I've personally checked out Trauma's pack that he took on his 10,000 mile trek and I didn't see any busted seems. The pack, as far as I could see, was a standard Nimbus Meridian without any modifications that would have made it stronger. It used the same materials and construction as one off the shelf. Actually the production packs are better because of the feedback they got from him.

GGR packs hold up very well, but that's not to say that a stitch may come apart at times. This happens to the best of gear and is definitely under warranty. One of the reasons why GGR has been so popular for thru hikes is that they hold up well and can be used for the whole trek. Many thought it was standard procedure to buy several packs along the way. GGR changed that in many ways most importantly in durability (according to the south-east GGR rep). Every year, at Trails Day along the Appalachian Trail, the GGR boys bring their portable repair station to help out their fellow thru hikers. According to Jeff and Scott (owner and main designer for GGR), they very seldom see a GGR pack needing repair, but instead are super busy stitching busted packs from every manufacturer. This helps them see how their packs are holding up on the trail compared to competitors.

Both the ULA and GGR packs are as good as it gets. You can't go wrong with either.