UL pack best at handling over-spec loads?

[DownEaster]

The last time (quite a while back now) I went through the Maine Wilderness I started with 20 lbs. of food. The weather was miserable (2 hurricanes!) and half a day before I arrived at Monson I had dregs in a tube of peanut butter and some black pepper as my total remaining food. I don't like even like peanut butter, or I'd have scraped the remnants clean.

For my NoBo hike next year I don't anticipate too many pack weight issues except for that last 100 mile stretch. Most UL packs don't go above 35 lbs. as their maximum listed capacity. I'm contemplating overloading my pack after 2000+ miles of (ab)use just to ensure I've got enough supplies to not go hungry. The question is which pack will carry that excess weight best.

I'm trying to decide among the following:

• ULA Circuit
• Granite Gear Crown VC 60
• Gossamer Gear Mariposa

My torso measures 21½", so I need the large versions of each manufacturer's pack.

I'm hoping some of you will have experience loading up one or more of these packs to about 40 lbs. -- maybe with extra gear for winter, or carrying a lot of water on the PCT. Can you tell me if it was just heavier, or did the excess weight overload the supports to make the pack a literal pain in the back to carry?

[left52side]

Hard to beat the ULA packs in my opinion.
Hhaving used all three packs mentioned in the past the ULA would be my choice over the others although the others are still good packs it is just hard to beat the ULA.

[DownEaster]

Hhaving used all three packs mentioned in the past the ULA would be my choice over the others although the others are still good packs it is just hard to beat the ULA.

Uh ... I guess it's nice to know that you like these packs, but you didn't answer my question: how do each of these packs feel and function when overloaded? I can only find one of these locally, and I don't know any supplier that would let me try it out with more than the maximum weight; the other two packs I'd have to buy to try. I'm hoping somebody has pushed these packs past their maximums with 40+ lbs. and can tell me about the experience.

[Maineiac64]

I haven't loaded it to that weight level (will next weekend) but zpacks arc haul is listed as being able to go to 40lbs.

[egilbe]

No thoughts of a food drop? There are several logging roads that Shaw's will shuttle a food bag out to you. You can make that decision once you get to Monson. Most thru hikers do the HMW in five or 6 days.

[bigcranky]

I used a Circuit for years, great pack, does pretty well when overloaded. It certainly holds together. The hip belt collapses a bit, but it carries.

Now I have a Zpacks Arc Haul. This is actually rated higher than the Circuit for weight capacity, and structurally I think it'll easily handle 40 pounds. However, when I overload it, the hip belt slides down below my hips (I don't really have any hips, there's nothing for the belt to rest on), and it puts all the weight on my shoulders unless I way overtighten the belt.

[soumodeler]

The ZPacks ArcHaul handles 40 pound loads well. I've tested mine to mid 30s and it did great.

[mankind117]

Just get a Divide or Unaweep from seekoutside:
https://seekoutside.com/lightweight-backpacking-packs/
and be done with it. It weighs ever so slightly more than the packs you mention but will carry as comfortably at low weight and blow them out of the water when you have to make the big carry. It will fit your long torso better and is more durable and waterproof to boot.

[garlic08]

Of the two packs I have experience with, the Gossamer Gear and ULA, definitely go with the ULA for overload ability (and durability).

(Having said that, I personally continue to use a lighter and less expensive Gossamer Gear pack, just because it's a better overall tool for my style of hiking.)

[DuneElliot]

Have you looked at Sierra Design's Flex Capacitor?

https://sierradesigns.com/flex-capacitor/

It was designed in conjunction with Andrew Skurka (so you know it has been tested in the field), is in the same category of weight as the ULA Circuit and has a frame, and is capable to carrying up to 60lbs comfortably while having a 40-60L carrying capacity. It is a pack I will be seriously considering in the future, after my Arc Haul bites the dust

[ggreaves]

Just get a Divide or Unaweep from seekoutside:
https://seekoutside.com/lightweight-backpacking-packs/
and be done with it. It weighs ever so slightly more than the packs you mention but will carry as comfortably at low weight and blow them out of the water when you have to make the big carry. It will fit your long torso better and is more durable and waterproof to boot.

