AARN Backpacks (body packs)

[Mule]

See pictures and illustrations at the bottom of the page.

http://www.stoneycreekshop.co.nz/aar...5l-p-1628.html
I was asked to put together a thread on the AARN backpack system. (Sorry about the pictures, I've been trying to add the attachments so you can see them large in the thread instead of having to blow them up your self, but I haven't figured it out yet).
When I used to carry conventional packs, like my Mountainsmith, my Dana Designs Terraplane, My Lowe Alpine and Gregorys and my Golight Jam, I would get really bad cramps and hard spots between my shoulder blades that would last a week when I got back. They were very painful and the older I got the worse it was for me. One day a couple of years ago I came home vowing not ever again to carry a pack unless I came up with a way of stopping the constant pull backwards that caused me all the pain between my shoulder blades.
I started searching for systems that allowed weight to be carried more evenly and in such a way that I could stand and walk upright in a natural way.
Reading the AARN site: http://www.aarnpacks.com/index.html
will take you an hour or so but it is worth you time. The man who designed the AARN, first name is Aarn, used to design packs for American pack makers, but they would balk when he came up with new ways to haul weight in the wilderness. He returned home to New Zealand and began making his revolutionary packs.
You cannot buy Aarn packs here in the United States. I got lucky and bought one of the last ones sold in the only place in the US that once sold a few, then I bought another from New Zealand too. You can order them from Stoney Creek Outfitters: http://www.stoneycreekshop.co.nz/
The reason Aarn says he doesn't want to start selling directly in the US is because he wants all his packs to be custom fitted, you know, inner aluminum stays bent to be just right, etc. But you can do this.
I bought the very first internal frame pack made back in the 70's, the Lowe Alpine System's Expidition. I have been fitting my own internal stays ever since and you can do this. Directions come with the packs, and it's fun to get it just right.
What I am about to say next is the main reason for the lack of fatigue and tired muscles comes from the energy saved in having to fight a stiff pack that is lashed to your frame. The Aarn relieves that tightness by becoming fluid on your back and by not pulling you backwards. (Read the science on the Aarn site so you understand how much energy you are likely to save by not having to fight against your pack).
The reason for getting this right is that the Aarn packs float on you. The sternum strap is not there, rather the shoulder straps cross over your chest and are attached to the pack so that you can raise one arm and the strap with loosen for your movement, but tighten on your other shoulder. When the front pockets are added the suspension forms an X over your chest. The same is true for sway on the hipbelt left to right as well as piviting on the hipbelt forward and back.
The heart of the Aarn system is the integration of the front packs or pockets that hold perhaps five to ten pounds of gear each balancing the load on the pack on your back. Once you put some water of fuel or a camera and organizer full of small necessities in the front pockets the weight comes off your shoulders, off the front of the shoulder straps and the pack is balanced now on your hipbelt. You can adjust the shoulder straps tight it you want and you will still be able to bend over and tie your laces or reach for a high branch because the lenghthening of one strap is the tightening of the other. Also when you rotate your hips the hipbelt loosens on one side to allow you to rotate your torso the other way. Notice on the Aarn site the difference in the way you pack and carry your load using an Aarn pack.
Please ask any questions you like about these packs, because I believe in them so much I really want to share this well kept secret. Take a look at these:
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...ck_review.html

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...ck_review.html

http://www.prolitegear.com/site/imag...liquid_agility




Below are some comments by others you can take a look at.
Mule

95 forum posts

Aarn packs are incredibly comfortable - I have carried up to 16kg all day over rough, rocky, up and down terrain, walking perfectly upright (ie not having to lean forward at all to compensate for the load) with absolutely no pressure/pull on my shoulders and no aches at the end of the day. Nor after several days of the same.
It's a bit of a leap of faith, since they are from New Zealand and there appear to be no suppliers over here, so you have to order direct, but given that you can pretty much mould each pack to fit you, that's unlikely to be a problem.

And, no, I am nothing to do with them, but they were the only backpacks I found when searching that made logical sense to me in theory, and they make total, seriously comfortable sense in practice too.

