handle long water carries.Outdoor Life

The SWD Long Haul 50 is another particularly interesting option: its articulated/hanging hip belt and aluminum stays give it substantially more load-transfer capability than a conventional frameless pack.Adventure Alan

Bottom line: If your maximum load is normally ≤22–25 lb, I'd happily consider the CDT/Exodus. If you're talking about 5–7 L water carries, I'd spend the extra ~1 lb and get the ULA Circuit. That frame will be much more noticeable than the weight savings when you're walking with 30+ lb on your back.

If you give me your base weight and the maximum liters of water you expect to carry, I can narrow this down to 2–3 specific packs and sizes.