ULA Equipment Camino Review

Honest and in-depth review on ULA Equipment's Camino Backpack.

BACKPACKS

Zachary Barckholtz

8/30/20255 min read

Introduction

ULA Equipment’s Camino 2 is one of their lesser-known bags. When I first was looking to buy it, it was hard to find good honest reviews on it. There was very little media in general, outside of their website. Well, I bought it anyways and have now hiked weeks and hundreds of miles with it on my back.

I now want to write my honest review; with everything I’ve learned. I’m not sponsored by ULA, just someone that wants to help others make the right decision for them.

Raw Information

At a glance the Camino 2 just looks like another backpack. Coming in with a weight of just under 3 pounds, a volume of 54 Liters and a max load of 40 pounds for the price of $299. It's important to note that the main body is not 54L. Rather, the main body is around 36L, and you get the other 18L from a combination of hip belt pockets, side pockets, panels and extension collars. Full details on how the volume is broken down can be found on their website here. Although it doesn’t look like anything special, there is so much more to it than just the raw measurements.

Pro: Many Uses

The Camino is your Swiss-army knife bag. I’ve used it to hike through the Dolomites and State Forests in Pennsylvania, and then to spend time in Bologna, Verona and Venice.

With 54L of space, you have plenty to fit a week’s food with your tent and sleep system if you’re backpacking and having the option to catch trains around Europe while carrying a new set of clothes every day.

Pro: Very Customizable

Besides just customizing the right size for the hip belt, torso length (which is really nice!), and shoulder strap style, ULA offers way more than that.

To start, they offer two different attachments for a small price that clip into your shoulder strap. The first one is one that is meant for bear spray. I personally have this one and thankfully have never had to use it. It is nice knowing that my bear spray is always ready to be used instead of at the bottom of my pack. The second one is like bear spray but sized for a water bottle to make drinking while on the move effortless.

There are also plenty of straps all over the pack. There are bottom straps which are nice to store your foam sleeping pad or a rain/down jacket. It also comes with side straps above the water bottle to strap in whatever you want.

Pro: Convenient Features and Very Packable

The big thing I like about the Camino is simply how easy it is to pack. It has a large main body which can be accessed by the roll top, or the front zipper panel. On the back of the panel, there are two compartments which make it super easy to access first aid or emergency supplies. Between the panel loading and the roll top, it takes no more than 15 seconds to access anything in your pack.

Another nice feature is that the pack was designed to comfortably hold 2 Smart 1L bottles on each side, with a drawstring to make sure they stay in. The water bottles can also easily be accessed without taking your pack off, making it nice to get water on the go.

Pro: Construction Quality

I’ve tossed this bag onto rough dolomite rock, laid back in the rock, and it still has no tears. The pack is made of 100% 400 Denier Robic. If you don’t know much about material quality, I’ll put it this way: it’s nearly bulletproof.

I am a very aggressive bag handler like I mentioned, and it’s nice knowing I can throw this bag around with no issue. After hours of hiking and several thousand feet of elevation gained, there’s no better feeling than laying down and using your pack as a back rest. The tough construction quality of the Camino gives you peace of mind when you do this, knowing that your pack will be alright.

It is also very water resistant. Combine it with a simple lightweight pack cover, and you can keep your stuff dry no matter the conditions. I hiked through mulitple days of non stop rain, and nothing got weight except the hip belt.

Neutral: The Roll Top is not for Everyone

I put this in neutral because a lot of people like roll tops, including myself, while a lot of people do not. This is something that is important to note, in case you absolutely despise roll tops. If you’re unfamiliar with a roll top, don’t be scared, it’s super easy to pick up on and takes 10 seconds to do.

Con: Not Ultralight

This is not an ultralight pack. Compared to something like ZPacks’ Arc Haul (which I have not tested myself) which weighs less than half of this, this does not come in as an ultralight pack. It’s still light, but it doesn’t make that full push to ultralight.

Oftentimes people look at just the weight and volume and make their decision. This should not be the case. Don’t let the 47 ounces scare you, this is still a great pack.

Overview and Final Verdict:

This is a great bag if you’re looking to get into backpacking, whether it’s through the wilderness or from Paris to Munich. The Camino will get you through every trip you can imagine whether it’s a weekend at the Lake or a month in southeast Asia.

This is the perfect bag if you’re looking for one bag for all purposes or wanting to get into backpacking. Easy to use, not too heavy, great construction and a fair price, what more could you ask for? It may not be that flashy ultralight pack, but the Camino's unlimited use cases and capability make up for that.

I do not regret purchasing this, and if I could go back in time and purchase another backpack instead, I wouldn’t.

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