There is no way I would go back to an 'ordinary' pack.
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Aarn Liquid Agility
Backpacks | Packs: Small Volume | Framed Packs
Item Code: aarn_liquid_agility


Aarn Liquid Agility
click link to view more images

Description
The Aarn Liquid Agility is a small zip-opening Bodypack for adventure racing and active movement. Double-X compression brings the load closest to your back while Compact Balance Pockets equalize the load in front and behind. Liquid Agility has one compartment with an internal security pocket. This pocket can be used for a hydration system if the Balance Pockets are not being used.
The Aarn Liquid Agility is the ideal cycling pack because the flexible U-Lite frame maintains a concave backpanel while allowing the pack to flex with your back contours when you bend forward to reach the handlebars.



Specifications
Approx Volume:

S:

27 litres

L:

32 litres

Weight (Bodypack):

S:

1.3 kg

L:

1.4 kg

Min. Weight (Bodypack):

S:

.99 kg

L:

1.1 kg

Fabric:

Kolon ripstop and Cordura


Features
Two sizes with Adjustable backlength
X-Flow shoulder straps
Pacer Pole attachments
Packing: Backpack vs. Bodypack
Correct weight distribution of the load makes a huge difference to the comfort of your pack. To achieve this, you must get the feel of the weight/volume ratio of each piece of equipment.

For example, a 1.5 kg. sleeping bag will have a low weight/volume ratio. A 1.5 kg. bag of raisins will have a high weight/ volume ratio.

For optimum comfort, items with the highest weight/volume ratio should be closest to your back (backpacks) or in front (Bodypacks).



1.Counterbalance
Balance Pockets counterbalance the load on your back for reduced energy use.

2. Slim Profile
X-Arc frame pulls the load close to the body. An internal divider minimises the profile.

3. Natural Posture
Counterbalanced load allows you to stand in a natural upright posture, eliminating back strain.

4. Dynamic Shoulder Movement
Flow Motion shoulder straps are interlinked and slide to give shoulders unprecedented freedom of movement.

5. Dynamic Hip Movement
FlowMotion hipbelt attaches to the pivoting sub-frame. This allows natural rocking of the hips when walking, and back extension when climbing.

6. Top Stability
Shoulder straps connect to center frame preventing side sway at the top of the pack.

7. Bottom Stability
Sub-frame prevents sway at the bottom of the pack.

8. Load Dispersal
X-Arc frame distributes the load evenly at three points equidistant around the hips.

9. Perfect Fit
Two backlengths, adjustable shoulder strap height and Dual Adjust hipbelt allow a precision-tailored fit.

10: Customisation
Both horizontal and vertical frames can be custom-bent to the shape of your back.


11: Ventilation
Müller spacer mesh in the backpanel and shoulder straps allow ventilation of body contact areas.

12: Ergonomics
All straps and pockets are positioned for ergonomic efficiency. The X chest straps follow body contours.

13: Load Organisation
Internal compartmentalization with built-in pockets gives easy access and efficient packing.

14: Convenience
Balance pockets provide instant access to items without having to stop.

15: User Friendliness
Tripod frame base and flat bottom allow the pack to stand by itself for easy packing.

16: Modularity
Large Balance Pockets convert to a daypack or two hip packs, or attach to sides or front of pack.

17: Versatility
Multiple compression systems and attachment points allow creative connection of gear to the outside of the pack.

18: Durability
Tough, abrasion-resistant cordura fabrics are used on the pack externals and high wear points on ultralite models. All seams are bound and multi-stitched where necessary.

19: Lightness
Careful minimalist design and selected use of high-tech materials make these packs among the lightest available.

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new trends and products for sensible backpacking
Home » Content
Introduction To Aarn Bodypacks
Posted on March 21st, 2008 by Marco
in Gear
An innovative (and working!) way to bring all you need in the wilderness with you.

