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ULA pack question


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Viewing 21 posts - 1 through 21 (of 21 total)
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  • #1257395
    Jim Carr
    Member

    @jcarr

    Locale: Humboldt County

    I just got my ULA Catalyst pack and was wondering how many of you use the water bottle holders on the shoulder harness or use a inside bladder? I tried my Gatoraid 33oz bottle and it will fall out unless I drink some of it. I see that they reccomend the taller skinnier bottle but I thought I would ask here where the real experts are!!

    #1594925
    Robert Carver
    BPL Member

    @rcarver

    Locale: Southeast TN

    I have neither. I just lay my bladder inside the pack on top. Makes it easy to refill and I just prefer it there. I keep my water bottle in the side pocket. Easy for me to reach it out and put it back.

    #1594926
    Ed Engel
    Member

    @doorknob

    Locale: West of what you think is west

    I do not have the bottle holders on my pack and I do not use a bladder. I use a Gatorade bottle in the side pocket. Easy to access and put back.

    #1594938
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    When I thrued the AT last year, I only used a 1 liter bottle for all my water needs. I did carry a 2.5 Liter platypus resevoir for camp, 1.3 ounces, but my drinking water bottle was a 1 liter Vitamin Water bottle. They're indestructible, lightweight and fit perfectly in the side pocket. Hope that helps!

    #1594944
    Skip Booth
    BPL Member

    @the1skipper

    Locale: Southeast

    I have the ULA Circuit and Conduit and I typically just stuff my platypus reservoirs into the front pocket. That way they are easy to get to for refills. TBH the internal sleeve was just a pain to get to and I took it out after the first trip.

    The mesh front pocket is suprisingly strong and it hold a 2-3 liter bladder with no issues. Weight distribution hasn't been an issue either, rides just fine for me.

    #1594953
    Jeff Jeff
    BPL Member

    @jeffjeff

    I use neither. Never saw the point. The side water bottle pockets are the best I have ever used.

    #1594960
    Jarrod Handwerk
    Member

    @pa_hiker

    Locale: Orwigsburg PA

    i have a ULA Conduit and i use my water bottle holders
    i use water bottles you can get in any gas station and i havn't had any problems with them falling out yet

    #1594964
    Jim Carr
    Member

    @jcarr

    Locale: Humboldt County

    Thanks for all the reply's. So far I have only taken the pack on a 10 mile day hike to try it out. I got the catalyst as I'm the mule when my wife goes. I was planning on using the front pocket for our TTDR (fits perfect) and the side pockets for rain gear. I used the side pockets on my old pack for water bottles and that worked great but I was thinking that they may fall out as there is no bungie to hold it in.
    Im really looking forward to getting out for the first trip with my new to me pack and trying out all the different ways to pack it.

    #1594976
    Jeff Jeff
    BPL Member

    @jeffjeff

    No bungie in the Conduit or Catalyst? Both my 2008 Conduit and 2006 Catalyst have bungies. You may have overlooked it. These are the only 2 packs I have that don't eject water bottles when I bend over or glissade down snow slopes.

    I know we all have out weight packing strategies, but I would recommend freeing up one of your side pockets for a water bottle. Think about if you really need your rain gear right there. Or if you really need your rainbow outside.

    I bet you could even get your rain gear and double rainbow in the front pocket.

    #1595081
    Jim Carr
    Member

    @jcarr

    Locale: Humboldt County

    Jeff, Looks like I need new glasses. In all the excitement I did overlook those bungie coards!! I'm looking forward to trying new ways to pack it although I do like having the Rainbow on the outside. The rain gear could stay inside untill used then go under the front bungies to dry. The wonder of new gear is it makes you rethink everything ;)

    #1595092
    Miner
    BPL Member

    @miner

    Locale: SoCAL

    I Own a 2007 Conduit and a 2009 Circuit. I've found that 24oz bottles fit in the bungie straps on the shoulder straps pretty well. Though I rarely use them unless I really need a lot of water; say a 30mile stretch in the desert.

