The ULA Extremely Circuit SV (48L) is an ultralight-style roll-top backpack made utilizing an ultralight waterproof cloth known as Extremely that’s considerably extra abrasion-resistant than Dyneema DCF or the Robic Nylon utilized in different ultralight backpacks. The ULA Circuit SV (Small Quantity) reviewed here’s a decrease quantity model of the favored ULA Circuit (68L) backpack for hikers who don’t want to hold as a lot gear, water, or meals. The one distinction between the smaller ULA Extremely Circuit SV (48L) and the bigger ULA Extremely Circuit (68L) is the amount of the principle compartment.
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- Weight: 35.8 oz (measurement medium)
- Quantity: 48 Liters, together with the extension collar and exterior pockets
- Cloth: Extremely 200 and Extremely 400 in high-wear areas
- Mfg. Rec’d Max Load: 35 lbs
- Mfg. Rec’s Base Weight: 15 lbs
- Torso Lengths: 15-18″, 18-21″, 21-24″, 24″+
- Hip Belt Sizing: 26-30″, 30-34″, 34-38″, 38-40″, 42-47″, 47″+
- Seam-taped: No
- Hydration system compatibility: No
- Load lifters: Sure
- Bear canister compatibility: BV500 suits vertically, BV475 suits horizontally within the extension collar, BV450 and BV425 match horizontally in the principle compartment.
- Made within the USA
- Execs: Ultralight, waterproof cloth, glorious hipbelt, big selection of sizes, female and male fashions
- Cons: Not seam taped or seam-sealed, prime Y-strap interferes with load lifters
ULA determined to create a smaller 48L quantity model of the unique 68L Circuit Backpack as a result of backpacking gear has grow to be noticeably extra compressible and lighter weight previously 5 years and there may be much less demand for high-volume backpacks like the unique 68L Circuit.
The Circuit SV is on the market in 400D Robic Nylon or Extremely 200 and Ultra400. All of those supplies are extremely sturdy, though the Extremely Cloth is considerably extra abrasion-resistant than Robic Nylon and waterproof.
Backpack Storage and Group
The ULA Extremely Circuit SV is laid out like a regular ultralight backpack with a entrance mesh pocket, facet water bottle pockets made with stable cloth, and a single tier of facet compression straps. It’s a roll-top pack (with none prime snaps, a stiffener, or velcro on the prime of the extension collar) that may be secured to the edges of the pack with straps and buckles or clipped collectively on prime. If the latter, the additional facet straps might be looped across the backpack to offer entrance compression or act as an attachment level to lash gear over the entrance mesh pocket. This may be helpful for carrying snowshoes since they gained’t match below the facet compression straps.
The facet water bottle pockets are straightforward to achieve whereas sporting the backpack, and you may get bottles out and in of the pockets. There’s an elastic twine with a twine lock alongside the highest of the pocket to safe tall skinny bottles, and whereas a 32 oz Nalgene bottle suits, the pockets aren’t deep sufficient to retailer it reliably: you’re higher off utilizing a taller skinny bottle. The pack’s shoulder straps run by holes in entrance of facet pockets and are anchored inside. Whereas this helps pull the pack nearer to your hips, small gadgets can fall out if positioned contained in the facet pockets.
The entrance mesh pocket, made with extremely sturdy UltraStretch Mesh, is great for storing moist or free layers you need easy accessibility to with out having to open up the roll prime. The pack comes with an elastic twine that lays over the mesh and is nice for attaching moist gear to the backpack’s outdoors, though I desire to take away it so it doesn’t snag on protruding vegetation.
There are two zippered pockets on the outside of the hip belt, giant sufficient to retailer a point-and-shoot digital camera, snacks, bug dope, and such. The fronts of each pockets are hard-faced and have heavy-duty waterproof zippers. Hipbelt pockets are a spot that always experiences excessive abrasion if you happen to hike off-trail and the place the Extremely cloth shines.
The within of the pack bag is one huge house with none hydration ports or a spot to hold a hydration system, though there are two gear loops inside from which to hold a hydration pocket or a smaller accent pocket (offered individually). Whereas the complete pack can maintain 48L, the principle pack bag, together with the extension collar, solely has a quantity of 37L of storage whereas the rest is distributed within the open and hipbelt pockets.
The within of the pack bag can also be NOT seam-taped or seam-sealed, although that is potential, and different pack producers who use Extremely and Dyneema DCF achieve this. ULA says they don’t seam-tape as a result of it will intrude with making pack repairs. I don’t perceive why that might make a distinction.
Regardless, I nonetheless advocate utilizing a pack liner, even on packs which can be seam-taped and made with waterproof cloth, as a result of a liner has extra makes use of past holding the within of your pack dry. (See: Do You want a Pack Liner for a Waterproof Backpack?)
The Extremely Circuit SV has two body parts: a Delrin (fiberglass) hoop that runs across the perimeter of the again panel and a central aluminum body keep. The ring doesn’t present a structural perform when it comes to load switch to the hip: its major objective is to stop the pack from collapsing on itself once you pack it. The body keep does the true load switch work and helps stop the pack bag from barrelling when the pack is full. It’s pre-curved and helps drive the load into your lumbar area. Each the Delrin loop and the central body keep parts should not meant to be detachable.
