Along with envgeo, a plea for details... a little bit about yourself - height, fitness, etc. How you plan to travel - camping, long hikes, short strolls, B&Bs, ?? Budget considerations?

My solution may well not be yours, but I'll toss it out so you can see why further details about you could help. I use THIS $49 pack to hike across England, and on other European train/plane 2-4 week trips. I'm a 5'5" grandmother in fair condition. What I like about the backpack is it is almost no weight itself, yet has sufficient capacity for maybe 3 days of clothes, rain and other weather wear, maps and guidebook, iPad, electric toothbrush, paraphernalia of my age group, etc.. Staying at B&Bs/hotels, not camping.

To me, the pack's only flaw is the absence of a chest strap. I solved that by cutting a click-open strap out of suitcase and hand-sewing it on the pack.

Also, if you scroll down in this Travel Products area, you will find other threads on this very topic.