Let it Guide You.
WEIGHT: 17.5oz | 495gm
CAPACITY: 48L | 2900 CI
LOAD RANGE: 20 – 25 lb | 9 – 12 kg
Modern Meets Classic SUL Frameless Pack, now available in two fabric choices:
• 2023 Ultra X 200/100 Gray+Black. SUPER TOUGH. Fully Seam Taped Inside. The Very Best Pack Fabric Available.
• UltraGrid 200d RipStop. Black Beauty, Red Chili, or Avocado Colors. Works Hard. Good Price.
See Fabric Mojo info here to help make your choice.
The Prophet 48L | 2900 CI pack is sized for modern ultralight and super ultralight backpacking. The Ultra version is also an exceptional alpine-attack style climbing pack. With one of the most supportive and cushioned hip belts in any frameless pack, S-shaped unisex comfort shoulder straps, and our new curved side panels, this is a pack you can wear all day in comfort.
Let the Prophet guide you on your next big adventure.
Award: Best Frameless Pack
-Treeline Review 2019 AND 2024
“Our writers and editors own multiple frameless packs and we think the Mountain Laurel Designs (MLD) Prophet is our favorite frameless pack. It weighs about a pound, is very well made, customizable, and has perfect volume for multi-day, lightweight adventures.”
1 of the Best Lightweight Backpacks
– CleverHiker.com
“The Mountain Laurel Designs Prophet is a featherweight frameless backpack designed for experienced ultralight travelers and thru-hikers. This pack is simple and strong, keeping weight to an absolute minimum for those looking to crush miles.”
FEATURES
• 2023 Ultra X version is fully seam taped inside for strength and high water resistance. It is not a full dry bag. Stuff sacks or an internal pack liner are recommended.
• Roll-top design secures into the integrated side compression straps. This stabilizes the load significantly more vs. only a single over-the-top strap.
• Over-the-top adjustable Y-strap secures and stabilizes loads and provides a secure strapping system to attach items on top of the pack- think foam pad, a bear can, etc.
• Curved Side Panels: A slight curve from the waist to the shoulders moves the load closer to the upper back for more comfort. This creates a slightly larger main compartment higher in the pack that aids load control and natural hip rotation by moving the heavier or bulkier gear up to reduce shoulder stress.
• Black S-shaped unisex comfort shoulder straps are fully padded 3″ wide X 0.8″ thick. SuperWick mesh lined with full-length highest quality 1/2″ EVA foam padding. Our shoulder straps are thicker and wider than other lightweight packs. The full-length daisy chain accepts Shoulder Strap Pouches and adds durability and strength. See SPECS Tab for more info.
• Side and Rear pockets are solid fabric with mesh drain corners.
• UltraGrid 200d RipStop top sleeves for durability. Bungee top sleeves are double-strand, cold-weather-rated bungee cords.
• Large padded lightweight UltraGrid 200d Black RipStop hip-belt wings with 1″ webbing. Optional removable Hip Pockets can be attached. Hip belt wings are separate from the shoulder strap. Easy to cut off if desired.
• Large, slanted side pockets are deep enough for a 2L Platypus, two 1L SmartWater Bottles, or a 2L soda bottle.
• Top bungee sleeves are DX 210D Ripstop for long-term durability vs. cheaper style wrapped tops of uncovered elastic bands. The pocket adjusts by pulling the bungee closed through the cord lock. The double bungee cord is 1/8″ thick and rated to -40°. Many lower-priced (and higher-priced!) packs bind over the top of the raw mesh with a regular garment-type elastic that loses its stretch in a few years and does not do well in deep cold weather.
• 12 bungee cord loops if bungee cord lacking/compression is desired.
• Two lower loops for trekking pole and ice axe attachment.
• Removable Multi-position “Most Awesome Sternum Strap In The World” with Black Whistle-Lock Buckle 0.5 oz (not included in base pack weight.)
• Over 60 bartacks for strength.
SIZE NOTE:
• MEDIUM and LARGE torso Prophet have wide 3″ shoulder straps and full-size padded hip belt wings – 30″ minimum hipbelt girth.
• SMALL torso Prophet has 2.75″ straps and slightly smaller fully padded hip belt wings. 28″ minimum hipbelt girth.
INCLUDES
• Most Awesome Sternum Strap +.75oz
• 10″ of black 1/8″ bungee cord for optional bungee lacing/compressing/gear strapping + 1oz
• 2 mini cord clips and 3 cord locks
Richard Moran –
After staring at my new prophet for a few months I finally got a few days on trail with it….I’m amazed how comfortable this pack is! I’m around 10lb base wt with my pups winter gear. We just did the 55 mile section from Rockfish gap to US60 in just over two days. My lg xtherm makes a great frame and rides like a pillow against my back. I’d say with food and 1.5l of water I was around 20lbs……amazing pack!
