I've tried some commercial lumbar packs, like the Browning Billy 1500 and 1700, and mil-surp Molle vests with a variety of different pouches attached.
I like the Molle gear better than the commercial lumbar packs. I keep a commercial "tactical" vest in my truck from Airsoft that is made for paintball shooters that is cheap and functional, but maybe not rugged enough for hard wilderness use. The Airsoft vests sell for less than $40, so if you buy one and don't care for it, you're not out much.
When I hunt in New England, I like to carry a small wool daypack from Johnson Woolen. It is a little smaller than I prefer, but as an old mech infantryman, I live by the philosophy that it is better to have and not need than to need and not have, so I tend to carry more than the minimum. The small size of the Johnson wool pack prevents me from over-packing, not matter how much I might want to..
