Granite Gear Crown3 60L Review: Take the Frame Out
A 60 litre pack whose Vapor Current Mark 3 frame supports up to 35 lb, whose framesheet comes out to drop the pack to 2 lb for ultralight loads, and which takes an optional aluminium stay to raise capacity to 43 lb. Buy it if your base weight varies between trips, because this is one of the very few packs that adapts rather than committing you to one configuration. The catch is that the lightest configuration is also the one with the least support, so you have to be honest about your load.
A removable framesheet that drops the pack to 2 lb, and an optional stay that takes it to 43 lb of load.
Granite Gear Crown3 60L Backpack, Barro / Muted Peach / Flint, Regular Torso
Under $250
A 60 litre ultralight pack with a removable framesheet, an optional aluminium stay and an adjustable Re-Fit hipbelt.
Check price on AmazonSpecifications
| Capacity | 60 L |
|---|---|
| Intended use | Multi-day and thru-hiking |
| Frame | Vapor Current Mark 3, ventilated, supporting up to 35 lb |
| Framesheet | Removable, dropping the pack to 2 lb |
| Optional stay | Aluminium stay, sold separately, raises load capacity to 43 lb |
| Hipbelt | Re-Fit adjustable, for a customisable fit |
| Torso | Regular |
Specifications above come from Granite Gear's published specifications. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.
What it does well
- Modularity is the feature. Two pounds with the framesheet out and 35 pounds of support with it in covers two completely different kinds of trip from one pack.
- An optional aluminium stay pushing load capacity to 43 pounds means the same pack handles a food carry that most ultralight packs cannot.
- The Re-Fit hipbelt adjusts to your hips rather than assuming them, and hipbelt fit is what decides whether load transfers or sits on your shoulders.
- Sixty litres is a sensible size for a week of food plus a light kit, and it is not so large that it invites overpacking.
- It undercuts comparable packs on price by a meaningful margin, and it weighs less than most of them in its lightest configuration.
Where it falls short
- The lightest configuration has the least support. Two pounds is achieved by removing the framesheet, and a frameless 60 litre pack with 30 pounds in it will hurt.
- The stay is sold separately, so the 43 pound figure requires another purchase. Factor that in if heavy food carries are why you are interested.
- Sixty litres of capacity in a pack this light means the fabric is doing more work than in a heavier pack. Treat the bottom of it carefully.
- Packing discipline matters more in a lightly framed pack. A badly packed load in a frameless configuration transfers nothing and digs in everywhere.
- Torso sizing is fixed by the model rather than adjustable over a range, so measure your torso before choosing regular against long.
What owners report
Owner reports on the Crown series are consistently positive on weight, price and versatility. The recurring comment is that the pack is transformed by how it is loaded: packed well in its framed configuration it carries far more than its weight suggests, and packed badly frameless it is uncomfortable at loads other packs shrug off.
Our Exos 58 versus Crown3 comparison is the direct head to head, and our frameless versus framed comparison is the underlying question this pack lets you answer both ways.
Get the load right first. Our pack weight to body weight calculator and base weight calculator give the two numbers, and our packing guide covers the load order that makes a lightly framed pack carry properly.
Who it suits
- Hikers whose base weight varies between weekend trips and long carries.
- Anyone experimenting with going frameless who does not want to commit and buy twice.
- Buyers who want a genuinely light pack without paying cottage-brand prices.
Who should skip it
- Hikers who consistently carry over 35 lb and will not buy the stay.
- Anyone who wants a fully adjustable torso, where the Exos offers four inches of range.
- Hikers who pack casually, since a lightly framed pack punishes it.
Alternatives worth considering
Osprey Exos 58L Men's Ultralight Backpacking Backpack, Gray, S/M
Under $500
Four inches of torso adjustment and a suspended ventilated backpanel at 2.84 lb. Heavier and it carries load more comfortably, and Osprey's repair record is excellent.
Check price on AmazonTherm-a-Rest Vesper Quilt 32F/0C Down
Under $500
Going frameless is only comfortable if the load is light. A 15 oz quilt that packs to 5 by 6 inches removes both weight and volume, which is what makes the frameless configuration usable.
Check price on AmazonTherm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT Ultralight Sleeping Pad, Regular
Under $250
Thirteen ounces and a 4.5 R-value, and in a frameless configuration a folded pad against the backpanel adds structure. Two jobs from one item is how frameless packs are made to work.
Check price on AmazonKeep reading
- Osprey Exos 58 vs Granite Gear Crown3
- Frameless vs framed pack
- Base weight calculator
- Pack weight to body weight calculator
- How to pack a backpack
- Base weight tiers
- Osprey Exos 58 review
- Best ultralight backpacks
This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Frequently asked questions
Can I really use it at 2 lb?
Yes, by removing the framesheet, and only if your load is light enough. A frameless pack transfers weight to your shoulders rather than your hips, which is fine at roughly twenty pounds and unpleasant well above it. The pack gives you the option; your base weight decides whether to take it.
Do I need the optional aluminium stay?
Only if you regularly carry more than the 35 lb the standard frame supports, which usually means long food carries or winter kit. It is sold separately, so include it in the price comparison if that is your use case.
Crown3 or Osprey Exos?
The Crown3 is lighter, cheaper and modular. The Exos has a more sophisticated suspension with four inches of torso adjustment and a ventilated backpanel, and it carries load more comfortably. If your base weight is low and variable, the Crown3; if you carry more and want comfort, the Exos.
How do I pack a lightly framed pack?
Sleep system at the bottom, heavy items against your back at roughly shoulder blade height, light bulky items filling around them. In a frameless configuration a folded sleeping pad against the backpanel gives structure. A badly packed light pack is far worse than a well packed one.
What size pack do I need for a thru-hike?
Sixty litres is a common answer for a light kit with a multi-day food carry, and hikers with a very low base weight manage in less. Size it to the packed volume of your gear plus your longest food carry, rather than picking a number first.
How we choose: we compare published manufacturer specifications, listed weights, and verified owner reviews across retailers. We do not test gear in person, and every weight quoted here is the manufacturer's figure unless we say otherwise, so weigh your own kit before you trust a total. Going lighter also means carrying less margin, so treat insulation, navigation, water treatment and an emergency plan as fixed costs rather than places to save grams.
Weighing your own kit item by item? The Base Weight Reduction Planner is the paid version of these pages: 11 printable worksheets you fill in with your own numbers, two filled-in examples, a companion spreadsheet and the full PDF, $29.
