ULA Conduit or Circuit?

[rswanson]

I posted this on another forum but WB gets so much more activity so I'm duplicating the post here. I'm in the market (again) for a new pack. I really like the features and durability of the ULA packs so I'm pretty sure I'm going to purchase one although I'm not opposed to alternative suggestions. My goal is to get as small a volume pack as I can get away with. I have no experience with ULA packs other than what I've read so I'm unsure of which pack to order.

My current 3 season gear is about 9lbs. base. I'll use the pack for 2-5 day trips, carrying 2 liters of water tops, so maybe 20lbs total weight. According to the recommended load weights on ULA's website it would seem that the Conduit is the better option but I want to make sure that the Conduit handle the total volume of my gear. I've included approximate stuff sack sizes (probably overestimated somewhat) in case you're familiar with the packs but not my gear.

Shelter: HS Tarptent Contrail 24oz 14x4
Bag: Western Mountaineering Ultralight Super 28oz 13x7
Pad: Pacific Outdoor Max Compact ¾ 14oz 10x4
Pad: Gossamer Gear Thinlight 3oz 19x4
Clothes: Spare clothing, windshirt in stuff sack 12oz 6x14
Insulation: Patagonia Micropuff P/O 13oz 4x5
Raingear: Dropstoppers 10oz 10x4
Cooking: Stove, fuel, pot, spork 14oz 8x6
Utility: Headlamp, medical, toletries, misc. 16oz. 6x14

Keep in mind that I might be carrying as much as a 5 day food supply. I don't like to carry a lot of stuff outside the main pack body, though I understand that might be neccessary. I also understand that I might have to use a different CCF pad (GG Nightlight?) for the Conduit's frame and that's fine. I'll probably carry the POE 3/4 length pad regardless of which CCF pad I use so the pack would have to have room for both. Recommendations?

[DawnTreader]

Can't help your your 2 choices, however, I can vouch that you are making the right decision going with the ULA. I have a slightly higher base weight than you (11 lbs), and I like to carry a boat load of food, so I got the Catalyst, and the thing is amazing. It carries 25 lbs like a dream, plenty of room to let my down fluff, and the stiff mesh pockets are excellent. I was thinking of picking up a smaller ULA for shorter trips, so I'll be looking for responses also.
peace
DT

[tlbj6142]

My guess is your gear would fit fine in the smaller Conduit; however, I'd get the Circuit for 2 reasons.

Bigger hipbelt pockets. I've had 2 packs with hipbelt pockets (small daypack size packs) and I love them, but the ones on the Circuit look far more usable than those on the Conduit, for multi-day trips.
Wicking material on the back of the pack. I recently made a pack out of Spectra Dyneema (same stuff ULA uses) and it sucks to have it right next to your back. I will be adding some type of 3D mesh chimney in the near future.Both packs have decent compression options, so going with a slightly bigger pack isn't all that bad. Gives you more volume for winter hikes, "heavy" base camp hikes, etc.

BTW, if you search in the gear review forum, I think you'll find a review of one of these packs by "Chris". And, of course, backpackgeartest.org has plenty of reviews.

[Footslogger]

[quote=rswanson;280678]I posted this on another forum but WB gets so much more activity so I'm duplicating the post here. I'm in the market (again) for a new pack. I really like the features and durability of the ULA packs so I'm pretty sure I'm going to purchase one although I'm not opposed to alternative suggestions. My goal is to get as small a volume pack as I can get away with. I have no experience with ULA packs other than what I've read so I'm unsure of which pack to order.
====================================

Not trying to steer you away from ULA but I'll use another pack for comparison. I carried the Vapor Trail on my thru. It is rated at 3600 cu in and carries 26 lbs comfortably. My re-supply intervals were between 4 and 6 days and my gear/clothing load was close to yours.

Based on my experience from a purely capacity standpoint, I would tell you to go with the Circuit. At 3700 cu in it should support your needs.

I'm actually looking at the Circuit myself in planning my PCT thru-hike, do to the fact that it is rated to carry a heavier load than the Vaport Trail and the re-supply intervals are greater.

'Slogger

[rswanson]

My guess is your gear would fit fine in the smaller Conduit; however, I'd get the Circuit for 2 reasons.

