Originally Posted by Jordan Smith
Any of the top-end brands would serve you well for a long time, but I'd be more concerned with making sure a particular style of pack fit me best, and then pick one of the top brands that makes a pack of that style.

For example, I used a Kifaru LH Guide for quite a while, and it never really worked very well for me. It has the wing-style hip belt, and I didn't realize that style wasn't ideal for my body type until I tried on a SO Paradox, with its full wrap hip belt. As soon as I put that thing on it immediately fit like a glove. Packs that fit well help you bear a load with less strain, and the load feels lighter. Heavy loads always suck, but they suck less with a pack that fits your body properly.


This^^^^^
Buying a pack on-line has its disadvantages, proper fit to your build is the main one...I bought this AlpsoutdoorZ Extreme pack before elk season thinking it would be the cats meow. After using it while scouting for several days and 10 miles. I found it would start to hurt really bad across both shoulders at the 2 mile marker hiking into the same area. Tried adjusting straps each time, but same pains. Went back to my Badlands SuperDay pack for the season. Too, bad, I really liked the features the new pack offered. 😎

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