My first “real” backpack has served me quite well. I bought it for my second mission trip to Ukraine. It was stuffed to the gills as a carry on, and was used every day to haul everything a person would need during the day. Lots of water bottles, food, sunscreen, swimsuit, towel, camera/video camera, etc. It was wonderful for trips to the grocery store too, which was a 1.5 mile hike one way. I used this pack for 9 years. It went travelling with me everywhere (and without me when a friend took it to Switzerland). I loved it for trail riding, all the straps kept everything in place and the pack never shifted on my back. Eventually it wore out. The zippers and straps/buckles all work perfectly, but the shoulder straps and hip straps have lost their squish, which makes it rather uncomfortable with weight in it. It also does not come clean anymore.

Hi Claire, Honestly pack fit is so personal. Do you have any guesses why you are getting bruised hips? Do you carry a very heavy load? Do you have bony hips? You’ll need to figure out the root of your problem in order to figure out which pack is best for you. My best advice is to go to a good outdoor store (like REI) and have a staff member there fit you. You can try on packs loaded up with weight and walk around the store to see which ones feel best. A good pack fitter can also make suggestions on which packs will fit your body type best.