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Thread: Hello + ?

  1. #1
    New Member rgrmaddog's Avatar
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    Hello + ?

    Northern MN dispersed camper here. I do lots of random hangs on state land, but am becoming more of a trail hiker of late. My particular problem is that I have a 10% service connected lower back injury. Hammocks have got me out camping again the last couple years. However, as I’m hitting the trails more and staying out longer, multiple day trips are becoming painful. I think trading in my ruck for a good trail pack will help a lot, but was wondering if there’s a pack out there others with lower back issues have found helpful. Leaning towards a osprey atmos with “anti-gravity suspension” hoping to put most of the weight on my hips, but thought I would ask here before pulling the trigger. Thanks in advance for any response and thanks for all the help I’ve got simply lurking before now!


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  2. #2
    I'll start by saying thank you for your service. I'll follow that with, I myself, have severe spinal issues. I am also very new myself and in no way am i am expert. I have recently started doing very short and easy backpack trips with my son and grandson. I didn't think I needed all the fancy high end gear like they use just to tag along. I was 90% right, my son advised me on my pack and explained how a decent pack made for long walks should fit and feel. I still didn't go super high end, and chose a Teton 3600 Scout pack. It has made all the difference in the world in my trips. I don't carry nearly as much as that pack will hold and try to load it properly, but just having the weight on my hips and not so much on my shoulders and back is a game changer.

    All that to say....go get fitted for a pack before you purchase anything, they are different for everyone, what worked for me may not be a good choice for you. Let experts in hiking show you how they work and how they should fit. I promise, it will blow your mind when you learn the difference between a good fitting pack with good gear, and a 110lb ruck in full battle rattle.

  3. #3
    New Member eamonnconnor's Avatar
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    Hey there! Welcome to the wonderful world of trail hiking with hammocks. I caught the hiking bug through long and painful ruck marches around Fts. Benning and Bragg with a nasty old ALICE pack (as it sounds like you did as well) - but what I've come to realize is that what makes sense for the infantry doesn't quite work for achieving a full enjoyment of nature and the long-term health of your body. Here on the civilian side, nothing horrible is going to happen if you have to bail on your trip a day or two early because a piece of gear failed, so there's just no reason for the level of redundancy and heavy-duty gear that can make or break a mission's success in a combat environment.

    With that, I have two suggestions for you. The first is to talk to your doctor/ortho/physical therapist and come up with a good daily routine of stretching and core-strength exercises to help reinforce the muscles around your spine and keep them limber. This is a great habit to get into both on and off trail, and has definitely reduced my pain levels in daily life (my primary issues are with an old knee injury, but the philosophy should carry over to back stuff as well). The second is to start working on moving your kit towards an ultralight setup. There's no need to focus on base weight or to sacrifice comfort (we're hammock campers, after all), but every pound you can take off of your back will equate to a measurable increase in your overall comfort. I'd recommend getting started by making a list of every piece of gear in your pack and weighing it(try using http://lighterpack.com to help with this step). Then you can look at each item and ask - Do I really need to bring this with me? Is there a way I could bring something lighter that will accomplish this same purpose?

    The ultralight world can get expensive pretty quickly, and if you can spare the money there are some really cool and cutting-edge pieces of gear being developed. With that said, a lot of things are not really that expensive, it's just a matter of doing the research. While the community over there can get a little nauseating at times, there are a lot of really smart people and great ideas to be found on the Ultralight subreddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/). There are plenty of ultralighters here as well, so I'm sure you'll find a friendly ear for any questions/gear research questions you might have if you prefer to keep your posts on this forum.

    Happy trails!

  4. #4
    FLTurtle's Avatar
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    Welcome! My son was in the Marines and was used to his FILBE gear. Last year we met up twice in NC to do some hiking and camping and I lent him my Osprey Atmos 65 along with my spare hammock, quilts and tarp. He said it was the most comfortable pack he's used. I bet the total pack weight was probably a third of what he was carrying in the Corps, so that definitely helped. He took to the hammock quickly...since he's gotten out, that's pretty much the only way he'll camp now.

    I've found it quite comfortable up to 45 lbs, doing a really good job of keeping the weight off my shoulders and mostly on my hips. The way the hip belt hugs your body works well. My only complaint is the hip pockets are too small and tough to reach. I went away from it because I started down the UL path and as my gear got smaller and lighter I found that I didn't need the capacity. Still, makes for an awesome beer hauler for those one nighters.

    If you plan on purchasing, go to your nearest REI and get fitted. Plus, they have a great return policy.

  5. #5
    all secure in sector 7 Shug's Avatar
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    Like others have said, I would recommend going to a good camping store and getting fit to a pack properly. Also they can load weight in it as you walk around the store a bit.
    REI and the likes.
    Shug



    Whooooo Buddy)))) All Secure in Sector Seven

  6. #6
    Senior Member WV's Avatar
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    If only Aarn Packs were widely so available in the US that you could add them to the list of packs you could try on and get expert help with, but they're not, so take the advice of others, do your homework, and get the next best thing.

