ULA Equipment
ULA Circuit
The Circuit is the thru-hiking pack — hand-made in Logan, Utah by ULA Equipment and a perennial #1 in Halfway Anywhere's PCT gear survey. Its 68 liters of total volume, bombproof Robic fabric, and 35 lb carry make it the default recommendation for first thru-hikes. An Ultra-fabric version is sold at a premium.
Price and availability on ULA Equipment’s site may differ.
Specifications
What do these specs mean? →Features
Pros
- ✓Has topped the Halfway Anywhere PCT gear survey for years — no pack has more verified thru-hiking miles behind its reputation.
- ✓Owners routinely report 3,000-5,000 trail miles before meaningful wear; the 400d Robic build is the UL durability benchmark.
- ✓The 68L total volume (bag plus huge pockets) swallows a BV500 plus a week of food, which smaller UL packs can't.
- ✓Carries its full 35 lb rating honestly — the hoop-and-stay frame outperforms most packs in its weight class.
- ✓The giant mesh front pocket and dual oversized hipbelt pockets define the category's organization standard.
- ✓Hand-made in Utah with a service team famous for repairs, spare parts, and straight answers.
- ✓The roll-top plus Y-strap handles bear canisters, foam pads, and packrafts without drama.
- ✓Resale value is exceptional — used Circuits sell within hours on UL trade forums.
Cons
- ✗The foam back panel has zero ventilation; expect a soaked shirt on humid climbs.
- ✗Fixed torso sizing means no adjustment range — measure carefully before ordering.
- ✗The utilitarian look (and famously loud color options) is a running joke even among loyalists.
- ✗At 2.41 lbs it's now heavier than newer rivals like the Kakwa 55 that match its carry.
- ✗No lid and minimal internal organization — everything lives in stuff sacks or the main tube.
- ✗Direct-order only in the US; you can't try one on in a store.
- ✗Lead times stretch during thru-hiking season, sometimes badly.
- ✗The J-curve shoulder straps don't suit every chest shape; some switch to S-straps aftermarket.
Common Questions
Compare the ULA Circuit
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ULA Equipment
ULA Equipment Circuit SV
ULA's new smaller-volume Circuit is the Circuit SV: 48 L instead of 68, on the same hoop, foam and stay suspension, at the same $299.99. It weighs 37.5 oz and keeps the 35 lb rating, so the cut is in volume rather than carrying ability.
Weight
2.3 lbs
Capacity
48 L
Frame
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ULA Equipment
ULA Catalyst
The Catalyst is the Circuit's bigger sibling — 75 liters of total volume and a 40 lb rating for long food carries, winter kit, or bear-canister-plus-packraft loads. It's the UL pack for people whose trips outgrow the Circuit.
Weight
2.78 lbs
Capacity
75 L
Frame
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ULA Equipment UltraGrid Ohm
Now built in UltraGrid throughout, the Ohm is ULA's lighter framed pack: 55 L, 30.4 oz, rated to 30 lb. A 3/4 roll-top with a sewn-in Y-strap closes it, and the side pockets are bellowed UltraGrid.
Weight
1.9 lbs
Capacity
55 L
Frame
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ULA Equipment
ULA Equipment Ultra Circuit
The Ultra Circuit is the Ultra-fabric version of ULA's best-known pack. It keeps the Circuit's carbon hoop and aluminium stay combination but rebuilds it in Ultra 400X and 200X, making it waterproof and considerably more tear-resistant than the standard Robic version.
Weight
2.30 lbs
Capacity
68 L
Frame
Internal Frame
ULA Equipment
ULA Equipment Ultra Circuit SV
ULTRA 400X and 200X fabric goes into the Ultra Circuit SV, ULA's new 48 L Circuit. It is 1.7 oz lighter than the Robic SV at 35.8 oz, keeps the 35 lb rating, and costs $80 more.
Weight
2.2 lbs
Capacity
48 L
Frame
Internal Frame
ULA Equipment
ULA Equipment UltraGrid Nexus
Between the 35 L Photon and the 50 L CDT sits the 2026 Nexus, ULA's 40 L frameless pack. It weighs 18 oz stripped and 21.5 oz complete, carries a 25 lb comfort rating, and has hipbelt pockets ULA says fit modern phones.
Weight
1.3 lbs
Capacity
40 L
Frame
Frameless