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Reviews > Packs > Internal and External Framed Backpacks > ULA Equipment Fusion > Steve Nelson > Initial ReportInitial Report: ULA Fusion Backpack Reviewer's Information Name: Steve Nelson Backpacking Background: As an interface design and usability consultant by trade, I'm always excited by analyzing and improving designs and processes; backpacking provides a fertile and fun arena for that. I have been backpacking since I was a kid growing up in upstate New York: we backpacked and canoe-camped in all seasons, throughout the Adirondacks and nearby areas, ranging as far as La Verendrye Wildlife Reserve, Quebec. As an adult, I've backpacked and hiked extensively in California, but also have taken trips throughout the West, from New Mexico to British Columbia, and return often to the Adirondacks. Backpacking Style: In the last year I began educating myself about lightweight and ultralight backpacking, and have been applying more and more of this philosophy to my outdoor jaunts and gear upgrades. I like moving fast, and lightening the load facilitates that. I also enjoy urban strolls, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, kayaking, and aviation in addition to hiking and backpacking, so my gear gets exposed to a wide variety of uses and conditions. Product information Manufacturer: ULA Overview The Fusion Backpack is an innovative new pack design from ULA, makers of the well-regarded P-1 and P-2 packs. The main pack body is a top-loading design with extension collar, constructed of dark green 210 Denier Dyneema Gridstop and 1.9 oz coated black ripstop nylon fabric. The pack exterior includes two large external polyester mesh pockets with elastic cord closures, a tool loop with removable retainer, and a removable hip belt that includes two zippered pouches. All surfaces of the hip belt, shoulder straps and pack body that contact the wearer of the Fusion are cushioned with "3-Dimensional Warp Knit" fabric over soft foam. (Fabric specifications were provided to me in eMail by Brian Frankle of ULA.) The Fusion also incorporates a number of unusual features: a "taco shell" pad sleeve design that incorporates a sleeping pad into the suspension and back padding; a carbon fiber hoop stay; and adjustable suspension components (spacing and length of shoulder straps and load lifters; positioning of hip belt). All of this comes in at a weight of just over two pounds, with the claimed ability to comfortably carry loads upward of 35 lb (16 kg)—quite an achievement. The ULA site gives a good basic overview of the pack and its features. The site also provides a small set of pictures of the pack, optional additional-cost features (hydration sleeve, internal stash pocket, water bottle holders, hand rest loops), and links to additional resources including reviews, usage notes and the warranty (lifetime warranty for the original owner against defects in materials or construction, but not wear and tear). One issue of note on the site: at the time of this review, the ordering page on the ULA site has buttons to select either a size M or size L Fusion; as it turns out—and as stated on another page—the Fusion actually comes in only one overall size. The hip belt is available in sizes XS-XL, as correctly noted on the site. Initial Impressions My Fusion arrived in a flat box with no packing materials, and included a three-page set of instructions and usage notes. It was ready to go right out of the box, including having the optional hydration sleeve and stash pockets I'd ordered already mounted in place. My first impression upon removing the Fusion from its box was that it is unusual and very well made. The materials and stitching are top-quality, and the pack looks great. Here are three overviews of the Fusion (stuffed with enough gear to show its basic shape):
My second impression was "Boy, this thing has a lot of straps!" In addition to typical webbing for shoulder and hip belts, load lifters, hip snuggers and a sternum strap, the Fusion has a whole set of webbing dedicated to its pad sleeve. Long grey webbing straps form triangles running from attachment points on the back flap of the pad sleeve to buckles on the front of the pack; another pair of straps secures a pad to the inside the pad sleeve; others allow adjustment of the shoulder straps in two dimensions; and another secures a cover for the internal frame. To help with my discussion of the pack, I shall clarify some terms and provide a labeled picture of the suspension components. When I refer to the "front" of the pack I mean the face of the pack that has the pockets, ice axe loop and logo, as shown at left above. By "back" of the pack, I mean the face with the suspension and shoulder straps, as shown in the center picture above. The following picture shows the Fusion opened up to reveal the inside of the pad sleeve and suspension (next to a yardstick for size context), with callouts identifying various components:
As you can see, there's a lot going on here! A sleeping pad can be strapped onto the sleeve cover shown at right; the sleeve cover is then folded toward the left, where it's buckled onto the main pack body and the grey compression straps secure it in place. The pack also incorporates a carbon fiber hoop frame that helps provide rigidity to the main pack body—you can see a corner of the frame in the following picture of the inside back of the Fusion's top opening:
