Arc'teryx Bora 80 or Macpac Cascade 75

"The lack of hip belt pockets annoys me too, having got used to them on the Osprey" I wanted something like that on my Macpac Glissade several years ago, and I discovered that Cactus Climbing made a neat accessory which they called a Poquito. It slides over the hip-belt and provides a pocket, and comes in either left-side or right-side variants. I tied it to my pack with some string to prevent it from sliding off whenever I undid the belt. Unfortunately the Cactus online store doesn't seem to list them any more, but it might be worth contacting them in case they have some lying around. Cost on the order of $20-$30 from memory. Anyway, I've just bought an Osprey 60L Aether (on the order of 1kg lighter!), so I seem to be going to opposite way from you. It gets its first real test this weekend. The Macpac harness never fitted me brilliantly (68kg and kind'a slim & bony around the hips), but I might not have had the best Macpac pack for me to begin with. :)

Thanks for that - will flick them an email. Will be interested in hearing your thoughts re the Aether - same one I ditched for the Cascade! Funnily enough my wife recently changed from Macpac to an Osprey Ariel and reckons it's a much nicer carry. All down to personal preference and the infinitely variable human body I suppose.