Thanks for the great report and pictures. You really do a wonderful job of documenting your trips for all of us to enjoy (and be envious of). My hiking shoes are getting really whiney that they haven't been put to use for far too long!
Thanks for the great report and pictures. You really do a wonderful job of documenting your trips for all of us to enjoy (and be envious of). My hiking shoes are getting really whiney that they haven't been put to use for far too long!
Love your enemies, but keep your gun oiled!
I am a CONCENTRATED vegetarian. I let the cows eat all the grass, and then I eat the cows!
Awesome pics and awesome trip report. visited CO once and loved it their really want to make it back their some time in the near future
Sometimes I like to hike and think, And sometimes I just like to hike.
Hiking is'ent about waiting for the storm to pass its about learning to hike in the rain.
Jeeze,,great picks and wonderful hike. Reminds me of all the times I spend many years ago, hacking all over Colorado in a 4 wheel drive and backpacking when I could drive no further into the mountains all over. Its been so long as I have been spending alot of my time further west and north even and Colorado has so much to offer. Your pics brought so many memories back I had to dig some old pics out and look at them even. Great hike! Glad you got to experience it.
Since this is a hammocking forum, I didn't know where to put this report on retrofitting Aarn Balance Pockets to my Osprey backpack, so since I've talked about it here, I'll post it here.
Ever since I got a close up look of OutandBack and Walking Bears Aarn packs I've been trying to
locate one. Just not available til next year. But the balance pockets are still available. So I bought
some balance pockets and set about fitting them to my Osprey Atmos.
A little studying of all the straps gave me an idea how it's all supposed to work.
Trying to find a mount point on the Osprey for the lower staub of the truss rod is going to take
a little more innovation and thought, but for now, l opened the loop of the waist strap that goes
thru the strap length adjuster buckle, put the staub down thru it and ran the balance pockets
load strap at the staub end up behind the buckle and clipped it to the load harness. The waist
strap still has plenty of slack, still tightens fine and the pocket is supported by the waist belt.
Unless you know what you're looking at, this is a poor picture to try to describe what's going on.
The upper attachments with the quick clips were easy enough to figure out. Sewed some
poly webbing to my shoulder straps in the correct orientation. To figure out the height
placement on the shoulder straps for the attachments, I put the pack on and tightened the
waist belt with the lower staubs of the truss rod inserted into the buckle as described.
I know, my sewing isn't pretty, but it works. And I put seam sealer on my sewing to help
longevity.
The center clip points for the pockets load straps I clipped to the buckle loop of the Ospreys
shoulder strap tensioning straps.
Then I had to figure out how to attach the bungee cords at the bottom of the pockets that seem
to be meant to control pocket swing. I sewed a loop of poly webbing to the Ospreys
shoulder strap tensioning strap gusset and inserted a cord lock. Untied the bungee at
that round plastic terminal, inserted it into the cord lock and reattached the terminal.
I loaded the pack like I normally would except for a water bladder and misc. odds and ends that I
figure will be carried more accessably now in the pockets. Put a 1 litre nagalene water
bottle in each pocket.
IT WORKS. I haven't worn a real Aarn Bodypack, but from what I understand of how it
transfers weight off your back and shoulders so you have a more upright posture and little to no
shoulder strap pressure on your Deltoids and Traps, I might have got it right.
Now, someone invite me for a hike n hang so I can try this thing out.
Wow Derek that looks awesome.
With the weight in the balance pockets on the waistbelt and not the shoulders straps it should
really help center your load so you can stand/hike standing more upright esp if you put your
heavier items in them like water, food, cookkit, etc.
NIcely done, how does it feel with a load?
Feels good. Think I'm gonna like it. I left the truss rods as they came. Didn't alter their shape any for now.Originally Posted by OutandBack
I did not have to bend mine either.
They do a great job of keeping the balance pockets off your stomach and chest.
Looking forward to your next trip report.
Absolutely beautiful pic's, thanks for sharing!
"yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift---thats why its called a present" - Master Oogway
It's always best if your an early riser!
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