... what he said. I have a mariposa and can say it carries like a dream in the low 20's. The few times i've had it up to 30, it wasn't nearly as comfortable. I wouldn't relish trying to carry 100 miles of food in it - for me 100 miles is 2 weeks ;^}

The Divide weighs the same as a ULA Catalyst but will carry twice the weight and still be very comfortable.

[swisscross]

I have loaded my Circuit over 35 lbs and it carried fine.

[DownEaster]

Most thru hikers do the HMW in five or 6 days.

Oh, I fully comprehend most. However, you have to understand that I grew up in Maine and know the weather extremes there, and I've also hiked this stretch of Trail before. I had two hurricanes blow through that week. I hiked every day, but the day after the peak of the first one I only made 4.5 miles because of the massive number of blow-downs. When I got to the flats, thanks to the beaver dams and all the rain, I was knee deep for most of a day. Wading is way slower than normal hiking.

I'm not worrying about ordinary conditions when it's easy to coordinate a logging road resupply. I'm trying to be prepared for extraordinary conditions.

[DownEaster]

I have a mariposa and can say it carries like a dream in the low 20's. The few times i've had it up to 30, it wasn't nearly as comfortable. I wouldn't relish trying to carry 100 miles of food in it - for me 100 miles is 2 weeks ;^}

OK, good info -- the Mariposa drops off my list. Thanks!

[DownEaster]

I have a mariposa and can say it carries like a dream in the low 20's. The few times i've had it up to 30, it wasn't nearly as comfortable. I wouldn't relish trying to carry 100 miles of food in it - for me 100 miles is 2 weeks ;^}

OK, good info -- the Mariposa drops off my list. Thanks!

[DownEaster]

Just get a Divide or Unaweep from seekoutside:
https://seekoutside.com/lightweight-backpacking-packs/
and be done with it. It weighs ever so slightly more than the packs you mention but will carry as comfortably at low weight and blow them out of the water when you have to make the big carry. It will fit your long torso better and is more durable and waterproof to boot.

I checked there and the Divide won't fit my torso (too short by ½" with the frame extensions). The Unaweep offers double extensions, and is more than a pound heavier than the Granite Gear Crown V.C. 60 before the frame extensions (for which they don't list the weight). Looks like a good rugged pack, but I'd like to keep the weight lower.

[DownEaster]

Have you looked at Sierra Design's Flex Capacitor?

https://sierradesigns.com/flex-capacitor/

The specs say this one also maxes out at ½" too short for my torso. The torso length issue is mostly why I only had 3 packs on my list.

[mankind117]

The weight of the frame extensions is negligible, at most an ounce or two so don't worry about that! I used the crown vc 60 for a while. There is no comparison between the unaweep (which I have and use 3 to 4 inches extensions for my 22.5 inch torso) and the crown (sold after using it on about 5 trips). The unaweep is a better pack. The crown vc 60 (at least the old version, the mk 2 sounds better in this regard) has a very flexible frame sheet that if not packed well will bough out and is not stiff enough to even support itself. It has those stretch pockets which are very hard to use when the pack is filled The unaweep carries weight better and certainly above 30 pounds the crown can not compete with the unaweep in terms of comfort. You can actually easily remove a water bottle from the pockets when the pack is stuffed and the talon is also much more functional that the front pocket on the crown. The x-pac material is much better than the crown's fabrics, especially in the rain. This is a case where the extra pound is well spent.

[mankind117]

Several years ago I did a 7 day trip in glacier national park. Loaded the gear and 7 days of food into both the unaweep and the crown which I had at the time. I remember instantly thinking there is no way I am doing this trip with the Crown as soon as I put in on and took the unaweep.

[ggreaves]

I believe the pack comes with 2" extensions. But 4" extensions are available for an extra 12 bux

https://seekoutside.com/search.php?s...ery=extensions