[pct-l] Jardine and the Backpack Hip Belt

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good morning, Sym,

I discount Jardine’s “belt crunch” theory because I’ve found that for every
instance I was distressed by having a belt-constrained pack I could find an
equally distressing situation where a beltless pack flopped out of position.


More important to me is the need to reduce weight by having frameless pack.
Without a frame of some sort to apply force to the belt structure the pack
just slumps and continues to load the shoulder straps – obviating the need
for the belt.

When I first read Jardine’s description of one-shoulder hiking I thought it
was a silly idea, but after trying it I became convinced it was a very silly
idea.  My 8 lb. base weight, loaded with food, fuel, and water consumables,
could be about 20 lbs.   That’s 10 lbs. on each shoulder, or 20 lbs per
shoulder with the “Jardine carry”.  Most ultra-lite hikers, including me,
would consider a 40 lb. pack too heavy to be comfortably carried, however
that pack would also provide 20 lbs. per shoulder – the same as the “Jardine
carry”.

Not only is the force at the one shoulder doubled, but my body is off-center
loaded which strains my back, disturbs my gait, and changes my balance.  If
I were one day from resupply, and was not carrying much water, my resulting
10 lb. pack could be carried any-which-way with no real effect, but why do
it?

Before you whack off your hip belt, give the idea a good test in actual
hiking:  Unhook the belt and hike using one shoulder as well as two.  In a
similar test, if your feet get tired, try resting one foot while hopping
along on the other.


Steel-Eye

Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09


On Mon, Feb 14, 2011 at 7:09 PM, Sym Blanchard <symbiosis222 at gmail.com>wrote:

> I just read Ray Jardine's opinion of backpack hip belts on page 44 of his
> book *Trail LIfe*.
>
> He reckons that the hip belt constrains spine motion, and therefore
> increases one's chance of injury from falling. "Crunch!" he says.
>
> Last September, I had fallen while hiking the PCT, breaking my ankle and
> shoulder.  I figured I need to get trekking poles (which I hate), ditch my
> umbrella (which I love), and buy high top hiking shoes (which I hate).
>
> Now I am rethinking my strategy.  My base pack weight is about 8-1/2 pounds
> so I can cut off my hip belt, but the weight still seems tiresome on my
> shoulders (especially when fully loaded with food and water).
>
> I am thinking about working out more at the gym to build up my shoulders
> and
> then carrying the pack on alternate shoulders (a la Jardine).
>
> Anyone else have this experience or have thoughts on this strategy?
>
> Thanks in Advance,
> Symbiosis
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