backpack from Australia

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Thanks Benjamin, Stan

Stanley,

You're welcome. Franco, your compatriot, posts here and is a huge fan of Aarn packs:

I just realized the world kept spinning even when I was in the woods.
Aarn design is a New Zealand outfit, like Macpac and Icebreaker (gratuitous comment) . I had the pleasure of spending some time with Aarn Tate a few weeks ago and he is a great guy apart from being a clever designer. He designs tents as well, see the Pacer tents on his web site Aarndesign.com and for something similar… the Vango Ultralite tents. Maybe he will pop up here at BackpackingLight in the not too distant future with a surprise pack. I use and very much like the ULA packs, the Circuit and the Amp, but for heavier loads and shear comfort Aarn are the best. His version of the front pockets is better and more functional than anything else commercially made, period.
Franco

I ALWAYS get a kick out of seeing the guy on the glacier with a front pack blocking his view of his feet. It's priceless!!!!!

Your comment confirms that you have never tried one of the Aarn packs on because the front pockets do not block the view. For your information there is a big gap in-between them and through that you see your feet exactly as you do without them.
It would be nice if people that have never tried a product refrained from making misleading remarks.
Franco

Franco,

You say:

"His version of the front pockets is better and more functional than anything else commercially made, period"

How can you say that without having tried every commercially made pack? And what does “better” and "more functional" mean. Does it mean:

– lighter?
– more comfortable?
– more durable?
– more adjustable?
– more features?
– etc

It isn't possible to fulfill all of the above functions without detriment to one of the above functions!

Hi Pedro

Very strong words from Franco, you have to like those dogmatic comments. I surprise my self when I re read them, and that is one of the advantages of senile dementia, you meet new people and discover new things every day.

There are scores of of "backpackers" going around with a day pack at the front and a larger one on their back, and there are several brands that make clip able day packs , normally zipped on the "front pocket" when you buy them. Those are fine for hostel to hostel carrying but not that practical for the trail.

The only other "system" that I have seen with a front pocket is the Luxurylight.

The Aarn pockets are not an addition or afterthought, they are part of a system . I used the word "functional" to mean that they perform what they are supposed to do

1) balance the load

2) allow the retrieval of food/drinks/camera etc. whilst walking without any strain or contortion.

3) not impede the view of one's feet.

Of your possible definitions of "functional" the only one that does not fit is "lighter" because in fact they are heavy for the capacity. However part of the weight is in the built in stay that transfers the weight to the hips. This is the reason why it works like no other system. I have carried over 7kg in those pockets ( mostly water, plus around 9kg on my back) much more comfortably than when I had a similar total weight on my back with the Osprey Aether 60 and a Macpac of similar size. Not that two packs constitutes a good survey, but as stated above I have not seen anything close to the Aarn solution.

Next time you are in the City, go to Backpackinglight at Summerset Place, just off Little Bourke St, and try one on .

Franco

BTW , the ideal balance, by definition , would be 50% at the back and 50% at the front. I am perfectly aware that this differs from the popular view, but that does not concern me. For the ones that don't get the idea, have a look at the posture of people carrying weight on their head compared to on the back.

Have a look here for example http://www.md.ucl.ac.be/iepr/loco_rec6EN.htm

"Furthermore, these women can carry up to 70% of their body weight on their heads considerably more economically than their European counterparts can carry equivalent backpack loads. For example, an African woman can carry a load equal to 70% of her body weight at 3.5 km/hr for 50% less energy that an American army recruit with the same load in a backpack. Studies from other laboratories on West African and South African women, when adjusted for obesity, are substantially in agreement. "

To me the reason is simply because the weight is balanced, not because it sits on their head.

And as a final note, I have no business interest/connection with Aarn. Same as with Tarptent/ULA/Icebreaker/Jacks R Better, I like their products.

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but after trying on an Aarn pack at Rock and Snow in NY I have been debating whether or not to buy one- the Peak Aspiration seems like the perfect climbing pack in that the thing actually moves with your body contortions, but still manages to carry real weight.

But about the front pockets; to what degree do they interefere with leg movements such as high stepping and 3rd-4th class scrambling? I'd of course take them off for any 5th class rock, but would not want to do so for short sections of a hike that would require hands and high steps. I assume that they get in the way when scrambling, as they would push your body away from the rock and possibly interefere with high stepping. Are these just good for relatively level trails?
Any information would be great, as the pack's design is brilliant.

What I do is trail walking and some "bush-bashing" occasionally I do some "class 3" hands and feet scrambling typically limited to 5 to 20 meters. For that the pockets are fine. What you see in the picture above is the way the pocket hang, they don't go any lower or much further away from the body when bending down/forward, around one inch . Keep in mind that you can attach the pockets to the side of the pack , obviously not ideal for technical climbs. They also just sit there, they do not wobble nor bounce. The Peak Aspiration by itself is a climbing pack.
A very good definition I spotted about the Aarn packs is that you don't carry them, you wear them. I agree with that.
Franco

I agree with Franco…the Aarn packs are totally in a class by themselves. Firstly, NO, the pockets do not obscure your view of your feet and the trail ahead. Most probably, improvised arrangements of daypacks and stuff hung on a regular pack, do. But its about comfort and energy conservation. What Aarn has done is so far beyond just putting some of the load up front. His various innovations to permit free motion must be experienced to be appreciated. The ability to lower one shoulder without immediately transferring the entire load to the other shoulder is just a huge benefit by itself. Read his website..there are provisions for you to lean forward without fighting the rigid pack. Also for free hip motion, for very natural walking. Someone mentioned Franco not having tried all the available packs. Well, I doubt anyone has…but they're all just variations on a couple of themes, aren't they? Not a one addresses the issue of that relentless pull backwards, requiring you to lean forward while walking. I've owned/borrowed/tried most of the big names – Kelty, REI, Mountainsmith, Dana, Granite Gear, etc. NONE of them came close to dealing with the issues Aarn has addressed. For a long time, I clung to an e-frame, just because the required forward lean was so much less than i-frames. The feeling of being strapped into such a rigid contraption was a negative, however. Postholing with a Kelty e-frame is really the pits.
I think a lot of ultra-lighters dismiss the Aarn packs because they are not hyper-light. But to me, the natural movement and good weight distribution more than offsets the bit of extra weight. My Aarn weighs a couple of pounds more than my GG Vapor trail, and much more than the little rags of silnylon that some favor. But I can carry the same load farther and with less fatigue with the Aarn. Just the other week, I walked to the store and came back with 30 lbs groceries in my GG Vapor Trail. Which has well-designed shoulder straps, but no very good way of transferring weight to the comfortable hip belt. The load lifters are next-to-useless, unless the top part of the pack is stuffed improbably tight. Bottom line, I was thoroughly fed of with the weight on the shoulders and the leaning forward. Just for an experiment, put the same stuff in the Aarn and did 8 miles with absolutely NO fatigue or strain. Bottom line, I am a huge fan of my Aarn.