Aarn pack - advice from other owners

[gracethepilgrim]

I have just purchased an Aarn Peak Aspiration with balance pockets. I’ll be walking CPI (Portuguese Interior) and the last half of Sanabrese in October so most likely encounter rain.
1. Love to hear from other Aarn users about their experience with the internal drysack in heavy rain. I’ll be taking a rain jacket and probably take long rain trousers also. No poncho this time
2. Any tips for transporting the pack on planes. I’m thinking about buying a large plastic shopping bag (suggested by Kanga) It’s too big for carry on and I’m not sure about removing balance pockets.

Many thanks in advance

 

[Kanga]

Hi Grace - hope you also get some responses from others.
As to the internal dry sack - these days I use an Altus poncho and an umbrella but in the past both I and my husband have used Aarn packs with jackets only. We have never had any water get inside the pack. The outside does obviously get wet and that can be awkward. A few times when we got to our accommodation we lifted the dry sack (with our clothes) out of the pack, leaving the wet pack separate. It comes out quite easily, its just velcro holding it in place.

 

[gracethepilgrim]

Thanks Kanga. I have an Altus but I doubt it will zip up over the balance pockets. I have yet to try them together with pack fully loaded. I only bought it last week in Melbourne so I still have to do a bit of tweeking. I have seen a video online regarding a new ‘Aarn Pack cover/parker combo' but it doesn’t seem to be available yet. I’ve emailed the company and standing by.
I have walked in most seasons but never this late in October and in the Douro region of Portugal. There’s sure to be plenty of rain - especially in Galicia

 

[Kanga]

@gracethepilgrim the Altus is so large both Ian and I had no trouble with it going over the balance pockets. It worked well. On another thread I posted a photo of Ian wearing the Altus with a big Aarn pack and balance pockets under (we were carrying a tent and camping gear). He looks like a green turtle. Attractive it is not! Its towards the bottom of this thread:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/wet-weather-clothing.35680/#post-331680

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I’m not sure about removing balance pockets.

Practice removing and installing the balance pockets; don't be intimidated by them. Removing them on arrival at an albergue increases the storage options. The pack fits better in a transportation sack if the pockets are removed. The Altus fits over them, but just barely if they are full and you already fit the poncho!

 

[KiwiNomad06]

The internal dry sack is good for heavy rain in the mountains in New Zealand. I know Galicia has a reputation for lots of rain, but I've never seen it as wet there as I've struck sometimes here at home. I think the internal dry sack will keep everything inside very dry.
Margaret

 

[gracethepilgrim]

@gracethepilgrim the Altus is so large both Ian and I had no trouble with it going over the balance pockets. It worked well. On another thread I posted a photo of Ian wearing the Altus with a big Aarn pack and balance pockets under (we were carrying a tent and camping gear). He looks like a green turtle. Attractive it is not! Its towards the bottom of this thread:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/wet-weather-clothing.35680/#post-331680

@Kanga - lovely ‘turtle’ photo. My Altus is red so I look like a walking tomato! It’s a small so maybe not wide enough for the pockets.

 

[Kanga]

@gracethepilgrim try it on. Mine was a small too, but huge! Yours sounds like one of the new ones, so maybe not so big.

 

[zzotte]

I have just purchased an Aarn Peak Aspiration with balance pockets. I’ll be walking CPI (Portuguese Interior) and the last half of Sanabrese in October so most likely encounter rain.
1. Love to hear from other Aarn users about their experience with the internal drysack in heavy rain. I’ll be taking a rain jacket and probably take long rain trousers also. No poncho this time
2. Any tips for transporting the pack on planes. I’m thinking about buying a large plastic shopping bag (suggested by Kanga) It’s too big for carry on and I’m not sure about removing balance pockets.

Many thanks in advance

Hello Grace

I have used Aarn Natural Exhilaration for two caminos and the internal dry sack works very well however your pack gets very wet and takes a little to dry according to the weather my experience on my first camino I notice that some of my clothes at the bottom was cool like a little moisture was coming in ( but I got hit with heavy rains for 5 days straight ) the second camino I toke my umbrella ( not just for the rain for the hot sun also) a rain Jacket and a pack cover it's was great i also had some long rainy days and for now on I will never leave home without it but did kept my sleeping bag inside a dry sack, no front packs I ditched my. My next camino I will use smaller dry sacks for everything else also they are light and keeps my stuff a little more organized.

Zzotte