Let me throw in another possibility.

I am extremely happy with my pack from MLD. It is customized (Very inexpensive) and is somewhere around 45 litres (I know that because what's in there fit snugly into a 45 litre pack before).

The pack fits me like a glove, and feels snuggly even after a 20-mile day (though I've done only three of those since I got it). I probably should mention that with five days of food and a litre of water, it weighs about 15 or 16 pounds. The pack itself weighs one pound.

In a way I probably cheated a bit. I needed a new pack and I was in Virginia at the time, so I took my old pack (that had lasted through a whole AT thru-hike) and all my gear plus five days of food and some water bottles to Roanoke and got measured for a new pack. I believe it is slightly larger than the off the shelf model it is based on.

I realize this is the second posting today in which I have mentioned MLD gear. I should mention that I have no financial connection with Ron, other than paying him for my equipment.

best, jcp