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Backpacks and Carrying Systems - Coggle Diagram
Backpacks and Carrying Systems
Options and Variables
Purpose
Alpine climbing bags
Very light and minimal
Need to be extremely durable
Kevlar is an excellent option, but is very expensive
Skiing bags
Need to be comfortable while touring for the day
Must be very stable to not throw you off balance when on the downhill
Running vests
Light and breathable mesh
Secure strap and harness system must keep it secure to your body and avoid bouncing around
Climbing bags
Smooth exterior to avoid snagging on terrain
Skinny tube shape to keep it away from your arms
Durable
Size
Most bags are sized in liters of volume.
5-10 liters
Ultralight day pack
Snacks, water, a spare layer, and a small 4 essentials kit
Best for trail runs or very short hikes
15-30 liters
Average day pack
Carry enough water, snacks, and 4 essentials for the day with a little space for things like climbing or skiing gear if that's what you're doing.
35-50 liters
Weekend backpacking size
Now has enough space for overnight equipment: sleeping back, tent, cookware, etc.
Good size for carrying ropes and a full rack to the climbing area.
60-100 liters
Long backpacking
Space for long self supported trips
These bags are heavy before they even get loaded, keep that in mind when planning
Avoid buying a bag too big, you will often fill it just because there is space, taking extra stuff for no reason
Versatility
Surprisingly, simple bags are often the most versatile by not specializing for an activity, it becomes a simple hauling system for any activity
Mediums sized bags get the most use, you can usually squeeze a little extra space out of them if you pack carefully, and they still work just fine for a short trip.
Construction
Types of frames
External Frame
Gives you a huge carrying capacity
Heavy
Shifts weight away from your back, puting you somewhat off balance
Bombproof, and very simple to repair
Loads can be secured very well
Lacks most common backpack features
Internal Frame
Narrow and close fitting
Keeps weight balanced and gives good arm clearance
Often more vertical tube shaped designs
Consists of thinner wires or plastic running the length of the bag, making the connection between the actual storage compartment and the harness
Frame Sheet
A simple light solution
Protects your back from items inside
Stops the bag from folding over and makes for easier packing
Most commonly found in day packs
Frameless
Lightest frame option
Best left for short hauling
A simple frame can be created from items like a sleeping pad, either stored as a tube around the outside of the bag, or as a homemade frame sheet.
Too much weight gets uneven, and off balance quick
Best if the weight is kept below 20-30 lbs
Purpose
Works to facilitate weight transfer to the hips and legs
Keeps loads more stable when moving around
Closure
Roll top
Very secure and will keep things dry
Simple
Time consuming
Zipper
Fast
Can fall apart if done poorly
Lid
Most common
Fits sloppy when the bag is not totally full
Can be fiddly with too many straps
Straps
Shoulder
Load lifter
Sternum
Hip belts
Weight
Weight makes a huge difference on your enjoyment
Start on the ground floor and cut weight before you even start packing
Avoid buying a bag too big, you will often fill it just because there is space, taking extra stuff for no reason
Bags with tons of features look really cool online, but not many are super important. The extra pouches, zippers, and flaps all add weight. The lightest bags are a very simple singular tube with maybe one pocket in the lid.
You can go all out and save weight by cutting off extra tail on straps
Easiest and cheapest way to save weight is to buy a smaller pack
Fit
Hips
Waist belt padding should rest on top of your hip bones
There should be room on the straps both to tighten or loosen the size.
Again, the strap should be snug, but not pinching you
Shoulders
Straps should wrap your body close, but not pinch your armpits
Load lifter straps should form a 45 degree angle from the back panel to the tangent of your shoulder
Shoulder straps should attach to the backpack a couple inches below the shoulder. Adjust the torso length if it does not
Most of the weight should be on your hips
Torso
The sternum strap should be an inch below your collarbone
Sternum strap should not restrict breathing, only secure the shoulder straps, relieve stress on your shoulder while allowing your arms to move free
Adjustability
While the physical volume of a bag is measured in liters, manufacturers often produce sizes like S, M, L for the same bag. The difference is the size of the harness and the length of straps. A small pack may have less overall adjustability, but the small person wearing it won't have long straps hanging everywhere.
Some internal frame packs can adjust the spacing between the shoulder straps and hip belt to adjust for different size torsos
Some packs even have interchangeable harnesses and or hib belts, so if you bought your bag the wrong size you may still be able to fix it
Adjust your pack in order
(WSLS) Why Stop Licking Skittles? Walruses Slap Like Sissies
Waist
Shoulders
Loads
Sternum
Slight changes to straps throughout the day can relieve pressure and making things much more comfortable when out on the trail for a long time
How to pack a Backpack
Order of use
Items for camp at the end of the day will be near the bottom of your back
Snacks, water, and navigation are the most often used items and should be the most accessible
Things like a rain jacket you will want very quick if the need arises, keep it high in the bag
Everyone creates their own system, see what works for you and don't be afraid to change things around
Weight Distribution
Heavy items lower down in the bag will create a more stable and balanced bag
Clipping items to the outside of your bag gives it a wider profile and can pull the center of gravity away from your body. This should be avoided, but one or two small items that need to dry should be okay. If you can't fit everything in your bag, You brought too much.
Compression vs loose and moldable
Compressing items before they go into the bag will make them smaller overall
Once compressed, they don't change shape and can be difficult to play tetris with in your bag
If you put things into your bag somewhat loose, you take up all of the space inside. More space can be made by compressing from the top or by tensioning compression straps and releasing them
Waterproofing
Some bags advertize waterproofing, but they all eventually fail. The exception being dry bags, where that really is their only purpose.
