Has anyone seen or purchased an Ula P-2 pack? It received a 2003 Editor's Choice award in Backpacker magazine.

It takes a couple of months to get one, but it is custom made. I would like to hear some feedback from actual users to see if it holds up well, I normally carry 35 - 40 lbs., food water and gear. But my current pack weighs over 5 lbs, so I could get down to around 30 lbs probably, and this would be heaven to me.

I have read nothing but good things about this pack (and the P-1). Check out the reviews on http://www.backpackgeartest.org/.

I ran across about 6-8 people on the PCT this summer using the P2 pack. It was universally liked. This is the most common pack that Brian makes. Brian Frankle (the main ULA guy) has told me that he will be at the Gathering this year and he should have a full display of packs for people to play with. I don't recall him having weights to put in the packs, so I would bring your gear to stuff in it. The P2 got a great review from Chris Townsend, who will also be at the Gathering this year. I believe Sly used one on his CDT hike a couple of summers ago. I think he is a user here and is on the AT-L, CDT-L, etc.

The P1 (the non-suspended version of the P2) is also very well regarded. I used a Zenith on the PCT and loved it. It is a completely different pack than the P2, though.

The backorder is high and after the Gathering may get even higher. I'd put in an order quickly at the Gathering.

While the P-2 may be a great pack, don't exclude the dozens of sub-3# (the P-2 weight after you add an option, or two) packs on the market. Check out BackCountry Gear's (http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/LightPack.cfm) site for a fairly good list.

And don't for get the Gearskin (http://hikinghq.net/gear/moonbow_gearskin.html).

Brian sent me a demo to try, since I won't buy one sight unseen.
Very nice pack, and I am strongly considering buying one althought I own a Granite Gear Nimbus Ozone. The P-2 is a better organized pack, and I like the way you can customize it.
The Ozone does have a little beefier suspension.

I ended up going with the Nimbus Ozone when I found out that the backlog for the P-2 is 12 weeks (and I was leaving in 9). While the Ozone does have a nice suspension supposedly capable of lugging 40 pounds, I liked a lot of the options on the P-2. I'll post a review of the Ozone after my October hike in Virginia.