Mountain Hardwear Alakazam 45: Sub-2-Pound ALUULA Pack for Alpine SS26

Mountain Hardwear just put an ALUULA Graflyte pack on the wall at 45 liters. The Alakazam 45 is part of the new SS26 Lightness Collection, and the material choice is the headline. ALUULA Graflyte uses a UHMWPE laminate that cuts weight without the packability tradeoff most ultralight fabrics force on you.

The carbon-reinforced internal frame is what separates this from a packable day bag. ALUULA Graflyte has the tensile strength to support a real frame system, and Mountain Hardwear's engineers used it. The result is a 45-liter volume that loads like a structured pack rather than a stuff sack, even at sub-two-pound weight.

The shoulder harness runs a running-vest construction with twin chest pockets integrated. Ice axe attachments are built in. Side compression straps handle variable loads. The hipbelt is removable for fast-and-light days when you want the weight off your hips. Roll-top closure gives you the full 45 liters when you need it, or cinches down tight for partial loads on the return leg.

The Mountain Hardwear Alakazam 45 sits at the intersection of ultralight philosophy and alpine discipline. A fastpacker running the Ptarmigan Traverse does not need 65 liters. They need 45 organized liters with a frame that handles real weight at speed. That is the exact use case Mountain Hardwear built this for, and ALUULA Graflyte is the material that makes the weight claim possible without dropping the structural demand.

Quick specs: ALUULA Graflyte UHMWPE shell. Carbon-reinforced internal frame. Roll-top closure. Running-vest shoulder harness with twin chest pockets. Ice axe attachments. Side compression straps. Removable hipbelt. 45 liters. Sub two pound class. $575 USD. Shipping now from Mountain Hardwear.

This is the Outdoor Gear Radar pick for Tuesday, April 28. Follow @tech.gear.clothing on Instagram and Tech Gear Clothing on Facebook for the full carousel and images. New pick every day this week.