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

[ruffwork]

I would suggest you can get much of this benefit by proper loading of a pack.
Things like:
put heavy items against the back
NEVER put your water in the back pocket (put it in the hydration sleeve even if you don't use it there)
use waist band and strap pockets

I've tried this wrap-around style of pack and ran into 2 problems:
1) overheating
2) shoulder fatigue

ruffwork

> 
> How do you get the weight onto your hips? A front pack would ensure the load rests on my shoulders all day. No thanks. I'm a wanna be photographer, so I carry a DSLR and lenses into the backcountry most of the time. I have a nice Lowe Pro bag that I hang from my sternum strap. I can totally feel the weight there. All day, everyday. For my PCT hike, I'm only bring one lens first of all, and I think I came up with a better way to carry the camera securely and still provide quick access. My goal this time is have the weight suspended from my hip belt. 
> 
> I'll admit I didn't look at the links, but I think I know what you're describing. My experience with the camera bag hanging in front yells me no thanks. 
> 
> One other downside... Visibility. You can't see your feet. Not a huge deal most of the time, but sometimes it can be. HYOH and YMMV, but I would offer a strong recommendation against a front pack. 
> 
> Misspellings and typos brought to you by iPhone.
> 
> On Feb 6, 2011, at 1:08 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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