Most comfortable UL Pack?

I also had a Gregory Baltoro. I just ordered, and received a ULA Circuit. I can't speak to long term performance as of yet, but I loaded it up and took a hour hike. It is very comfortable. The craftsmanship is top notch. It also has a frame, which a lot of UL packs are lacking. So it might be a good transition bag while your working on dialing-in your gear and getting your base weight under 10.

The Circuit is certainly very comfortable but recently I have started using the new SMD Swift and it has been great. With a RidgeRest 3/4 folded in the pad pocket I have been very happy with the performance.

Just as a follow up if you need to carry over 30lbs I would recommend the Circuit with the stay option. Used this on the JMT last year and it worked well. But if you can get at or around 30lbs I would still recommend the Swift.

I have a GG Mariposa Plus and it carries like a dream, but I wouldn't recomend it or any other UL pack for 30-35 pounds.

I also have s '10 SMD Swift that carries great with a ridgerest as a frame, but I have only tried it with 15-16 pounds.

I own a Granite Gear Vapor Trail, a Granite Gear Latitude Vapor, an Osprey Exos 34, a Zpacks Z1 and a GG Mariposa Plus. I love the Mariposa Plus. It is very comfortable with 30 lbs or less but it is too large a volume to suit me for short trips and most three season trips. It is better suited for week long plus and winter trips. For short weekend and summer trips I carry the Zpacks Z1 and with less than 20 lbs it is great. I just recently acquired the Osprey. It weighed 2 lbs 3 oz but I have removed the top pouch and trimmed it to 1 lb 14 oz. I have used it on two trips and it carried great with around 19-23 lbs. The Granite Gear packs are good packs but I just do not like them. I keep them as loaners. My grandson carried my Mariposa Plus from Springer to Atkins, VA this year and dearly loved it.

I'd like to add my recommendation of the Swift '10. Very comfortable pack. I use it with a cut in half Ridgerest for the frame. Was out with a friend who got injured and I ended up putting about 2/3 of his gear in my pack with my own, 25-30 lbs and the pack was still as comfortable as could be on the way out. I cannot praise the Swift '10 highly enough.

If you are wanting to carry 30-35 pounds you might consider the SMD Starlite. It is very similar to the Swift '10 and has aluminum stays which would help with the extra weight.

so does that mean i should go with ula or gossg?

I was truly amazed at how comfortable this pack is. Since I am just a little over an hour from ULA I have tried on many of their packs but I must admit that I haven't carried one on the trail all day. The 2010 Swift has really opened my eyes to how well a frameless pack can work. I use two pieces of 3/8" closed cell foam in the pad pocket and just place my DAM in the pack bag.

If you really mean UL, as in <15lb total pack weight, frameless is very comfy. I like durability, so I use a Granite Gear Virga with a z-lite cut down to 6 panels (8 if I might actually sleep on just the z-lite).

If you're carrying a bit more, my favorite light framed pack is probably the Osprey Exos.

Comfort is entirely dependent on fit… what fits one person really, really well might not fit you for beans. And if it doesn't fit YOU well, it won't be comfortable at all… regardless of how much padding it has or how many great reviews it has.

The Aether is a great pack w/a great custom fit, but is not a significant weight savings over the Baltoro (or at least certainly not UL). Of packs that you should be able to easily find at a retailer, the Granite Gear Nimbus Meridian would be an option. You could check out the Exos 58, too… very supportive frame for a light pack, although the hipbelt is a little on the short side. I'm generally not a fan of "one size fits all" packs, but the Deuter Aircontact Zero (3 #s) or Light 50+10 (3.5 #s) might be worth checking into. The Black Diamond Quantum 55 is often overlooked, a 3.5# pack strippable to under 2 #s.

The Circuit or Ohm w/new belt might be good packs to consider. I wouldn't go frameless for the loads you're talking about.

Any way you go, you're going to need to try on some properly-fitted packs. Best to do that all at once for side-by-side comparisons if possible. Great if you have a good local shop. If you decide to go cottage industry, plan on buying a few packs and trying them on, then send back what doesn't feel as good.

I own a Granite Gear Nimbus Meridian, Vapor Trail, and Osprey Aether 70, and have put ~30mi on an Exos 58.

While you can get (much) lighter packs than Granite Gear's framed UL line, for my money the comfort and customizability of their hipbelts is absolutely worth every ounce of the weight. I'm with you in the 'non-athletic build' boat, and I find the tiny 1" Osprey Exos-style hipbelts extremely uncomfortable. This would probably go for the Granite Gear Virga as well.

Try a Vapor Trail; if you like it, start cutting.