Best and cheapest waterproofing: Before you start packing your bag, line it with a thick contractor bag. When you fill that, twist up the top, and secure the lid of your bag
Rain Flies
Not every fly fits every bag
Can end up pooling water at the bottom
Some will leak around the back where it is open
Still a very effective solution if you have one that fits your bag well
Features
Pockets
Hip belt pockets
Great for storing snacks, maps, compasses or other commonly used items
Some are bulky, but that allows for a lot of storage
Slim pockets stay out of the way, but are almost useless
Brain pockets can be perfect for keeping quick access items out of the abyss that is the main compartment. You should be able to keep almost everything that you need during the day outside of the main compartment. The brain can also be removed to reduce the weight and volume of your bag for shorter trips. In the reverse, some packs have a brain that converts to a small day pack; this can be perfect if camping with a basecamp style, returning to the same site every night.
A separate sleeping bag compartment may seem useful, but there is really no reason to keep it separate. Your sleeping bag is not one of the items that quick access is required. This compartment is also often bigger than your sleeping back; so if you have one try to put some other items in there.
Outer mesh pockets are great for storing layers for the day, keeping cooking items away from the rest of your equipment, or leaving wet gear out to dry.
Water bottle pockets
Store water, a thermos, or water purification if you prefer a bladder
Be careful that your bottles are secure, you won't notice if a bottle pops out. Clipping them to a strap can be very important.
Special Pockets
Avalanche equipment pocket
2 sleeves, one for a probe, one for shovel handle
Plenty of space for the shovel blade
Quickly accessible in an emergency
Drain holes at the bottom to let out melted snow
Water bladder pocket
Keeps the bladder oriented correctly to keep functioning
Protects the soft material from rough things being tossed in your main compartment
Often have an integrated hole to pass through your tube to your shoulder. Some even have an insulating sleeve for in winter.
Straps, loops, zippers
Ski carry loops
Allow for many different orientations
A frame
H frame
Cross back
essential for backcountry skiing
often integrated system with ice axe carry loops
Back panel zipper
Opens the entire back of the pack, giving clear and quick access to every part of the bag
When the bag is stuffed full, this can be hard to zip back up
Only useful if you take the bag off your back
Gear loops
Some climbing bags have stiff gear loops on the sides of the bag or at the hip belt. The sides can be good for storing extra climbing equipment where it is still accessible. The waist gear loop is good for moving gear off your harness so that it's not stuck under the waist belt.
Zippers
More zippers means more pockets, which means more organization.
However, zippers are metal, so more zippers means more weight
General lash tabs
Compression Straps
Can help stop load from shifting around
Good when the back is slightly undercooked
Special Features
Avalanche airbag
Comes with a pull cord that will inflate a large nylon "balloon" that will help you float to the top of an avalanche if you end up caught in one
Proven to be very effective at preventing avalanche burials
Expensive
Can be difficult to travel with air canisters if flying on a plane
Other carrying options
Haul bag
Super durable massive (100+ liter) tube for carrying all of your equipment when big wall climbing for multiple nights
Must be able to withstand being dragged along rocks every single day
Most have backpack straps for the approach that store away before going up on the wall. They won't be very comfortable.
Sometimes called a "pig" because they're big, fat, and heavy
Bomber attachment points to connect to a haul line.
Dry bag
Come in a huge variety of sizes from 5 to 100 liters and more
Nylon or vinyl, nylon is more common and durable
Roll top closure to seal out water
D-Ring to keep them attached to your boat
Do exactly what they say, keep things dry.
Buy the same volume you would for a backpacking bag for the same length of time. The difference is that with just one big compartment, it will be somewhat harder to pack. You can instead split things up into multiple smaller bags.
Barrels
Heavy
Good for moving tons of stuff a short distance
You will hate yourself if you try to carry this on your back by any means
Duffels
Huge, soft, but durable bags
Best for transporting all of your gear to the start of an expedition
You can even fill it with your smaller bags
A giant black hole to dump all your junk into
Hopefully this bag is carried more often in the back of a car than on your back
Pulks
A sled dragged behind you over snow when traveling over snow
Perfect for long flat approaches to a base camp
Very efficient, as you can put the majority of the weight off your back and expend very little energy sliding the sled over snow
Useless on steep terrain
Fanny pack/ waist pack
Very small
Carry just bare essentials
Good for trail running or short hikes
Works Cited
C, Geoff. “The Definitive Guide That You Never Wanted: Fitting and Adjusting Your Backpack.” Medium, 14 Sept. 2018,
https://pangolinswithpacks.com/the-definitive-guide-that-you-never-wanted-fitting-and-adjusting-your-backpack-157f510d46cd
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Chandler, Eric. “Tow Your Kids While Cross-Country Skiing: Pulk 101.” GearJunkie, 4 Jan. 2018,
https://gearjunkie.com/winter/cross-country-nordic-ski-with-kids-pulk-guide
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Skurka, Andrew. The Ultimate Hiker’s Gear Guide: Tools & Techniques to Hit the Trail. Second edition, National Geographic, 2017.
Why Choose a Frameless Backpack? | The Hiking Life. 12 Jan. 2015,
https://www.thehikinglife.com/2015/01/why-choose-a-frameless-backpack/
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