North Face is great - I'll give them good marks. The link below has decent priced daypacks.

Editted to add - the paragraphs I wrote below have nothing to do with small carry-on backpacks - I didn't read the OP's whole post (attribute it to my laziness, I guess) - I thought they were talking about travel packs - my mistake. But I'm leaving it there because someone else might be interested & because it took me a while to write it

I've backpacked Europe twice, Thailand once, and travelled cross country twice with a Camp Trails Internal Frame pack (which I just checked out their website & it appears they no longer make internal framed bags) - it's a relatively generic brand, but it's **** good. I've had mine for about 11 years & it's gone through hell & back - it's been on buses, ferries, RJ's, turbo-props, big jet liners, canoes (it actually has been in the river once before canoeing Compton's Rapids on the Shenandoah River when we capsized), in trunks of cars & it's still sturdy & and comfortable as hell.

As someone who has been a budget traveler & backpacker (both in the travel & nature hiking sense of the word), make sure you get something that has an internal frame, is comfortable, has the ability to have the weight distributed evenly (i.e. pockets/compartments), is adjustable over time (I got mine when I was 13 for a Boy Scout weeklong backpacking trip & it's still workout great!), has easily accessible water pockets/clip loops.

Also, make sure you water proof the seams & spray the 3M water repellant stuff on it. Invest 5 bucks & purchase a large nylon laundry bag with a draw string or some other type of light-weight bag that your backpack can fit in. There's nothing worse than being in Italy and finding out your backpack's strap got caught in a conveyor belt & was now torn (didn't happen to me, happened to a traveling companion - I had a pack cover for that reason).

The more expensive a bag is, the more you'll worry about - just make sure your basic needs are met - the nice expensive North Face or Gregory packs are just that - expensive. If you want a decent price on good quality name brand outdoor gear, check out Campmor and click on the "Web Bargains" or
"Hot Deals" links and check out their internal frames.

[This message has been edited by bhatnasx (edited Mar 07, 2004).]