Mouse, you nailed it. Not fighting the pack was pure joy.

For me, the low point came the day I had placed my nearly-new Thermarest, in an official T-rest stuff sack, horizontally just under the top flap of the pack, and started walking. (Remember, the packbags were smaller than I-frames, and you lashed the tent and sleeping bag directly to the frame.)

About half a mile later, I stopped to get a drink, whiich entailed taking the pack off to unzip the side pocket where the water bottle lived, and noticed that my Thermarest was...well...gone.

I backtracked about a quarter mile and found it dangling by the stuff sack cord from a tree branch, which had neatly snagged it without my feeling it - because I had ducked to go under and the load towered over my head.

As soon as they became available I got an internal frame, where everything fit neatly inside, nothing towered over my head, my center of gravity lowered down where it should be, and the pack moved with me when I swiveled or ducked.

But, I will admit that an e-frame handles really heavy loads, and in some cases fit people better; the signature trampoline back is also the best ventilation I've found. I'll also admit that there is a high-tech internal frame pack out there right now: the Osprey Atmos/Exos series. It marries an external frame (including a trampoline back) with an internal frame pack bag, and succeeds fairly well at putting the center of gravity lower. But it does still pull against you.

If you want to try one, do so. But don't be surprised if you quickly go back to your internal.