I will put something on the outside of my pack if absolutely necessary. Especially on short trips with the family where I am the pack beast for my two kids and my wife. That said, I really don't like anything on the outside. Many years ago, I used a small Lowe pack and purchased side pockets for it because it did not have enough room for long trips. It took a couple of years before I realized I had to upgrade to a bigger pack (this is with old, heavy, large equipment especially sleeping bags <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />) Internal frame packs are meant to carry the weight close to your back and this is even more true with the lightweight packs. Hanging stuff off the outside makes them harder to carry. So, my personal choice is to make sure my pack is large enough to carry everything I need for a 'standard' trip on the inside.