ULA Circuit vs. zPacks Arc Blast

[Coffee]

I used the ULA Circuit for my John Muir Trail hike and loved the pack. It had more than the volume I needed and carried the weight very well. I had a ~16 pound base weight with total weight ranging from 23 to 33 pounds (with the 33 pounds after my final resupply at Muir Trail Ranch). Even at over 30 pounds, the pack was very solid.

As much as I like the Circuit, however, it does weigh in at 38 ounces and I'm looking to get my base weight down from 16 pounds to around 12 pounds before next summer. I have a zPacks Hexamid and love the shelter and would like to buy more zPacks gear now that I'm confident in the cuben fiber material. The ArcBlast, with the configuration I would want, should weigh in at under 20 ounces meaning I could save well over a pound if I switch. I am considering switching to a zPacks sleeping bag which will save me another 18 ounces or so. Since I probably won't need a bear canister for my hiking next year, that will save a couple of pounds getting my base weight down to 12 pounds. I would then expect my total weight to be between 20-28 pounds almost all the time, below the 30 pound limit advertised for the Arc Blast.

If anyone has owned both the Circuit and the Arc Blast, I would really appreciate feedback on how the two compare. It seems intuitive to me that cutting almost half the weight on a backpack has to involve some compromises in terms of comfort ... however, I have found in other areas that cutting weight does not necessarily result in less comfort so I am wary of relying on "conventional" wisdom when making my choices. Although I don't have an unlimited gear budget, I am prepared to spend some money to upgrade my gear with a focus on going fast and light next year.

[Dogwood]

Comparing these two packs is dubious and problematic. I, personally, don't see them in the same class. If I want to compare packs I want them to have like volumes to start off with. One pack is about 20- 30% more volume than the other depending on your versions/features in each pack. That alone will contribute(possibly substantially) to one pack being lighter wt than the other.

Personally, I like the version of Robic that ULA uses for the Circuit and the version of cuben hybrid ZPacks uses in the Arc Blast. Hard to go wrong with with either company.

[Dogwood]

Getting you base wt down is going to probably mean getting your volume down too so the Arc Blast is moving in the right wt saving snowballing direction.

[Coffee]

Getting you base wt down is going to probably mean getting your volume down too so the Arc Blast is moving in the right wt saving snowballing direction.

I see my volume requirements decreasing quite a bit for a couple of reasons. First, I will probably switch to the zpacks 20 degree bag which is more compressible than my current bag. More significantly, my understanding is that a canister is not necessary on the Colorado trail (my most likely hike next year). My custom 12 inch Bearikade was great this year but did take up a large fixed volume of space in the Circuit. But even with this setup I never maxed out the volume of the Circuit. There was always extra room available in the extension collar.

[Dogwood]

Sounds like you have some well thought out plans for the direction you are heading. No, bear canisters aren't required on the CT. Maybe Mags has more comprehensive knowledge about da bears on the CT but IMHO I don't think the CO bears on the CT are a non issue.

[Dogwood]

...bears aren't an issue.

[MuddyWaters]

You dont need a $300 pack to replace a perfectly good one to get your base down. Youve got a lot of other low hanging fruit you can pick first.

[English Stu]

I like the information, I have the Circuit and I have looked seriously at zpacks Arc Blast; it does look good.I hadn't realised the volume was so much different. I do have spare volume in the Circuit.

Using the Circuit I am down to 12lbs going upto 19/20lbs if I carry a few days food and water so it clearly carries well. I only changed to the Circuit from my Golite Breeze,which I still have,as I needed to carry a bear barrel on the JMT, not knowing I could have probably managed with Breeze

The Arc looks so tempting but it seems daft to spend $300 to save a lb or so. Am I right? I could afford it.

[atmilkman]

The Arc looks so tempting but it seems daft to spend $300 to save a lb or so. Am I right? I could afford it.

Hiking is kinda like drag racing. When you first get into it the pounds and seconds are fairly reasonable to drop. It's the tenths and ounces that get expensive.

