Thanks both Oldsoldier and MostlyHarmless for your input. Regarding the particular pack I'm looking at-- my friend is using the exact pack only in the 32L and the manager down at the local store who I've known for a few years also has one and both highly recommend it. When I tried it on tossing a little weight in it-- I did like the way it fit as well as the comfort level. I'm going to gather up everything I would possibly carry on a day hike and take with me to make sure the 26L works, rather than stepping up to the 32L.

While my hikes are usually less than 5 miles, I hike almost daily so durability is an issue for me. In the long run this pack should hold up by the looks of it. It's a little heavier than some of the other day hiking packs on the market, the 26L weighs just under 3 lbs and the 32L a tad over 3 lbs, just due to the heavy duty construction and the added zipper that allows you to get into the bottom of the pack without unloading it. It has two side zip pockets that will fit a 32 oz Nalgene, rather than the mesh bottle pockets which works for me as I've had some durability issues the mesh pockets. It also is set up for a hydration system.

Thanks again,