>>452209I'm not particularly concerned with the load bearing design specifically, for 2 reasons. 1 I don't take THAT much stuff for the given size of the bag, ie I don't overload it or even fully load it. And 2. they are called "3-day" bags for a reason. It is not the purpose of these bags to carry a ton of gear, and they are perfectly strong enough for their intended purpose.
I like the multiple pockets because I need to keep things separated. This is important because most of the stuff I take that occupies space are not big bulky items like sleeping bags or tents. More like lighters, flashlights, an extra knife, wool hat, extra gloves, first aide kit, canteen. These are all things with varying importance and frequency of use. Some I may need to access quickly in emergencies (whistle, warm hat, light) and others very frequently (canteen, knife, fishing/hunting/shooting items). It is inconvenient to go rooting around in a big 1 compartment bag for a tiny LED flashlight in the dark.
I'm sure the exos can handle the AT and if I were doing the AT I would choose it because it's so light. But the AT is actually not as much of a test of a bag's durability as you may think. It's basically a constant trail hike and sleeping in structures. Hiking and carrying food/clothing for 6 months non-stop is great but is not as stressful on gear as using it for multiple purposes in harsh conditions for many years- getting tossed in and out of canoes/car trunks, bushwhacking through nettles and thorns, used for everything from ice fishing when it's 5F, to hunting, to the shooting range.
As for performance, yes that is my point. I, along with most people I imagine, do not need a long distance performance type pack because we are not hiking 1k mi. We have multiple uses and this bag is a uni-tasker. It is like saying a Ferrari Enzo is better than a Ford F-150. Well, maybe on a racetrack but there are definitely more uses and more durability in harsh conditions for the truck.
