This is my third post tonight about the Granite Gear Nimbus Access Trace 70, but it should be in the conversation.

Granite Gear has a very good reputation with fit and durability and this pack is the epitome of both. It is one of the easiest packs to load, uses Cordura fabrics exclusively, and has a maple wood (fiberglass encased) molded frame sheet that performs surpassingly well. This pack is literally the accumulation of 15+ years of Granite Gear pack design.

The only thing it doesn't have on your list is a dedicated sleeping bag compartment. I don't think you'll miss it though. Although this may push you away I would recommend you give it a look. One of it's best design features is the panel load that uses internal compression straps to lock in the load and force it to the back of the pack. This makes packing and unpacking super easy. I love that I don't have to worry about where I put my first aid kit or rain jacket...everything is accessible without worrying where it was packed.

The weight of the pack is important and compared to other packs in this size range it is one of the lightest at 4lbs, 2ozs. Contrast that to the Osprey Aether at 4lbs, 11oz and the Gregory Baltoro at 5lbs, 10oz.

In terms of packing a bear canister there is not a backpack made that is as accommodating for a bear canister as is the Nimbus Access Trace. It makes packing and accessing the canister much easier than a top load or a hybrid loading pack. And using the internal compression straps you can access other items in the pack without having to take it out.

I agree with everyone else that fit is the main thing to consider. If a Granite Gear pack fits you then you are well on your way to making a very smart investment!

Warning: My Opinion...
I am one of the more out-spoken critics on screen printing, specifically screen printing on packs, that you will meet. I personally feel it is a total waste of money and is only used to 'persuade' the customer that shelf appeal matters. As anyone who has anything that's been screen printed knows, eventually it falls off or wears away. After a few years of use a screen printed pack looks the opposite of what it looked like on the pack wall at the gear store. I would avoid screen printed packs at all costs, although that is becoming much harder these days. I personally feel it is a shame that pack manufacturers have gone to this tactic to sell more packs! It adds zero value to a pack, has nothing to do with it's performance, and actually adds additional costs to the manufacturing of the pack which means that other things suffer like materials, construction, quality, etc. What many manufacturers are doing is focusing on shelf appeal but compromising on materials to keep costs down. A prime example is the use of (or the lack of) Cordura materials. I remember when I first got in to backpacking, any pack that didn't use 100% Cordura (aka. 'Kodra') was considered low-end. The average consumer cannot tell the difference but there is a huge difference in durability. Unlike Gore-Tex that requires a jacket to be entirely made up of the material in order to put it's name on the jacket, Cordura will allow it's tag to be put on the piece of gear even if there is only a tiny bit of fabric that is actually Cordura, a common tactic that many pack manufacturers use. Today you'll find the much cheaper 'Kodra' (or it's equivalent) material on many high-end packs, most in the pack's worst wear points (bottom material, side material, etc.), to accommodate the cost of screen printing. It's a shame...