In reply to TobyA:
Ha! Thought that would get a reaction
Toby - yes, I am being a bit hard.
Tom - I agree with you about Patagonia. Aiguille? Mainly just got some sullen take-it-or-leave-it customer service for an enquiry (and re-enquiry due to their incomplete initial response) which I've found with a lot of small, traditional, manufacturers, though not just in the outdoor industry, tbf.
Of course there are some rubbish over fancy, too weak modern packs around, but pack designs moved on for a reason, in some cases, and just being basic doesn't make something good. Packs need to fit properly and a blanket recommendation of a brand like that, ignoring individual fit, is just silly. They fit you? Great. Someone else? Maybe not. I've tried plenty of (otherwise) good packs that just don't fit me so I don't buy them and I would not blindly recommend them to anyone. I'd recommend the person do their research and find the product that is the best for the job and fits them properly. That could be any brand - regardless of how fancy or unfancy it is, where it is made, how much it costs or what it looks like.
Of course other countries have their national biases - Kiwis love their heavy and expensive Cactus gear, Canadians love their cheap MEC, Argentines their boring Ansilta, France their poncey LaFuma, Italy their garish Montura, Russia their outdated Bask, Australians their... (we've sold out and just import anything). But it's the repetitively chirpy ('top bit of kit') and quaint Luddism ('does what it says on the tin') of the UKC fan base I find most enjoyable.