Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Load Weight Distribution Demonstration

Definitely prefer to have weight centered higher. I shoot for between the shoulder blades, but probably rarely achieve that. It makes a huge difference in how far you have to lean forward to balance the weight. I have repacked the same load to raise cg and the results are obvious. Internal frame packs are more sensitive to loading, but can also get weight closer to your back than an external, generally speaking.

There are some rather funny statements in this thread.

Was that Steve Climber's statements?
The world's leading outdoor enthusiast.
😁


BTW, your experience mirror's mine. If I'm carrying much water, ie weight, I prefer my external frame for the benefit of an upright posture on the hill trails. If I just need to pack out a big load of food, nuts or meat, then I just fill the whole bag and cinch it down. The placement isn't the issue then, just my cardio. Most of the time it's not very far in those cases.

I prefer the weight in close to my back to minimize how much I have to bend / lean to balance it. Beyond that, how high or low it is is not that important.

When I'm backpacking, I try to keep the load light enough that load height isn't a practical concern. The bigger thing is keeping everything inside the pack so it is not snagging on brush, trees, etc I'm plowing through.

Weight is more of an issue when hauling out meat but for me, getting the most weight onto the pack per load to limit the number of loads is more important than comfort. I'm already going to be stove up and hurtin' the next day, not even a significant difference of degree. However, unlike some people, where I'm bringing meat out of is often steep but not dangerous, it's steep hillsides. I stay away from the bluffs and drop-offs so the worst I really have to worry about is stepping on a slick stick and landing on my ass, not falling off of something that will kill me.

Tom

Same here.
When I construct my large packs they will follow the design you describe. Instead of a single bottom shelf, they will have an adjustable shelf that cinches the heaviest part of the load, meat or water, high and tight to the frame. The heaviest part of the load will be suspended from the frame at the shoulders. More can be stacked on top if necessary, but won't interfere with my head when looking up.

I much prefer weight to be high in a back pack if I am hiking a maintained trail or decent ground. On rough steep ground, scrabble ledges etc. I’d rather have it centered at lower back and as tight to my back as possible. For that matter, in both cases want it close to my back.

This is one of those topics that is not right or wrong, merely what feels best and carries best for each individual, for whatever reason of anatomy or sensory preference. It is always interesting that what feels good to one person may feel awkward or unbalanced etc. to someone else.

Hey happy, how does one become the world's leading outdoor enthusiast? Is it the knowledge and skills, or the enthusiasm?

If it's the enthusiasm, I think our last retriever was the world's greatest.

The funny part of Slappy’s post to CWH2 was this:

.

Great humor there, the inappropriate apostrophe aside.

Yep, that cwh is such a couch potato, I don't believe he's ever been backpacking.

Elk quarters and deer halves on an external frame. I put the weight at low as possible. Most weight is supported by hips.

Had a hunting partner with the opposite thought. He literally suspended a quarter from the top rung of his frame and it was also free to swing to either side. He eventually made camp, but was down for two days, enough for me to bring in the balance.

Compression straps or bungee cords are needed to keep a load secure. If it's swinging, he'll use more energy every step. I'd guess he'd use his back for stability and balance.
A good suspension properly adjusted should put that weight on the hips through the frame and hip belt transfer. With a large load you are talking about, I'd guess that you are just filling whatever space is available from bottom to top, right?
I don't think about high low pack out if I fill the bag as it's both.

I like externals. They seem less dependent on load placement when the suspension is good.
Did you have to round the back to counter the weight or were you more upright?

Does anyone who actually has carried loads in a backpack need to be told how to pack it?

Do you pack your load the same way for hiking trails as you do ski mountaineering?

Is packing out an Elk more fun when climbing or descending steep ground?

I think that slappy is the CF's leading outdoor enthusiast and will show us the cool mods he has done on his Jansport external frame packs. He is light years ahead of Dana Gleason and Patrick Smith.

Whoever invented load lifter straps is my hero.


mike r

Ha, trick question.

It’s amazing how well they work on a properly setup and adjusted pack. Some packs have “load lifters” but they are useless.

His info comes from the utoob and the googler.

With I estimate about 80% of the load supported by ones hips, I'm pretty much upright going level or downhill, but have some forward lean when climbing. Again, I use external aluminum tubbing frames with no bag or bottom shelf. Give me about 12 feet of line, and I can lash anything on such that there will be no movement.

My initial frame came from a backpacker, and did have a bag. That was removed and left in the wilderness on my first encounter with an elk quarter. The bag would have forced a high position load and was not roomy enough for quarters carrying ribs. I now have 3 identical frames that are 1970's Sierras. Not had need yet, but always figured it best to have backups. All have a tight mesh webbing lashed from top to near bottom between the uprights that keep the load about 1 1/2 inches off of ones back. Excellent for evaporative cooling. Heaviest loads to date were moose hams and shoulders. Took a little help to get upright with those.

From observing others, I have no desire for the body hugging flexible plastic units. Not sure they would hold up in subzero conditions either.

Not looking forward to packing a bison though.

Funny thing is that I was ready to log out and checked here first.
I looked at your handle and then at the post time of .......
1minute. Lol!

Thanks for describing that. I appreciate simple designs like that which work. Some think that the latest is the greatest.
I think that there are very innovative designs every other year, but there's the tried and true. If it works for you, it's the best one IMHO.

I never hunted moose.
Thats got to be some serious weight. I think I'd need wheels for that.

Dan Mchale has the best design IMHO.
If you can find a video online of his "bypass" design, you'll see why.
His load lifters are independent from the shoulder straps. It's easier to adjust properly.
After talking with him and studying his packs, I'm convinced that he still is king of the internals.