ULA Conduit V. Mariposa Plus by Gossamer Gear

[Chance09]

ULA Conduit $125
-weight: 20 oz-Main compartment: 2,100 ci.
-Overall: 3200 ci.
-Uses a sleeping pad for support
-hydration sleeve
-optional backpad

Mariposa Plus $155
-weight: 20 oz w/everything, but could be stripped to 13oz
-Main compartment: 2,900 ci.
-Overall: 4200 ci.
Frame
-has carbon fiber stays for support
-comes with a sitting pad that is used for cushioning and support as well as something to sit one at camp
-can further reinforce with sleeping pad
-Lots of shock cord and mesh pockets
-can stuff clothing in straps for padding, or jsut use their standard foam.

Downside
Quoted from the website:
"Your Mariposa Plus pack is constructed of lightweight materials. One of the tradeoffs of designing with extremely lightweight materials is durability. The design and materials have been tested over hundreds of trail miles, but your Mariposa Plus pack requires a higher standard of care than other packs. The Mariposa Plus will not last as long or endure the same abuse as other packs. If you want it to last, you need to ‘baby’ it. With the best of care it may still need to be repaired or replaced after a few months on the trail."

I guess ^^^ is the main reason for this post. I feel like the packs are almost the same, but the Mariposa has a few more features and a little more room at the cost of durability.

Would anyone who has used either of the two packs care to add their 2 cents and thoughts on each. I'm unsure as to which to go for.

[Rocketman]

ULA Conduit $125
-weight: 20 oz-Main compartment: 2,100 ci.
-Overall: 3200 ci.
-Uses a sleeping pad for support
-hydration sleeve
-optional backpad

Mariposa Plus $155
-weight: 20 oz w/everything, but could be stripped to 13oz
-Main compartment: 2,900 ci.
-Overall: 4200 ci.
Frame
-has carbon fiber stays for support
-comes with a sitting pad that is used for cushioning and support as well as something to sit one at camp
-can further reinforce with sleeping pad
-Lots of shock cord and mesh pockets
-can stuff clothing in straps for padding, or jsut use their standard foam.

Downside
Quoted from the website:
"Your Mariposa Plus pack is constructed of lightweight materials. One of the tradeoffs of designing with extremely lightweight materials is durability. The design and materials have been tested over hundreds of trail miles, but your Mariposa Plus pack requires a higher standard of care than other packs. The Mariposa Plus will not last as long or endure the same abuse as other packs. If you want it to last, you need to ‘baby’ it. With the best of care it may still need to be repaired or replaced after a few months on the trail."

I guess ^^^ is the main reason for this post. I feel like the packs are almost the same, but the Mariposa has a few more features and a little more room at the cost of durability.

Would anyone who has used either of the two packs care to add their 2 cents and thoughts on each. I'm unsure as to which to go for.

It would be hard to conclude, from the above, that the Mariposa is less durable... 20 oz packs aren't noted for massive heavy fabric construction and reinforcement at all stress points.

Certainly, the GG folks are explicitly calling your attention to the well known problem of lesser durability of these lightweight products, particularly if roughly handled by the user. The other manufacturer may not feel the need to put the caution so blatently in the item description.

Reminds me of the smoking/tobacco cautions printed on cigarette packages, one quickly manages to ignore them.

It should also be noticed that for the extra cost, you appear to be getting a few more bells and whistles.

It will be interesting to hear the opinions of someone who has used both packs.

Good luck.

[Marta]

I have both these packs.

The Mariposa Plus is my long-distance pack. It has made it through 2/3 of an AT hike, a JMT hike, a bunch of weekends, and is about to go out to Glacier NP with me for a small section of the CDT. It has a lot of room and can fit stuff like a bear canister.

The weight limit for the pack is around 30 pounds. It becomes uncomfortable with a lot of weight in it, and I start to fear that something will tear if I overload it.

The Conduit is my summer pack. It is quite small and will not fit a bear canister, for example. I like a lot of the features, especially the pouches on the waist belt.

