First off, let me say that this is a great pack! I am using it primarily as a light backpacking pack on short trips(2-3 days, summer, fall). Even if there is no padded belt, this pack felt great loaded with 20 pounds on a 25 km/2 days hiking trip. I was looking to lighten up my load on my back and shoulders and I had been carrying a very simplistic equipment load in my backpack : lighter sleeping bag, carrying a hammock or a tarp instead of a full tent, alcohol can stove instead of a rocket engine,etc. But my usual backpack was too big and I was looking for a sturdy but small and light backpack that would not cost an arm and leg. There are ultralight options available but I had to order them from the internet and that bothered me as I like to try out a backpack with some weight in it before buying. I hesitated before getting this pack because I wanted a small pack but with a big padded belt, as all the bags I have used in the last 15 years had big padded belt. This proved an ill concern. The weight IS well distributed between shoulders and hip, even using just the tiny belt. The pack just sticked to my back and I felt like running on the trail! The back padding is easily removable and is so well made that it works very well as a sitting pad. All those straps keep the pack very thigth. All those hooks are great to add a few straps as I like to do.
Negative points now: If used as a backpacking pack, you will have to pack your equipment very well so nothing will poke at your back. Packing it well with all my stuff took me 2-3 tries but it was worth it and made all the difference between a comfortable or an annoying load. There is no frame so packing is everything. I tried using a partially unrolled Ridgerest sleeping pad inside, to use it as kind of an internal frame, it worked but left too little space so I could carry all my stuff. Only tiny problem I encountered lately is that the belt buckle does not lock at all if even a little bit of snow gets inside it. But that is easily fixed with some lignt taping on it. The pack would benefit from two outside pockets on each side, just to spread around some things like snacks, because now you get just the main compartment and the top pocket, that is it. Just my personnal preference rather that a negative point…
In all, a great pack, well made, light, sturdy and inexpensive!