DanfromSydney
DanfromSydney
- Time of past OR future Camino
- 2016 (Frances); 2017 from Lourdes to Santiago
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I'll walk as your porter and carry your Guitar DanI'm carrying a guitar on my back and wondered if anyone had carried a front pack.
Brands? Capacity?
I'd appreciate your thoughts .....
thanks Dan
... The New Zealand company (AARN.co.nz) makes an outstanding line of technical rucksacks that feature something called "balance packs." These are boxy, 3-liter nylon sacks attached to the front of their proprietary rucksack harness. The packs are large enough to hold 1.5 liter water bottles, a pair of shoes, etc.
The Aussies and Kiwis I observe with these rucksack systems rave about them. I have tried to source them in the US, but they are very expensive and hard to obtain. Perhaps Aarn's distribution system has improved, but I have not seen them more prevalently on my recent Caminos.
Try these "balance packs." Expensive, and smaller than the Aarn balance packs, but the shape and placement are right. There are left-side and right-side packs. They hang from the shoulder strap, and secure to the waist belt in two locations.
I'm carrying a guitar on my back and wondered if anyone had carried a front pack.
Brands? Capacity?
I'd appreciate your thoughts .....
thanks Dan
The New Zealand company (AARN.co.nz) makes an outstanding line of technical rucksacks that feature something called "balance packs." These are boxy, 3-liter nylon sacks attached to the front of their proprietary rucksack harness. The packs are large enough to hold 1.5 liter water bottles, a pair of shoes, etc.
I know a lot of people say these packs are great, but I was just watching the videos on their website.
https://www.aarnpacks.com/light-all-purpose-day-pack
Two things strike me. They look very complicated to adjust, and
I wouldn't be able to see my feet! Disaster going down steep sections.
Maybe some Aarn users could comment? @Kanga ?
We have used Aarn packs for three caminos and countless long bushwalks. My husband uses the balance packs on front. He carries all the water for both of us plus camera and a few other things in the front. The don't cover the whole front of you so you can still see your feet go go downhill. He swears by the front-back splitting of the weight. I don't use the balance packs because it felt too bulky in addition to my female profile. The Aarn packs are very easy to fit and adjust, and to put on and off during the day. You just fit them properly when you first get them (using a video to get it right) and they are then like a part of your body - amazing. And when I had serious spinal surgery that changed me, I just re-fitted mine to my new self. As you can see we are big fans and having taken a deep breath because of the initial cost, we feel that they are very good value for money. One more thing - they are totally waterproof - they claim you can float them down a river without the contents getting wet, and we have never used a pack cover in some really torrential downpours and day-after-day rain and everything stayed dry.
The vigorous looking young man in the photo only confirms my personal opinion concerning a front pack. I cannot see myself coming down into Roncesvalles, slip-sliding down from Alto del Perdón, climbing up from Castrojeriz in such a configurement. But that's only me, if it works for you, go for it.Here is a photo of her with her AARN pack. View attachment 34341
Not sure which young man you're referring to. These are all women. lol!The vigorous looking young man in the photo only confirms my personal opinion concerning a front pack. I cannot see myself coming down into Roncesvalles, slip-sliding down from Alto del Perdón, climbing up from Castrojeriz in such a configurement. But that's only me, if it works for you, go for it.
Oh Dear and Me oh My!! You are absolutely correct! That Lawrence of Arabia desert hat threw me off!Not sure which young man you're referring to. These are all women. lol!
but I agree - I couldn't wear a front pack...
Which versions of the packs do you use? I might take a look at one.
I'm pretty sure the name was Featherlight Freedom and 35 litres. There was also a larger model (called something different, I can't remember the name), which my husband bought at first, but it was too long for him - he's about 5ft 9. So he changed it for the same model as mine. Depends how tall you are which one would suit your frame (but having the smaller one also helps to keep the load lighter as you have to keep your pack list down).
You'll keep Mick. I might take you up on it though!!!!!I'll walk as your porter and carry your Guitar Dan
Thanks Scruffy - much appreciated. The guitar in its case is 3.8kg and very small. with a few things packed into the guitar case I'm looking at about 6.5. I don't think I'll be taking 8-10 on my front, more like another 2 ~ water, phone, spectacles, guidebook.Front pack? Could be done, do try first at home since with any sort of pack, balance is the key when even carrying only a small weight. So 4-5k of guitar on your back plus 8-10k strapped on from the front is not a promising solution. As for myself, a front pack always makes me feel even more overweight, even more clumsy since I can't see my feet-disastrous for me coming downhill, and even more out-of-breath while ascending-a problem many of us ex-smokers share. Give your idea a vigorous try at home first, if money is no problem, you could always have your pack transported every day and carry just the guitar.
