Should I make a major change to my equipment 4 days before leaving for AZT?

Would you change a key piece of equipment without testing it a few days before starting a hike? What would happen if you reduced your base weight by 10.5 oz? What if you already bought it, put all your gear in it, and tried it on in front of a full-length mirror… and you liked it? Maybe I should quit work tomorrow and go on an adventure?

Change my backpack?!?

I have been a loyal user of the ULA pack since my first hike in 2018. My ULA Catalyst was too big for the lightweight gear I used on the PCT, but it was a dream when I had to fit a full-size bear canister and 9 days of Sierra food in it. I downsized to the ULA Circuit in 2019 and never looked back. It shaved about 8 ounces off my base weight and still held the bear can (albeit less comfortably). In my opinion, the ULA circuit is the perfect package. It carries my gear comfortably and I can easily find room for a giant bag or 5 liters of water if needed. Lihat juga lkj5. The material is soft, durable and I like the color. The hipbelt pockets are big enough to hold my phone and it has all the normal lightweight backpack options. It is a proven backpack within the hiking community and has been the backpack I have used for over 2,500 miles of backpacking.

But sometimes it’s still too big for some of my trips. Can I carry a smaller volume backpack on some of my trips? Absolutely, I think about summer trips in the PNW that last 2 or 3 days and I know I could get by with a 40L backpack. Could I hike with a 40 liter backpack? Probably, especially if a bear can is not needed and my food loads are for five days or less.

Many of the ultralight backpacks on the market just don’t seem that comfortable to me. I like load lifters and need a hip belt. I haven’t been motivated to spend a few hundred dollars on a new backpack that’s just a few ounces lighter than the Circuit, since I like it so much. But… for a 10.5 ounce lighter backpack? Maybe the $250 is worth it.

Durston Kakwa 40L

Durston currently makes two backpacks: a 40-liter and a 55-liter, essentially the same style. Obviously the 40L is lighter and would achieve the objective of having a smaller backpack on the back. If I need to carry my bear can or carry food for longer, I can go back to my 55L loop.

What caught my attention about Durston is that many hikers are using this pack and it is consistently in the top three packs used on the PCT and CDT according to Halfway Anywhere’s annual survey for the past two years. So while I haven’t put miles on it, I can trust that the miles accumulated by the hiking community speak to its durability and overall level of user happiness. The technical aspects of its construction sound well thought out with a sturdy frame and fabric. It has the S-shaped straps that I like and huge pockets on the hip belt. I wish it came in more colors.

Image from Durston’s website

I had to change the way I packed to accommodate the change in size and shape of the Kakwa. Although many hikers do it, I can’t fit my sleeping bag loosely into my backpack. I’m too worried about it getting wet and dirty and use a waterproof compression bag to store it in the bottom of my ULA backpack. It didn’t fit in the bottom of the Durston backpack like that, so I put my tent and clothes in first and then the sleeping bag. I’ve also always put my tent in his stuff bag, but this time I’m leaving it loose. Look, even old dogs can learn (some) new tricks. Other than this change, all my gear fits and the backpack feels great on my back.

Unfortunately, it seems unlikely that my phone can be carried in the shoulder strap pockets. that come standard in the package. There isn’t enough room between the strap pocket and my arm and my arm kept hitting the phone when I walked around the house. This probably has more to do with my body size (5’3″ female) and where the straps need to be on my smaller frame. This disappoints me because I’ve never had a backpack with shoulder pockets and I really wanted to use them. I wish they were detachable, but I can’t get them out of the backpack. I’m a little worried that even the pocket might cause chafing on my arm.

Decisions, decisions

I’m really torn on what to do. I know my ULA Catalyst will be fine for this trip. Change is scary. What if I love the Durston Kakwa 40 but I’ll never know unless I try it? For 10.5 oz, it might be worth it.

In the worst case scenario, I would only have to walk 160 miles to get to Tucson, where my ULA backpack is. This is what happened in 2024 on my first AZT hike when I tried to change shoes. I had worn the Brooks Cascadia trail runners forever, but I wanted to try the Hoka Speedgoats because everyone else seemed to like them. The Hokas were fine when I did smaller hikes, but I really hurt my Achilles tendon with consecutive 20+ mile days. When I got to Tucson, I went to REI, bought my Brooks, and had no more foot problems on that hike.

Perhaps the only way to know if the pack works is to simply try the Kakwa on my hike this week.

ULA circuit with exactly the same equipment as the Durston Kakwa above… looks so round!

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