ULA Arctic 1000 Packs

I'm definately salivating over the pack! If there's a pre-purchase list going around. Sign this canuk up.
I've been dreaming about this design.

Thanks. From the pictures, and the way the suspension is described, it seemed the framesheet would be be too closely attached to the crybag to slide in a bladder. Your explanation clears this up.

How durable are these POE dry bags actually? Is it a delicate fabric or is it still quite robust?

It's not entirely clear to me whether only the zip gives access to the mesh pocket or that the pocket can also be reached from above. The dscription also mentions the use of the daisy chain for strapping an ice axe or trekking poles but it appears to me to be a less ideal solution when the mesh pocket is being filled with rather bulky items pushing the axe or poles to far from the back. Using the side compression straps for this is not practicle also due to the lack of a side pocket to store them, certainly when the pack is undrfilled. So what is the best way to store these items or how practicle would it be to make a small side pocket?

The drypacks are quite robust. Much more so than the lighter drybags of Sea to Summit. The fabric has a similar feel to that of say the new GoLite Jam2 or the Mountainsmith Ghost (though probably not as strong as the Ghost's material). The material is a bit stiff, with good fiber reinforcment. I think it can handle most of what you would encounter, even rock scrambling. And yet it's quite light, too.

Is there a cost estimate?
How suited is it for water / portage use?

Doug

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Tom –

The dry bags are rather robust. I think you'll find them to have very good abrasion resistance. I've bushwhacked in mine a lot, and they've not been punctured. Don't count on them to resist desert thorns, etc. however. Willows, slide alder, devils club, no problem.

The zip is a vertical side zip that gives access to the mesh pocket. It's sealed from above.

The daisy chain, even when the mesh pocket is full and bulging "is one solution" (!). I've stowed trekking poles in the comp straps and just made sure to loop the lower strap through the handle straps for extra security. I've carried an ice axe when the pack is both bulging and underfilled on the daisy and it doesn't seem to be a problem, even if it lacks some aesthetic appeal because it isn't lying perfectly flat.

The compression straps fit many of the aftermarket "side pockets" very well, or you can make your own.

I have huge McHale "Super Side Pockets" that fit the pack, these may be my solution for serious overloading!

Doug: Costing is in progress. We will do a prepurchase on these packs. Look for that after April 18. We gotta get through Cocoons first, which go out for prepurchase tomorrow.

The pack is designed for water/portage/swimming/packrafting. You can extend the top strap with your own combination of webbing and buckles and carry anything you want in it: "Canoes!" "Chainsaws!" etc you know the routine.

I am interested too.

For the mathematically challenged:

1 liter = 61.024 cubic inches
1000 cubic inches = 16.387 liters

Therefore……..
50 liters = 3051 cubic inches……call it 3000
65 liters = 3996 cubic inches……call it 4000

Total weight = 40 ounces with 50L bag; 40.8 oz with 65L bag

Weight: Harness (w/o frame): 26.0 oz; Two aluminum frame stays (included): 4.3 oz (for both); Dry Bags (included): 50L (9.7 oz); 65L (10.5 oz)

How would this pack compare to a Arcteryx NAOS or a ULA catalyst with at S to S eVent drybag inside. What would be a comfortable weight limit for this pack?
Don

To get the photos to move off of the specifications textbox, close your FAVORITES when using Internet Explorer.

I too would be interested in this pack, depending on the pricing.

I question the stability of the bear can on top of the drybag using only a single strap. That would also have to be a long strap as well. I would think a "Y" strap would be more secure. A 9 x 14 inch cylinder is going to twist around up there……IMHO.

I dont mean to steal Ula's thunder in any way but there are other options out there for carrying drybags.

http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=2933&deptid=1989#

I know a few people that use these for packrafting. The Ula design looks much better though. The full width beavertail will help avoid wear and tear on the drybag bottom much better than the NRS version. The NRS model is also quite heavy for what it is.

Eric, this is a good option at an excellent price for those on a budget. I used one of these packrafting before I moved to a POE dry pack and then the ULA Arctic. The NRS has a "conventional" mass market hip belt that is pretty stiff and it doesn't have hip belt pockets or secure storage other than the bungee on the back. It's a great portage pack, but the inability to keep the dry bag riding high makes it a poor backpacking pack.

But if your loads are light and you're on a budget, and you do more paddling than hiking, it's $50 well spent. I recommend it.

Thats generally what I've heard too, that the NRS is functional for what it is but not really super designed for all day hiking. I still know people that have done week long trips with them (and put holes in the bottom of their drybags while at it too).

They are a steal though for those looking to try the concept.

Bob,

The pack can have an additional long strap slid on the central strap for big and tall loads.

The ULA pack design is quite good and has lots of flexibility.

Never needed a Y-strap even for really tall loads, but all my really tall loads have involved packrafting where I use the paddle in two pieces up the sides (blades up) to stabilize the load, adding a lash strap that goes around the paddles and tallest laod to stabilize.

Probably doesn't make sense what I just wrote….but the pack is very flexible.

Roman

Miguel,

The POE dry bags are by far the best with their burp valves and their greater durability. Just don't forget to close the valve after cinching the pack down!

The most durable dry bags are heavy and tend to be cylindrical and no good on the back. The POE ones are light and pillow-case style, meaning flat on the back.

The Drybags are not inflated except when swimming — we generally squeeze all the air out.

I really like the 50 L bag's dimensions (tall and narrow), but the volume of the 65 L

Roman

Yes, 1 more to add to the list of folks who would like one of these packs.

Rik

I like this pack more and more every day. Perhaps I would have liked a few more things like a bungee system, ice axe keepers or a small mesh side pocket to store my hiking poles but I guess I could make these myself if I really need them.
About the purchasing process, I've noticed quite a lot of people are interested in this pack. Ryan, could you already give an indication on how this relates to the number of packs that will be available in this batch? Are there already more interested than packs available? I would hate to see this pack slip through my fingers because I was unable to access BPL at the moment of pre-purchase, not knowing if a second batch will be made.

It seems as though this pack would be perfect for alpinism with a few modifications. Does anyone else share this view?

Why not just a silnylon pack with beefier hipbelt and the POE as a liner? I wonder what the weight difference would be b/t a silnylon pack and the ULA pack w/o dry bag? I remember it weighing something like 13 oz. for the arctic 1000.

Anyone use a GearSkin?

Sgt Rock seems to like it a bunch.

Review here: Moonbow Gearskin

It might, but I always look for a pack that won't load up with snow for long glissades. It seems like this might load up with snow but it would be very easy to clear the snow out too…and everything would be dry.

No axe attachments so this would be a jury rig.

Hmm…seems okay for mountaineering but better in the aqueous environment.

The lightweight drybags bags will not stand up to the rock abrasion and abuse a climbing pack gets.

I dont see why a harness pack would make a good climbing pack, care to share?

I have had no luck with silnylon packs. In fact I don't even like silnylon for anything but cookpot and bushbuddy ash liners.

The POE bags are very durable, offering what I think is the highest durability to weight ratio — no quantitative lab testing done, but lots of field time.

Sometimes when I packraft, I carry my raft, dry suit, helmet, paddle, and throw rope all in the ULA pack without any bag, just strap it into the raw pack, so to speak.

I have also gone hiking and carefully packaged my sleeping bag, clothing, food, and cookpot in my megamid and again loaded it into the ULA Arctic 1000 style pack, raw, without any bag.

This takes more thought and effort to do, however, than just throwing things in your sack and tossing it on your back.

Spartan, function, and share…..