Alice frame or no frame?

[upnorth]

Good day. I have used a medium Alice pack for several years off and on during day trips, never a really heavy load. Would getting the frame give me any benefit for larger loads ? Is there any practical benefit to the frame? I have read a lot of negative comments about it. Thank you for any feed back.

 

[kvaughn]

I also have a medium that I use the same way. Came with a frame but it's been hanging on the basement wall for as long as I've had it.
I know this from my time in the Army humping a large on a frame.
I used a piece of an old sleeping pad to make it a little more comfy.
If you have to carry a load, do yourself a favor and get a modern internal frame pack. Even a used one will be more comfortable than an Alice with a load.

 

[barleywino]

you might get some ideas of comparative rankings/reviews from https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/t/backpacks