anyone used a ULA Circuit and a Osprey Exos 46?

Have you considered GG gorilla. Both gorilla and circuit are rated to 35lb.

Gorilla – 23oz
Main Body-2400 cu in
Total-2800 cu in

Circuit – 36 oz
main body -2400 cu in
Total- 3800 cu in

Osprey Exos 46 – 30 oz
Total – 2800 cu in

Cheers

Yeah, the gorilla is possible but not a fav at this point. It's lighter, but smaller also and I don't want to go any smaller (the Exos volume is the main compartment volume only). Other than that I prefer a pack with in-built padding as I use a 2.5 inch sleeping pad and I'm not keen on having a bouncy backpad ;-)

Just reread the BPL Exos review. I think I will end up going with the Circuit cause the Exos just seems too flimsy and is covered with dangly bits. =-p

But if anyone who has direct experience with both wants to comment it would be most welcome…

And how does the Jam2 compare to these….I'm suspecting there's a suspension–weight transfer to hips difference. Can anyone explain?

The Exos is definitley covered with dangly bits, but it doesn't seem flimsy to me. Jam2 seems slightly smaller to me, with fewer pockets and less suspension. The lid makes the Exos look a little taller.

The Jam2 is very large. It will fit the same volume as my '07 Circuit.

Joe, I think you need to fill both packs to make a meaningful comparison.

Probably do need to fill them. They each had a Luxurylite sleeping bag in this pic. I guess I should have put another sleeping bag in them, but I was at work. Actually, work has nothing to do with it, I just didn't think of it. I had another Luxurylite and a Lightyear I could have used. Doesn't everyone keep 4 sleeping bags at work?

Ashley, I hope you don't mind my piggybacking on your thread to help make my pack decision. Anyway, for the experts out there…I'm a 62 year old woman who is thrilled that my husband is finally open to backpacking–he's always preferred the Hilton. I'm excited to be able to go directly to ultralight vs. having to pare down. I've tried REI's selection but everything is too heavy. I want to get my pack right without ordering the four above and returning the three losers. (Actually, I'm 17" so I guess the ohm isn't really a choice–there's no small.) I'm 5'7", 130 lbs. I think good weight transfer to my hips is my highest priority. ANY ADVICE? (PS..yes, I'm watching the two similar pack threads that were started earlier.)

Alice… Knowing how the ULA sizes run, I'd say you have a good chance of having the M Ohm fit you… so don't rule it out. I've always liked Brian's packs that were listed about 1" longer than I normally fit. Brian will certainly send you both and let you send back the one (or both) that you don't want to keep. Beware, though, you may want them both.

Thanks for the pic Joe. My "flimsy" comment was because in one of the pics in the BPL review it looks like it is straining at the seams… you can see the outline of a pot pressed up against the inside of the pack, which made me think that the fabric must be very thin.

Joe – how does the Exos 46 look size wise for fitting a bear cannister in it? I live on a rock and have no access to physically see one. How does the suspension feel with a load?
Aloha

Anyone considering an Exos for loads over 25# should read Will Rietveld's excellent review of the Exos series. Of particular interest are his comments about load transfer. The hipbelt wings and the shoulder straps are not attached to the frame but, rather, to the mesh ventilation panel. Go figure, but that's what they did. He indicates that comfort drops off as the load exceeds 25# as a result.
This is not the case with the Circuit, which I have been using for 2 plus years. I have carried up to 35 # in it on training hikes comfortably, at least as far as the suspension is concerned. Comfort dropped off as the miles piled up, but that was due to fatigue, not any shortcoming in the Circuit's design.
Edited by Tom K.
I checked out an Exos down at REI. Loaded up with 30# of their bean bags and walking around the store it wasn't bad, but that doesn't tell you much about the real world. Like other posters, I was put off by all the bits and pieces hanging off the pack. Sort of reminded me of a scrawny Gregory. The Circuit, OTOH, is a model of simple functionality. The other thing that struck me was that the material(s) used in the Exos's construction are very light, bordering on flimsy. It is definitely not a bushwhacking pack. The Circuit is constructed primarily from Dyneema Gridstop, and mine has stood up to a fair amount of abuse. Its main weak points are the hip pockets, which have picked up a few small holes due to being constructed out of lighter material. A minor nuisance.

Thanks Tom… great to hear a direct comparison. Sounds like the Circuit is the winner for me. I just wanted to check on the Osprey as an alternative because I can get it a lot cheaper. In the end though I think it's worth paying extra for something which suits me better. I hope it fits me well though!

I don't think you'll be disappointed, Ashley, if the fit is right. I can understand your reticence though. I'll bet the postage to and from Oz costs more than the pack. One other point to consider. From Roger Caffain's numerous post on the subject, I get the impression that you Aussies tramp around in some pretty nasty brush. Our brush just doesn't measure up, methinks. In that kind of environment, the Circuit would last longer than the Exos, but not by more than a few hours.

Yeah, shipping is a killer so sending packs back isn't really worthwhile. But I'm sure I could sell it on to someone else without losing too much.

And yes, there is some pretty rugged bush here, especially around the blue mountains. But I don't tend to go off-trail much, and most of my opportunities for hiking are when I travel overseas. But I appreciate a bag that I can toss around a bit, especially when travelling.

