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Rucksack Back Systems – are they important? |
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Written by Traveller
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Friday, 15 January 2010 |
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Nothing comes remotely close to the satisfaction associated with acute backache, heavily bruised shoulders and fiercely blistered hips when it's the result of humping an expedition sized rucksack on trail. Mind you, I'm having difficulty finding hikers to back me up on this one. And with that in mind let's move swiftly onto the subject, 'are back systems important'?
In my experience the best back systems are the ones that help transfer most of the weight of a pack off the shoulders and onto the hip belt. On the smallest daysacks, the design and weight transfer capabilities are not so important but when you're lugging a monster sized rucksack, complete with tent, cooking equipment and all your other outdoor gear, it can make or break your on trail enjoyment.
As the carrying capacity increases so does the sophistication of a back system and yet the key to buying the right pack is old school common sense - find one that fits your back length. If your pack is too long or short and does not sit comfortable on the hips, look elsewhere. And don't be fooled by the fact that most back systems are adjustable, a fully adjustable pack is no substitute for finding one that fits without adjusting or at least a minor adjustment. Fine tuning the back length is fine, but if you need to do more than tweak the size, it's time to try something else.
Padding on the back system of an expedition sized rucksack is important, as long as the padding is in the right place and not intrusive. We reckon the lower lumber area and shoulders is where it's needed most.
Manufacturers produce heaps of information singing the praises of ventilation features and how they can do away with sweaty backs. Don't you believe it, the reality is, when you're carrying a fully loaded rucksack up and down hills over an extended period you are going to get a hot sweaty back – even if you were to only wear a string vest.
So are the backsystems important on a rucksack? Not particularly with small day packs but most definitely with heavy expedition sacks.
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