BC, I think you will be happy with the pack. Heres a couple pics of the pack in action... ( im just learning to post up pics so bear with me ). Heres how it broke down for me. The pack with the super spike duffel hauled, enough equipment for a COMFORTABLE 6 day pack in. Comfortable meaning i had more tent and sleeping bag than I needed and will be looking into upgrades in the near future. The +s are; The pack was comfortable for me, had plenty of room, and broke down to a good daypack, some may say great, the pack hauled well under load, with minimal tender spots and no chaffing. i was a little concerned with the lack of padding in the belt and shoulder straps,but they worked very well to. The waistbelt is adjustable, and I noticed some squeaks if not adjusted correctly. The negatives for me was, the pack in its dayshift configuration doesnt have many pockets so orginization is limited, and getting to your stuff takes more time than the badlands. The webbing in the top securing the fanny pack is coming loose, and the handle on mine is tearing from the seam, ( is covered under warranty). Nothing major but still a concern. As for sweating, it does sweat less than the badlands by far especially when under a good deal of exertion. It sweats more than an external, but the ability to have a good daypack and lower profile is the tradeoff.