Meet the Cicada

This is pure everyday carry, stripped of overdesign and built to perform. The Cicada is around 22 L total—a compact pack that fits under your airline seat without trying to prove anything. Yet inside it holds more than it should for its size.

The front-loading main compartment houses your laptop, layers, notebooks. A padded sleeve with a false bottom protects what matters. Inside, dual zip mesh pockets, stretch side sleeves, and internal bottle loops eliminate loose gear chaos. Up front, two stash pockets and a larger dump pocket keep whatever needs quick access within reach. A stealth passport pocket lives in the false back panel—quick and hidden. There’s even a slim pen holder tucked into the front panel, because that pen always vanishes.

Yes—small enough to be a personal carry‑on, but built like something you’d expect from ULA.

Materials

The Cicada comes in three strong builds, each tuned to a slightly different aesthetic:

• UltraWeave 400TX Build: Powered by Challenge Sailcloth’s 400‑denier UHMWPE ripstop, with laminate backing for >200 PSI water resistance. PFAS‑free, abrasion‑proof, and whisper‑soft. Paired with UltraStretch mesh, UltraGrid 210 liner, and YKK Aquaguard zippers for extra weather protection.

• X‑Pac X50 Build: A structured, tactical‑feeling version built on lamination over CORDURA®, with the same internal organization and Aquaguard zippers—for when you want more shape in your pack.

• Alternate Ultra Build with Truelock™ Accents: All the same UltraWeave body, but swapped webbing and zipper pulls for solution‑dyed CORDURA® TrueLock™, which locks in deep color and resists UV fade. This version uses standard YKK zippers.

Each build is made in-house in Utah, by the same team behind our award winning backpack line-up, and backed by our lifetime warranty.

Q&A With Lead Designer Jeremy Tripp and ULA Owner Peter Longobardi

We recently held a live Q&A event on our Facebook to give everyone an opportunity to ask questions about the Cicada before it launches. We had a great response and want to thank everyone that took the time to tune in or ask their questions via Instagram.

Cicada Q&A: Your Questions, Answered

What’s the overall volume?
22 liters. Compact, sleek, and just right for everyday carry or minimalist travel.

Will it fit a 16″ MacBook Pro?
Yep! The Cicada has a dedicated padded laptop sleeve that fits a 16″ MacBook Pro with ease.

What’s the weight of the pack?

• Ultra 400TX: 28.2 oz

• X-Pac X50: 30.7 oz
  Built light, built tough.

Does it have water bottle holders?
Yes—two internal UltraStretch mesh bottle pockets keep hydration close without interrupting the clean exterior aesthetic.

Is there a passthrough sleeve?
Absolutely. It’s designed for travel and organization.

Is the laptop sleeve separate?
The padded laptop sleeve is housed inside the main compartment and accessed through the top-entry zipper, keeping it secure but accessible.

Where did the name Cicada come from?
Jeremy (ULA co-owner and product developer) spent time living in Kentucky and found comfort in the peaceful drone of cicadas. It felt fitting to name this smaller sibling to the Dragonfly after another bug—one that brings a sense of calm and summer rhythm.

What fabrics will be available at launch?

• X-Pac X50

• Ultra 400TX
  More options may come, but we’re starting strong.

What inspired the Cicada’s design?
The Cicada started as a refresh of the Packrat and evolved into its own thing. Many features were pulled from years of custom requests—this is very much a community-informed design.

Will there be a smaller Camino with a laptop sleeve?
No plans at the moment, but we’re always cooking up new ideas. Stay tuned.

When’s the final reveal?
Mark your calendar—August 13th.

Is it built for large torso people?
Yes, the Cicada is built to fit a wide range of body types comfortably.

Can I request customizations?
After launch, yes! Reach out to us via email with your ideas.

Will it launch with J-straps?
It’ll come with our standard S-straps (same as the Dragonfly), but custom J-strap versions may be possible down the line.

Can you make it in Ultralight Grid colors like lime or avocado?
We’re always open to fun fabric/color requests—keep them coming.

Does it stand up on its own?
Yes, it does. No awkward flopping here.

Will there be a ULA Green Robic option?
Not at launch, but never say never.

You can watch the full stream below with more context and even some prototypes and non stock fabric options.