ULA Camino Panel Loading Backpack - First Impressions
ULA Camino Panel Loading Backpack - First Impressions
Reviewed by Jason Klass
on
March 14, 2011
Rating:
Reviewed by Jason Klass
on
March 14, 2011
Rating:
13 comments
ULA makes good stuff. I love my Ohm. The suspension is a little sparse, but the simplicity and durability of the pack is wonderful.
I really liked a couple of the features that you pointed out on the Camino. The zippered back pocket (in lieu of the standard elastic) makes a great deal of sense for when you are getting in to the pack. The zipper will keep the contents of the back pocket from spilling all over the place while you are accessing the inside of the pack or packing up.
I also really liked the internal compression straps too. I can see how they would be handy for compressing the load so that the zipper can be zipped. Also, they would help take stress of the zipper during normal use.
Really nice pack, but I am happy with my Ohm for now.
Mike, I think you are right about the back zipper pocket. I normally put large things like rain jackets that wouldn't fall out but it you had a bunch of small stuff in there, the zipper would make a lot of sense to prevent them from falling out.
How much does the Camino weigh, Jason? It looks like the dream pack I've been searching for!
Kathy, Sorry, I made a mistake. The pack is actually 3 lbs. (not 4 like I thought). My math was wrong. So, BONUS! It's a whole pound lighter than I thought!
Looks great, but weighs almost 3 times what my ULA Conduit (I think it is now called the CDT) weighs... I might look at getting one though...
Did Brian sell ULA? I hadn't heard that if he had....
Marty,
He sold it a long time ago. I was worried that the quality might go down after that but it looks like it didn't. That's a nice (and rare) surprise. :)
I have the Catalyst, great pack, so don't doubt the Camino is well built. I like the big Catalyst body, just dump all my down into a dry sack barely compressed and drop everything else on top, then cinch down the compression straps on the bag and start walking.
I don't care for panel loaders myself. I always wind up just unzipping the top of the panel and using it like a top loader, so the extra zipper's just excess weight for me. But it looks well thought out (like Mike's comment about the internal compression straps protecting the zipper).
Zippered mesh pocket -- here's a story. I was slogging up Ouachita Pinnacle and felt the top of the pack brush low limbs a few times. Just kept going, head down, one foot then another, the damn trail can't go up forever, you know the drill. Later that night I realized that my jacket (fortunately a $15 Wally World special) must be hanging on one of those limbs back down the Pinnacle, snatched out of the Catalyst's open-top mesh pocket. I hope whoever found it was cold.
Heck yeah...ULA...Just ordered my Circuit...UPS can't get it here fast enough...went from a Kelty Lakota 4000 (Which I love) to this...just saw to many positive reviews on ULA packs not to purchase one. Thanks for the vid Jason...
@Jason
Cool I'm glad to see the quality is still there...
@Patrick
ULA is the best... You are going to enjoy it. I've had mine for about 3 years and it is still in perfect shape... Let us know how you like yours...
Looks like a sick pack. I recently ordered a Fjallraven Kajka 55L, I'm a big fan of panel loading packs because I can quickly open the pack and grab what I need. I have a Kelty Redwing 50L that opens like a Clamshell, but the torso length is too long for me.
I like the Kelty for logistically intensive traveling (Bus, Plane, Train/ Subway, Bus) where luggage with wheels would be impractical (Large train stations).
As someone already mentioned, I like the straps inside the pack to lower to weight stress on the zippers.
Once my Kajka arrives or if I had a Camino, I'm pretty sure my Kelty would be decommissioned.
Cheers,
Mark
ULA doesn't really push the Camino, and in fact, is discontinuing them. They may redesign them to make them more airline friendly, though. Tis a shame, because there are so few good panel loaders.
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