I'm looking for a new pack for my UL setup. I have narrowed it down to three packs; #1 ULA circuit, #2 ULA Ohm, and #3 SMD swift. I plan on using my short Thermarest Ridgerest foam sleeping pad for more frame support. I currently use a 42L Dueter Futura Pro pack and the size is pretty much perfect for what I do but I am looking for more volume to carry a lot of food and a bear canister for next years PCT through hike. So I am asking for opinions on which pack to choose from.

"So I am asking for opinions on which pack to choose from."

I can't comment on the Swift, but I have used both the Ohm and the Circuit. Both are excellent packs. If you will not be carrying more than 24-25# at any given time, the Ohm is ~ 13 oz lighter than the Circuit. The Circuit can carry up to ~35# comfortably, IME, and will provide a more comfortable carry than the OHM at any weight over 20#, due to its wider and slightly softer wrap around hip belt. Its hip belt pockets are also larger than the Ohm's. One other OHM feature that should not be overlooked, though, is its side pockets. They are flat out the best side pockets I have ever seen on any pack. It is very easy to pull out/replace a water bottle on the move. The Circuit's side pockets are not nearly as well designed, and it is a mystery to me why ULA does not use the same pockets on both. I have chosen the OHM as my go to pack, primarily on the basis of pack weight and because I never carry more than 25#.

The Circuit for two reasons: size, and a suspension closer to the Deuter you are used to.

I had the same question and found some stuff that helped me make the decision. Check out: http://www.ula-equipment.com/buying-the-right-ula-backpack-for-your-adventure.asp

It's got some great info in it. It would seem that the Ohm is not really intended for bear canister use according to them, but I think it really depends on how much space your other stuff takes. Also for a good look of the Swift check out the video reviews that are posted to Six Moon Designs page. I'm personally going with the SMD Swift, there are a few videos for the new Swift pack there that really helped me decide.

http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/support/videos.html

I have all 3. they are very different packs. I think an ohm with any sort of bear can is not comfortable.

That leaves the circuit and swift.

hard to compare these two. If you can get a comfortable carry with the swift and your pad, you have a much lighter pack. The wing belt on teh swift is great, but for me if I carry any more than 23-25 lbs it slides down no matter what I do, so that puts the weight on my shoulders.

For heavier loads, I use the circuit (or actually now I use the starlite).

The starlite is lighter than the circuit and with the hoop stay, I think it carries as well (and is slightly larger for winter gear and a bear can goes in horizontally).

But I go on week long trips and I carry the food for both my son and I, so I carry heavier loads than some.

How do you like your Starlite compared to the Circuit?

I've had a Circuit, and now use an Ohm. Canister in mind go with the Circuit. Would't use anything larger than a Bare Boxer in the Ohm. Used a Ursack with the liner on the last trip. Worked, but sure ate up a lot of the volume.

Well it looks like I am going to go with the Circuit, thanks for helping me narrow my choices down to one :) I looked at the starlite and the circuit looks like it would fit my needs better.

Hello Casey,

If you intend to do the PCT next year with one of the three packs that you have listed, I would recommend the ULA Circuit.

It is, very likely, the most used pack on the PCT. Last time I posted a question about this on the pct-l mailing list, I would say that well over 60% of the people who posted were ULA users, with the large majority of them using the Circuit.

The Circuit provides the necessary amount of room for the two stretches of (average) 12-15 days without resupply, provides bear canister room, and provides some of the best compression straps out there, for when you do not need all of the extra food and canisters and water.

The Circuit will also be the kindest to your body for whether you have a base pack weight of 8 pounds or 28 pounds.

The Ohm, will tend to falter on you if you are at the upper level of the typically accepted PCT PBW levels - remembering that at least two times you will probably have nearly 30+ pounds worth of supplies.

Perhaps you could share what your existing BPW is and what you are using for your big three, so we can better help determine how much room you might need. For example, a 32 degree bag verses a 20 degree bag. A tarp/tent that uses hiking poles or a tent that requires folding poles (and thus more room taken up inside your pack). How much cloths you plan on taking and how much mass they take up. All these kind of factors would really be helpful in narrowing down the option for a pack. Chances are you could maybe pull it off with a 3500 cu in pack, or maybe you will need a 4000+ cu in pack, or, maybe, you can make it all happen with a sub-3000 cu in pack. All really depends on the rest of your gear. As the old say goes "you buy your pack based upon your gear, not your gear based upon your pack".

Its just hard to know without a more detailed gear list. But if you are just looking for us to pull a name off the top of our heads based on overall experiences, I would suggest the Circuit.

I have owned the ULA Circuit, ULA Ohm, HMG Windrider, ZPacks Blast 26 cf, and ZPacks Zero xsmall cf - and without a doubt, the most comfortable pack in that list is the ULA Circuit. Amazingly comfortable.

For my planned 2012 PCT trip I plan to use a modified ZPacks Blast 26 cf, with a planned BPW of around 5 pounds. I just do not need the extra space that the ULA Packs have, nor all the comfort features (read: extra weight) that the Circuit/Ohm offers... but man, are they nice!! Sometimes just thinking about the ubber comfort of the shoulder straps on the ULA Circuit makes me want to carry more gear - giggle. Oh, and lets not forget the new 'female' version of the chest straps that ULA offers... I list myself among the men out there that wish more backpacking manufacturers offered those... man did ULA nail those!! Unbelievable comfort, even for us guys.

