Yeah it's funny how often the cheap specialty tool beats the expensive all-in-one method. Once you give a device one job to do it usually does it better than something trying to be everything. That's like how a basic toaster makes better toast than the broil setting on your oven every single time.

Yo I once paid $5 for a "rare" coin at a yard sale and it turned out to be a vintage candy token from the 80s lmao. At least you got lucky with a legit score.

Pretend it works until you can't fix it later lol.

Switched to a frameless 18L daypack and it was a game changer for me. No frame sheet digging into my lower back. Kept it under 6 pounds total with a water bladder and a rain shell, and my back lasted through full day hikes without that ache.

Have you tried swapping the springs in the Gaterons to something heavier? I did that with my Yellows and it made a huge difference for me, the wobble was still there but the feel was way more stable. The looser housing actually makes them easier to lube too since the top comes off without a fight.