At one time or another, I think I've owned about every type vest and pack known to man...and never been completely happy. I hate a vest. They make my neck sore and the pockets are always in the wrong places and in the way for my tastes. Plus, I'm trying to be a bit of a minimialist as well, so I dont want something big. Chest packs are horrible for me. Something sticking out on my chest, to block the view of my footsteps while wading/climbing steep-gradient mountain streams is a disaster waiting to happen. Fanny packs, while I used them for awhile, constantly sagging, is a pain. Then not longh ago a fishing buddy recommended a pack to me and after several full-day trips with it, I have finally found the best fishing pack/bag I've had to date. And it's not even a "fishing" pack. It's a tactical sling pack.

http://www.amazon.com/UTG-Multi-func...6701056&sr=1-5

It carries all I need for a full day on the water, is very well made, has a comfortable shoulder strap, has molle-type webbing in very strategic places to hang zingers and such, is vented on the back side to keep cool, and slings around on your back, completely out of the way while fishing. Easily slides around to the front when you need something out of it. The only downside I've found is when you bend over, it tends to want to slide around to the front, but a caribiner clipped to your belt stops that, and it even has a loop on the back to accomidate one if that bothers you (which it dont bother me enough to do that).

If this pack had a name on it like Fishpond or WJ or the like, it would be a $100+ pack. But it's a tactical pack, and I bought mine for around $34...shipping included.
Best fly-fishing related item I've bought in quite some time.