Same here, I have a set of mid weight merino from Minus 33 that I love. Feels softer then my first light and have been running it for 5 or 6 years now with no real sign of wear or tear. I would not hesitate to buy more from Minus 33. Although I still wear first lite for warmer weather when I...
If the extra money is not an issue, go with the 5500. That being said, I will be able to get all my gear for a 7 day hunt in my 3500. So I do not regret getting the 3500 and saving some money for extra gear I needed. Having the roll top and floating lid will also give you a lot of extra space...
I have both the Prana Zion and the UB tech from Costco. The Prana are a much better pant IMOP. They are quieter and seem to be tougher material. I really like the no belt synch on the Prana, now I don't need to wear a belt under my pack hip belt all day long. The only gripe I have about the...
I went with the Nemo Tensor Insulated. I found one of the mummy versions they had left in stock for around 129$, from backcountry.com
NEMO Tensor Insulated 25 Inch long Sleeping Pad | NEMO
I will be getting 7 days out of my 3500, so it all depends on how you hunt. It is a good size daypack but you can get much more out of it then that if you really want to. Can always use the space between the bag and the frame if you want to as well.