The Circuit seems fairly narrow and tall is some pics… is that a correct impression? How high is the top of the pack when the extension collar is used? I have the impression that it might be higher than the top of my head.

Ashley,

I just recieved my Exos today, but 1st impressions are very good. I recently retuned a Circut because the ft wasn't just right.

I will have a better idea on the Exos tommorow when I take it for a hike loaded.

I liked the Atmos series but the frame took up too much pack space. I also did a lot of trips with the Osprey Stratos and liked it a lot. The Exos is IMO better and lighter than either.

Also, I wamt to add I like Brian's ULA packs. The ULA Arctic Ultra is one of the best packs I own.

Ed

Hey Ed (Engel)…….what's a bear cannister? I think our last bear here in Texas was killed in the early 1900s. No wait, there are some back in Big Bend. Anyway, I can't help you. I would like to try a ULA some day. Maybe if they had a pro-form.

"The Circuit seems fairly narrow and tall is some pics… is that a correct impression? How high is the top of the pack when the extension collar is used? I have the impression that it might be higher than the top of my head."

Ashley,
The Circuit is a relatively narrow pack. I think this gives a viewer the illusion that it is tall. I just compared mine, which is a size medium, to an old worn out MS Ghost and my McHale SARC-0 down in the basement and they are almost exactly the same height, all three of them. I would have thought the Ghost to be shorter because it has a squat, beetle-like shape, but it is the same height. Optical illusion.

I have never used the extension collar on my Circuit, but it looks to be about 4-5", allowing some fabric for drawing the closure tight. Fully extended, it might be nearly as high as the top of your head, but I doubt if it would rise above the top of your head.
Tom

"Actually, I'm 17" so I guess the ohm isn't really a choice–there's no small.) I'm 5'7", 130 lbs.

Alice,
I'm a 17 1/2, 5'7 1/2", 135 #, and a medium Ohm fits me perfectly, FWIW. I've been playing around with my Ohm for 3 weeks now, with loads up to 31# as of this morning, and it transfers weight to my hips beautifully. Womens' hips are shaped differently than mens', though, and I find myself wondering if the short hip belt wings on the Ohm would adequately distribute the load over the greater surface area of most womens' hips. This is strictly intuitive speculation on my part, so don't make too much of it. It's definitely a pack worth considering, and you could always return it.

Thanks, Ashley, for starting this conversation. Everyone's comments are leading me to order both an ohm and Circuit and keep the one that suits best. It feels great to be getting this decision finalized. Thanks so much!

I ordered an exos 46 from REI and tried it out for a day, but ended up returning it. I really wanted to like the pack because it offered a top lid and some nice pockets that us UL'ers have been going without for a while.

The top lid was a little fiddly to adjust because you use those tiny tape sliders to adjust the height of the floating lid, but it would be nice to have because it would get rid of a couple of my stuff sacks.

The zippered back pocket was very nice. With the main packbag filled to capacity, the back zippered pocket is still fully usable. It is designed into the pack so that it has a full inch depth across the entire size of the pack. I was able to stuff my groundsheet, rain gear, and several other sundry items in there without feeling like it was filled to capacity.

The back stretch pocket was nice, but I can't help but feel like the larger 'ray jardine' style mesh pockets on the back of most UL packs these days are much more handy. The back pocket on the exos 46 seemed really small and only suited for a few soft items like a jacket or fleece. I was barely able to get a pair of crocs in it and that was with most of the crocs extending out of the pocket. (granted, my crocs are size 13)

The side water bottle pockets are not gusseted, so if you have a full main packbag, it is a really tight fit to get a quart water bottle in them. They have an angled opening so that you can reach the bottle while the pack is on. Unfortunately, I think you would still need a buddy to help you out to get the bottle back into the pocket. Maybe this would be easier after the fabric had a chance to really stretch, but I didnt have the pack long enough to check that out.

The main packbag seemed pretty small to me, but I was able to get a 5 day/3 season load into the pack with the zippered back pocket, top lid and the rear stretch pocket.

Why I returned it:
Because of the way the shoulder straps and hipbelt are attached to the mesh backpanel, I felt like the pack bounced against my back an awful lot. Kinda felt like a trampoline effect. Also, the aluminum frame bar flares out into wings around your hips. My hips are fairly wide, so the frame bar made contact with my hips as it trampolined against my back. Overall, the suspension just didn't work for me even when I was carrying 25 lbs. YMMV.

I have an ohm and a circuit on order now. As soon as I have a chance to do a comparison on those, I will add my thoughts.

Hi Alice,
Both are great packs. Whichever one you end up with will not disappoint you. Happy hiking!

Thanks Mike – look forward to your perspective on the ULA's compared to the Exos.

do you have pm available?
Sheila

I am also happy that this thread started. I'm trying to decided between the Ohm and the Exos. The Exos has the advantage of me being able to use my REI dividend. But it's 10oz heavier, (excluding the Exos' Lid) and I'm starting to get the idea its going to be less durable. And through my own carelessness + bad luck, I tend to be rough on my gear. Also, the Exos has so many clip and straps that is seems it might be almost adjustable to the point of complication. I do like that outer zip pocket though. It carried well in my 45 minute test at REI, I like the back ventilation a lot, but I didn't notice/test for bounciness. I'm gonna have to go back and check specifically for that.

I'm grateful to everyone sharing their opinions on these packs.