[Coffee]

You dont need a $300 pack to replace a perfectly good one to get your base down. Youve got a lot of other low hanging fruit you can pick first.

True, the Circuit is a great pack and is by no means heavy. There are other areas I can look at but only changing the pack, sleeping bag, and dropping the bear canister are measured in pounds rather than ounces. Of course ounces saved in other areas could add up to pounds...

[hikingshoes]

Would you sale the circuit?

[Coffee]

Would you sale the circuit?

I probably would consider selling it order to offset part of the cost of a new pack but I would really hate to part with it ... I think that the Circuit handles a bear canister very well and I do plan to hike in the Sierra in the future, just not next year.

[hikingshoes]

I probably would consider selling it order to offset part of the cost of a new pack but I would really hate to part with it ... I think that the Circuit handles a bear canister very well and I do plan to hike in the Sierra in the future, just not next year.

inbox me if you think you'll sale it.

[Kerosene]

Hiking is kinda like drag racing. When you first get into it the pounds and seconds are fairly reasonable to drop. It's the tenths and ounces that get expensive.

So true. When most of your disposable income goes to backpacking gear, it's actually pretty easy to justify spending $300 to save a pound (28 ounces in my case)!

[bigcranky]

So true. When most of your disposable income goes to backpacking gear, it's actually pretty easy to justify spending $300 to save a pound (28 ounces in my case)!

And compared to other hobbies, backpacking is downright cheap. (Classic cars, sailboats, big game hunting, dating supermodels.... that sort of thing. )

[icdaywee]

Someday I will make dating supermodels a hobby of mine

[Coffee]

And compared to other hobbies, backpacking is downright cheap. (Classic cars, sailboats, big game hunting, dating supermodels.... that sort of thing. )

I'd have to agree. Even with gear purchases, the cost of my JMT hike was less than a typical summer tourist trip to Europe. And I still have all my gear in working order for a long hike next year. I wasn't even that careful to budget on my trip staying in motels more than I had to. But hiking is just inherently cheap compared to most other types of travel even with gear seeming not to be. Even the cost of my Hexamid is down to around $20/night of use so far and has most of its useful life ahead of it.

[michaelosborne]

I currently use the ULA Ohm 2.0 and was thinking about switching over to the arc blast the weight savings are just too great to not consider the switch.

[Miner]

ULA packs will be more durable than the Zpacks ones. Your Circuit will last you several years doing multiple thru-hikes. The Zpacks less so. If you are the type who constantly changes your gear out for the lastest lighter thing, then no worries. If you like to hang onto stuff for years, then I'd stay with the circuit or at maybe one of their lighter packs like the Ohm. Don't plan on a small pack that you have to really compress a sleeping bag to fit in. They last better if they are allowed to loft some in your backpack (and not compressed to their smallest size) when you are doing long hikes.

I went from a ULA Circuit to a ULA CDT as my gear weight and size went down. Now I find the CDT too large for a week long trip so I'm looking to downsize yet again. Since I seem to change out my packs between thru-hikes anyway, I'm starting to look at the Zpacks Arc Blast Slim which saves me weight and size, but I'm waiting to see what Six Moon Designs is going to come out with in 2014. After Ron hired Brian earlier this year (who originally founded ULA before selling it 2-3 years ago), I'm expecting them to make some changes to their pack line.

[MuddyWaters]

Yeah, the Arc blast Ive seen, just one admittedly, didnt look all that great where the belt is attached. A pretty strained looking connection with some obvious wear of the material from flexing at that point. I think the Circuit is a far more durable pack in that regard. A Circuit in cuben hybrid will save about 4-5 oz and be water resistant. Thats a good alternative that Ive been considering.


But, at 17oz, the Arc blast has a lot going for it if low weight is a priority. However I think the funky bend in the pack to keep it off the backpanel would be irritating to put things in/out.

My base is about 8 lbs with my circuit in summer, mine weighs 34 oz with some items stripped, and I can get it lower, but not worth it. We will be using Circuits on the JMT next summer.