Bigger hipbelt pockets. I've had 2 packs with hipbelt pockets (small daypack size packs) and I love them, but the ones on the Circuit look far more usable than those on the Conduit, for multi-day trips.
Wicking material on the back of the pack. I recently made a pack out of Spectra Dyneema (same stuff ULA uses) and it sucks to have it right next to your back. I will be adding some type of 3D mesh chimney in the near future.Both packs have decent compression options, so going with a slightly bigger pack isn't all that bad. Gives you more volume for winter hikes, "heavy" base camp hikes, etc.
1. According to the ULA website, the Catalyst and the Conduit both have 100 c.i. in hipbelt pocket volume. The Circuit hip pocket volume isn't listed but its a fair assumption that it's also 100 c.i. This would seem to indicate that the hipbelt pockets are the same on all ULA packs. Does anyone know this for certain?

2. Fair point about the fabric and sweating. I do hike a lot in the summer. I'll have to factor that in...


Not trying to steer you away from ULA but I'll use another pack for comparison. I carried the Vapor Trail on my thru. It is rated at 3600 cu in and carries 26 lbs comfortably. My re-supply intervals were between 4 and 6 days and my gear/clothing load was close to yours.

Based on my experience from a purely capacity standpoint, I would tell you to go with the Circuit. At 3700 cu in it should support your needs.
I have a TNF Skareb 55 which has a 3300 c.i. capacity in the main pack body, so I don't need an option in this range. The Skareb handles everything I have and then some, so I know I can go smaller. I believe the Skareb was based on the older ULA P1/P2 packs (there are so many similarities) and I like the design so that's what's leading me to ULA.

I guess I should clarify my main objective. I'm looking for the smallest pack that will handle my gear and up to 5 days of food. I'm really interested in whether the 2,100 c.i. capacity of the Conduit will carry a majority of my gear and how much overflow into the side and rear mesh pockets I will be looking at. Leaving my tarptent and possibly raingear outside the main body aren't that big of a deal but I don't want to go much further than that. Perhaps someone out there with a Conduit could advise me???

[Franco]

My Circuit performed very well recently on a planned 5 day trip (shortened to 3) . For a change I did not have to carry extra water. I doubt that the Conduit would have done the job. My Contrail sits inside the front pocket,my rain gear in one side pocket and a 600ml bottle in the other. the rest of my gear is similar to yours, my daily rations are around 24oz (32 on this trip because of having plenty of water around I opted for some heavier food, like 300ml of cream for pasta carbonara).
I have not used a non-framed pack since I was a kid ( apart from day trips) and I don't intend to do now. The frame/back support/load carrying of the Circuit is ( to me) better than the 04 Osprey Aether 60. If you need, you can carry up to 33LB with it ( 6 l of water in my case) and still without ending up with soar shoulders or back, the weight rests mostly on the hipbelt , relatively thin but extremely well engineered.
Buy with confidence from Brian, his packs are great.
Franco

[MosaicMaker]

I am extremely happy with my Circuit.:sun I used it on a 5-day hike...part of the PCT...where a bear cannister was needed. The only one that will fit is the smaller bear vault. It was packed as an upright cylinder in the middle of the pack, a cut-down ridgerest wrapped around it (clothes and hammock below). I was near the maximum volume, but still under 30 lbs. with food and water. The "collar" of the pack can only extend a little ways or the strap closure over the top can not be fastened. This is not a bad thing, it helps ensure that the pack is used within it's intended limits. I can also vouch for Brian being a great guy to do business with.

Unlike Franco, the weight of my pack was carried mostly on the shoulders. That was intentional and not uncomfortable for me at all. I prefer to keep my waitbelt unrestricted. The big waist belt pockets are brilliant. They have been designed to keep out of the way of arm movement in a swinging stride. As for size, I don't know in cubic inches, but one was big enough for my digital camera, the other was spacious enough to hold three packs of smokes, plus various small items.

One unexpected bonus to the pockets was when I pulled out my "Just Jeff's Gear Hammock/ Pack cover". I ordered the larger one (since the Circuit volume was close to the maximum recommended size for the smaller one). I was able to pull the pack cover forward at the bottom, bringing each lower "corners" snuggly around the waistbelt pockets. This gave the pack excellent coverage, and even including the sides of my body from shoulder blade to hip bones.

Seeing RSwanson's list, it appears to be pretty equal to the volumes and weights that I carry in the Circuit. I agree with Franco, I would not have been able to carry my gear plus my five days of food within the 2,100 c.i. capacity of the Conduit.