going back to Bee's question about "fading popularity"
i would say say like most good ideas the pack was taken
to far..the less than a backpack..more than a fanny pack
ended up being not enought of one and too much of the other..
it depends on your body shape and strength..the amount of gear
and so on but i would go with a back or fanny pack and stay
away from a halfway choice...having said that i will tell you
that one of my canoe buddys on long wilderness trips takes
a waistpack with a belt and shoulder straps for his "day bag"
it allows him to lift and carry a canoe without a backpack
that would get in the way when i heaves the canoe up on his
shoulders..