My choices were narrowed down to the Talon 22 and this one. Both are excellent. The deciding factors for the Speedlite were the smaller footprint, slighter lighter, removable waist strap, and the subdued red color. Icing on the cake factor included the ability to add shock cord to the outside face - I like to have ready access to some items. It is possible that the Talon may be a little more comfortable because of the torso adjustability and the more substantial waist belt, but I figured that would primarily apply to heavier loads which I do not intend for this pack. This pack will fill the niche between a large fanny pack and light overnighting backpack. I do like the Talons belt storage and trekking pole attachment, but I can adapt with the Speedlite. I am curious as to how much cooler the Talon can actually be against the back. I assumed the difference would be very small as it felt like the Talon had more contact area on the back. Hope this helps
This review was written in the old system and had content requirements that are different than reviews written today.