ULA Ohm 2.0 vs Circuit

[globetruck]

I’m a happy Zpacks Arc Haul user but always looking for new gear. I’ve always been curious about ULA’s packs and found Chris to be a great source of information and very responsive to my questions. Like many of you, I’ve got a bit of a gear obsession (Hi, my name is globetruck and I have a problem...). I decided to order both a Circuit and Ohm 2.0, compare the 2 packs, and return the lesser of the 2 packs.

My initial thoughts and quick comparison:

SIMILARITIES:
- Both have the same carbon hoop, waist belt, shoulder straps.
- Both Ohm and Circuit side pockets listed as same volume (400 cubic inches), but...

DIFFERENCES:
- Ohm is narrower than the Circuit
- Ohm is 63L and about 35 oz; Circuit is 68L and about 41 oz.
- Circuit has a removable aluminum stay rod running up the middle of the pack
- Circuit has a standard foam back panel and the Ohm just has the Robic Fabric on the back while using a thin foam sheet on the inside of the pack.
- Ohm’s side pockets angle slightly toward the center of the front panel, which seems to make them more stuffable and more accessible when wearing the pack. I actually fit more stuff in my Ohm’s side pockets even though they’re technically the same total volume as the Circuit.

IMPRESSIONS:
- I thought that the Ohm’s back panel would “round out” when fully loaded (like a frameless pack) since it lacks the Circuit’s full back panel foam panel... but after loading it, I found that the back panel did a good job holding its shape. Looks like the carbon hoop does a good job giving the pack panel just a bit of rigidity. I found the fully loaded Ohm’s back panel to be about 90% as “flat” as the loaded Circuit, which initially surprised me.
- Circuit’s main panel is definitely larger
- You can actually downsize the Circuit to lighten it up and make it very similar to the Ohm... remove the aluminum stay rod and front panel bungee cord, and you’ll save about 3-4 ounces which brings its weight to within about 2-3 ounces of the Ohm. In other words, they’re 90% the same pack other than slight shape differences with a larger main compartment, full back padding, and aluminum stay in the Circuit.
- I tried a 5.5 mile day hike with the Ohm loaded to 25 lbs and I used the hand loops. I thought they were gimmicky but wow, I found that I really liked using the hand loops more than I ever imagined.

I’m still undecided on which one to keep.


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[D2maine]

to me which one to keep comes down to your expected load(volume more than weight) and if you anticipate needing to carry a canister.

[Gambit McCrae]

I carried a Circuit for several seasons and loved it. Put about 1000 miles on it or so and it looked brand new. I had several reasons why I went to another pack

1-It wasn't water resistant where as the arc blast is damn near water proof in my experiences.
2-The black section of the ULA that sits on your back got to where it would want to fold in half or get wrinkled in the small of my back causing me some discomfort.
3-The pack was sent in to have a larger front mesh attached to put more day use stuff in. I paid for this to be done. I got the pack back with the same size mesh as I sent it in with. Even thought I had paid for the work to be done, they were no longer willing to try modifications for me.

End result I got a lot of great experiences and memories out of the pack, I still own it and take it out on some day hikes, and will use it this may as a loner backpack. I really do love my Arc blast though

[beefsmack]

I cant speak for the Ohm but love my Circuit! I'd say a lot of the decision just depends on what base weight you are normally packing.

[gbolt]

There is a reason that ULA packs are sold along the trail starting with Neels Gap. Chris stands behind his products and offers great customer support. I love my Ohm 2.0 and feel it works great for 3 Season low weight hiking. However, pushing the weight due to extra winter insulation and higher food and water weight can be better served by the Curcuit (IMHO). Leaving town and then dropping back into a new town we’re totally different experiences on the AT Thru Hike. A circuit would have lessened the difference. However, I would still go with ULA all the way!

[Coffee]

I've put a lot of use on my Circuit over the past six years - the main pack I've used since getting back into backpacking in 2013. And it shows very little wear. Love the pack. I also have a ULA CDT. These packs just work for me. I almost picked up an Ohm 2.0 on the mass drop last year but it does seem very close to the Circuit so I didn't feel like I could justify it. Chris stands behind his products. Four years after I bought the pack, and thousands of trail miles later, I asked him whether the belt pouches could be repaired. He just send me a new belt under warranty! You don't find that kind of customer service very often these days.

[Uncle Joe]

I have both. I prefer the Ohm but only because I have more time with it. I just came off a 3 day hike from the NOC to Fontana. The Circuit's straps were bugging me a bit but I attribute that to just not putting enough consistent time in with it. I've only got two 3-day hikes in on it. I think it being a tad wider may have something to do with that. I like the extra room of the Circuit which is why I took it on this trip. I look forward to using it more and hopefully adjusting to it more. The Ohm is tried and true and if you don't need the space it's a great pack. I'll probably use it in the Summer the most.