after quite a bit of research, I've found that quality commuter backpacks are pretty expensive and the cheaper ones are pretty cheap. can't seem to find a versatile middle ground pack for a decent price. my thought now is to consider an internal frame hiking backpack. even the less expensive ones come with a rain fly whereas as a waterproof commuter back is heavy and more expensive. I can't really think of a downside to this. I would probably pull out the internal frame bars to save weight. here is the pack I'm closest to choosing at this point:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...pf_rd_i=507846

my son has a larger Teton pack that he uses for scouts and it works great. I have no reason to mistrust this brand.

thoughts?