Some of the major retailers that I know of include REI, EMS, Campmore, Backcountry Edge, Kittery Trading Post, and LL Bean. I'm not even sure that all of those have actual retail stores.

The point is that most of us live within driving of distance of only a couple of those retailers, and they carry only specific brands and specific models of packs.

Now, it would be folly to buy a pack without trying it on first (Don't ask how I know that. It is a long and sad tale.) But how can we intellilgently buy a pack if we can only view in person about 10% of all the packs that exist on the market?

I'm finding this very frustrating. I would love to try some of the packs I'm reading about in this forum. My chances of ever seeing many of them are slim. It pains me to think that my perfect pack may be out there among the 90% that I will never see.