    For the Conduit, if I'm going out for 5-7days and the pack is pretty full, then I put a 2L Platypus bottle in the side pocket and a Poweraid 32oz bottle in the other side pocket and it carries pretty well. Otherwise, I carry the platypus inside the pack in its holder.

    For my Circuit, I normaly carry a 32oz poweraid bottle in the side pocket and another one in the other side pocket if its a really long dry stretch. I do use the water resevoir holder inside the pack (usually a 2.5L Platypus Hoser, sometimes a 3L). I sometimes will throw an additional bottle in the top of the pack.

    Maybe its how I pack my stuff up, but in both packs, I've never had any trouble pulling the platy out of the resevoir holder and getting it to go back in after I filled it.

    #1595124
    Eric Blumensaadt
    BPL Member

    @danepacker

    Locale: Mojave Desert

    Sean,
    Ever think of adding aftermarket side pockets for those long trips? I do it on my REI Cruise UL 60 pack. They add another 800 cu. in. but they are never totally full. I put my 1st aid kit, "poopie kit" (TP, sanitizer & trowel), stove kit, canister and toilet kit in them.

    #1595300
    Matthew Swierkowski
    Member

    @berserker

    Locale: Southeast

    I have a 2009 Circuit, and I use the side pockets for my water. I carry two 1 liter platypus bottles, and 1 drinking tube (get a 1 liter Hoser and it comes with the bottle and the tube). I typically only fill one bottle up and use it as water is plentiful in most areas around here. the other bottle is in case I need to carry extra water.

    #1595342
    Richard Lyon
    BPL Member

    @richardglyon

    Locale: Bridger Mountains

    I have one bottle holder (bungie) and a hydration pocket. I rarely use the bungie any more, but if the bottle has a throat (SIGG Sport, or most Gatorade type bottles) it stays in most of the time. The bungie is handy for keeping a Frontier Pro on the tube from the Platy in place. And don't feel too bad that you missed the bungie, so did I when I went looking for a bottle pocket.

    #1595348
    Bailey Gin
    Spectator

    @pugslie

    Locale: SLO County

    Has anybody tried these: http://aquaclip.com/

    b.gin

    #1595828
    Jim Carr
    Member

    @jcarr

    Locale: Humboldt County

    Looks like I'm just going to have to try all of the ideas and see what works for me.

    Looks like the platy bottles are the most favorite in lots of different configurations.

    Time to go shopping!!

    Thanks all!!!!

    #1595979
    Rob Lee
    BPL Member

    @ouzel-701

    Locale: Southern High Plains

    When I first used collapsible platys w/ a tube, my pack had deep side pockets and I put the platy in w/ the top down; never thinking it could go top-up or top-down because as you drink from the tube, the volume goes toward zero. When I got a Conduit, the pockets were too shallow to secure a full 2 liter platy with the top down. Flipped it over, shortened the drink tube; problem solved.

    #3380562
    Brian Cizek
    BPL Member

    @hbbpc

    You can read an in-depth review on the Aquaclip water bottle holder by clicking on this backpacking gear review website http://www.trailspace.com/gear/other/aquaclip/

    #3380565
    Ken Thompson
    BPL Member

    @here

    Locale: Right there

    .

    #3380663
    John H
    BPL Member

    @hogie

    This thread didn’t die, it was only in a coma.  I have the Circuit and cannot get my arms to reach back easily to get and replace water bottles.  I use paracord and a cord lock to secure two gatorade bottles to my shoulder straps.  Loop the paracord just above the sternum strap slides on the shoulder strap.  No problems, cheap, and it looks like you’re packing a couple of grenades.

    #3380703
    Jeff Jeff
    BPL Member

    @jeffjeff

    I bought mine back when Brian was running the show and they didn’t force you to buy all the extra accessories so I don’t have any experience with them. However, I am a big fan of the side mesh pockets. I can easily grab a 1L gatoraid bottle without taking the pack off.

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