I'm getting my gear together for my upcoming JMT hike in August and I'm having a hard time deciding if I need to buy a ULA Catalyst. I currently use a Conduit and have packed all of the gear, including the BearVault 500 into this pack and the total weight is less than 14 lbs. The true weight is actually 13.0 lbs, but I'm allowing an extra pound into the total base weight in case I've overlooked something. My debate is that even with my last re-supply at MTR weighing approximately 10 lbs, this puts my maximum total weight around 23-24 lbs, well within the load limits of the Conduit, so is it truly necessary to move up to the Catalyst?
I've used both the Conduit and Amp for the past two years and am very comfortable with UL weights, so I'm very comfortable with frameless packs.
Your feedback will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Jim
