Starlites, Circuits and Mariposa Pluses….oh my!

Intangibles?

If you've got the specs and all — then really, the only thing left is the subjective "comfort and feel" when loaded up.

If I were you, once narrowed down to the final two or three, I would just order them all — for a "live" test. Considering the immense benefit of having a pack that fits well — and just how minimal return postage is for these lightweight packs — the hassle is well worth it IMHO.

Best of luck.

Don't give in to paralysis by analysis. They would probably all work exceptionally well for you, assuming they fit. And Ben layed out how to do that. Either that, or show up at a trail days some where and try them.

Joe I had to laugh when you put in "Don't give in to paralysis by analysis" because that is exactly what happened. I think all i needed to do was take a step back and see what I really wanted. Ben you were right about the postage being a minor inconvenience in getting the right pack fit. That being said it looks like I will end up ordering the Mariposa and the Starlite when it is back in stock next month to see how they fit. Trails days would be nice to go to, but I live almost 10 hours away so it is pretty much out of the question.

10 hours is nothing! I live 10 hours from almost anything worth doing!

If your looking for durability, I would say the Circuit would get the nod, and would probably carry the most weight,(30lbs+) in better comfort of the 3, IMHO.
Consider the GG Gorilla too,(25lb loads) I just used mine (new)on a 3 day hike and it carried 22lbs like a charm. I love the newly designed mesh pad pocket. With the single sit-pad, included, the pack nested nicely into my Lumbar, and stayed put too.(no sliding down your back)
The Circuit comes standard with dual nondetachable hip-belt pockets, but you'll need to order the optional detachable hip-belts pockets with any Gossamer Gear pack.

Thanks for chiming in Mike. Durability certainly is a concern, but I am pretty good with my gear so I am not too worried about that. I like the Circuit, but it is the "heaviest" of the three so I am looking to see how the others fare first. I do have to admit though that the Circuit is the most attractive of the bunch as far as features go….
As for the Gorilla, I looked at it but I think that the Mariposa offers a little more flexibility for me right now.

I am sort of stuck between these three packs as well and was curious as to what you decided on and why.

I can remember spending literally days analysing the pros and cons of two backpacks with no firm conclusions. I finally bought them both and within 5 minutes had a clear, definite winner. Interestingly, the pack I much preferred was not the one I expected I would like. Sometimes a little hands on can make a decision that photos and dimensions simply cannot replicate.

Pack comfort is as individual as shoe comfort, so don't necessarily assume somene else's choice will be best for you, since your back and waist profile–not mention what you choose to carry–are unique to you!

I do not own the Circuit but I do own a ULA Conduit and the GG Mariposa Plus. Both are terrific packs and I can recommend both companies. But over the last three years, 80% of the time when it comes down to deciding which to use, I end up taking the Mariposa Plus because it is lighter and so darn comfortable!

I am not familiar with the Starlite pack but since all three packs are highly rated, I would say that whichever pack just feels the best would be the one to go with. Which means that you probably should order more than one and give them a try and send one back. Fortunately all three companies provide outstanding service and as long as you do not take them out and get them dirty or worn, they will work with you on returns.

Gerry just provided a perfect case in point; the two packs I tried were the Mariposa and Starlite. I thought I was going to like the Mariposa because it was lighter, but I immediately felt that the Starlite was much more comfortable. I realized that, in the case of backpacks, getting one that fits better (i.e. sits well on your hips without slipping down and doesn't pull back on your shoulders) will feel lighter than a pack that pulls on your shoulders more, even if that pack is actually lighter. But again, that was just my experience. It was also before GG provided curved stays, so I was comparing the fit of a curved stay pack to a strait CF rod pack. That said, I do think there is a comfort advantage to having the pad are recessed into the pad like the Starlite; again, even though it adds weight, it seems to keep the pack weight closer to one's body.

Anther example was when I bought and tried an Atmos Exos 46. I bought the one matched to my size, and was stunned when I discovered that is was less comfortable than my SMD Essence '07 pack, even with 17 lbs. Again, I never would have guessed this based on specs alone. But the internal frame of the Exos simply did not match my hips very well, and the air mesh spring–the feature that sold me on the pack–pushed the pack weight uncomfortably far from my back.

So agan, read the reviews to narrow down quality, featues, and dimensions, but then just buy two or three of them and fill each of them up. You should get a clear answer.

I just went through a similar decision and I decided to go with the ULA Circuit. The main factor for me was the built in back padding + the carbon fiber/delrin hoop frame. Since I use a Big Agnes Insulated Air Core pad and wasn't really willing to go back to a foam pad the Starlite and Mariposa would have meant carrying an extra foam pad to begin with negating some of the weight differences. I'm not sure whether that's an issue for you or not.

At the end of the day I can only speak to the ULA Circuit but I can tell you that I really, really like it. The quality and workmanship is first rate, the hip belt pouches are super roomy, and the comfort is spot on. I was up on Mount Rogers last weekend with a pack weight of around 25 lbs and I could hardly tell that I had the thing on. I also used it on some day hikes and it compressed and carried well lightly loaded. Another deciding factor for me was the dual pull hip belt. If you've ever owned an Osprey pack it's a very similar hipbelt scheme except you get the flexibility of having both a top and bottom pull to really allow you to customize the tension around the hips/waist.

