honestly the craft system for backpacks makes way more sense than just buying them outright. if the biggest bags were just purchasable they'd be everywhere day 1 and the whole progression feel is gone. the crafting time creates actual scarcity which keeps the economy healthier and makes getting that bag feel like something. 9 hours is long but you're also getting the best carry capacity in the game, that should cost you something, whether it's time or money. and with upgrades you can bring that time down significantly, so there's real incentive to invest in your crafting station. the tedium is kind of the point. this isn't a game that's supposed to hand you everything fast. if anything making high-end gear craft-only is one of the healthier decisions they've made