Ultralight Adventure Equipment (ULA) CDT Backpack Review

I have always been a fan of this pack. My wife has used her conduit for years and never had a complaint. A year back I bought one and while I loved it, I ended up selling it due to the short sizing. I am 6'4" and found the same torso sizing issue as Will.

The new CDT appears to be in three sizes now – s,m,l. Will, do you know where the M/L pack you tested would 'fall' in this new sizing range? Thanks,

I believe M/L refers to hipbelt size / back length.

I.e. the size of his hipbelt is M and the length of the back is L.

PS: Reading again the sizes he states as available it doesn't make sense to me at all. Either these packs have been differently sized before, unlike their other pack, or the author is mistaken with the data.

Hi Tor – my CDT from 2010 was a M/L size. There were only two sizes at the time, one of which was small.

The website still shows the angled side pockets is there something im missing? and with the hand straps how does that take weight off of your shoulders when it is pulling on them?

I bought one a few weeks ago and it still has the angled pockets. I like being able to get my water bottle easily, but these do seem a little over the top in that regard.

I actually really like the angled mesh side pockets. When used with 1 litre platypus, they cradle them perfectly and can be removed and replaced easily while hiking. They stayed in the pockets very securely even while doing serious bushwhacking. I just made sure the bungie's were tight and the platys were deeply cradled in the pockets. I could see how other things might fall out though, especially a hard plastic water bottle.

I used to have a Conduit, which I think is now the CDT. The reason I got rid of it was the side pockets. I could keep a platy in it on flat easy trails, but hiking cross country going up and down canyon walls, they would not stay put no matter what I did. Perhaps they have changed them. When I contacted Brian Flankel (who was very nice BTW), he said the pockets were designed for the typical 16 oz water bottle, not the thicker ones like sports drinks, or for platys. I have not had good luck with mesh pockets on any brand pack.

ULA Conduit

Below are some side pockets that do work well, IMO.

This is a 64 ounce Gatorade bottle.

Two 64 ounce Gatorade bottles.

Two 1 liter platys.

1 liter platy.