The compression straps and the straps for the lid are well laid out and don't flap. The hip belt straps are a mile too long, but I think the intent was to allow a lot of leeway and have the consumer trim them. Honestly, this is a busy pack, with lots of the add-on features to draw consumers in. Some are a little gimmicky, and I could do without them, but in general, I find I use them. Other than the lid can be removed and it has a flap that buckles down in its place - you could attach a lid to this and do away with some straps and 5-6 oz.s I would find this a hard pack to amend and personalize. Even the lid straps have a design and length that allow you to raise the lid and lash down something fairly bulky, like a jacket, a water bladder, or a CCF pad underneath it. You could embroider on your favorite band logo? I'm not kidding, this is not a simple design.
As I have ratcheted down salt intake to maintain healthy BP levels and carry more fat gained with age, though I'm not out of shape, I find myself sweating more profusely than I have before. Though the Atmos won't completely eliminate it, it's been the only pack where it wasn't a huge issue. For me, it's one of the winning features. I got away without changing base layers at the end of days this winter. That's a first!!!! I would go to the Osprey site and use their display of the pack to see what you think and try to visualize what you could do. It's not an issue for me, and my creativity seems limited to what I strangle out of an old Gibson and what can be shaped out of wood and nails. The other caveat would be I only have about 400 miles on this pack so far, though the use was fairly diverse. 55 miles in the Grand Canyon, A Tongue Mt. range traverse (An Adirondack hike-tough trail in parts- highly recommended) The rest of the miles on various winter trips in the Northeast, mostly on the AT and the Long Trail. I bought it around Thanksgiving. In the end, I would venture you'll find this pack not quite your cup of tea, though it would probably serve you OK. One of the few Latin phrases I retain- de gustibus non disputandum- matters of taste can't be argued.