Backpack Body and Suspension
When it comes to load distribution, it’s greatest to put your heaviest gadgets, comparable to meals, nearer to the middle of your again or simply above the hip belt. Weight positioned greater up on this pack, with its single body keep, tends to sway and may throw you off steadiness.
The again of the pack is made with skinny foam coated with mesh cloth that retains your torso comfy even on sizzling and humid days. It’s not ventilated like a suspended mesh pack, so that you’ll nonetheless sweat, however it’s additionally not easy like a again panel made with nylon. It may possibly, nonetheless, decide up forest particles, like pine or spruce needles, if you happen to lay it down on the bottom.
Like ULA’s different backpacks, the Extremely Circuit SV is on the market with conventional male (J-shaped) or female-friendly and unisex (S-shaped) shoulder straps, though many males desire these S-shaped straps as properly. I requested them on this pack to point out you what they appear like (above). The S-shape is appropriate for folks with sloping shoulders or well-developed chests and might help make the sternum strap (which slides up and down on a webbing strap) extra comfy. ULA packs are extremely popular with girls backpackers for that reason.
The hipbelt is equally spectacular, if no more so. It has prime and backside webbing straps, so you’ll be able to regulate the strain to match the curves of your hips whereas preserving the simplicity of a central buckle. I believe the ULA Circuit SV backpack has the most effective hipbelt out there at present amongst ultralight pack makers on this weight class when it comes to match, consolation, and cargo switch. It rides securely and comfortably over your iliac crest and gained’t slip even in case you have a closely loaded pack.
The hipbelt can also be replaceable and out there in a formidable vary of sizes, so you’ll be able to dial in a superb match even if you happen to’re on the ultra-slim or the outsized finish of the spectrum. It attaches to the pack with an enormous block of velcro behind the padded again panel. That velcro block is taller than it must be by about 2″, so if you should, you’ll be able to increase the hello belt up and shorten the torso size or vice versa. In different phrases, you get the comfort of an adjustable torso size with out incurring the added weight and complexity that having one often requires. This diploma of adjustability has all the time been a function of ULA’s bigger backpacks that has set them aside from different fastened torso-length packs.
Exterior Attachment Factors/Compression
The Extremely Circuit SV has one tier of facet compression straps positioned above both sides pocket. Along with serving to compress puffy gear saved contained in the pack, they may also be used to safe lengthy skinny gadgets to the facet of the pack, like Tenkara fishing rods or a trekking umbrella. They’ve restricted utility for winter mountaineering and backpacking; nonetheless, since they shut with webbing strap adjusters, which freeze up in winter, and never side-release buckles.
Like all ULA backpacks, the Extremely Circuit SV’s shoulder straps have plastic rings to hold gear like GPS receivers or a Garmin Inreach mini 2. The sternum strap slides up and down a chunk of webbing sewn to the entrance of the shoulder straps and is simple to regulate.
The Circuit SV comes with a single prime strap that runs from above the shoulders to a buckle within the entrance of the pack to carry down the rolltop and any gadgets you would possibly need to keep on prime of the pack. A Y-strap is on the market as properly, however I like to recommend towards utilizing it. The slack webbing within the Y-strap may be very lengthy and hangs down over your shoulders, not down the entrance of the pack, out of the best way. That is ungainly and interferes with utilizing the load lifters. It’s a really curious design, and I like to recommend rolling your individual reasonably than utilizing the ULA Y strap until they alter it.
There are extra gear loops on the base of the pack the place you can additionally safe a tent and additional gear loops across the entrance mesh pocket. Once more, the straps for these are offered individually. Lastly, the Extremely Circuit SV features a pair of elastic trekking pole/ice axe shaft holders on the prime of the entrance mesh pocket. These are free.
Comparable Ultralight Framed Backpacks
Suggestion
The ULA Extremely Circuit SV Backpack is a 48L model of the favored ULA Extremely 68L Circuit Backpack and is designed for 3-5 day journeys that don’t require carrying giant quantities of substances, meals, and water. Whereas the 2 packs are just about an identical (apart from the amount of the principle compartment), I desire the 48L model as a result of it’s nimbler and extra comfy to hold than a higher-capacity backpack. (It’d be good if ULA would come with the width and top dimensions of each packs on the merchandise’ net retailer pages so you can examine them.)
The Extremely Circuit SV is made with Extremely 200 and Extremely 400, a pack materials that’s extra abrasion-resistant than Dyneema DCF or the 400D Robic Nylon used within the Robic Circuit or Robic Circuit SV backpacks, additionally offered by ULA. When you hike in mountainous terrain or off-trail, I’d advocate getting the Extremely model of the Circuit SV for the added abrasion resistance.
When you’re contemplating buying a ULA Circuit SV, the issues that set it aside from different producers’ backpacks are sizing and match. When you require particular sizing in top or girth or need S-shaped shoulder straps, the Circuit or any of ULA’s different higher-volume packs are onerous to beat.
Disclosure: ULA donated a backpack for evaluate.
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