ULA does not recommend removing the frame, though it appears it's possible to do so. The above picture also shows one of the Fusion's two hydration hose ports, and one of its four accessory attachment loops. Here you can see how one side of the optional hydration sleeve clips into the accessory loop (similar loops on the inside front of the pack hold the optional stash pocket in place). The top of the pack cinches closed with two cord/cord lock sets—one at the very top of the extension sleeve, and one at the top of the main pack body. The top can be further secured and compressed with a webbing strap that runs from the front of the pack to a buckle on the back. Loading it Up The Fusion loads differently from any other pack I've used (a list that includes external frame, internal frame, framesheet, and frameless packs over many years of backpacking). Here's an overview of the steps for loading up the pack and sleeve, summarized from the instructions that came with the pack and my learnings so far from loading it up at home:
At this point the Fusion is ready to wear, though it may take further adjustment of the various suspension straps to make it comfortable, as well as to accommodate the thickness of whatever pad or other items have been strapped into the sleeve. Home tests of loading and packing features I loaded up the pack at home with variations on two different test gear sets: a 3-season overnight weekend kit and a lightweight winter kit. I found that the Fusion swallowed a surprising amount of gear, including all of the items I describe further down in this report in my test plan. Here are two pictures of it loaded up enough to make partial use of the extension collar, as well as show how the pockets hold items (in this case, a windshirt, softshell top, poncho tarp and cord/stake bag on the left, and a hammock and bag of snacks on the right):
The two large mesh pockets are secured with elastic cord and a cord lock, which unfortunately seem to slip on my particular pack. Since taking these pictures I've further experimented with the pockets, straps and pad sleeve, refining my use of the grey straps to secure longer items such as poles or my hammock so that they don't fall to the sides as shown in the above picture (a minor shortcoming of this pocket design). As you can see, I tried out the tool loop and retainer with a lightweight ice axe—nothing to note there except that it works well, and that hidden under the ice axe is the pack's sole daisy chain (I fear it may be hard to strap crampons or snowshoes securely to the Fusion, though perhaps I'll work out a scheme using the grey webbing straps.) I also loaded items into the hip pockets when I wore the pack around the house. I really like having my camera, GPS and other small items at hand, and the Fusion's hip pockets appeal to me for that reason. However, I did note that when loaded they bulge out in a way that interferes with my arm swing. The Fusion's shoulder straps feature several webbing loops and two plastic D-rings, and so should support attaching a range of items including whistles and accessory pouches. Finally, I tried various ways of carrying three different hydration bladders with capacities of approx. 2, 3 and 4 qt (2, 3 and 4 L), filled with water. I placed each of them in the internal sleeve, loose inside the pack body, and sandwiched outside in the pad sleeve along with the pad. When inside the hydration sleeve, the 2 qt/L bladder caused a "pregnant" effect on the back of the pack before the taco was folded up (the other bladders didn't fit completely into the sleeve). This caused the pad and sleeve to bulge a bit awkwardly, as shown in the above pictures of the loaded pack, though it wasn't particularly uncomfortable to wear the pack in this state. I have a hunch I may ultimately prefer carrying my hydration bladder in the pad sleeve—it allows me to keep the weight of water right next to my back, permits me to instantly check how much water is left, and provides quick access for filling. I look forward to testing this in the field. As an aside, the hydration hose ports on the Fusion are the largest I've seen to date, and they easily accommodated the largest bite valve on my hydration bladders (an Ultimate Direction Double Shot). Most hydration ports are woefully small, and I was really pleased to see that the Fusion's are done right. Here's a picture of me wearing the Fusion loaded for a four-day summer trip (with the ice axe tossed in just for illustration purposes). For size reference, I'll note that I'm 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m tall).
Adjusting Fit As noted earlier, the Fusion provides a full complement of standard suspension adjustments, including shoulder and hip belt sliding buckles, load lifters, hip snuggers, and a sternum strap—features not found in all lighter-weight packs. ULA also offers range of five hip belt sizes—I got mine in size M. In addition, the spacing of several normally-fixed elements of the suspension can be adjusted: The spacing between the shoulder straps is adjustable by sliding two ladderlocks on the webbing anchor for the shoulder straps. The load lifters' attachment points can be moved forward and back along each shoulder strap using a ladderlock on webbing attached to the top of the shoulder pad. The hip belt is attached to the pack via hook and loop fasteners inside a sleeve behind the back's foam padding, and can be moved up and down within about a 1 in (3 cm) range. The ULA site states that the Fusion's torso length is adjustable in the range from 18-23 in (46-58 cm), but I find this a bit misleading. Because of how the shoulder straps are routed over the foam-lined sleeve pad on the pack of the pack, the only true adjustment that can be made to the torso length is by moving the hip belt up or down, leaving the torso length within a narrow 18-19 in (46-48 cm) range as measured from the center of the hip belt to the exit points of the shoulder straps at the top of the pad sleeve. What's actually adjustable in that larger range is not the torso length per se, but rather the length of the shoulder straps. The shoulder strap anchors pictured earlier allow upwards of 4 in (10 cm) of adjustment of the strap length, which helps accommodate different