[pct-l] SuperSecrets - Pack Waist Belt

[Bill Burge]

Similar concept, different execution...

http://aarnpacks.com/products/index.html

BillB



On Jul 17, 2009, at 8:23 PM, hiker97 at aol.com wrote:

>
> This an area that is ripe for improvement in the 21st century. The  
> lowly and humble pack waist belt. If your load is light enough, you  
> don't even need a waist belt, ala, Ray and Jenny Jardine. But if you  
> are solo hiker?(and not a Super Ultra Light hiker)?or carry a  
> heavier load the pack waist belt is ready for exploitation.
>
> What is interesting about the pack waist belt is that it puts load  
> right on the big muscled legs like the pack frame. The waist belt  
> load is not on your back but confined around your waist. Neat. It  
> also keeps your center of gravity lower for a more safe and  
> comfortable ride. Most instructions that come with backpacks tell  
> you to keep the center of gravity high in the pack. I guess that is  
> fine, but I find that if taken too far, I feel tipsy.
>
> In any case, lets take a look at the lowly (pun) waist belt. The big  
> problem is how do we carry a heavier load on the waist belt and not  
> have it drop down or feel weird. I have experimented many years  
> about this issue and have found the secret to do this easily and  
> comfortably and lightly. Heh, heh, heh.
>
> First, let me say that I use a belly pack for two water bottles and  
> miscellaneous gear. Then I can carry one gallon of water, etc., on  
> my waist belt. The key and secret to use the waist belt properly is  
> the waist belt buckle area. This is the SuperSecret. Now the  
> question is how do we transfer a lot of the load comfortable to the  
> stomach area?
> The answer is a LARGE pack waist belt buckle helper. A very large  
> buckle helper (you still use the pack waist belt buckle). Years ago  
> Kelty made a device to transfer load to the stomach area and make  
> the pack much more efficient in transferring load to the hips and  
> stomach. I do not see this on their website anymore. But this device  
> or something like it is the key. My Kelty device slips over the pack  
> waist belt and then I tape it on to the waist belt near the pack  
> waist belt buckle, so it does not slip off when I take off the pack.  
> Simple.? A visual might be to think of a super jumbo size cowboy  
> belt buckle only very light weight as what the buckle helper looks  
> like on the waist belt.
>
> The Kelty device weighs 4.2 ounces. That is a lot, but made with  
> today's material it could easily be made to weigh in at 2.5 ounces.  
> If this type of device was made part of the nylon waist belt, it  
> would only add may be 1.5 ounces to the pack weight. But the  
> advantages of using this system are ASTOUNDING. I emphasize the word  
> astounding. It will blow your mind how much more efficient your  
> backpack becomes.? Now you can carry plenty of water anywhere on the  
> trail.
>
> My Kelty buckle device is oval in shape and curved outward, so it  
> fits the stomach area easily. It is has a rubber on the inward side  
> and is made of a hard nylon with air slits designed all over it. The  
> measurements are 7.5 inches tall and 11 inches wide.? If you wanted  
> to get real technical, more of the pack frame load is also  
> transferred through the waist belt to the buckle area too.
>
> The load transfer is simple, effective, and comfortable. So, I can  
> easily have up to 1.5 gallons of water on the trail (two liters on  
> the belly pack and four on the waist belt) and not a drop in the  
> pack or on my back. If I added the pack for some water carrying,  
> then just add to the total. I carry the four liters on the waist  
> pack in one quart Gatorade bottles in OR water bottle pouches. Very  
> very simple.
>
> Yes, once again, Switchback, has come through for you with cutting  
> edge ideas and techniques. The true advantages of the pack waist  
> belt have been completely overlooked by today's gear manufacturers.
>
> I thank you.? Your pal, Switchback the Trail Pirate
> This and many more nuggets of backpacking wisdom coming this Fall  
> for the PCT Class of 2010 in the SuperSecret Digest.
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