  7. #7
    New Member rgrmaddog's Avatar
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    Heavyhanger, thanks for the quicker than expected response! I’d like to be fitted, but I’m about 2 hours from anywhere with minimal selection and probably 5 hours from a dedicated hiking store. I’ve been pretty good at doing my homework, and tried out a couple of friends packs. That’s one of the main reasons I’m looking for a new one; at 5’10 and 195lbs I’m bigger than my friends, but need a small sized pack due to the shortness of my spine (it’s a bit compressed).

    Eamonnconnor, yes, lots of other physical therapy/training I’ve done. I also love my chiropractor and inversion table. I am heading down the ultra light slope as I purchase new items, but was afraid to cut wait off the actual backpack in hopes of getting more support.

    FLTurtle, I’m having similar experiences as I’m sure your son did! Now trying to see how far I can improve the situation.

    Shug, that ÜLA looks like it might be the best balance of support and ultra light. Now I’m struggling with if I should go OHM or Circuit. I think I have enough quality gear now to fit in the OHM, but Circuit might be worth it for a little extra capacity for my winter trips…

    WV, that Aarn pack looks interesting. I had wondered why there weren’t more front carrying options. I’ve had to carry a rucksack and a chute, or 2 rucks, one in front one in back, several times in the service, but wondered if some of my current issues aren’t a result. I wonder if it’s really better for someone with lower back issues or if putting more weight on the waist belt is key? I’d like to see more research if anyone’s got it!

    Thanks again all, the search continues.


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  8. #8
    Senior Member cmoulder's Avatar
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    Mike Clelland has a whole bunch of videos on ultralight backpacking that you might find helpful.

    Here is a good starter to introduce you to the UL philosophy and thought process that goes into packing very light. From there you can link to Mike's other videos dealing with specific subsystems (shelter, clothing, water treatment, cooking, FAK etc)

    Also, there is the Ultra Lite Gear forum here on HF (donating members... $10/yr) that is fairly new but already has a few discussions relating directly to UL hammocking. Imagine carrying a full hammock kit — hammock, UQ, TQ and tarp — that weighs about 2.5lb, and a total pack weight of about 10lbs for an overnight trip in the summer.

    There are some UL packs such as Zpacks Arc Air 50 that have a frame that transfers weight to the hips.
    Five Basic Principles of Going Lighter (not me... the great Cam Honan of OZ)
    “If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.” ~ Gen. George S Patton

  9. #9
    New Member eamonnconnor's Avatar
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    I think you're wise to be a little suspicious of UL backpacks. As cmoulder said there are some options with full suspensions that do a decent job at transferring weight to the hips, but they are still going to be far less comfortable than something like an Osprey at anything above 20 pounds. In my opinion, go for the Osprey (their suspensions really are pretty magical) and buy it from REI online in case you take it out on your first trip and hate it. Their return policy is excellent and there's no issue with sending it back to them even after "field testing" it. Also I wouldn't worry about not being able to test fit/size it in-store, because most of the high-end packs these days are super adjustable so you should be able to dial it in to fit you just fine.

  10. #10
    all secure in sector 7 Shug's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rgrmaddog View Post
    Heavyhanger, thanks for the quicker than expected response! I’d like to be fitted, but I’m about 2 hours from anywhere with minimal selection and probably 5 hours from a dedicated hiking store. I’ve been pretty good at doing my homework, and tried out a couple of friends packs. That’s one of the main reasons I’m looking for a new one; at 5’10 and 195lbs I’m bigger than my friends, but need a small sized pack due to the shortness of my spine (it’s a bit compressed).

    Eamonnconnor, yes, lots of other physical therapy/training I’ve done. I also love my chiropractor and inversion table. I am heading down the ultra light slope as I purchase new items, but was afraid to cut wait off the actual backpack in hopes of getting more support.

    FLTurtle, I’m having similar experiences as I’m sure your son did! Now trying to see how far I can improve the situation.

    Shug, that ÜLA looks like it might be the best balance of support and ultra light. Now I’m struggling with if I should go OHM or Circuit. I think I have enough quality gear now to fit in the OHM, but Circuit might be worth it for a little extra capacity for my winter trips…

    WV, that Aarn pack looks interesting. I had wondered why there weren’t more front carrying options. I’ve had to carry a rucksack and a chute, or 2 rucks, one in front one in back, several times in the service, but wondered if some of my current issues aren’t a result. I wonder if it’s really better for someone with lower back issues or if putting more weight on the waist belt is key? I’d like to see more research if anyone’s got it!

    Thanks again all, the search continues.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    The ULA packs do have full suspensions with shoulder straps, load lifters, good waist belts that even have adjustment where waistbelt meets pack on sides. sternum straps and the option to use hand straps that attach to your shoulder straps to pull pack weight forward. Or you you can carry something like a Ribz Pack in front to distribute weight. https://ribzwear.com/front-pack/
    It is important to learn to pack any pack properly to distribute weight for most comfortable carry.
    No one pack suits everybody.
    I'd recommend the Circuit as it gives you extra room and your coming from the ruksack world.
    ULA has a good return policy.

    Whooooo Buddy)))) All Secure in Sector Seven

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