The packs used by nearly all backpackers transfer weight to your hips, such that the shoulder straps are relatively loose and only there for stability not holdi

The packs used by nearly all backpackers transfer weight to your hips, such that the shoulder straps are relatively loose and only there for stability not holding the load. Having your head locked into a band is considerably less comfortable, especially if the point of being out there is to look up not down. It avoids compressing your spine even. I would 100% choose a modern backpack over your suggestion on any sort of rough terrain. You're really doing a pretzel twist here to turn this into some moral objection, and I say that as someone far more leftist than most of hnews.