Being in a low(est) income tax bracket, I long for a nice portage pack, but I simply can't afford one. So for a canoe pack, I've been using the same external frame hiking backpack that I've owned since I was 15. It's durable, comfortable, it can fit all of my supplies, and it's super easy to strap all kinds of odd-shaped things to (paddles, map tubes, rifle cases, firewood, fishing stuff, etc., depending on where I'm at).

It's also easy to tie a rope to and haul into the air, so that everything that smells like food or fish can be far away from my tent at night. It fits perfectly in the bow of my little Sandpiper, and if I pack supplies into dry bags or plastic sacks before loading them into the pack, everything stays nice and dry without any issues.

I've got a feeling that I'll be abusing my external frame pack for years to come...