The nice thing about these packs is, if you ever decide, like me to go out west for a hunt, your all set up as far as that goes. I never thought I would pay that much $ for a pack, but like you the more I researched it the more sense it made to me. I am going for a tarp next as my Sawtooth is too large for one person on an elk hunt.
Good luck with the pack
Ken
P.S. I love the wood stove that goes in my tipi, though it's not a Kifaru as they didn't have any made in titanium at that time.