Comments on: Gear Review: ULA Catalyst

By: AshleyAnn

AshleyAnn — Sat, 10 Sep 2016 17:02:33 +0000

Looks as if I’m a bit late to this conversation piece, but for anyone considering ULA packs here’s a few considering points;

I’m a VERY petite female who treks solo, so finding something lightweight, durable and able to handle all of my gear load WHILE also being sized to my 5’3 100lb frame was very difficult.

Enter ULA, who after several contact emails about wary sizing issues sent me a pack that, while took some loading and adjusting play, fit like a glove to my tiny frame.

If you’re looking for a pack that weighs six pounds and has bells and whistles that you don’t need, ULA isn’t for you…look into mainstream packs. If you’re looking for something to lighten your load, while still able to carry said load, are willing to learn to play around with packing; remember that these packs handle better with uncompressed gear. It took me several short practice trips to find my Catalyst’s sweet spot and now that I have, I move as fast as those with twice my physical conditioning.

When returning to cottage manufacturers it’s always considerate to remember that this is…well…a cottage manufacturer who took considerable time in creating you a CUSTOM MADE product , that’s not as easy to just stick back on the shelf. Just maybe stick to REI.

For those interested in ULA, or other ultralight packs, with or without frames, perhaps a lot of research on your part is best. There are also a few retailers that sell ULA packs where you could test the pack on site before ordering.

It’s always best to test a pack with an estimated packed volume, not empty, before buying.

By: Ben

Ben — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 00:06:47 +0000

I have to agree with Russ. Used a catalyst for about 400 trail miles and just never found it comfortable. I like the size and feature set but I could not get comfortable with the suspension. I realize everyone is different. It somehow rubbed me the wrong way and would pinch a nerve causing my leg to go to sleep. One problem is that the hip belt is not a full wrap. There is a gap between the very, very stiff lumbar pad and the foam of the belt. I personally find the packs from seekoutside and elemental horizons much much more comfortable while offering a similar feature set. I do aplaud ula for making an xl size pack. As a very tall person finding a pack that is long enough in the torso is hard. Ula, elemental horizon, and seekoutside are the 3 cottage manufactures that can provide packs for tall individuals like myself

By: Paul Mags

Paul Mags — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 16:54:26 +0000

In reply to Paul Mags. And I still stand by my recommendation as the ULA Catalyst and the Circuit as fantastic work-horse type packs. At least for me. :)

By: Paul Mags

Paul Mags — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 16:47:15 +0000

In reply to russ brent.

I see you are upset Russ.
Sorry you did not like the Circuit. It is the only pack that fits my wife properly.

In any case, there is a reason why Baskin Robbins makes 31 flavors – we all have different preferences. Or, just because someone likes chocolate, that does not mean vanilla is terrible.

The hard mesh is my preference for durability (esp off trail) for example. Does not mean my view is the “right one”..it is rather the right one for my use.

As for customer service, I am the wrong person to speak to. 🙂 I am not affiliated with them in anyway, but I must say I’ve had good luck with them.

Rather than write on this blog, you may want to write them directly. I can assure you, your experience with their customer support seems to be atypical. Not disputing your experience, but this website may not be the proper place to air grievances.

By: russ brent

russ brent — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 16:22:36 +0000

I ordered a ULA Circuit pack based primarily on your endorsement. I liked the look of the original green and was ready to love it. I never did. Although ULA is helpful with trying to get the right size to the customer, the pack never felt right due to the shoulder harness. The hip belt was comfortable and fine. I did not like how the lower part of the pack was rubbing against my lower back. My wife looked at the set up of the pack and said “You are not going to like it.” She was correct. My son purchased an Osprey Exos for the same trip. When I compared the comfort, features and overall utility of the two packs side by side, there was no doubt he had the better option. When I had all the gear and food ready to go and began packing, the Exos had a lot more utility. I didn’t like the top closure on the Circuit. The Exos had so much capacity in the top flap. The mesh suspension on the back of the Exos seemed preferable. The side pockets of the Circuit seemed shallow and hard to use. I particularly disliked the hard mesh back pocket on the Circuit. The only thing I liked about the Circuit were the belt storage pockets. Two days before departure, I woke up and realized I had to find a different pack. I went to REI, got fitted, compared all the packs they had and selected an Osprey Atmos. I returned the ULA pack and had to pay the return postage. They claimed I had not included the “hand loops”, delayed my refund and charged me $5 for what must be the most useless item imaginable. Trust me, I did not want their hand loops. When I disputed this, they gave me snark about returning the pack a few days outside their 30 day policy. I found this statement on the ULA website. “We may provide Personal Information to third parties or marketers for their marketing purposes.” Gee, thanks?

By: Tom Kruczek

Tom Kruczek — Sat, 28 Mar 2015 07:29:43 +0000

Thanks for a great review. I own the Circuit and the Catalyst. I picked up the Catalyst to help with some longer hauls thru the White Mountains and 100 Mile Wilderness of Maine. We are AT Section Hikers and love the ULA packs. As you have mentioned about evolving gear, we’ve done the same and have gone as lightweight as (safely) possible with gear that meets our requirements. Gear varies based on trip, weather, etc. and worst case, we’re at a max of 25# with a weeks worth of food and 2L of water. Thanks again for a great review.

By: Paul Mags

Paul Mags — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 17:39:52 +0000

In reply to Peter Hutchinson. It is a great pack indeed. 40lbs is the comfort rating, but I think (assuming you have the upper body strength), you can probably push it to 50lbs. Beyond, I think you'd be taxing the capacity of the pack. The capacity of the compartment feels maybe ~3500 CI for the main compartment. Extend the collar? Perhaps 4000 CI.

By: Peter Hutchinson

Peter Hutchinson — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 11:31:20 +0000

Hi
The ULA Catalyst looks great. What would you say is the max load for this pack? It says 40lbs on the ULA site – what’s your opinion? And for overall volume? What would you say is the capacity of the main compartment – compared to other packs you’ve used?

Thanks!