Originally posted by dsmithhfx Where do you keep the back brace and hernia truss?
Heh. Don't forget the tripod....
But actually, it's heaviest when you pick it up to put it on, like all camping gear. If you've done that sort of thing, then it's actually not that alarming. And that is one thing about this pack that's very good is that it rides well, and the belt and straps are good. It's not as good as a purpose built camping backpack, but then you're not doing a week-long trip with it either. For me, this thing and its airline friendly aspect (including its very light weight empty) are the best compromise for my photo needs.
But if you were going to do much more than a 1500'/500 meter altitude gain at higher elevations in american/Canadian style rough terrain during a portion of a day, returning same day, then I'd consider a pack that was more geared to actual backpacking.