The Mountain Hardwear Alakazam 60 Backpack is a multi-day backpack made with a new ultralight material called ALUULA that’s waterproof, extremely strong, and abrasion-resistant. While the Alakazam 60 has clearly been designed to showcase this new material and suggest cutting-edge performance, the pack’s design, features, and real-world performance fail to justify its premium price ($595). It’s awkward to pack, noisy to carry, and loaded with features that prioritize novelty over practical comfort, usability, and flexible use.

• Pockets: 8 + main
• Weight: 1 lb 15.8 oz (actual)
• Frame: Aluminum
• Load lifters: Yes
• Closure: Roll top
• Hydration Pocket; Yes, but there’s not hydration port
• Gender: Unisex
• Shulder strap pockets: Yes
• Waterproof and Seam-taped: Yes
• Removable Hipbelt: No
• Canister compatibility: Grubcan Wave 6.6L and BV475 fit horizontally; Garcia and BV500 fit horizontally in upper half of main compartment only
• Sizing: M/L tested (available in multiple torso ranges from 15-21″) Hip belt size is fixed to torso size an dnot interchangeable.
• Pack Dimensions Regular: 29.1 in x 13 in x 12.2 in / 74 cm x 33 cm x 31 cm
• Materials: Hipbelt and shoulder straps – 70D Nylon Ripstop 1000mm PU, WR C0 100% Nylon; Body – ALUULA Graflyte Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) 78 gsm; Base: Double layer of 78gsm ALUULA Graflyte
• Max recommended load:40 lbs

Backpack Storage

The Alakazam 60 is a roll top with wrap around side pockets.

The Alakazam 60 is a high-volume 60L rolltop backpack that can hold a lot of equipment, clothing, and supplies. Except for a hydration pocket to hold a bladder (there isn’t a hydration port), the main compartment is cavernous in size and lacks any internal organization. Careful packing is required to fill its dimensions with a dense load that self-compresses, since the gossamer-thin ALUULA fabric has so little body and the compression system on this pack (just some side string) is so weak. This is a case where packing pods, packing cubes, or tightly compressed stuff sacks could be used to stabilize the load rather than filling the pack with loose items. I suspect that the smaller-volume Alakazam 45 will be easier to pack and more stable because it has less internal volume.

The rolltop opening has a stiffener to facilitate rolling, but the ends loosely buckle together rather than down the sides of the pack, where they could provide compression and load stabilization. A separate orange webbing strap is required to hold down the rolled-up fabric and prevent it from catching on overhead vegetation or obstacles. That orange strap is not long enough to secure a bear canister to the top of the pack when the pack is full. A top Y-strap, which is customarily included on most ultralight backpacks for this purpose, is notably absent.

The pockets have side cutouts so you can reach in and grab items.

The exterior of the Alakazam 60 has two tall side pockets and one large, tall front pocket. The height of the pockets, particularly the side pockets, makes them difficult to use on the fly. While useful for storing trekking poles or tent poles, the pockets are not wide enough to store a folding foam pad. The side pockets have side cutouts so you can pull out bottles while wearing the pack. Pockets with side openings like this are usually designed for use with hard-sided 32 wide-mouth Nalgene bottles, not the tall skinny or soft bottles many backpackers use today with water filters screwed on top. I shy away from packs with side openings like this because items can fall out unnoticed. That’s much less of an issue with backpacks that have shorter side pockets that you slide things into from above.

There are thin compression cords inside the side pockets, routed diagonally back and forth. They’re difficult to use for compression because they are so thin and clutter the inside of the pockets. With a little ingenuity, you can reroute the cords to the outside of the side pockets, though the result is significantly less functional and secure than a pair of dedicated side compression straps made from webbing.

The front pocket does not have an elasticated top but is tensioned on the top corners with elastic cord.

