Favorite UL Backpack

[Lawson Kline]

Alot of fans of removable frames… Those of you who are, do you remove the frame to reduce overall pack weight or do you add the frame for support when carrying a heavy load???

[Robert Carver]

Has to be my new MLD Burn. Took it out for an overnighter this past weekend. I love it. The shoulder pads are super comfy. Had Ron add the Ark hip belt to it and it is super comfy as well. It is going to be the pack I go to all summer long. Love it so much I ordered an Exodus after I got back home.

[Lee Fitler]

Although not the lightest, I love my ULA Circuit. It fits great and is very well made. Super attention to detail in this pack. I am hoping to strip some weight out of it soon.

[Jarrod Handwerk]

ULA Conduit ….it's all the pack i will ever need

[Ken Bennett]

2004 Six Moons Designs Starlite, to which I added the ULA hip belt with pockets (though SMD now offers a similar hip belt as an option.)

I have a lot of packs, but this is the one I would keep over all the others. Comfortable, easy to use, plenty of room for winter gear but compresses well for summer use.

[EndoftheTrail]

"Alot of fans of removable frames… Those of you who are, do you remove the frame to reduce overall pack weight or do you add the frame for support when carrying a heavy load???"

Right now, instead of a removable frame pack, I have two backpacks — one with and one without a frame. I'm happy enough with this, but if there's a good pack with an easily removable frame and hip belt, then I can see myself buying this one pack to replace the two that I currently have.

I would remove the frame and hip belt — and replace with a webbing belt — for loads below 23-25 lbs. It's matching a light weight pack to carry a light weight load.

But for week-long trips or for carrying extra water, then I will want to put back the frame and hip belt to haul the load more comfortably. Again, matching the pack with the load at hand.

[Logan K]

Verastility – BPL Arctic – with a 25L dry bag, this may just be the best pack around -check the forums for my review and stories of doing deep- in – the – woods – emergency- sewing though.

Really Light Trips – MYO Ray Way with some mods

Wish it was Cuben – GG Murmur – don't use it much because I'm scared of durability problems

Logan

[John Vance]

I am down to only one pack now for all overnight to multi week trips. It is an SMD 2006 Starlight. I have been resisting the temptation but have come REALLY close to pulling the trigger on the new 2010 Swift and the ULA CDT. The thought of shaving 10oz is awfully temping.

I have gotten to the final checkout phase multiple times on both packs…..it's just a matter of time.

[Brandon Sanchez]

I really like my SMD Swift '10. Though I dont have much to compare it too- it is simply amazing.

[Jay Wilkerson]

My (Old School) ULA P2 has taken me on all of my multi-day trip over the years and my MLD Ark is better suited for weekend trips….

[Ted E]

I have two UL backpacks. my golite pinnacle and my REI flash UL (predecessor to the flash 18). i really like my flash pack, especially since i modified it to be 5 oz by cutting out the inside stuff and the hip-belt. I've been just turning it inside out and using it as a stuff sack inside my pinnacle that way i have a small daypack if needed.

I would like to try out the S2S ultrasil backpack next though. it has a little more capacity and weights half as much.

[. .]

Summer: Zpacks Zero 2000 Cuben w/ Hip-belt pockets and bungee.
+ ultra-simple
+ very durable
+ excellent craftsmanship
+ reasonable price
+ flexible (modular) design
+ made in USA / cottage mfr.
+ 3 oz. weight
– too beautiful ;)

Winter/Climbing: Osprey Exos 58
+ comfortable for the weight of winter gear
+ air frame
+ excellent organization
+ removable lid for summit pushes (yes, they do have a practical use) or to leave behind to save 4 oz.
+ feature rich
+ excellent warranty
+ well made
– but plenty of unnecessary superfluity
– too many seams
– not made in USA
– could be lighter

[chris kersten]

Mine is my golite jam2 with all of the extra weight off. My favorite non-ultralite pack is my gregory z55. It just oozes quality and fits well. (but has about 100 buckles that you have to mess with when you need something.)

[Rakesh Malik]

I have only one, because it suits my needs admirably. It's a McHale SuperSARC, custom-fitted, made of Dyneema.

It fits perfectly (duh), carries 65+ pounds quite well, and it's a lot lighter than I'd expected, though I've only hefted it empty when it was brand new.

(Carrying 65+ pounds isn't my preference, but it's nice to know that my pack can let me do that if I really need to.)

The main reason for having such a large pack is that I carry a view camera. There's a limit to how small you can make a 4×5 and its associated gear (lenses, tripod, film holders, etc).

[Lynn Tramper]

Osprey Exos 58 covers me year round. In summer I leave the top pocket at home, add it back on for longer or winter trips. Definitely not UL, but the lightest I've found that is still comfortable to carry.

[Joe Vigil]

For weekenders, I love my GG Mariposa Plus (24oz).
For my 8-dayers, I love my Mountainsmith Auspex (3lbs 11oz).

[Anonymous]

1. Winter, or 4-7 days other seasons-Circuit
2. 2-4 days GG Gorilla

[Scott Lehr]

My Kelty Goshawk 2200ci is only my 2nd pack and i love it. Its not exactly UL at 34 oz, but is way lighter than my old Jansport 5500ci pack that was over 6 pounds. Its big enough for weekends with plenty of compression options, yet light enough to keep my base weight around 9 pounds.

[Heath Pitts]

Mine is my six moon designs traveler.

Obviously lightweight. It can be frameless. The best features to me are the comfort while carrying and the space. It is almost too large for the gear that I carry.

[R K]

-Carries well
-Right size for my gear
-Can reach side pockets easily while wearing
-Back pockets keep things handy/drying

Highly recommended!

[James Naphas]

Mountainsmith ghost (original blue model) for shorter trips
Mariposa for longer.

I am almost always carrying a bear canister, so need a little more volume.

[Alex H]

Right now a 2005 Starlite with stays (28 oz.) but teetering on ordering a 2010 Swift.

For high weight trips (lots of water) the Mountainsmith Auspex is hard to beat, with out top lid 3lbs. 6 oz., haven't carried it in sometime though as I have pushed the Starlite to 40#

[Darin Kizer]

Blast 18 is my favorite UL pack

Mine weighs 5.6oz and can carry 22lbs including a Garcia bear canister very comfortably. I fold over a 1/8" thinlight pad to use as padding.

[RC]

1st gen ULA Conduit, it just works and is so comfortable. My only change would be to have GG-style mesh pocket for a SitLight pad. That said, a GG Gorilla may be in my future.

What ULA packs do that allow them to carry so well (and what I've yet to see from any other manufacturer) is where the shoulder straps attach to the bottom of the pack. Not the bottom-front where the hip belt attaches, but the bottom-back where the big outer mesh pocket stops.

Actually, I just checked and the newer models don't do that anymore, bummer.

[Frank Steele]

But I love my Osprey Exos 46. I have mine down to 34 oz. For those who say it isn't UL, it is when it combined with all your gear is still under 10 lbs base weight.

I didn't like the frameless GG Virga or Golite Jam (2010) or the ply frame Golite litespeed.

[Author]

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