Thanks Eugene. I'll have to look at that one. Is it this:
http://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=81422

BTW - love the link in your signature!!

One of the medium camelbaks might fit the bill. Enough room for a snack, a kit, water and a jacket...and a few found treasures

Thanks Teacher. I'm definitely going to spend some time in the camelbak section checking it all out. It's a nice compromise, I think, in terms of capacity and the ability to carry water comfortably.

omg. I've been retired to long. I like the bag izzy found. I need to work again. and grnt and scratch. Lol. Honestly, when I started using a nmessenger bag here, a tactical interior model which looked normal from the outside, it was met with less than steller enthusiasm. Ridicule and disrespect were far more common. Blackhawk mahe some very nice small bags I remember a compact vertical fanny pack meant to be worn at the small of the back. It had a main compartment, a front zip pocket and a water bottle and couuld be worn directly on ones belt. If i remember correctly it would hold what you have described.

Thats my light hiking rig fin. $10 at wal-mart. Bought another at a thrift shop for a buck, minus the bottles. No big deal. I switched out the 20 ounce nalgene knock offs for a pair of 32 ounce Powerade bottles. Added a knife, Gerber tool .357 loaded with CCI snake shot and first aid pouch to the belt. Outer pocket contains main Psk, inside hiking supplies. The tiny D ring holds small items on mini carabiner. I sewed on nylon straps to hold a light fleece jaket, wind breaker with beanie, gloves and socks rolled inside. Serves me well here in the desert and trail hiking in our mountains.

Thanks Snake. I've got an arthritic right hip and I'm in the bad back club, so weight distribution is pretty important to me. You're making think of different configurations to try with what I already have, and I appreciate that! Adding a FAK pouch to my fanny pack's belt might with the weight distribution and make it more comfortable.

Rub it in, why don't ya?!

Sorry jac. The ranch and work in the shop keep me busy enough.

I hear you Jac. I'm beat up from the life I've lived and the professions I chose. My hands and knee have arthritis and my back has problems from a jump gone bad. Wieght distribution does help when carrying loads, especially all day. If you have a sternum strap they make small sternum packs to carry immediate essentials and help distribute the wieght. My FAK is in a red pouch purchase at walgreens for $10 if I remember correctly. Of course I rebuilt it and it's considerably heavier now. The vertical fanny pack I mentioned could be worn flet to your back and should help with the center of gravity, as well as be more secure and not flop about if you have to chase your little one.

Give some consideration to The North Face Mountain Lumbar Pack. ~365cu. in. inside storage. You can comfortably wear it on your waist, you can add shoulder "strapettes" from other manufacturers, or ( by buckleing the waist belt) wear it on your one shoulder or even slung overhead and one shoulder, like a sling bag. The built in water bottle pockets are very secure. I've attached another small belt type pouch, to the built in straps that let you carry a shell. If you shoulder it, you can also attach a cellphone or other yoke type pocket. Finally, you can slide a multitool/flashlight holster onto the waist belt. Believe it or not, based upon my own experience, its very versatile, non-tactical and low profile, even in NYC, especially in black.