Absolutely, Brad, I agree, a well made pack that weighs 2 lbs more than a poorly made pack will ease your load. We should compromise on a few things to save weight, but not when it will add to our burdens. Quality of suspension, load balancing capability, ergonomically designed hip belts, etc, will add ounces, but these well thought out and engineered features also add up to comfort when carrying heavy loads hours on end. Go for quality of functional design, and don't worry about the pound or two of extra weight. Now, I'll admit, the ten pound packs are a bit extreme. Brum