+1 on Six Moon Designs Starlite (or Traveller)

They have gotten great reviews and match your target load and volume very well. The above is a link to the pack.

Another + for the SMD Starlite

+1 SMD Swift '10. Hardly noticed the pack was there carrying 13 lbs, very comfortable at 20, and if you need, you could carry up to 30lbs in it. That's at the very highest weigh I'd ever carry in it, but it'll handle it reasonably well, especially with the load lifters I installed.

Another thumbs up for the SMD packs. I have their Comet (unfortunately discontinued)–it's a really comfortable pack! Be sure to get the "optional" stays. They are mandatory if you're carrying more than 25 lbs. or want the load lifters to work. You can use a partially inflated self-inflating or inflatable pad in the pad pocket, but it won't have as much support as a stiffer CCF pad–this would be another reason for getting the stays. The stays are extremely easy to insert and remove, so it's easy to switch back and forth depending on the weight or composition of your load. I've carried up to 37 lbs. in my Comet (don't ask!). My shoulders, back and hips felt just fine, although my knees and feet were screaming! My shoulders are quite pressure-sensitive, so I really appreciate those load lifters!

As already mentioned, though, the three most important characteristics in a pack are fit, fit, fit!

IMHO, most all UL packs are basically one large sack with a pair of shoulder straps and sometimes a waist strap. "Fit and comfort" is a lot simpler than traditional packs with a myriad of different frames and whatnot's to consider.

The critical thing to look for in an UL pack is the shoulder straps. As an example, Gossamer Gear shoulder straps are probably the widest in the entire UL industry by far — with legions of fans singing their praises — but they are extremely uncomfortable for me — with my narrow chest. The straps cut into my underarms with every stride.

So, when you have whittled down your total pack weight to 20-25 lbs. — then a UL pack can work well for you. Narrow down your selection to the last 2 or 3. Then, you may wish to buy them all so you can try them out firsthand. Given how light these packs are, your only risk — the return postage — is minimal.

The Mariposa Plus is super-comfortable for me. I just bought one several months ago seeking a pack to accommodate a bear can. The suggestion to inventory your gear and then find a pack to fit the load has never worked for me. That method would result in a pack and a load too heavy for me to carry. I buy the pack and then pare and adjust the load. I wouldn’t make adjustments otherwise.

Pretty sure you can get Gossamer Gear packs with narrower straps now. Although I think Ben should just get in the gym and bulk up.

Yeah, that works just about as well as telling certain folks they need to get on a diet… Sigh.

Wow! Pretty deadly there Ben.

Seems like for this guy, who's not a gram counter/serious UL type, that something like the GG Vapor Trail would be perfect.

Light pack, very forgiving/plush suspension, within his weight limits, but not so light that you need to have the adjustment perfect for it to be comfortable.

He might be happy with some of the other suggestions, but for someone going from a heavy plush pack, seems like a light pack with most of the weight dedicated to support/suspension would be a wise choice.

Redbeard, i have a six moon designs Comet '09
it looks much like the larger Starlite.

in very nice condition. NO flaws.
yours shipped for $85

I just bought the Ohm and the Mariposa Plus. They are both great for less than 25 ilbs.but I wouldn't use them for more. I Granite Gear Vapor or Latitude vapor is what I would recommend.

I don't see how getting a lighter pack would bring you any more comfort as long as you have to carry 30-35 lbs. A pound or two less would hardly be noticed, especially if you lose any comfort in stepping down from your super comfy pack.

A good analogy is a full sized, but under-powered pickup towing a heavy load up a hill. To improve the situation, you can a)get a more powerful engine or vehicle–that is build your strength and endurance or b)lighten and stabilize the load. Trading your truck out for a lighter model or maybe even for a sports car really won't help get that heavy load up the hill. Might look cooler and you might enjoy the purchase process, but it won't work any better.

If you can get your load down about 10 lbs then the decision for a lighter pack begins to make more sense. You get into the range where lighter packs can carry a load in the comfort that you are accustomed to. It is true that you have more capacity (volume) than you need now, but trading comfort and spending money might not give you positive results. You might end up regretting the purchase.

If you aren't a gram counter and you normally carry 30lbs, you probably shouldn't buy one of the cottage maker ultralight packs until you get the rest of your pack weight down. You won't be happy. You don't save weight on the pack until you've saved weight on the other stuff first, otherwise you'll be miserable.

The 30lb top weight on a lot of these packs is to let you know that if you're doing a thru-hike of the PCT or something, you can make it through those few really long desert stretches with a few extra liters of water. You'll be hurting, but the pack will not fall apart. The 30lb top weight isn't the suggested weight for every day use.