i've worn webbing, regular backpacks, rolled stuff in the blanket and stuffed things in my pockets.
now i use a sabercat for short stays.
it fits my needs from a day walk to a 4 day camp, including food, clothing and shelter.
fits an asus eee pc that lasts me 8 hours, so i can put up my hammock and work in the woods for a change.
and keeps my stuff nice and tight in a single bulk, cause i have this tendency to spread my stuff arround (oh, look, this branch is perfect for my higiene kit).
took me a bit to change from single packs of a webbing into the best places to store stuff on the sabercat, but in exchange i carry less stuff, cause i would just pick up my cooking bag, for instance, and hang it on the belt, thus taking along a lot of seasoning and gear i wasn't really going to use.
now i keep the gear in the pouches still, but make a selection of exactly what i'm going to pack.
but i agree it's a deeply personal thing.