Originally Posted by mmeiser

I do a lot of ultra light touring. Specifically using a 19lb road bike and less then 10 lbs of gear, though my winter touring rig weighed in at 70lbs for a 1,500 mile trip down the eastern divide in January of last year. Both these rigs use no racks or panniers, just frame bags, though I do also have a more traditional rack and pannier touring setup.

Sea-to-summit makes a superb 2oz backpack that's capable of carrying up to ten or fifteen pounds. I love using it for overflow when picking up extra food or water. Indeed on my eastern divide trip I would throw two hot water bladders in it after lunch or dinner. The additional water was necissary for evening camping and morning riding untill I came back through civilization, but having it on my back under my jacket kept my body temp warm and stable as I road into the January evening.

The sea-to-summit bag only costs about $30 and stuffs down to the size of your typical salt and pepper shaker. It's perfect for packing stuff you want quick access to in a pannier. Just pull it out of the pannier and throw it on your back.

There is a pretty good thread on UL packs including more information on the pack I mentioned at: http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/ind...topic=1571.new