First of all I am a big fan of Jansport. I had one for forever and it finally bit the dust, and hard. I had already patched it a few times, but once there isn't a zipper one must move on. This backpack was exactly what I expected. Its light, so if you have had the pleasure of carrying a heavy  bag (when empty) for a while then you will appreciate this. Its already starting to conform. I don't like the super stiff bags I want them to be squishable and this one is. I didn't know about the shoulder pads at first but I'm a fan now. They are nice and displace the weight pretty well. Overall I'm a fan and would highly recommend this for anyone.