The large front pocket is more functional but also a bit odd because the top isn’t elasticated. Its top corners are anchored to daisy chains that run between it and the side pockets with elastic cords. While it provides a large storage cavity (all three external pockets have drain holes at the base), it’s better for storing a big bag of potato chips after leaving town rather than wet clothing or anything with significant mass or bulk.

The pack has two sternum straps and four shoulder strap pockets.

Shoulder strap and hip belt pockets

The shoulder straps feature four pockets arranged in a modest vest-style configuration. There are two stretch-mesh pockets on each strap, an open top pocket, and a zippered pocket underneath it. Unfortunately, the top pocket is not wide enough to store my phone (iPhone 17 with an OtterBox case), although the bottom pocket can hold an inReach mini 2. With the exception of a reflective hose keeper strap higher up, there aren’t any other attachment points to hang your own third-party pockets.

The sternum straps are anchored to daisy chains but are easy to lose.

The pack comes with two sternum straps, which are loosely anchored along daisy chains. While they are easy to move up and down, they’re not well anchored to the daisy chains and are easy to lose.

The hipbelt pockets are surprisingly small but good for storing snacks.

Finally, there are two zippered pockets on the hip belt. They’re too small for my phone, but sufficient for carrying snack bars.

Backpack Frame and Suspension

The pivoting hipbelt is loosely connected to the main pack (note the aluminum stay above).

The Alakazam 60 frame has a V-shaped aluminium frame with two stays. The bottoms of the stays are joined in a curved piece of metal that fits into a small pocket at the rear of the hipbelt. The curvature allows the hip belt to pivot quite substantially as you walk, purportedly, to make it easier to manage the load above.

The bottom of the stays terminate in this curved pocket on the back of the hip belt which allows the hip belt to pivot.

I found the opposite to be true. The Alakazam 60 runs top-heavy, and the pivot action does little to control load sway. I was thrown off balance more than once while testing the pack, falling to the ground each time. You can probably mitigate this by using trekking poles when hiking with this pack and by packing heavier items toward the bottom of the main compartment so the center of gravity is lower. Still, this doesn’t happen to me on backpacks without this feature.

ALUULA Fabric: Impressive on Paper…

ALUULA fabric is undeniably light and strong for its weight, but in the context of the Alakazam 60-liter backpack, its benefits feel overstated. The 78 gsm material has a silk-like, crinkly feel that makes the pack less forgiving when fully loaded. Instead of adding structure and helping constrain and shape the load, it enables poor weight balancing and load distribution to have an outsized impact. I suspect this is less of an issue with lower-capacity packs made with ALUULA, which may be why other manufacturers such as Gossamer Gear (Murmur 2026) and Durston Gear (Wapta 30 Backpack) only use it for smaller-volume backpacks.

Noise is another downside. The fabric on the Alakazm 60 produces a noticeable rustling sound when moving, no doubt in part due to the shifting hip belt action, which is quite annoying when hiking on otherwise peaceful trails.

The ALUULA material is thin and translucent

Comparable Backpacks

If durability, waterproofing, and ultra-lightweight are key considerations, I suggest comparing the Mountain Hardwear Alakazam 60 with the Hyperlite Mountain Gear NorthRim 55 ($480) and Southwest 55 Backpacks ($420), and the Superior Wilderness Designs Rugged Long Haul 50/60 ($379).

Final Verdict

The biggest issue with the Mountain Hardwear Alakazam 60 is its price-to-performance ratio ($595). It carries a significant premium largely due to the ALUULA material, yet the actual backpacking experience does not improve in meaningful ways compared to more traditional designs. At this price point, users could choose packs that offer better suspension systems, more comfortable carry, and smarter organization. The Alakazam 60 feels more like a concept product or technology demo than a refined tool for consistent backcountry use. While it may appeal to gear enthusiasts interested in new fabric technologies, most backpackers will find better performance, comfort, and value elsewhere.

Disclosure: Mountain Hardwear donated a backpack for review.

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