The most comfortable UL pack you've tried??

I agree about the Exos 58. Really an amazing pack in my opinion.

Might be helpful to give a weight range for people to consider. 10#? 20#? 35#?

Speaking in generalities, my old SMD Swift ’10 is incredibly comfortable and never got the love it deserved.

Gossamer Gear ‘Kumo’
Granite Gear ‘Virga 26’

What is the definition of an “UL” pack?

Another vote for the Kumo.  I love it.

If we’re going to go with framed, I love love love love love my Circuit and it’s easily the most comfortable pack I’ve ever owned. Actually, considering that, I’m not sure why I put in that caveat at the beginning.

I don’t think it’s going to get a ton of use for the future, since I’m now at a point where I can get 4-5 days of food into a Burn, but I still love it.

Very subjective, but the 2016 GG Gorilla gets my vote. It easily carries an UL kit and it’s supportive enough to comfortably carry 10 days of food and a bear cannister.

Other than the nice bells and whistles, the Osprey Exos worked poorly for me due to no lumbar support and far-off center of gravity. The 2015 REI Flash 45 has comfortable and well-shaped shoulder straps, but the rest of this pack is mediocre compared to the Gorilla IMHO.

Another happy GG Kumo user here.  I have more packs than I can really justify, but this one gets the most use.

The framed pack I go to these days is a Katabatic Helios 40.  Very comfy pack.  Great when I need just a touch more room than the Kumo and need to haul heavier loads.

Luxury Light frame with a GG ‘bag’ strapped onto it. Just under 2.5 lbs. It carries like a dream–especially a bear canister, which rests horizontally on the bottom flange of the LL frame. All weight is on my hips. Bear canister doesn’t touch my back. Extremely comfortable belt.

The SMD Feather Pack (discontinued) has been my pack of choice the last few years for loads up to 23-24 pounds.  No frame, the pack weighs 14.2 ounces.  What really works for me is the hip belt which has zero padding and consists of nylon (?) webbing that fastens in an “X” pattern.  This style allows my legs and hips to swing freely, almost completely unrestrained.  I have not yet found any padded hip belt that comes close to allowing the un-clamped feeling that I get from the “X” belt.  Subjectively I feel that most belts slow down my leg cadence by perhaps 20%.  To be clear, yes, the Feather is comfortable :)

With a UL load and 5 days of food, the Katabatic packs are amazing!  To me, it’s not just load bearing that makes it great, it’s also how it does with other comfort issues. From major to just annoying, they all are comfort issues to me and worthy of consideration.

1. Water bottle access; if it’s uncomfortable to reach is it really a comfortable pack? I’ve heard so many people rave about how comfortable their pack is but they can’t even reach their bottles without dislocating their shoulder!
2. Ventilation: I have other packs that are soft and comfy but over 60 degrees I’m drenched. Katabatic packs breath very well.
3. Doesn’t hold stink: is is comfortable to smell permafunk? Not really…
4. Rides close to your body. Another favorite is when people say their pack is super comfortable but then the pack is carried 6″ off their back. It’s so unstable it’s going to be a long term issue, doubly so off trail.
5. Width: another off trail issue as wide packs snag stuff which is far from comfortable, especially while scrambling technical climbs.

I could go on and on but I think my point is that load bearing is only part of what makes a comfortable pack.

I am not sure what ultralight means in this thread but if the Exos qualifies then I can throw in my Elemental Horizons Kalais and second to that the Ohm . Definitely not the GG Mariposa plus for me.

ps. Besides how the Kalais fits and feels, I like the fact that I can drop it on the ground and not worry that a twig or little rock is going to damage it; that’s part of the comfort…lack of worry.

