Golite Jam2 vs. ULA Conduit

Let's see… even though you've mentioned a myriad of things already that make the Conduit more appealing, it only takes a close look at the finished product and a hike to confirm that the Conduit is a well thought out and excellent quality pack. Besides the pack itself, there are some excellent options. The internal Stash Pocket, the Bottle Holsters (or Hydration Sleeve) to name a few.

I've found the mesh front pocket invaluable when carrying damp or wet gear or just carrying something that I might need quickly, such as rain gear. The hip belt pocket as a standard item gets loads of use. After carrying the Conduit for a month long hike I grew to love it more every with day that passed.

I bought a Jam2 for my brother for 80 bucks, free shipping and also a Conduit for myself, for 125+shipping. The cost difference is about 50 bucks, which is not small, but not 100's of dollars either. You could get a Jam2 and an Ion for the same price as a Conduit.

For me, I wasn't looking to save money on my backpack so the 50 or so bucks was not an issue. I finally went with the conduit because of hip belt pockets and the mesh pack.

Honestly, going with ULA also adds it's own little validation to your gear list. Similar to Nunatak, Titanium Goat, etc.

As I said in other posts, you're not going to lose with either choice and they have great resale value just in case you change your mind in the future.