If you are not already apart of the pct-l mailing list, and you intend to hike the pct next year, you really should join it. It has more pct alumni than probably any other venue.

Anyway Casey, some further details on your existing gear list would be really helpful!!

John B. Abela
RedwoodOutdoors.Com

http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Packs/Internal%20and%20External%20Framed%20Backpacks/ULA%20Equipment%20Circuit/Test%20Report%20by%20John%20Waters/

Edited by Hobbesatronic on 07/23/2011 08:25:39 MDT.

for a thru hike w/ a canister- circuit (sorry don't know enough about the swift)

the ohm is a great pack and can handle 6-7 days w/o a problem (w/ the right load out obviously), when you add a canister though it's going to get "crowded", I think it could probably be pulled off, but the circuit will do it w/o any fuss

John, I'll probably meet you on the trail then because I'm doing the PCT too next year! :). Are you going to attend the kick off?

(and I've already invested in a Circuit, great pack!)

Edited by gauperaa on 07/23/2011 08:43:16 MDT.

I don't own one, I have the Catalyst but I'd buy one of the big ULA packs if I were planning a thru-hike.

I've been tempted to buy an Ohm but to be honest, my Catalyst is great. I have one of the early originals from when the company first started and if I where doing a PCT thru-hike I would look no further. I did the lower 500 miles of the PCT with another pack back in the early 90s.

"the ohm is a great pack and can handle 6-7 days w/o a problem (w/ the right load out obviously), when you add a canister though it's going to get "crowded", I think it could probably be pulled off,"

So much depends on your base weight/volume and how you go about food. With my base weight of ~10# and approach to food, using 20 oz/day at ~135 cal/oz, I can pack 10 days worth of food into an Ursack with the aluminum insert and fit both comfortably into an OHM at a total of ~24#. I don't find it overly crowded, but it is getting close to the OHM's practical weight limit of ~25#. When I add in a quart to 1.5 quarts of water on some dry stretches in the Eastern Sierra I am carrying close to 27# and the OHM starts to get a bit uncomfortable. As Mike says, it could be pulled off, but if you're going to be living in a pack for 5-6 months,

"the circuit will do it w/o any fuss".

A big +1. The Circuit if far more comfortable, as just about everyone here who has experience with both packs aeems to agree.

Edited to reflect accurate weight of 27# with water.

Edited by ouzel on 07/23/2011 17:09:10 MDT.

Tough call

Volume by getting a bear can horizontal and having more room for my winter stuff I pick the starlite. Also the starlite is about 6 Oz lighter.

Comfort might have to edge to the circuit.

If I didn't ever carry a bear can and I didn't have to carry my sons food too I would probably go with the circuit, but that being said I carry my starlite more than any pack I have.

Being a big guy and camping over 9k feet all the time means I have more gear weight than some, so my full pack with 6 nights of food and two liters of water weigh about 27 lbs.

My base weight is about 12 pounds. I like the idea of the circuit because you can carry water on your shoulder straps and I would like the extra volume to carry lots of food and extra water if needed. I do like the swift too, but I think I may be pushing it a bit with weight. I rather have a slightly heavier pack that will carry better than try to save 10 oz or so and suffer with a stubborn pack that is overloaded. The swift also has more mesh pockets on the outside which I like.

The circuit is a great pack. It is one of few packs that will actually carry 40+ lbs OK. The hip belt is attached to the pack on both sides of it with velcro and does not begin to sag. For that weight the Al stay is located right underneath the hipbelt-to-pack velcro connection.

Circuit is a very versatile pack. The Al stay can be removed to drop 2oz, the foam backpanel can be removed to drop 2 oz, the compression cord can be removed to drop 0.65 oz, and the straps can be shortened to drop 1 oz as well. The carbon fiber stays can be removed as well if you are going < 20 lbs with a CCF pad. The lighter the load you intend to carry, the lighter you can make the pack.

I like 2-GG torso light pads as a sleeppad , inside against my back. No Al stay, no foam back panel, just the carbon fiber stays, and it carries 25-30 lbs rock solid if packed well. It hugs back best that way, esp with sleeping bag at bottom sideways to make a shape that nests into lower back well. Put the stay in and foam pad on outside, and you can carry 10+ days food. You can carry 6L water in pockets and on straps.

I found the Starlite outrageously comfortable at weights under 20 lbs. However it is so huge I could never begin to fill it up at those weights. I couldnt fill it up at 30+ lbs, which I wasnt as happy with as the circuit. The circuit is a MUCH smaller pack than the starlite in reality. I like the velcro closure on starlite top for rolling down, the circuit is very frustrating, cant keep the two sides together to roll them at the same time you try to compress whats in the extension collar. I plan on changing that similar to starlite

Mark, what bear can are you using?

Using a BV500 right now. It's overkill for a weekend trip and my friend has a Bearikade Expedition with him so I usually don't have to carry one. Also seems like the Circuit has a huge user base compared to the Starlite.

I think I am actually just going to get the ULA Ohm. The Circuit is going to have way to much volume than what I am going to need the majority of the time on the PCT. The Swift is cool too but I like the streamline look of the Ohm.

Use the bearikades weekender

I am not hawking the starlite, I just happen to like it.

I let my quilt stay puffed so to speak to take up room as well as my puffy jacket and down boots.

With a full load of food it still just barely fills up to below the frame rod. I also carry a lunar duo for the wife and I so again the volume works for me.