[pct-l] Why don't we wee more Thoracic bags (front packs / balance pockets / bodypack) in the Industry?

[Ate Tuna]

I wouldn't because I'm already struggling with overheating.  The front bags
would just trap even more heat.  I'm considering swapping my ULA for an
external frame to help me stay dry.  Secondly, it's just another thing to
break.  Finally, I think those bags would be a hassle when putting the pack
on, which would be amplified by my hourly pack-off breaks.

I'd seriously consider for shorter trips, especially if I was hauling a
heavy load.  I just don't think it's suitable for long trips, not for me.


On Sun, Feb 6, 2011 at 12:08 AM, John Abela <pacificcresttrail2011 at gmail.com
> wrote:

> Hey All,
>
> Been yapping with a couple of guys off-list about this, we thought it would
> be nice to post it to get a broader level of feedback.
>
> Now first the obvious... the whole concept has been patented by a few
> people
> over the last few years.
>
> http://www.freepatentsonline.com/D499882.html
> http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5950896.html
> and so forth.
>
> And there are a folks that are already making them:
>
> http://www.thesyncpack.com/biomechanics.html
>
> http://www.aarnpacks.com/sports_science/index.html (I think these are the
> guys who started it all, right?)
>
>
> Aarn Tate (from the website above) said this in a post over at BPL:
>
> "A bodypack will weigh more than a backpack made of the same materials
> because there are 3 separate load carrying compartments rather than one.
> How
> do we decide which needs the least energy? Let's take two examples. Some
> large volume ultralight US packs are up to 1 kg lighter than our Ultralite
> models because they do not have frames, effective hipbelts, Balance Pockets
> or waterproof liners. Sports scientist Ray Lloyd concluded from his
> research
> that the energy saving posture of our Bodypacks more than makes up for 1 kg
> extra pack weight with loads over 7 kg. Another example: if two backpacks
> are the same weight and you add Balance Pockets to one, then the one with
> Balance Pockets will use less energy if the load is over 3 kg. With heavier
> loads, this energy reduction is magnified."
>
>
> Now in the cottage world we have a few folks playing around with this, but
> not a whole lot.
>
> http://www.suluk46.com/RandD%20-%20RD24%20Cuben%20Fiber%20Chest%20Pack.html
>
>
> If we were to have something like this one from suluk46, except instead of
> having zippers, have a seam down the middle, which could than hold two
> pepsi
> bottles (one on each side) that would give us the ability to offset 4.4
> pounds from our back and potentially provide a good counter-balance (well,
> at least until you run out of water.) It would also give us the ability to
> have a smaller pack (or one without side pouches to snag on bushes and
> trees) and still maintain our cubic inches for our gear.
>
> Anyway, just wondering what everybody thinks about why these things have
> not
> caught on - and if such a thing did exist (such as the water pouch idea, or
> the one that suluk46 made) would you actually use it? Personally, I am not
> sure, but it would be something I would 100% give a try and see if it did
> actually help.
>
> John
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