A prounounced difference between the packs (other than size) is that the sleeping pad goes inside the Conduit and outside the Mariposa Plus. I prefer the outside storage, because I can get out the pad to sit on for meals, and while setting up camp.

[Egads]

The Conduit is my summer pack. It is quite small and will not fit a bear canister, for example. I like a lot of the features, especially the pouches on the waist belt.

Marta,

Gossamer Gear offers waist belt pouches for their packs now.

Egads

[DawgU]

Never used the Mariposa, but I own the Conduit and I'm thrilled to death with it. I don't have to carry a canister, so the Conduit carries everything I need - and carries it excellently! Light, durable, under 20 lbs it's just wonderful. I've never carried more weight than that in it, so I can't speak for heavier loads. Bought it because of the great feedback here and at BPL, and it's the best pack I've ever owned in terms of weight, features, comfort. You couldn't get me to buy a different one as long as I can fit my gear in it, and for solo 5 day summer or weekend winter trips it has plenty of room for me. Longer trips would be easy if I have a partner. If you can fit your gear in it you are guaranteed to have a smile on your face!

[twentybelow]

i got a regular mariposa last year when GG had a sale on them for $75. for a pack that tips the scales at a scant 17 ounces, a sacrifice in durability is to be expected. on a recent AT trip i opted to carry seven days worth of food rather than resupply, so at 33 pounds it was beyond its official capacity for the first two days, but seemed to take that overload in stride. it is very comfortable and i would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone.

[rswanson]

I have the Conduit and have carried a Mariposa (older style). I am sure there have been refinements in the Mariposa since the model I tried, but I feel that the Conduit is the better pack for medium-volume loads up to 30 lbs. The construction is fantastic and if you wear it out before a few thousand miles of hiking, you're too rough on gear. The fabric is very durable and the stitching is excellent.

A note on the Conduit and bear canisters- my wife and I have carried both the Bear Vault Solo (BV350 I think) and a full S29 Ursack in our Conduit packs. The BV fit in horizontally, while the Ursack (when used with the aluminum liner) needed to sit vertically. We packed a full gear load with 5 days food in our packs, with room to spare.

A note on weight capacity- I have pushed the weight limits of the pack over 30 lbs. for short distances. I was probably close to 35 lbs or maybe a little over. This exceeded the hipbelt's ability to support the load and caused it to sag. It was workable, and if I had to hike 7-10 days without resupply, I wouldn't hesitate to use the Conduit. Your gear needs to be of a smallish volume to pull this off, but it certainly can be done. Of course, my definition of comfort is subjective. It won't carry 30 lbs. like a full frame pack, but at the end of the day, my shoulders and back were not sore.

You'll win with either pack, I think. I don't see too many complaints about either the Mariposa or the Conduit.

[whitefoot_hp]

the piece of paper that comes with the conduit has the same type of disclaimer. IE, this is a lightweight pack, keep that in mind.

i have the conduit and am so far happy with the durability after a 2-3 trips. not a whole of use yet, however.

[tomsawyer222]

Maybe consider a little heavier option? It will carry better and the weight will not be felt

[Perkolady]

I have both packs as well, and I really like them both. I just wanted to throw in that if you like being able to have stuff in the outside pockets for easy access, the MP+ pack has more outside pocket space.

Perkolady

[whitefoot_hp]

Maybe consider a little heavier option? It will carry better and the weight will not be felt

actually the frameless packs are amazing with the proper use of foam pad or air pad as pack frame. my conduit feels in the same leauge as my nimbus ozone, but i will admit not quite the same, but comparable. when i have my foam pad in the conduit pad holder, i consider the pack a frame pack all the way.

anyone that tells you that the 'weight will not be felt' is just afraid of lighter packs and is jealous of your choice.

[Rcarver]

I have both packs as well. I like the conduit better. It just feels better on my back. The mariposa does come in three sizes as the conduit only comes in two. Which you might get a better fit with the mariposa. I also have the Osprey talon 33. I don't like way it carries all that much. The conduit rides like a dream.