I have not used a whole lot of packs. I can say that these are way better than my old 6+1. I got them for $30 off ebay. They hold the pods good and tight, so you don't have any falling out. The strap is four inches wide, so they don't stop you from bending and moving around. They stay firm on your back when fully loaded. They also come with an extra piece of velcro incase you need to make them larger. I am a 155 lb front man and don't need this, but it works great for fluffing old worn out battle swabs. My only problem with them is their tendency to rub when you wear a thin shirt.
Conclusion:
These are pretty nice packs. I have not used a whole lot of packs, like i said, but these serve their purpose pretty well. I am sayin 8.5
