REI UL 45

“Does anyone have any experience with this pack? The large size has a 3050 cu.in. capacity whichs seems a bit small to me; but with a down bag and a bivy it may be enough for one or two nights. Any opinions?”

“I checked it out. It looked OK. I thought the hipbelt and shoulder straps were a little wanky and lightly padded/insubstantial. Also, does it have lift straps on the shoulder straps? I thought maybe not and this is something that is critical to me in a pack.”

“I looked at it and it looks great for a small summer pack. But like Rosey...the little things bothered me.”

“Buy the Granite Gear Vapor Trail pack. You will be happy.”

“2nd the GGVT.”

“I'll be using my Granite Gear Vapor Trail pack in IN in a couple of weeks.

Best 2# pack on the market.”

“I'll have mine as well. Might be trying out Jimmy San's Virga pack.”

“I have the UL 30 & 45, paid about $50 total at an REI sale last winter. I haven't used the 45, but I like the 30. It holds more than enough for a winter dayhike and I like the suspension system.

If you're moving from a bomber pack to a lightweight pack, remember that anything sharp will wreak havoc on the silnylon.

Finally, follow Stovestomper's advice. Neither pack is made for heavy loads. The velcro adjustment can give way if you're carrying too much.
last edited: 11/30/06 6:15:59 PM”

“Another vote for the GGVT, I looked at just about everything before I bought it, have to say I'm pleased w my decision.”

“I bought the REI UL 45 in August and have used it once on an overnighter to Mt Rogers, Va.
It is comfortable even when I carried a grossly to heavy load for it. I carried a case of beer on top of everything else.
It just can't handle the stress of lashing a tent to the outside. It really is a ultra light bag for summer use.
I bought it to replace my aging Lowe Alpine Countour IV. Big difference in so many ways; I still love the countour IV even though it weighs a ton”

““I'll have mine as well. Might be trying out Jimmy San's Virga pack.”
Wounded Knee
1:55:13 PM
11/30/06
ignore this user

damn, I;ve got to get my eyes fixed....I coulda sworn you typed that you were going to try JimmySan's VIAGRA pack...”

“One of my friends bought one at a REI garage sale for 50 bucks and used it on Isle Royale this past summer.

He made a jump from a 20 year old external to this pack, so needless to say they shrunk a little when he hit the water. He did very well after we went over some things about packing in an internal. He carried about 40 lbs. in it and the pack did fairly well, although it always seemed to be on the verge of something at times.

The zipper closer on the top of the lid ripped right when we unloaded from the boat. The store had a patch repair that worked perfect.

He's going to switch to something a little bigger and "durable", like a Gregory.”

“I got the UL 60 (L)as a birthday present and used it 3 times since then. The (L) is actually 66 Liters or 4100 c.i. It's great for a 2 or 3 day trip. It comfortably handles 30-35 pounds. It's rated for 40 pounds but that might be pushing the harness a bit much. The only things I had tied on the outside were my thermorest and tent poles. Belt and suspension systems for all UL packs and the materials of construction are .... light. That's how they get their names. I don't expect any of them to last long under heavy usage. I go out on about 12 weekend trips/year so will probably be replacing mine every 2 years.”

“Keep the weight under 25lbs and it will work just fine. Mine has.”

“It's simple -the last light weight item to buy is a pack.”