I've tried alot of packs, many of the inexpensive options, and would strongly suggest spending $100-200 more to get a top of the line pack. All packs work fairly well with 30-40 lbs. The difference comes when you jam a bunch of weight in it. I find anything over 50 lbs is where you'll start to notice the difference.
This spring I switched from Kifaru to an Exo. I have a short torso for a guy and struggle to get a pack to fit right, mainly staying on my hips. I also have fairly narrow hips to go with my 12 year old girl torso length.
A couple of things to keep in mind. First, you want the weight to carry close to your spine. I find many bags are too deep as measured from your spine to the outer limit of the bag. The farther the weight is away from your spine, the 'heavier' it 'carries'. You will notice it when you take off the pack and/or wake up the next day.
Second, it might be a me thing but make sure the waist belt is significantly padded AND has enough surface area/friction to stay where it's supposed to with weight. I like Mystery Ranch packs but their waist belt does not have enough friction to keep it on my hips where it's supposed to be.
Third, dont become enamoured with alot of bells, whistles, gadgets, pockets, zippers. I like organization in a pack but it does 2 things. First it adds weight, second its gets confusing when switching bags or adjusting. My Kifaru had about 97 buckles on the frame and various bags. I had to watch a video every time I changed bags. Plus it was heavier than my current Exo but 1.5 lbs.
Fourth, I'd suggest a narrow profile on the frame/bag. I've tried a couple that had a wider footprint and found they hit, snagged, caught on brush/trees when I was hunting. This is a feature of the Exo I really like - they hug my external body dimensions as well as any pack I've tried.
If you want to save money, buy a used pack. Rokslide is an excellent source for used packs. Good packs will last a long time and they really dont get used all that much. As an example, I wear mine almost every week from May to Decemeber either training (rucking, stepups) or hunting and it still looks new. I've been doing this for the last several years. I wash it about 1/month and they look newish. I also try to keep blood off them as much as I can. Stains wont hurt the functionality.
Good luck.
That’s my gripe with kifaru as well, they make top quality stuff but there are lighter packs that carry a load just as well (Stone glacier, exo) and the buckles….holy crap kifaru likes to use buckles and straps all over the damn place.
