Hot Weather Hauler

I don’t have any recommendations, but I am wondering why?  You are more than a bit above lightweight.  What is the reasoning to train heavier?

As one who often hauls heavier loads for a variety of reasons, I would think that having meaningful back ventilation is antithetical to good load carriage. You’re just moving the load further from your back – that’s why you don’t often see the “trampoline” style back panels in load hauling packs. IMHO at that weight a sweaty back is preferable to a poorly carrying pack.

I would think that having meaningful back ventilation is antithetical to good load carriage.

^This.  You’re gonna be hot and sweaty either way, so why increase the pain by pushing the load away from your back and concentrating pressure points?

(No pack ideas to contribute, with or without ventybacks.)

Solid objections, all; let me clarify a bit.

1. This is a pack specifically for training for bunny-slope mountaineering and harder, GR20-level hikes.

2. I do pack my heavier loads closer to the body, but for me the pack fitment is always much more important than moving the load out or in an inch or two.

Seek Outside frame pack. The only contact points are the hip belt, the shoulder yoke, and a padded strip at roughly kidney height.

How much space do you need? I think the big brands like Osprey and Gregory are advertising both trampoline suspensions and cutting-edge breathable mesh. But their bigger packs that are probably designed for those weights seem like a lot of pack for just training. I went from the osprey atmos with their trampoline suspension to the seek outside flight 1 and cant say I noticed much of a difference in back breathability hiking around the southwest; so I don’t think the trampolines are worth it.

Goruck is a brand selling ‘rucking’ gear. So if you just want stuff for training, you could get weighted ‘ruck plates’ and sand bags. Their flagship training bag is rated for >75lb and they advertise next-to-skin comfort for training shirtless.

LUxuryLite frame with a light frameless sack strapped on. This is easy to do. Just use the front straps of the frameless sack. There’s good ventilation on the back and yet the frame ride entirely on your hips. Check out the belt. It’s luxurious. The bottom ‘lip’ carries a bear canister perfectly, even if it’s inside of the pack.

I did not at all like the soft canisters that come with this pack. I got a good deal on one used and just got rid of those and strapped on an old Mariposa. The whole thing still comes in well below three pounds–2 1/2 perhaps.

The frame has an open tube on the top on one side. LL sells an umbrella that fits in it.

The most flexible load hauler I’ve ever seen are the wooden frames used the the “Crew” in the AMC Huts in the Whites to haul everything needed to the huts while they’re open.  A member of the crew passed us (we would never be able to keep up) on our way to the Lakes of the Clouds Hut my last trip and we asked what she was carrying:  “30 dozen eggs – about 50 pounds”.

One of the nights the crew demonstrated how the backboards work by lashing a bench to one of them and then a member of the crew carrying another one around the common area so that everyone could see.  Here are some photos:

Maybe the ventilation isn’t good enough, but you could load it any way you wanted to.

I’m actually heading back up to the Whites next week with three buddies to visit three of the huts again.  Should be a blast…

Note: Edited to include a picture of the packs by themselves

Thanks Kevin for making my suggestion seem reasonable.

I can’t speak to the hot weather part of your question, but Seek Outside is known for making some serious load hauling packs. Popular with hunters.

I’d go along with the Seek Outside recommendation.  Fairly light weight packs, bombproof construction, and huge load capacity.  The external frame design should be cooler / better ventilated than internal frame packs.

I’ll fourth the Seek Outside recommendation.  I haven’t used them in hot weather, but they ought to be as cool as anything and can certainly carry that weight.

I also vote for Seek Outside – they have a decent amount of ventillation considering where the padding lies – your upper back ish has some airflow.

Also with a proper load hauler I often just loosen the crap out of the shoulder straps and let the pack hang way back – if the hip belt is good enough this works just fine – you will get more airflow on your back with this method than any fancy pack design.

Might also be worth considering a shirt with a mesh back or something similar?

A 2-pound Kelty external frame with mesh back band and whatever your training weights are lashed onto it.  That’s what I use for heavy loads and I find it (not cooling on my back but) better than other packs by allowing some ventilation.  Just last month, I had a 5-gallon bucket strapped on it to carry 5 sockeyes back from down the beach where dipnetting is allowed.

(sorry for making you turn your heads, BPL does that with photos from my phone, sometimes.)

The closer in and the higher you lash the load, the easier it will be to carry (like that guy carrying that woman in the pic).  A piece of plywood as an extension above the pack frame could then have water-filled 2-liter or gallon jugs (from the recycling bin) strapped to it.

Maybe ask the local trails group or USFS if there’s anything they want schleped in.  Firewood to a cabin?  Loads of gravel to a muddy bit of trail?  Or pick your own project.  Personally, I’d find a trip with a purpose less tedious than if it was strictly self-flagellation.