Excellent thread. I think all the key points are already covered, but as a lover of my old Kelty, there are a couple of things I'm moved to say.

First, I have several thousand miles on the Kelty, and the only thing that was ever a problem was that I wore through the waist belt and replaced it with the new style (which I don't think could ever be worn through). Second, as several posters have noted, experience varies. I not only never felt I had to fight the pack, even when I took 70 lbs (38 of them being camera gear) over the top of Katahdin, but always felt that I was more stable with it. And the ventilation I miss.

I carry a frameless pack these days because my gear would fill only a corner of the Kelty, and 26 lbs is a really big load these days.

But if I had to carry eighty pounds, there is simply no way I would even attempt it without a substantial frame. My guess is that if you have been carrying this in an Alice or similar, your first time with a frame will blow your mind, as they say.

Furthermore, if you scrounge around a bit, you should be able to find a frame dirt cheap (saw one in very good condition for $4.00 at St Vincents).

best, jcp