While looking for more data on Ronron's pack, I stumbled across something called hardshelled back packs at ebags. The only time I'd ever seen anything like this was in movies, like the survival packs in the origional Planet of the Apes, but they don't sound like a horrible idea from a gear protection perspective.
Obvious questions/potential downsides are comfort, weight and robustness. Has anyone worked with them? I might not use one for a full-time BOB or as a woodsbag, but as a car kit, they intrique.
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-IronRaven
When a man dare not speak without malice for fear of giving insult, that is when truth starts to die. Truth is the truest freedom.