Pack for JMT

I'm doing the JMT in late August/early September this year. I'll be using an Elemental Horizons Kalais pack. I got the pack about two months ago and have used it for five trips so far, largely in the local Sky Island mountains and for a four day point-to-point hike in the Grand Canyon. I have yet to use it with a bear can but have done some trial loads at home with my JMT gear. I bought the Kalais to replace a 2008 Jam2; I wanted a better suspension than the Jam has. So far the Kalais has been an exceptionally comfortable and well thought out pack. It rides far better than the Jam and is, in fact, more comfortable than my frame sheet/ full suspension GoLite Quest. In my opinion, the Kalais is worth looking at. I am still working on the best way to fit the bear can into the pack in an elegant manner. I'll let you know when I'm there.

I will be Thru-hiking the JMT with a ULA CDT, using a BV450 for the third year.

will the CDT fit a bear canister? the ULA website suggests the circuit or catalyst for canister, but not the CDT. i love the weight of the CDT, but not sure if it would fit the canister. so many options to choose from, esp with the cottage industry.

I can fit a BV450 in my Conduit just fine, but there isn't much room for anything else. I think I could have just about filled my Conduit (minus the extension collar) with food when I set off from Whitney Portal.

I would opt for a Circuit.

It depend on the gear you carry.

I have carried a BV 450 in a ULA Conduit(CDT)and was just fine for ten days, but I tend to carry compact gear.

Either way, the JMT is no different than other locations, so you don't don't have to narrow it down to the JMT.

Surprisingly, you can use the same gear with other hiking destinations:-) (an ongoing joke on BPL)

If you can get by with a foam pad, pack it and your gear burrito style in your 70 l Jam. After all, your got extra room in that size a pack and a pad such as the Cascade Deluxe will give you the structure to handle the bear can. The GG Mariposa is an incredibly comfortable pack as well. If this is the only time you are anticipating carrying a bear can, option one would save money, that is unless you need an excuse to buy a new pack.

I was ablel to fit a 450 bear can, with eight days of food and my gear in my Jam, and it wasn't that bad. I used an additional GG thinlite pad and wrapped it around at the back for some additional padding against my back. It was only on the heavy side for a day or two.
Two pounds of food per day seems really heavy. I eat a lot, but was able to get by pretty easily with extra at 1 1/2 lb a day… that would drop you multiple pounds from your initial starting weight.