Dave Vaughan (verified owner) –
I cannot fault this pack. I wanted to move to a frameless pack for a while and finally ordered mine last year, delivery was spot on the lead time advised on the website.
Comfort wise, its is incredible. I have used with a section of pad in the back and without. To be honest, it sits on my back so well I hardly notice it’s there. I’ve averaged around the 16lb for my winter walks/camps. The hipbelt transfers weight very well and the padding on the belt and shoulders is brilliant.
I went with the Wasabi Green and am glad I did. The material sheds rain well and seems to be very abrasion resistant.
The external pockets are superb, I am able to fit everything I need during the day in them meaning I dont have to open the main pack until camp. The shock cord on the side pockets is a really good idea and secures them very well.
Matt McGlothlin (verified owner) –
Let me start off by saying that I could not be happier with my purchase. I ordered this pack and patiently waited exactly twelve weeks and it was definitely worth the wait. I have taken it out on a couple of shake down hike most recently to Grayson Highlands this past weekend and I am amazed at the comfort and build quality. This is my first frameless pack and was worried about how it would carry, but after the first couple miles all my worries went away. If packed correctly and as long as your base weight is in check, this pack carries like a dream. I started off this past weekend with about 15 lbs. total weight and quickly added in another pound and half of base layers that I took off. At the ended of the day I filled up another two liter water bladder and hiked about three quarters of a mile to my camp site for the night without any noticeable difference in the way the pack felt or carried. I am extremely pleased with this pack and would recommend it to any experienced backpacker looking to move into a frameless backpack.
I have a feeling that this will be my pack for my up and coming Thru Hike of the AT.
Thanks again for building such a great product!!!
“Splash”
Lauren –
I snagged this pack brand new from someone selling it who decided it didn’t fit right. I was transitioning to a frameless pack and after entirely too much research, I decided that the Prophet would likely be my go-to for 3-season backpacking.
I am *thrilled* with this pack. As a woman, my first concern with a unisex pack is always how the shoulder straps are going to fit around the bust. This pack exceeded my expectations with zero issues! I average ~8lb base weight and have taken it up to 18 with food and water. This pack carries like a dream and is hardly noticeable unlike my previous pack with a trampoline suspension. I was able to not only hike extensively uphill on very steep terrain with noticing it much, but hands-and-knees crawling over boulders and scree fields were no big deal either, as this pack just became an extension of my body.
I was nervous about how I would adjust to the incredibly sweaty back as compared to my previous pack, but I didn’t even notice that I was sweaty until I took my pack off. There is definitely more sweat than with a trampoline suspension, but I’d take this pack over my precious one every time.
Overall, I’m thrilled with this pack and would highly recommend it to women looking for a good fit, anyone transitioning to frameless, or anyone just looking for an awesome, versatile, and comfortable pack!
Nathan Rieck –
I bought a MLD Prophet used and took it out for my last training hike before setting out on the PCT this year. I loved it so much that I ended up taking it with me for the first 700 miles that I did. (I got off after about 800). It really is an amazing pack. It has the features that you want while not having anything useless to add weight to the pack. I used a foam sit pad as the back panel and that worked very well. The pack carried comfortably and carried very well. I overloaded it a handful of times when I was coming out of town with a full resupply and big water carry and it still performed beyond my expectations. For the amount of miles I put on my pack this year it is holding up very well. I’m already planning out my next hikes and there’s no question what pack I’m taking. I have several others to choose from but since getting this pack it has been my go too for any overnight or longer trip. It holds everything I could ever possibly need to carry. I think this sized pack is very practical for a wide variety of trips. Leaving towns with chips and a full food bag the pack would be nearly full. On the way into a resupply I would have the pack rolled down as far as I could and it was the perfect size for my gear. Originally I wished the back pocket was made from a stretchy material but after using it for a bit I realized that it held everything I needed and wasn’t a deal breaker. Later on I learned to appreciate it because some people’s packs started to get holes and wear out while the mesh on my prophet looks brand new. There isn’t any damage. Some normal wear but otherwise I have been extremely happy with how the pack has held up. Planning on taking it back out on the PCT with me in two years when I go for a full thruhike. I’m sure it will last that whole hike.
Tom Holtzen (verified owner) –
The MLD Prophet 2019 version was my first frameless pack. I bought it for a trip to Philmont. The pack performed great. I used my deflated Neoair Xtherm sleeping pad folded up as a back pad. It was very comfortable. I had a 9lb base weight, so even with crew gear and a few required extras, like dedicated sleeping clothes, the pack was never over 20lbs. It handled very well at heavier weights, although I noticed the weight on my shoulders more. The construction is top-notch. The pack is very durable. I found that if I packed it tight, I could loosen the shoulder straps a bit and transfer some weight to my hips. The only downside is that I find it difficult to reach a water bottle in the side pockets without taking off the pack or sliding it sideways. Since Philmont, I continue to use the MLD Prophet mainly for weekly day hikes and occasional multi-day treks. I am very happy with my purchase and am considering getting an MLD Burn for day hikes and overnight hikes.
