GoLite Jam 50

Hello all! Over his last weekend I ripped up my last UL pack (A Mountain Hardware) down in the southern Rockies trudging through a couple feet of snow. I am now looking at the GoLite Jam 50(Purple color!). Before I decide if it will be my pack, I am looking for experiences/reviews of the pack you guys have had with the pack. Anything will do!
Thanks to all!
-Nate-

What happened to the pack that it tore?

What about the Jam makes you think it will be a good replacement?

I haven't owned a Jam - two of my friends have, and no longer use it as neither one of them is UL and the Jam seems to be easy to overstuff. I have a ULA, which has a better frame/suspension and lets me occasionally overload it without suffering.

I have whatever the heck Jam they sold circa five years ago, and it fits me so is a nice option. In summer. I'm simply not disclipined enough to use it for winter backpacking, as the capacity isn't there, plus the upper weight is roughly 20-25 pounds.

For winter I'd want more capacity (60L or so) and some kind of frame--probably a hoop.

cheers,

Just note that the GoLite Jam is a frameless pack so, as mentioned in the other posts, you don't want to carry very much in it.

For me, I can't carry more than 7-8 lbs. in a frameless pack because I have extremely sensitive shoulders. I have to have a frame, load lifters and excellent weight transfer to the hip belt. I can't recommend my pack, though, because it was discontinued 5 years ago. The nearest to it is the Six Moon Designs Starlite, but that one is quite a bit bigger. The Starlite is also discontinued.

Packs I'd look at if I were replacing mine would be the ULA Circuit, Elemental Horizons Kalais, and possibly one of the new designs (not yet on the market) that Brian Frankle (founder of ULA) is coming up with for Six Moon Designs (no, I haven't seen them; just curious).

Since pack fit is almost as individual as shoe fit, my comments are definitely in the YMMV category!

My wife and I both use the Go Lite 50 for our summer trips. I've carried up to about 35 pounds in mine on an eight day trip--my wife carries a max of about 25 pounds.

They're good packs, simple, seem to be well made. We wish the side pockets were a little bigger...but all in they work fine. They seem to be pretty waterproof on their own, which is nice.

Then again, we're not gear heads to have to have the latest of everything. If the pack fits, carries our gear, and doesn't weigh too much, we like it!

Thank you all for your contributions, i'll keep everything in mind!!
-Nate-

I have the Golite Jam2 Large pack which carries 3300 cu in. and have carried 30lb with no problem as I use my 3/4 sleeping pad as part of the frame.