What must a pack do?
A pack for multi-days hikes must:

contain everything you need during the trek
being as light as possible
without restraining movements
and reducing stress and probability of assorted injuries to the absolute possible minimum
The first two problems are relatively easy to solve: the majority of backpacks on the market, including most cheap models, does it in a generally satisfying way and the same could be said, at least partially, when it comes to not restraining movements. The most important point, however, is the last one. Besides being possible only if you have already minimized bulk and weight of what goes inside the pack, making a pack light and small does little if carrying it requires more energies and stresses your body more than it is absolutely necessary.

Aarn Tate and Devi Bension, down in New Zealand, make packs different from almost all others, with very interesting features from the comfort and ergonomics points of view. After years of thinking about it, I've finally had the possibility to test the 2008 versions of the Peak Aspiration pack (a model designed for mountaineering and multi-day backpacking) and of the Expedition front pockets. This article is a short introduction to the unique features of Aarn Design products and their makers. Later on, I'll describe in detail the pack, the pockets, their actual effectiveness in the the field and the best way to use them.

Environmental and social impact
As already mentioned in the introduction to the website, Strider will pay constant attention to these themes: if we love wilderness so much to spend whole days in it, we should protect it before even leaving home, that is choose gear which last as long as possible, is recyclable and is produced with the least possible amount of energy and raw materials. As far as Aarn Design is concerned, their medium/long term goal is to "replace non biodegradable materials with biodegradable ones as they become available". In the meantime, the company already uses renewable energy and takes care of recycling: when you don't need your pack anymore, send it back to them and they'll recover everything that can be recycled or reused. This isn't likely the greener solution for customers not living in Australia or New Zealand, since even overseas shipping pollutes. In any case, it is great to see small makers of backpacking gear to be so active in protecting the environment, and theirs is an example that everybody should follow. I intend to ask Aarn practical advice, which I'll publish here, about the best way to recycle their products when shipping them back is not an option.

When it comes to manufacturing, Aarn must make ends meet as anybody else so they, too have moved production to China: according to the website, however, their is "a modern new factory with good working conditions. You can be sure that your pack is not made in a sweatshop!"

Bodypacks and the Flowmo system
Aarn packs are not normal packs. Normal packs are carried on your back: this is why they are called backpacks. Sure, belts, frames of all sorts, sophisticated shoulder straps and pack shapes do much to reduce the effort to carry any given weigth, but the basic fact doesn't change. Aarn packs, instead, could be used in the traditional way, but they are meant to be used as bodypacks, that is as integrated pack-and-pockets systems to be carried around your body. The bottoms of the shoulder straps are connected by one single sling which slides, to facilitate the natural movement of your shoulders even while skiing or climbing. According to Aarn, the single continuous sling also distributes the load more evenly across the straps and the pack frame, making them last longer.

Even more important are the front balance pockets.



As you can see in the picture, they allow to distribute weight in such a way that it becomes possible to walk without leaning forward as one would be forced to do by normal backpacks. This is already something good, as it reduces, at least with heavy loads, the effort required to carry them, but isn't the best part.

The most important advantage of this way to carry weights is that it causes much less problems to your back, just because the center of gravity remains the same of when you walk without the pack: besides not causing pains or aggravating existing back problems, this way of carrying a pack may even allow you to backpack more years. Personally, this is the main reason why, when I discovered Aarn packs a while ago, I thought "sooner or later, I must really discover if this is true".

This possibility to spread the load around the body is the most important thing. An Aarn pack doesn't make much sense if bought and used without front pockets, and the bigger (and heavier) these are the better it is for your back. This, of course, doesn't prevent you from using without the pockets, when it's time to climb, one of the Aarn packs designed for mountaineering.

In the next article of this series I'll describe in detail the 2008 edition of the 40/45 liters Peak Aspiration pack, which you can see in the picture below and is different from the one still shown (as of March 2008) on the Aarn website.



Following that, I'll publish a review of the Expedition balance pockets (16 liters per pair) and a report on how this particular bodypack, that is this specific pack+pockets combination works in the field. In the meantime, I'll just anticipate that this is very interesting gear which does work as advertised, even if they have to be used in the right way.