ULA OHM 2.0, hands down.  It weighs 1.5 pounds and carries up to 25# very comfortably, which in my case translates to an 11 day trip.  With my modifications to an OHM 1.1(the version where the stays are exposed for about 10″ before seating in pockets attached to the hipbelt wings), which I shall post in the relatively near future, the comfortable carrying weight will increase to ~35#.  I am currently testing how far I can push that comfortable carrying weight.

dead bird alpha FL … they may not be UL for hiking, but for climbing they are compared to other climbing packs

its one of the few frameless packs that carries ~20-30 LB as well or even better than some framed packs … perhaps it has something to do with the wide shoulder straps and a thin moulded plastic piece

or its simplya perfect fit for yours truly =P

not to mention they are fairly durable with 400D+ fabric, mostly water proof, and climb very well

oh and its DEAD BIRD !!! (so you can bring it to better places an not look out of place)

;)

I’m impressed by the Seek Outside Divide – I carried 7 days worth of food and a gallon of water on my last trip to Utah. I never thought I could comfortably carry a gallon of water + a weeks worth of food. It is a lot of pack for anything less than 30 #, but it carries 30 and less in plush comfort and I expect it will carry just as well with another 15-20, which is about as much as I can conceive of carrying.

UL Pack? Well, that depends.
Duration is a big factor. I usually figure about 23pounds for a two week unsupported trip. For that, I bring a 12.5oz Murmur. If I plan to carry fishing gear, I usually bring the older 2012 model. If I am not fishing, then I use the 2015 model. Both are comfortable up to a total pack weight of 30 pounds with a 5 layer torso pad in the pad keeper. But, even though they are rated the same size, the older pack is actually a bit larger. You have to be in practice to use these. Both have thin shoulder straps and thin belts. I use the older version every day for hiking around the park about 6mi loaded up with 30pounds as a fitness pack every day (mostly.)

For three week trips, I need another food bag. So, with the increase in volume, I go with a larger MiniPosa. This has a carbon internal frame/frame stays. Coupled with a 3 layer pad, it handles fishing gear and a saw, too. Often, I go with around 27-28pounds for three week unsupported trips, including everything.
For more duration, it usually means supported. By that, I mean I will pass through a few towns where I can pick up food, maybe batteries. So, I usually bring the older model Murmur. If I am headed out with the kids (well, they are adults now at 37-39) I just bring the MiniPosa loaded up with extra goodies, even if I only head out for a week.

I have 7-8 other packs, but for the past 5 years I haven’t used them at all. In fact I have given a couple away.

+1 for the LuxuryLite.  Even back in the days when my other equipment was not so light as it is now, it would carry a week’s worth of food in a canister plus everything else (probably 30-40 pounds) with no weight on my shoulders, and no chafing on the hips where all the weight fell.  Not the lightest pack I own, but the lightest feeling pack.

Oh yeah, also lots of ventilation between the pack and my back (though the hip belt can get a little sweaty).

Interesting to see no votes for anything Zpacks so far. Are they not comfortable? Or just not as popular as I had assumed?

+1 for the Kalais, beautifully designed with no excess, very durable.  Just came off a desert trip where we had to carry 3 gallons of water, no other 2# pack can carry the weight that well for me.

True UL, I am with Brando S on the discontinued Swift at 17 oz. but cannot handle more than 30#

Framed Pack – Seek Outside Unaweep 4800 – I can carry loads over 30# in comfort

Frameless Pack – SMD Swift ’10 – Great for loads to around 22-23#’s

I recently purchased a Zpacks Arc Blast and find it far superior to the  three packs mentioned below. I don’t have many other US made packs to compare to, my main packs have been a Macpac AMP 40 and later a Laufbursche Hucke pack (previously my most comfortable pack), but did have a smd Swift (with frame) some years ago but found it too large for my requirements (and least comfortable).

I have an older Zpacks 50l Blast in Dyneema grid fabric with carbon rods as frame elements.  It weighs about 18 oz.  I found it comfortable up to 30 lbs, but not saying every one would find it comfortable at 30 lbs.  I like it enough that it is my only backpacking pack.  Only down side is a sweaty back.

My Arc Blast is the best fitting pack I have ever owned. The Elemental Horizons Kalais is a very close second and the Katabatic Gear Helios rounds out the top 3 (the Helios would be my absolute favorite fitting pack if the torso on the large was 1 inch taller).

The thing about the Blast is it’s that I don’t really like all the moving parts to it. However, those moving parts allow for the most exact fit I have ever been able to achieve. I do have concerns about the vertical rods as well. Aside from the fit, I love the large pockets and 4 point belt buckle.

Ohm 1.0.  Forget I have it on.