Kurt Roth (verified owner) –
Just got my pack. It is very well made and thought out. I loaded it with my gear and it is super comfortable.
Kurt Roth (verified owner) –
This thing rides like a dream. Carried 22lbs with food/water and it handled it great. Such a well thought out pack.
Murali Chinnakonda –
Love my MLD Prophet. I took it to the SHR this summer (2021). It was awesome. No shoulder issues. Carried fantastically. I had around 25 lbs on my second leg from Bishop to Red Meadows. No issues whatsover which surprised me. I was expecting sore shoulders – had none at the end of the day. In the 15 days I was on the trail (long 10 hour, 12 hour days), I did not wear the hip belt often – perhaps for a total of 5 hours during the entire trip. No sternum strap as well. It held up great against abrasion against talus and butt sliding on big talus. My pants showed signs of abrasion and tears – not the Wasabi green Prophet. I love this pack. The shoulder straps are awesome!
jan laytham (verified owner) –
Just used my MLD Prophet on a thru hike of the Northville-Placid Trail. The original pack I ordered was too short and Ron made it really easy to exchange it for a medium. I packed the Prophet to capacity (including bear cannister) and it worked great! It held up to a very closed in trail with no tears or abrasions. I also fell in water twice and nothing got wet aside from what I was carrying in the outside pockets. My only adjustment for the next hike will be the purchase of a water bottle holder, as it was difficult for me to reach the side pocket with the pack on. Overall, I absolutely love the pack!
Chris Smith (verified owner) –
Excellent frameless pack. I bought mine last year and have now used it on a 1000 mile hike from one end of the UK to the other. It was very comfortable and all my stuff fitted inside perfectly. It managed to survive a lot of scapes on rocks and was also pretty good at dealing with the rain. There was a small amount of water got inside on the wettest days, but with dry bags inside nothing actually got wet. Tough, light, comfortble, roomy – what more could you want from a pack?
Patrick –
Another great pack from MLD.
I’ve been using my DX210d Gridstop Burn on solo trips up to 6 days long and my Hell pack on day and overnight hikes. Ordered the Prophet in all black Ultra when MLD made them available.
I’ve used many different brand packs, off the shelf and semi-custom, non have fit my frame as well as the MLD size medium packs. I’m 5’9″ 205lb, with ~18.5″ torso. I loaded the prophet up with about 25lb for an overnight with my fiance and it did not disappoint. No hot spots and with a little planning the pack can be loaded to shift a lot of the weight to the hips via the plush hip belt wings. Bonus: My summit bum fanny was able to clip onto one of the wings as a hip belt pocket.
There was a sizing issue with the first pack that was sent out, but Ron addressed it right away and had a replacement made and shipped in earnest.
scottneumeier47 (verified owner) –
I’ve only ever used MLD packs, and I’m doubtful any other pack could tear me away. After upgrading to this from the Burn, I believe I’ve found the panacea to all my pack needs.
Having used the Prophet on the entire CDT, the pack allows me to stay flexible with different kit arrangements, and the ability to manage longer food carries. Most importantly I think though is the comfort of this pack, even during longer carries (25-30 lbs). I have tried on my friends ULA’s, Gossamer’s, and the like, but none of them conform to my torso and feel like another part of me, like this one. The S-shaped straps fit my broader chest perfectly, and the hip belt works wonders for keeping the pack from shifting during scrambles.
Having the model of this pack which uses a mesh outer pocket, that is the only change I would consider making to this pack (and they have, since). The main body material has held up perfectly with nearly 3000 miles on it, but the mesh has suffered some rips and tears. Once my mesh is deemed unusable I will gladly purchase the new Ultra version of this pack, which looks indestructible.
glen.brumbaugh (verified owner) –
I LOVE THIS PACK! Mind you, that’s after more than 500 miles on the AT and much tougher trails. In my ultralight quest I’ve gone from a Kelty to a Zpacks Arc Zip Ultra 62L to the MLD Prophet. The Kelty’s a classic, the Zpacks is a great pack, but the Prophet is better. Lighter and more rugged. The build quality is phenomenal. I use an Ursack AllMitey Food Sack and place it against my back. The provides all of the structure that a frame would supply and is very comfortable against my pack.
BenA (verified owner) –
Love this pack. It has held up well with A.T. and C.T. hikes (and others) – no sign of wear or incidents of failure. Packs and fits very well. I was going to remove the hip belt, but I found that it was helpful for longer food carries. I have seen complaints about customer service, but I have interacted with the company several times with questions/order inquiries, and responses were prompt and helpful.