I have a Kifaru Express (37.6 L), use it mostly for vacationing, short hops, domestic travel. Never denied as a carry-on except on smaller planes, e.g. 1 seat left row, 2 seats right row planes. I'm knocking around Italy for 3 wks in April and am probably going to take just this pack + a couple neat "dock'n'lock" pods the company sells. They click right into existing tabs and loops on the pack's body. I'm planning on 2 standard long pockets and an E&E pouch piggybacked on the back. Those 3 pods increase my volume to 74 L.
Good: Very well-crafted pack, with thick 1000 Denier Cordura throughout. Plenty of (too many?) compression straps throughout. Top and bottom circumferential zips for access. Bladder pouch. Subdued appearance that doesn't shout "tourist." 100% made in the USA (for us yanks)
Bad: Expensive ($293 pack, $44-100 assorted pods). Slow delivery/manufacture time (6-8 wks quoted). No hook to hang the bladder from (??) though new G2 version rectifies this. Subdued appearance which sort of shouts "military"...available specialty colors like multicam, digital ACU really can get you noticed by militia-types.
