Lightweight Internal Frame Packs: a State of the Market Report – Part 2: The Packs

just a note for others that the french site i-trekkings has done a similar test with packs in roughly the same weight and volume range

note how the Decathlon Forclaz 50 Ultralight scored very high in comfort and on score/price while being the cheapest and lightest pack

just shows you what can be done ..

just use google translater on the links below

http://www.i-trekkings.net/bibliotheque/articles/tests/sacados/Test-sacados_comparatif.pdf

http://www.i-trekkings.net/Xdossiers/dossiers.php?val=29_comparatif+sac+dos+30++50+litres

Hi Alan

Sorry, this dropped off the radar for a while.
Unfortunately no: the Exos packs were farmed out to Australian readers.

Cheers

I have tried the Exos and I find them to be to very ridged, the pack does not move with you (back) at all. I personally think they are really just a fancy external frame pack. I did like the idea of the air flow but was just very disappointed how it restricted your movement especially if you were to use it doing any walking other than on the flat.

Regards

Packed my hiking gear into the Jansport Big Bear pack yesterday and went for a walk around the block with apx 12kg load. Pack is comfortable, enough room for 5 or 6 days of food. No complaints.

Will be continuing wearing the pack with my gear on daily hikes for the next couple of weeks as training for an upcoming 3 day overnight hike in some steep terrain.

Has anyone had pain in the part of the body where the lower part of the frame touches it. I am a bit worried because it doesn't have any padding.

Comparing Jansport to the cottage manufacturers is rather unfair considering most of the cottage industries were left out of the survey.

"Comparing Jansport to the cottage manufacturers is rather unfair considering most of the cottage industries were left out of the survey."

Chuckle…This article is about 5 years old now…probably more considering it takes a bit of time to test that many packs, write and publish an article.

Yes, all of the cottage manufacturers were left out except ULA.

Aarn packs are nice if you have high body strength. I tried a prototype made from a couple thermorest bags about ten years ago. It moved the weight from my hips and back to my shoulders. Since I have a damaged back in the cervical & clavicle area, I was in pain after two days. 10-15 pounds is all I can do on my shoulders. Another 5 on my back and another 10 pounds on my hips. I simply can not tolerate the strain of the weight(another 5-7 pounds) on my shoulders. I loved the idea of walking upright, no lean. But, even a slight lean will distribute weight down your across your entire back. And, with a fair hip belt, transfer it to your legs. The main weight transfers are "Shoulders to back to hips to legs" or "Back to hips to legs" ? Which is more efficient?

It would be nice to update this set of articles each year. Who has deep pockets and enough time to review ALL internal frame backpacks less than 2pounds?

> Must be another YMMV thing.
Very definitely.
I have used an Aarn pack in the field, but the design simply did not work for me. I am 5' 7" and the packs seem to be designed for people over 6'. The one i tested was just far too tall for my spine.

Cheers

"Using an actual Aarn pack, I find near-zero weight on my shoulders"
Me too…
(I'm 5'6")
This is a comment posted today at White Blaze :
First impression is that this is the most comfortable pack setup I have ever felt. There is a very noticeable difference in how this pack sits on you and how it balances as compared to a traditional pack design. Having a big amount of the weight in the front pockets truly does change your entire posture. You actually do stand straight up and do not have to lean forward. It was quite easy for me to adjust the pack so that none of the weight was sitting on my shoulders – and I do mean zero.
This from a person describing his problems with packs because of "Four broken vertebrae in my back and lots of smashed disks. I am all rods, screws and bone grafts now."

Franco, I don't understand how that is possible. Shifting the center of gravity to the more upright stance will cause more weight to be carried on the shoulders. I tried it. It doesn't work for me. 'Corse I just have a couple screwed up disks and a single cracked (now arthritic) vertebra, and shoulder attachment problems, not fused vertebrae.

Franco,

It sounds like it fits you properly. Even though you and Caffin are almost the same height, it doesn't mean your torso lengths are the same. Of course, you that anyway.

Yeah, that is pretty much how I like to carry my pack with load lifters, also. In fact, that is how my training pack is set up. It sort'a squeezes my upper chest more than sitting down on my shoulders.

Weird, with a 40+ pound pack it doesn't bother me, my training pack is set up like that. With two weights on the shoulder straps (2.5 pound ankle weights as I remember,) it forces it down onto my shoulders. It kind'a grips my upper body and sets on my shoulder harness. Ideally, this should be good, since it allows me to stand straighter, but the first night is annoying and by the second day/night it is painful. I added a couple metal "D" rings to the base of the load lifters and simply sewed the bags around them. I tried this with three packs. An old Kelty external frame, a real old blue pack I use for training (magnesium internal frame) and an old Trek frameless. They all have load lifters. I spent about two weeks out in the woods with them trying to decide whether to get an Aarn pack, even though I was only hauling about 30pounds at the time. All had me going for tylenol/codine by the second night. Good idea, doesn't work for me.

I spent a couple weeks playing around with the idea. I tried to rig a stay (arrow shaft) in the front pouches to transfer weight to my hip belt, but that was a pain to get off and on. It would swing a bit oddly. I spent a couple days with them, trimming till they no longer did anything. I tried a piece of foam, better. I moved the attachment around on the hip belt, but this got in the way of seeing where I was putting my feet or swinging my arms. I tried to remove one and use it as a front pocket. I couldn't see my feet at all with anything substantial in it, and, it was a third clip that had to be removed/added taking the pack off/putting it on. All were a bit awkward, often twisting the shoulder straps when lifting the pack onto my back.

Anyway, I am sure the Aarn style packs work for others, they didn't work for me. Even a water bottle on my shoulder straps can start to be a problem, though.