Thanks Tom - that's awesome. I have some homework to do ..buen CaminoThere are those, myself included, who favor shifting some carried weight from rear to front to balance the load. In shifting the weight, you improve your walking balance and the load on both your shoulders and hips. It really does make a difference after five or six hours walking. At least that is what my hips, knees and ankles tell me.
The New Zealand company (AARN.co.nz) makes an outstanding line of technical rucksacks that feature something called "balance packs." These are boxy, 3-liter nylon sacks attached to the front of their proprietary rucksack harness. The packs are large enough to hold 1.5 liter water bottles, a pair of shoes, etc.
The Aussies and Kiwis I observe with these rucksack systems rave about them. I have tried to source them in the US, but they are very expensive and hard to obtain. Perhaps Aarn's distribution system has improved, but I have not seen them more prevalently on my recent Caminos.
I understand that these balance packs may also be available separately for strapping to conventional rucksack harnesses. But, I have not yet seen this done.
BTW, FYI, and apropros of nothing, the folks who own these advanced and very clever rucksack systems tell me that they also call the front balance packs "Pamelas." Evidently, this is a reference to Ms. Pamela Anderson, late of the TV Baywatch series "fame." Hmmm?
Personally, I shift weight by a two-part approach:
1. I carry 4 x .5 liter water bottles on Nite-Ize "Clip & Sip" brackets. These stainless steel / inox clips clamp about the neck of the plastic bottle and allow me to hang the bottles from the front of my harness, at the sternum strap, shoulder straps or on my waist. For reference, one-half liter is one-half kilogram. So, four bottles would be two kg shifted from rear to front.
2. I wear a cuban fiber," Z-Packs," 3-liter capacity "4-in-1 Pack" as a front pack. Originally it rode high like a chest pack, about one-fist below the sternum strap. Then it moved in subsequent Caminos to a "belly pack," over...well...my belly. But, there, it bounced too much...chuckle..
Having finally figured out the optimum way for ME to access and use this very versatile bag, I now hang it in front of my rucksack belt snap buckle. The two straps are affixed to split "O" rings attached to the lower shoulder strap buckle at the end of the waist strap, where it meets the main rucksack. The result looks like a 'sporran' (that purse-like thing that men wear with a kilt). OMG, I hope I got that metaphor right?!
This front-riding sack carries items I KNOW I will use during the day. This includes: my ultralight poncho, fruit, nuts, chocolate, hydration / salt tablets to add to water, guidebook, a sun-hat to switch off with my ball cap, and sometimes my iPhone.
The pack is only available from the Florida manufacturer, a small garage operation. It comes with all the hardware you need to mount, attach and carry this bag in virtually any conceivable manner. The bag is completely set up for maximum flexibility.
It is called the "4-in-1 bag" because it can be attached to the top of your rucksack, carried to the side for touring using the provided longer straps, attached to your harness, or used as a stuff sack. Lord knows these are only the things I have though of. The possibilities are limited by your imagination.
Here is the web site: http://zpacks.com/accessories/backpack_lid.shtml
The Cuban fiber material is highly water resistant and the quality is outstanding. The pack is also machine washable (cold, gentle, line dry).
I hope this helps.
Why not carrying the backpack on your back and the guitar at your front? This way you could play the whole way! Buen Camino, SY
Try these "balance packs." Expensive, and smaller than the Aarn balance packs, but the shape and placement are right. There are left-side and right-side packs. They hang from the shoulder strap, and secure to the waist belt in two locations.
THanks Annie - I'm onto it , DanOne of my Aussie clients used an front /back AARN pack and swore by it.
THanks Hikoi - I'm onto it ....cheers DanI walked the VdlP with an Aarn pack last year. After a few kilometres I barely noticed it, the balance was so good. It enables you to walk in a more upright fashion so posture, balance and even breathing is better. There plenty of info on their website. And I had a small breakage, which they dealt with promptly. Great after purchase service. The pack won't help you carry a guitar though...
That's gold!!!!!! food for thought there!Lovely Pepe from Malaga with his improvised front pack for snacks, made out of a kid's school bag and two carabiners. He calls it 'The Baby':
View attachment 34363
Thanks Maggie I'm on a mission!!Also I have just noticed you are from Sydney - we got ours in Sydney.
Give my regards to Manly if you are going that way, Rose Bay and Bondi Beach if that way!Thanks Scruffy - much appreciated. The guitar in its case is 3.8kg and very small. with a few things packed into the guitar case I'm looking at about 6.5. I don't think I'll be taking 8-10 on my front, more like another 2 ~ water, phone, spectacles, guidebook.
i appreciate your advice. Might give it a rip around the Harbour this weekend. Cheers, Dan
Buy a soprano ukulele?I'm carrying a guitar on my back and wondered if anyone had carried a front pack.
Brands? Capacity?
