So i just got my ULA Catalyst on Monday afternoon but due to work and university I haven't had a chance to play with it until today. Let me just tell you: I LOVE IT! It seems to be extremely high quality, the stich work is flawless, it fits my gear brilliantly, plus it's 4 1/2 pounds lighter than my last pack (let's not talk about it). Using this pack drops my big four weight to under 10lbs and my summer base weight to ~13lbs. I am ecstatic about these numbers!
That being said, I think this pack could weigh closer to 40oz. rather than the listed 48. I've already taken off the suggested fat (hydration sleeve, mesh inner pocket, strap water bottle holders, and hand holds) at about 3.5oz bringing me to 44.5oz. What I'm wondering is has anyone done any trimming of the foam framesheet?
-Snip the top corners off or at least round them out to prevent the square look in the photo (i realize the pack isn't full and that ads to that square corner look)
-cut an oval out of the thicker back pad: i think this would reduce weight as well as provide better air flow down the center of the back
photo 1.jpgphoto 2.JPGphoto 3.jpg
does anyone have any experience with these modifications or any comments about these alterations having an effect on the structural integrity of the framesheet?