I have a set of the original Ribz front packs. I bought them a few months ago to evaluate on my next Camino. At present, I am thinking seriously of flying into Madrid at the end of March or early April - after Easter - and doing the Camino de Madrid, from Madrid to Sanitago, possibly this April (2016).
I plan to use the Ribz Bags with a smaller rucksack than I usually use (35 liters versus 48 liters). My loading concept is that the rucksack will hold everything I will need once I arrive at my day's destination. The Ribz bags will hold everything I could conceivably need during the day: rain gear, layering clothing, hats, gloves, first aid, excess water, snacks, all electronics and valuables.
My practice is to suspend 4 - .5 liter water bottles from my pack harness using four Niteize "Drink-N-Clip" hooks with DIY silicone plumbing "O" rings (locally sourced) to better hold the bottles on the hooks.
Link:
http://www.niteize.com/product/Drink-N-Clip.asp
It sounds like a lot but everything packs very small. the only issue is whether the fleece will ride atop the rucksack, or in a Ribz bag (inside a compression sack).
My planning and load concept is based on my three Caminos experience and a lot of exposure to "Pamelas." This is the colloquialism applied to the Aarn rucksack balance bags. The term is applied by the Kiwi (NZ) and Oz (AUS) folks and comes from the actress Pamela Anderson in her "Baywatch" acting roll. Use your imagination...
Anyway, I think this is a valid method for moving weight to he front to improve walking balance and reduce strain. So far, I have only test loaded the front bags and rucksack using bags of kitty litter. Everything rides well and it promises to be a good solution.
I plan to update the Forum based in my experiences.
I hope this helps.
