ULA Equipment CDT vs Six Moon Designs Flight 30
Quick take: The ULA Equipment CDT carries more (50 vs 31 liters); the Six Moon Designs Flight 30 is lighter (1.64 vs 1.69 lbs).
Which one to buy
Both cost $200, weigh nearly the same and skip a frame, yet they're built for different paces. The Six Moon Designs Flight 30 is a fastpack: a vest harness, a torso that adjusts from 16 to 22 in, 31 L total and a 20 lb ceiling with a 9 lb base-weight target. The ULA CDT is a frameless backpacking pack: 50 L, a conventional harness in four fixed torso sizes from 15 in to 24+ in, hipbelt pockets and a 25 lb ceiling.
If you run or move fast on overnights, the Flight's vest and adjustable torso make it the better tool, and the adjustment helps anyone unsure of their size. For multi-day hiking at a walking pace, the CDT carries more and holds more. Its 25 lb limit is honest: once the back pad compresses, the weight lands on your shoulders, and several days of food plus water gets you there fast. A smaller canister fits vertically at a push, but a BV500 plus a week of food is asking too much.
Fabric favors the CDT. Its doubled 200D UltraGrid resists tears well and takes field repairs, and ULA backs it for life; the Flight uses 100D Robic, and Six Moon warrants it to the original owner against defects with no time limit stated, excluding wear and tears. Neither has a hydration sleeve, and most CDT owners carry bottles in the side pockets instead.
ULA Equipment CDT
For multi-day hikers with a light base weight who want 50 L, hipbelt pockets, tough UltraGrid and a lifetime warranty.
Six Moon Designs Flight 30
The better fit for fastpackers and overnight runners who want a vest harness and an adjustable 16-22 in torso.
| Spec | ULA Equipment CDT | Six Moon Designs Flight 30 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $200 | $200 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Ultralight Pack | Ultralight Pack |
| Frame Type | Frameless | Frameless |
| Capacity | 50 L | 31 L |
| Weight | 1.69 lbs | 1.64 lbs |
| Max Load | 25 lbs | 20 lbs (9 lb recommended base weight) |
| Torso Fit | S 15-18 in, M 18-21 in, L 21-24 in, XL 24+ in | Adjustable 16-22 in |
| Material | UltraGrid reinforced double 200D recycled grid with UltraStretch mesh | 100D Robic nylon with 4-way stretch pockets (X-Pac VX21 side-panel option) |
| Back Panel | Frameless with removable pad | 3D mesh contact panel, no frame |
| Adjustable torso | No | Yes |
| Ventilated back | No | No |
| Raincover included | No | No |
| Hipbelt pockets | Yes | No |
| Removable lid | No | No |
| Hydration sleeve | No | No |
| Fits BV500 bear can | Yes | No |
| Warranty | ULA lifetime warranty against defects | Warranted to the original owner against defects in materials and workmanship (no time limit stated); excludes accidents, wear and tear, rips and tears |
Pros & cons
ULA Equipment CDT
- ✓ULA publishes a specific 25 lb maximum load, which most cottage brands leave unstated.
- ✓Four torso sizes from 15 to 24+ inches is far more sizing granularity than most frameless packs offer.
- ✓UltraGrid is a doubled 200D recycled grid, notably tougher than single-layer gridstop.
- ✓$200 is the cheapest ULA pack and undercuts most cottage frameless packs.
- ✓50 L is generous for a frameless pack, handling a bear canister at a push.
- ✓27.1 oz is competitive with framed packs 10 L smaller.
- ✓UltraStretch front pocket holds shape better than plain mesh.
- ✓ULA's sizing guidance explicitly covers what to do when between sizes, which is unusually careful.
- ✗25 lb is a hard ceiling and easy to exceed with water and several days of food.
- ✗Frameless construction puts the whole load on the shoulders once the pad is compressed.
- ✗No adjustable torso; the size must be right at purchase.
- ✗ULA lead times fluctuate significantly with seasonal demand.
- ✗No hydration sleeve as standard.
- ✗50 L invites overpacking past what a frameless pack can carry.
- ✗Limited retail presence, so trying one on before buying is unlikely.
Six Moon Designs Flight 30
- ✓Adjustable torso from 16 to 22 in on a frameless vest pack, which almost no fastpack offers; the competition sizes by chest.
- ✓14 oz body weight; the 26.2 oz figure includes the removable harness and an optional hipbelt.
- ✓$200 in Robic is the cheapest route into Six Moon Designs' vest-harness system.
- ✓A published 20 lb ceiling and a 9 lb base-weight target rather than guesswork.
- ✓The optional hipbelt comes in multiple sizes and removes entirely for vest-only running.
- ✗31 L total is modest once the 23 L body is full; the collar and pockets add only 8 L.
- ✗No frame and no sit pad, so the back panel is only 3D mesh over your gear.
- ✗The waterproof X-Pac VX21 build adds $75.
ULA Equipment CDT vs Six Moon Designs Flight 30: common questions
Can the CDT work as a fastpack like the Flight 30?▾
It can carry the gear, but it isn't built for running. The Flight 30 uses a vest harness and an adjustable torso designed for moving fast, while the CDT has a conventional harness and fixed torso sizes suited to hiking.
Is 31 L enough, or do I need the CDT's 50 L?▾
For one or two nights with a base weight around 9 lb, 31 L can work. For multi-day trips with more food, the CDT's 50 L fits better, though several days of food plus water reaches its honest 25 lb limit fast.