Great review!! I agree that some things related to fit/comfort can vary a bit by individual, but I do think there are a lot of general conclusions about gear that apply to most/many users, and this is valuable and helpful information.
The range of tests and graphics were great, and the sound test and speed load tests were particularly clever. The load test had such interesting outcomes-- I wouldn't have guessed the Sitka pack would be up there amongst the top packs for noise, load capability, etc.
The water test was informative, but as a scoring tool I might reverse some of the results. I don't necessarily expect a backpack to be waterproof, and although water beading/resistance on the outside is nice, I do expect it to be able to drain water/blood and breathe (I live somewhere VERY wet, and keep a lot of gear in smaller waterproof ditty bags inside the pack anyway—assuming the inside will be wet at some point). I suppose this is a criterion that comes down in part to the hunters use case. But again, cool and informative test no matter the use case.
