My backpack rant:
Too many straps and too many pockets. Having shit strapped all over the outside of your pack is irritating. I can see maybe a simple pair of compression straps if your not disciplined enough to just pack less, but you really don’t need a dozen loops and adjustment straps all over it. Pockets on top of other pockets defeat the purpose. Once you fill one of them up, the other is nearly unusable and is now wasted cloth. I like having one large cavernous packing area, one single pocket for earbuds, snack passport, etc... and a tablet sleeve against the back.
Ospey makes good stuff and I have a huge one for backpacking in the wilderness and another for a hydration backpack on long mountain bike rides. But for civilized travel I like the plainer packs with fewer bells and whistles. I like the Peak Designs 45L. Lots of space without 14 unnecessary pockets. The Eagle Creek pack midtown posted above is a great bag for half the price.
Packing cubes are a waste. Some people swear by them. I don’t get it. I can roll, fold, and pack my clothes in the exact same manner without using the cube. I live out of a suitcase 3 days a week. I’ve never had a problem that a packing cube could solve.