GG Mariposa Plus vs. ULA Circuit

[Mark Thompson]

What pack would you buy?

My base weight is 9 lbs (without pack).
Most trips are only 3 days. I do Desert Hiking to The Sierras.

What would you suggest?

GG Mariposa Plus vs. ULA Circuit

Thanks

[Jim MacDiarmid]

With a 9 lb base weight, I'd think both of those packs would be too big. I have a 11 lb base weight w/o pack (you can see my gear list in my profile) and I have plenty of room (including a bear cannister) in the GG Gorilla and the ULA Ohm.

The Circuit almost a pound heaver than the Mariposa Plus. It's made out of sturdier fabric. I think the best thing would be to order both and try them on for a few days. I'm doing that right now with the Gorilla and the Ohm. Each has a distinctive fit, so it'd be hard to advise on one or the other. I would recommend looking at a smaller pack, however.

[Joe Clement]

Whichever I thought would carry a lot of water the best.

[Kent C.]

>> "Whichever I thought would carry a lot of water the best."

Add, since you mentioned Sierra's…keep in mind ability to fit/carry bear canister.

[Mark Thompson]

I'm going to try the Mariposa Plus (2008 on sale $125) seems like a good deal.

Kent, Fitting a bear canister was a motivating factor for the new pack. My Gregory G-pack just won't do it. Plus liter is better.

Thanks everyone.

[Scott Bentz]

You won't go wrong with the Mariposa Plus. Especially, with the new curved stays. Not the lightest of all packs but a lot lighter than what you are using. This is what I use. I plan to put my canister inside my pack because there is so much volume. If it doesn't fit right I will go ahead and put it on top with the Y strap.

I especially like the external side pockets.

The only problem I have with my pack is that sometimes the volume is a bit too much for the type of packing I do. I really have to cinch up the elastic to keep everything taught. If not for the necessity of bear canisters I would definitely buy a Gorilla since it seems more compact.

[Joe Clement]

I wonder if replacing the elastic compression cord on the Mariposa with non-elastic would work better. And threading it under the pockets.

[Jim MacDiarmid]

Scott, what size bear cannister are you using? I just bought a Gorilla, and my BearVault 350/400 straps just fine to the top using the Y-Strap. I chose the Gorilla over the Mariposa Plus, even though the Mariposa was/is on sale, because I figure it would have too much volume.

[Brian Lewis]

"I plan to put my canister inside my pack because there is so much volume. If it doesn't fit right I will go ahead and put it on top with the Y strap."

Good plan — putting it *inside* the pack.

I carried a bear can with a 2006 version of the Mariposa Plus through the Sierras last year. I started out with it strapped externally, under the Y strap. I knew ahead of time that a slippery bear can wouldn't be very secure under the Y strap so I trimmed down an old Army sleeping bag wrap unit that I strapped to the can to give something more solid for the Y strap to connect to.

I did this for the first couple or three days but it became too much of a PITA, the can was always trying to slide off to the side. Even though the Y strap stayed with the can, or vice versa, the total weight (2+ pounds of food per day by that point in the trip) was such that the can just had a mind of its own.

I went out to Independence via Kearsarge Pass and mailed home some stuff I found I didn't need, strapped more stuff to the outside of the pack, and managed just fine with the bear can inside the pack from then on. Nice to have the volume to do that!

[Author]

Posts