I'd appreciate your thoughts .....
thanks Dan
The New Zealand company (AARN.co.nz) makes an outstanding line of technical rucksacks that feature something called "balance packs." These are boxy, 3-liter nylon sacks attached to the front of their proprietary rucksack harness. The packs are large enough to hold 1.5 liter water bottles, a pair of shoes, etc.
The Aussies and Kiwis I observe with these rucksack systems rave about them. I have tried to source them in the US, but they are very expensive and hard to obtain. Perhaps Aarn's distribution system has improved, but I have not seen them more prevalently on my recent Caminos.
hi t2andreo, they are expensive indeed but very well designed and built. Interestingly enough, although I live in NZ I bought one from a US distributor back in the 2013. It was a year older model, but even considering the exchange rate and shipping it was less expensive than buying one hereI can't remember the distributor's name but it was from Colorado.
Cheers,
Carlos
Hey BlackRocker57 ~~ thank you so much for your advice. My problem is I am not carrying an Aarn backpack. I'm carrying a guitar case on my back so there's no way to attach the Aarn packs to the back as it were!can’t help myself on this question the Aarn packs and [universal] balance bags are wonderful ... a simple, perfect design ... and beautifully-made too.
I walked the LePuy route last year with them attached to my small Osprey daypack and absolutely loved it ... the idea of balancing your load by having some weight at the front is so smart ... and the access the bags provide for all the necessities on the path ... brilliant!
Other friends of mine who also walked the Le Puy route over 5 or 6 weeks also had Aarn packs [integrated backpack and frint balance bags] and were very impressed with them ... we were Aarn groupies when we arrived together at StJPP ... huge fan, enough said
Hey Jeff - I bought a little parlour guitar and it weighs just 1.7kgs so I should be okBuy a soprano ukulele?
I remember a group of 7 Italians in 2012 that had a Dreadnaught guitar with them. They drew straws every day and the loser got to carry the guitar all day.
Hey Scruffy - I live in Lilyfield, about 4ks from Sydney's CBD - as part of my walking and preparing for the Camino I walk to Bronte and dive in the ocean. I know Bondi Beach (lived there for seven years), Rose Bay (had a little 27ft harbour cruiser moored there for nine years) and Manly, well, it's heaven.Give my regards to Manly if you are going that way, Rose Bay and Bondi Beach if that way!
I walked Camino Frances with a naively heavy 14+kg pack (had to pull it some way due to an injury). I walked the Ingles with a heavier 18+kg pack split between a backpack and front pack. (It was a test for a longer future walk with tent etc).
Although the Ingles is obviously a much shorter camino (tougher in some stretches), at no time did the heavier total weight feel worse than the lighter load. Balance was better, weight distribution better, no feet or trail visibility issues.
I highly recommend a front pack arrangement, almost whatever the total weight.
Next camino is being planned with a far more sensible total weight of 4kg (plus water), but even that I plan to carry as 3kg in lumbar pack, water in SourceGear back bladder and 1kg in front pack.
I have a North Face Sport Hiker which is 9litres and 680gwhich lumber pack are you going to use
I have a North Face Sport Hiker which is 9litres and 680g
I'm finalising my packing list after which the test pack. I would normally follow your approach on clothes. But I think I will have to omit the "one in case". I will update with test pack results, hopefully at weekend.
Carrying my water in the bladder frees up some external pocket space, as does the front pack.
The Sport Hiker has a couple of useful external straps (I guess the other models do as well), which I plan to use attach rain gear to the top, or possibly bottom of the lumbar pack. Again freeing up space inside the pack itself.
Will let you know how it goes
I did find that the lumbar pack sits too low - for my comfort anyway - without using the shoulder strap (not shown), which keeps it as a lumbar pack and stops it sliding down the bum !
Indeed ! Wise principle. But I understand the temptation. Was wondering about sneaking the ipad into the front pack, but pretty sure I won't use it much.Not much weighs less than air so air it shall be.
Here's what the strapettes look like from behindThanks @Glenn Rowe
I did a test of connection to the bottom of the waterbladder but it only partly worked
I think shoulder strap is the solution
Although I also found I had not used the side tension straps to cinch the pack top inwards - doh!
Together it sits very well
Problem solved it seems. Will know for sure after some more test walks
Hi Glenn,If I see the illustration correctly, Jeff's "strapettes" would work better if they were attached to the grab-handle that is away from the body rather than the one that is next to the body. Don't know if that's possible.
@Jeff Crawley, I wouldn't discount those 'flattened figure-8 gizmos' quite so quickly; they are surprisingly versatile. I think I may be the guy who came up with the surplus US M-1951 suspenders. I'm not sure they'd work for this application. Not saying they wouldn't -- just that I'm not certain.
Wish I still had the pics of the rig I created/used way-back-when, based on the canvas US M-1961 field (aka "butt-") pack. Though it'd be too heavy for today, it might have served as a springboard into some good ideas.
They look very complicated to adjust,
I wouldn't be able to see my feet! Disaster going down steep sections.
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