And that is precisely why you need to go to a branded product...Not just because they use better quality materials, it is because they are often a lot lighter. There is an old saying, "An ounce in the morning becomes a pound by the evening". In other words, what might seem like a light weight backpack in the morning, when you are refreshed and full of energy, will often end up feeling like a huge and heavy burden by the evening, after you have hiked many miles with it and are low on energy and tired. So reducing the base weight of your backpack, should always start with reducing the weight of the backpack itself...The simplest way to accomplish this is by buying the lightest possible backpack that still has the capacity and features you feel are important. Problem is, most ultralight backpacks are very expensive, but heavier packs are cheap...So the pack you end up will be a compromise...It may not be the lightest backpack out there, but it will probably be the lightest one you can afford.