That sounds like an interesting read to me, for what it’s worth. Packs appear to range from cheap, seam-rips-if-a-drop-of-rain-hits-zipper-teeth to incredibly expensive, but durable. I’m not aware of a middle ground these days, but I’m probably not looking in the right places. I have two multi-day packs (Kelty and Osprey) but they’re both too cumbersome for hiking.
I’m currently hunting for a ~30 liter pack with padded waist belt and durable side pockets for quart/32 ounce Nalgene bottles (as I don’t like water reservoirs). This is a quixotic task, at least in the $40–$60 range.
You sound knowledgeable on the subject, and I’m always interested in what northern Europeans are doing with outdoor gear. I’ve been a fan ever since my first small Fjällräven 10 years ago.