thicknesses of items sandwiched in the pad sleeve and allows positioning shoulder belt padding and shape in an optimal spot. I played around with all of these adjustments with a loaded Fusion at home and ultimately was able to get the pack to feel comfortable enough, but not overly so. I attribute this entirely to my inexperience with the pack—this is a unique suspension design, and I have no doubt that it will take some new thinking and a fair amount of field experience for me to learn how best to load and adjust it. As an aside, the shoulder straps and hip belt can be tucked inside the sleeve pad and thus out of the way—possibly a useful feature for airline or car travel. Test Plan I plan to use the Fusion extensively over the following six months. Locations I live in California but have a business and family schedule that often brings me to the east coast. Trips planned during the test period for the Fusion include:
Given that the testing will extend into December, I also plan to take this pack on early winter trips; most likely at Glacier Point in Yosemite and in the mountains above the Western Lake Tahoe area. In addition, I hope to use the pack on at least one extended canoeing trip—an October paddle through the Adirondacks. Of particular note on this trip is the chance to try the Fusion on extended portages (including discovering whether an ultralight canoe backpack attachment, meant for an external frame pack, might in fact work with the carbon fiber/composite hoop frame and suspension system of the Fusion.) Altitudes on these trips will range from sea level to over 10,000 ft (3,050 m). Weather will range from hot and dry California summer conditions to afternoon Sierra thunderstorms to wet and soggy east coast hiking and paddling. Temperatures will likely range from below freezing to as high as 100° F (38° C). Most of the hikes will be on trails, but one Sierra Nevada trip and both Adirondack trips will involve bushwhacking and/or extensive scrambling around blowdown and overgrowth. Test issues Issues I'll be observing on these trips include:
For all trips I'll record a summary of items carried, their overall weight and volume, and note weather and trail conditions along with my observations. What I carry My pack loads these days tend to be reasonably light in weight and light to moderate in volume, though food for the occasional extended trip and gear for winter camping can add up. For general three-season camping I pack a light shelter such as a Hennessy Hammock or a Dancing Light Gear Tarptent, a light sleeping bag or quilt, an alcohol or lightweight canister stove, a 1 qt (1 L) or smaller titanium pot, and a single set of clothing that generally includes an ultralight DWR shell and an ultralight insulating layer. Of particular relevance to the Fusion, I also use a Therm-a-Rest Prolite 3 short pad, Target blue closed cell foam pads, and a Therm-a-Rest Ultralight full-length pad, individually or in combination (the latter for cold weather). I carry my food in O. P. Saks inside of a Crittersack, or O. P. Saks inside of a large silnylon bear bag, or in a bear canister (I just acquired a BearVault). My trips vary quite a bit in duration, so I'll have a chance to check out the extension collar and adjustability of the pack across a wide range of food loads. I tend to drink lots of water as I hike, and so I'm usually carrying either a 4 qt (4 L) Ultimate Direction SportTank or a 100 oz (3 L) Camelbak bladder (sometimes with an insulating sleeve). I always carry a silnylon bucket and purification tablets, and depending on the trip and conditions may carry a Katadyn Hiker filter. My remaining gear consists of personal care items, pocket first aid and survival kits, a small headlamp, and maps, permits and keys in an Aloksak. I generally carry a lightweight camera and occasionally carry a GPS. The latter two are items I like to keep at hand, and I will use the Fusion's hip belt pockets for them. On specialized trips I may carry additional items such as an ice axe and crampons or a lightweight tripod and further camera gear. On winter trips I add additional warmth layers and a second lightweight down bag or quilt, and will also swap out the lightweight stoves for a white gas stove and larger pot if I need to melt snow for water. To summarize: my overall base pack weight varies anywhere from 11-18 lb (5-8 kg; the latter for a serious winter trip), and my total pack weight with food and water can be anywhere from 16-32 lb (7-14 kg), and very occasionally even a bit more for extended trips with no resupply stops. I've been able to easily fit the smallest kit into a pack of under 2,000 ci (32 L), while my longer trips have required upwards of 3,500 ci (57 L). This appears to be a good range of weights and volumes for testing the Fusion, based on the information given by ULA online (and noting that a sleeping pad doesn't have to be tallied in the total volume carried, due to the pack's design.) Summary After spending a week with the ULA Fusion backpack, I have a great deal of respect for its quality and features, as well as a healthy respect for the learning curve of its unique suspension and design. In examining the pack I often found myself thinking "why did they construct it this way" and "I think it would have been better if..." only to recant my thoughts as I learned more about how the pack works. I am impressed with its flexibility in loading and configuration. This is indeed a well-thought-out design, and I very much look forward to testing it in the field. Thanks to BackpackGearTest and Brian Frankle at ULA for giving me the opportunity to participate in this test. Read more reviews of Ultralight Adventure Equipment gear Read more gear reviews by S. Nelson Reviews > Packs > Internal and External Framed Backpacks > ULA Equipment Fusion > Steve Nelson > Initial Report | |||