Good luck with your choice – given the three packs you are looking at I suspect you can't go wrong.

I agree with Skip's last sentence that you can't go wrong w/any of the three.

I own the Starlite and can't think of a feature I'd add. I'm pleased. I also own an Amp from ULA and based on my experience with it I wouldn't hesitate to buy one of Brian's other packs!

So if I personally was buying one of the three you mention, then I would order the SMD & ULA and decide based on that comparison.

I guess I forgot to "watch" this thread so sorry for the late response.

I ended up ordering both the SMD Starlite and the ULA Circuit. After trying both on with approx 20lbs I ended up going with the Circuit. Let me say that both packs were very well made and both had features that I liked, but the Circuit won out in the end. I know that some of you might be curious as to why I went with one over the other so here are some of the pros and cons of each IMHO of course!

SMD Starlite (with stays and hipbelt pockets)
Pros in no apparent order:
– Loved the placement and size of the outside mesh pockets.
– Good quality stiching and attention to detail throughout the whole pack.
– the sewn in internal stash pocket is a great place to store a few things that you want to keep track of.
– Carried 20 lbs great with stays and folded 6 panel Z-Rest***(this was also a con, see below)
– Comfortable shoulder straps and hip belt
– Huge amount of room for all the gear that I would want to take.

Cons:
– The velco shoulder strap attachment kept digging into my back. I tried to resolve this a few times and even called SMD for tips, but no luck on this one.
– I wasnt crazy about the velco roll top closure
– The pack rode great with a folded up Z-Rest, but unfortunately I do not use a Z-Rest as I am a side sleeper. I usual use a clearview or a IAC and when inserted the comfort level does drop noticeably (SMD states this pretty clearly on thier website)
– Wish the compression system was better

ULA Circuit (no extras)
Pros:
– As well as the Starlite(w/z-rest)carried 20lbs the Circuit carried better.
– The ULA hipbelt fits amazingly. I love the 4 way control and the reverse pull on it.
– The hip belt pockets seem to be better placed than the SMD pockets.
– Shoulder straps sit well on the pack and are very comfortable.
– Liked the roll top closure
– The hoop frame is plenty stiff and makes the pack ride very well.
– Quality of the work done to make the pack
– Have already taken it on a trip with approx 30+lbs and it felt great!

Cons:
– I loved the outer mesh pockets on the SMD and would liked to have the same on the circuit.
– Wish the compression system was a bit better
– It would be nice to see a a stash pocket included intstead of as an option

*****Pro for both packs was the customer service that I received when I had any questions about the packs and when ordering. Also the return with SMD went very well and they sent me back my refund very quickly*****

As you can see my cons are mostly of the nitpicking variety. In the end comfort of the Circuit won out over some of the features I really liked on the SMD. Both packs are great, but for me the Circuit was the clear winner.

Edited some spelling…whoops

How would you compare the main pack volume of the two? Was the Starlite significantly bigger as the specs suggest?

Brad,

The Starlite was the bigger of the 2 packs, but it was not a huge difference. My standard gear sans pack weighs in at about 12lbs and both packs had more than sufficient room. If I remember right the bottom of the circuit seemed to taper a bit more than the starlite if that makes a difference to you. If you are up in the air order both. I am glad I did even with losing out on shipping for one of the packs.

Nate

I got a GG Mariposa Plus and SMD Starlite on Saturday and although I haven’t used either in the field yet, I have played with them around the house. Here are some of my initial observations and comparisons. I would love to discus this with other owners of the pack(s).

First off, I have a 21.5” torso, and carry between 15 and 25 pounds. The Mariposa Plus came with the Carbon Fiber Stays (I may try the newer curved aluminum stay as well) and the Starlite was supposed to come with the aluminum stays, but for some reason they were left out, so I have been testing both packs with the CF stays from the Mariposa. (They seem to fit great in the Starlite as well.) I have been using the GG Sitlite pad in the Mariposa and the GG NiteLite Torso in the Starlite.

These packs seem very similar, almost eerily so in many ways. They both have the same pocket configuration, with the exception that there is more room between the water bottle pocket and sundry pocket on the Starlite which makes getting the water bottle out a bit easier, although it can be done on both packs without taking them off. The water bottle pocket on the Starlite is also a bit bigger, but even the Mariposa can hold two Gatorade bottles in a pinch

The SMD Starlite is a little more full featured than the Mariposa Plus. It has an internal stash pocket, which the Mariposa doesn’t have. It also has a nice roll top closure with buckle that I like, along with a Velcro closure that I haven’t made my mind up about yet. It also seems to have a slightly wider opening that is easier to pack. The Starlite has an enclosed pad holder, while the pad on the Mariposa is exposed. The Starlite is also made of Deneema which is more durable than the fabric on the Mariposa, but both should hold up fine to on trail backpacking.

The Starlite has a unique adjustment system where the shoulder straps move up and down using Velcro and webbing straps. I have the shoulder straps all the way to the top, and feel like my torso is borderline too tall for the pack. The Load Lifters are going back to the pack flat at 180 degrees whereas my packs in the past, the load lifters were at around 45 degrees. The Mariposa Plus is not adjustable, or have load lifters, but they are wide and well padded, and seem to fit OK. The Hipbelt on the Mariposa isn’t as wide as on the Starlite, but it seems stiffer and slightly thicker.

More to come, but any comments thus far….