ULA Circuit Backpack Review | CleverHiker

Bottom Line

There are few packs with a reputation like the ULA Circuit. It’s one of the most popular thru-hiking packs year after year, and we can see why after testing it. We were astonished at how well it carried heavy loads in spite of being the lightest pack in our lineup. Additionally, the thoughtful array of features checked nearly every box we’d want for a months-long thru hike. To top it off, durability was incredible. The tough fabrics and excellent quality stitching gave us confidence this would last a full thru hike and then some.

Part of what makes the Circuit such a success is that it doubles down on what backpackers actually need. The large main compartment is tapered, so most of the space is near the shoulder area. This concentrates weight there for easier carrying, but also means you can fit a BV500 horizontally inside the pack. We appreciated the large water bottle pockets, even if they were a bit tricky to reach while wearing the pack.

But overall we’re impressed. It’s one of our top picks on our full backpacking backpacks guide. There’s a reason so many people choose this pack. For our next adventure, we might just count ourselves among them.

How We Tested

For this edition of our traditional backpack reviews, we’re starting fresh and testing all of our packs with new eyes. We conducted preliminary testing during winter in the Midwest, loading up our packs and walking to test carrying comfort and usability.

Comfort

We can see why this pack is so popular on long trails. When loaded up with 34 pounds of weight, we found that it carried the load surprisingly well. The center aluminum stay combined with the perimeter carbon fiber / Delrin hoop creates a secure system to keep the load transferred to the hips. Fortunately, we also found the hipbelt to be great.

With two points of adjustment on each side and a thick buckle in the middle, the pack fit us well. That being said, the large pack panel doesn’t do much in the way of ventilation. We conducted this round of testing in winter, so we couldn’t evaluate its ventilation and temperature regulation in three-season conditions. However, the foam mesh material offers a bit of moisture wicking that should do better than a solid face fabric.

We tested the J-shaped shoulder straps and found them to be adequate. Comfort varies greatly by person, but we would have liked to see slightly wider or thicker straps to distribute the load better. However, due to the excellent weight transfer to the hip belt, we don’t think this will be an issue for most people.

Features

The Circuit is a more stripped down pack compared to most others on this list – it’s the most ultralight style we tested. That being said, it still offers a lot of functionality for the weight. Most importantly, it still offers the features that thru-hikers are most likely to want.

With an enormous main compartment secured with a roll top design, the Circuit follows its ultralight roots with a lack of internal organization. The rolltop mechanism is nicely done, attaching to two side straps for more compression. There are also two webbed compression straps – one on each side – that feel really burly. The entire shape of the pack tapers down to a more compact bottom, so the ample compression options on the top of the pack makes sense. 

The tapering shape means fitting a bear can is easy. Even a BV500 fits horizontally inside, making this pack a great choice for bear country. It’s worth noting that ULA only rates the BV425 as fitting horizontally,, so test this with your own bear can of choice and to see what option feels secure to you.

On each side we find generously sized water bottle pockets with adjustable shock cord running through the rim. They’re large enough to hold two water bottles easily. Although, they sit high enough that retrieving water bottles isn’t as comfortable as we’d like. 

The back pocket is excellent. Its stretch mesh provides a large space to store tons of gear. We like to stuff our insulating jacket inside after warming up during the morning. Additionally, ULA stretched shock cord over the pocket in a cross pattern to store larger items like a wet rainfly. The hip belt pockets are adequately sized as well. We have no complaints there.

ULA offers a few customization options that help make the Circuit even more versatile. The single top strap can be switched to a Y strap, which makes carrying a bear can or other large item externally much more secure. Two bottom straps can also be added to secure a closed cell foam pad or tent. Additionally, the ability to get S shaped shoulder straps instead of the standard J shape is a great feature for accommodating more body shapes.

Overall, we think the Circuit offers a great number of features that should make thru hikers particularly happy. It will also delight backpackers of any experience level.

Durability

Made from a strong 400D Robic Nylon, the Circuit is one of the most durable lightweight packs out there. The most recent version also upgrades to a tougher mesh for the back pocket, which is a frequent place of failure for backpacks. We were impressed with the stitching and overall quality when inspecting the Circuit. Although it has a simple design, it’s built with a reassuring toughness to every component.

As one of the most popular packs for thru hikers, the Circuit has proven itself time and time again, surviving months of use and abuse. There’s nothing about the design or material selection that gives us pause here. Even the plastic components are high quality.

Ease of Use

The Circuit is refreshingly easy to use, owing to a straightforward design without much in the way of complexity. Like many lightweight packs, the Circuit features a single large compartment with a roll top design. The buckles are all well sized, and compression straps operate smoothly. 

One complaint we did have was the hipbelt zippers, which are a bit stiff. They open easily with one hand but require two to close at all. This is an area where many other packs excel. Thankfully, the pockets are well positioned and hold a good amount of stuff, making it easy to grab snacks throughout the day or store a headlamp for night hiking.

The back pocket system is also a big plus here. With a layer of stretch mesh and a cross cross of shock cord above it, the back can hold a number of large or small objects. We particularly like stashing our rain jacket in this pocket for unexpected storms. However, it’s also great for storing an insulating jacket after warming up in the morning. Both storage systems are large, and we loved their versatility.

Water bottle access is a slight negative here. Like a lot of packs that ride a bit higher, the pockets on the Circuit are also higher. This makes accessing and storing bottles a bit difficult. We were able to contort our arms enough to reach the bottles, but it wasn’t as straightforward as we’ve seen on other packs.

Should You Buy the ULA Circuit Backpack?

The ULA Circuit won an Editor’s Choice award for being one of our top overall packs for backpacking. For a lighter pack, it carried heavier weight quite well, offered plenty of functionality for the weight, and even scored high for durability. Other packs we tested had more ventilated back panels and more accessible water bottle pockets. But overall, we were impressed with the ULA Circuit backpack. We especially recommend for thru-hikers and other long-distance backpackers who prefer a lighter pack.

What Other Backpacking Packs Should You Consider?

There are many excellent backpacks in our full backpacking backpacks guide:

Granite Gear Crown 3 Review – The Crown is another crossover backpack which appeals to traditional backpackers who are interested in a lighter approach to things. 

Osprey Exos 58 Review – If you’re in the market for something lightweight like the Circuit but want a few more traditional features, the Exos is worth a look.