What are the compression straps for?
The closer your load is to your center of gravity the more comfortable it will be to carry. When packs are not completely full (like near the end of a trip after you have eaten most of the food) they tend to sag backward. The compression straps pull the load into your back and make great places to lash more gear onto the pack. Keep in mind, though, that anything lashed to the outside will be far from the center of gravity, so light items like foam pads work best here.
