Evolved Supply Co. Ranger Review

The Bottom Line

Evolved Supply Co. The Ranger excels as an ultralight pack for UL purists, fast and light hikers, and photographers. Its stripped-down design offers refreshing simplicity and keeps weight to a minimum, with optional add-ons to build the feature set.

The Ranger is incredibly supportive, comfortable, and durable for its class. We tested it with a full load in tough desert conditions, where it stood up to reach mid-forest and easily carried its recommended maximum load of 20 pounds. While not completely waterproof, it holds up better than most ultralight packs.

Beginner backpackers or those still dialing in their kit can find more value in a pack with a super light frame. There are several options to choose from in our gear guide for ultralight backpacks. But with its track-tested design and quality engineering, the Ranger is a solid value for ultralight purists.

How We Tested

We’ve tested dozens of backpacks over thousands of miles across desert, forest, and alpine terrain, giving us a solid foundation for how light packs perform in the field. This time, we loaded up The Ranger and tested its performance over many miles and nights of backpacking in Colorado’s high desert during the spring.

Comfort

Comfort is often thought of as the lightest gear, but it was clearly at its best with The Ranger. Padded shoulder straps have a big impact, with half an inch of thick padding that makes for a great carry. The straps are strong enough that they actually help support the load significantly. They even include load risers (unusual in a frameless pack) to bring the pack closer to your body and reduce strain.

The trade-off is the lack of weight transfer to the hips. Like most frameless designs, the Ranger puts most of the load on your shoulders. A hipbelt accessory is available, but it’s only useful for reducing pack sway – not for weight loss.

Another drawback is the limited airflow around the back panel. It wasn’t a problem for us, but moisture tends to get trapped back there. The pad attachment system you choose can improve airflow while adding cushion and a touch of structure.

Working

In its standard configuration, the Ranger is a minimalist’s dream built around the essentials. The main compartment uses a roll-top closure that snaps and fastens, with one strap and a simple G clip.

Storage is purposefully designed to maintain a sleek design and reward intentional packaging. The front mesh pocket is smaller than most but expandable and easy to access. The side pockets are large enough for two small water bottles and are accessible on the go.

While the Ranger doesn’t include shoulder strap pockets or hipbelts out of the box, it does have a full bottom pocket with a trash hole. We have become big fans of this feature. It’s perfect for stashing rain gear, snacks, or anything you want to keep out of reach, and it doubles as a secure place for empty wraps.

One unique feature is a dedicated camera attachment point on one shoulder strap, which could be a sell-out for very light photographers. The pack also includes an ice ax loop – a must have for alpine trekking. Two compression straps on the sides are held closed with a tow hook, making it easy to store and access trekking or tent poles.

If you want more external storage, Evolved offers several accessories to decorate the pack. These include a shoulder strap pocket, a water bottle sleeve, a pad attachment system, a Y-strap for changing one top strap, and a shock cord.

Water Resistance

The Ranger is highly water resistant, but not fully waterproof. It is constructed from ECOPAK EPLX fabric and uses a hybrid stitch construction that combines horizontal taped seams and vertical stitched seams. The design helps limit water infiltration in areas most likely to collect moisture without the added weight and expense of carefully taping every seam.

In our testing, the inside of the pack stayed very dry, with a lot of moisture seeping in around the seams along the back panel. This highlights a second problem: Sweat can build up and soak the back panel over time. You’ll want to be mindful of that, especially in warm or humid conditions, and avoid leaving the pack sitting upside down in inclement weather.

In use, The Ranger handled the rain better than most ultralight packs. It does a good job keeping out water with a high opening, meaning your gear stays protected for a reasonable amount of time in light to moderate rain. That said, we still recommend pairing it with a pack liner, especially in wet conditions.

Building

The Ranger is as durable as it is bright. At 1 pound (about 0.5 ounces per liter of volume), it feels significantly heavier than most other packs in its weight class. The ECOPAK EPLX200 fabric – made from recycled water bottles – offers excellent abrasion and puncture resistance, allowing the pack to handle moderate abuse.

Stretch pockets adhere to the same texture. They are constructed with UltraStretch (comparable to Dyneema), which helps address one of the common failure points in ultralight packs. Instead of feeling flimsy, they hold up well to repeated use and abrasion.

The aluminum G-clip makes one piece of plastic less likely to break, and the webbing and compression straps are thick and confidence-inspiring. Indeed every detail of this pack is built with longevity in mind.

Should You Buy Evolved Supply Co. The Ranger?

Evolved Supply Co. The Ranger is a dream pack for ultralight purists who value simplicity, durability, and a build-your-own approach. It is very attractive to photographers who can use a dedicated camera clip. Its streamlined design keeps weight to a minimum while delivering confidence-inspiring durability, and modular add-ons let you choose exactly what you need and nothing you don’t.

Most frameless packs feel like glorified daypacks, but the Ranger is clearly more powerful. Its thick, sturdy shoulder straps and the inclusion of load-bearing elements go a long way in improving carrying comfort. As long as you stay within a reasonable load range, the Ranger is more comfortable than most in its class.

It’s not ideal for beginners, heavy-duty gear, or anyone expecting framed support or full waterproof protection. But for experienced ultralighters with dialed-in kit, the Ranger is a real winner.

What other Ultralight backpacks should you consider?

If The Ranger isn’t what you’re looking for, check out our guide to the best ultralight backpacks to find the one that’s right for you. The three designs below are some of the most powerful.

Mountainsmith Zerk 40 Review: Zerk takes seamless support and interactive organization to a new level. With its extra-wide, vest-style shoulder straps and slightly stiffer back panel, it’s one of the most supportive frameless packs we’ve tested. It also has many fun pockets and innovative techniques throughout to keep essentials in a place where they are easily accessible.

Atom Packs The Pulse EP50 Review: The Pulse EP50 offers a ton of lightweight pack storage, including a main compartment that expands to carry longer meals. It also comes with a small frame for extra support – which can be removed when you don’t need it.

Nashville Pack The Cutaway 40 Review: Cutaway is another very powerful featureless option. It’s comfortable, spacious, and very modular. Unique design is hit or miss, but we consider The Cutaway to be well-rounded in a frameless package.