Pa’lante comes from the Spanish phrase “para adelante”, meaning onward or to keep going. Reflecting the style of hiking that these packs are made for - where you feel determined to get into the deepest reaches of the mountains, but you only have so much time on your hands.

When Pa’lante founder, Andrew Bentz was unable to find the kind of ultralight pack he’d be excited to carry, he set about designing one. He knew he could build an ultralight backpack that was efficient and simple, weighed less without sacrificing durability, and looked better than anything else on the market. Instead of trying to make a pack that could work for every hiker, like lots of companies do, Andrew created something that would serve as the niche ultralight pack with the best high-end materials and truly minimal aesthetics.

Together with business partner John Zahorian, Bentz made an initial batch of 40 packs in 2016 and began marketing them on Instagram and Youtube. Within six months, Pa’lante was in-demand enough to require outsourced manufacturing. Five years and four pack models later, Pa’lante packs have quickly risen to the top of every in-the-know hiker’s wish list. 

So what makes these packs special? The overarching goal of Pa’lante is to create a pack that’s so light. From there, Pa’lante packs are differentiated from the competition through uniquely streamlined aesthetics and purposeful details, from super-accessible shoulder strap pockets to a small loop for stowing an ice axe. The feature Pa’lante packs are most revered for, however, is the ingenious bottom pocket: a stretchy pocket on the bottom panel of the pack that can be easily accessed while the pack is on your back, and a perfect place to stuff a windbreaker, snacks, or trash.

Andrew and John turn to woven and laminate materials like Ultra Weave, dyneema mesh, and PU-coated nylon ripstop to create waterproof packs that weigh very little but maintain rugged durability.

Pa’lante’s moto: ‘Hike first, make cool shit second.’