[Counselor]

I'm very nervous about them. I don't like the idea of something restricting my breathing. Also a couple of other observations. 1) could end up carrying more then you would with a traditional pack 2) looks hot!

[RAW]

I'm pretty sure I have to have one.
I'll wait to see pictures of Mule's packs, but . . . pretty sure I'll be emailing New Zealand.

[Ewker]

the first picture of a guy with a huge pack and the other guy wearing one of the Aarn packs is very misleading IMO. No way would all that stuff could fit into the Aarn pack

[gnome]

Wonderfully designed pac. now get it under 12 oz and I will swim to NZ to get one, and by the way make it out of glued cuben so it is inherently waterproof. My DIY cuben back pac is about 4 oz 3500 in, it is counterbalanced with a small front cuben front pac. (300 in?)at another 4oz? I dont even have shoulder straps! but a well padded hip belt. it is water proof, (all taped and ghlued, no sewing) I carry about 15 lb skin out, pack heavy stuff in bottom of BP,(mostly food) carry both (down) uq & oq and cuben hammock, and diy cuben tarp in bp.fron tpac. misc cloths, cooking kit H20 in pockets pants, slick lite, and necessary, I am older and need to save every oz. I can,,gnome

[fin]

Originally Posted by RAW

I'm pretty sure I have to have one.

No, I am sure I need to have one. But they are at Clark Vertex prices.

[RAW]

Is there any chance we could get some kind of group-buy worked out?
Mule, I hate to impose, but . . . since you've done business with them before . . . . would you mind just inquiring about a group-buy setup?
Or I suppose I could just cold-email the guy. Don't know if we'd have enough people interested in purchasing.

I might buy two if the prices were right.
(Then I'd HAVE to get out and hike more to justify the expense )

[Rushthezeppelin]

Originally Posted by FishinFinn

No, I am sure I need to have one. But they are at Clark Vertex prices.

I kind of wonder what the feasibility of making a DIY version of these packs would be. Particularly the support system that moves with you would be hard to replicate.

[Mule]

Originally Posted by gnome

Wonderfully designed pac. now get it under 12 oz and I will swim to NZ to get one, and by the way make it out of glued cuben so it is inherently waterproof. My DIY cuben back pac is about 4 oz 3500 in, it is counterbalanced with a small front cuben front pac. (300 in?)at another 4oz? I dont even have shoulder straps! but a well padded hip belt. it is water proof, (all taped and ghlued, no sewing) I carry about 15 lb skin out, pack heavy stuff in bottom of BP,(mostly food) carry both (down) uq & oq and cuben hammock, and diy cuben tarp in bp.fron tpac. misc cloths, cooking kit H20 in pockets pants, slick lite, and necessary, I am older and need to save every oz. I can,,gnome

For me, I want a substantial pack with the support needed to carry what I carry and more. You can put 25 pounds in a substantial 3 pound pack and it will feel like 28 pounds more or less, but I have tried putting 25 pounds in a 1 pound pack and it feels more like 38 pounds by the time I have carried it for a few hours. That's just the way I see it. I don't feel the weight of the pack itself is an issue unless you go too light on the pack and defeat the purpose of packing light which is comfort on the trail.

[Mule]

Originally Posted by Rushthezeppelin

I kind of wonder what the feasibility of making a DIY version of these packs would be. Particularly the support system that moves with you would be hard to replicate.

You are right. So far, I have never had anyone who tried on my pack with front pockets that have not been amazed at the flexibility and comfort, but they really don't know until they carry it loaded for some time. It is the overall long-term decrease in energy and discomfort that adds up to a true respect for one of these packs. Go read the accolades on this pack on other sites separate from Aarn and I think it will impress you. When I got one of the last two in the US and talked on the phone to the salesman who sold it to me, I was quite taken by his personal story. He and his friends all carry one of these and they bought a few extra when they were at it. He said that after carrying this pack for awhile it would change my mind about how to carry a load on my back. It did.