Backpacks

[Russ Irwin]

On Sat, 16 Feb 2002 11:54:11 EST, Jen wrote:

>Questions:  What size bag did you use and would you have gone smaller or
>larger?  Some were specifically designed for women, can any female pilgrims
>share information on selecting a bag?

Which backpack you select will be the most important thing you do other than your hiking
shoes/boots. While the weight of the backpack is important, what is more important is to get one
that fits you *right*. What is right? From personal experience on the Camino, I would say that that
means one that carries the weight on your "hips" rather than on your shoulders. I was *too* weight
conscious and bought a backpack that weighed 2lbs 7oz. It was supposed to be adjustable to keep the
weight on my hips, but experience proved otherwise. The belt around the hips was kind of a web type
design (to keep the weight down), and no matter how much I tightened it, it would slide down and
transfer most of the load to my shoulders and the top of my spine. After two weeks of walking with
this I developed a flaring and burning pain at the top of my back that finally wouldn't even go away
when I took the backpack off.

In hindsight I now realize that a backpack with a good thick and sturdy waist belt, even if it
weighed an extra pound or two, not only would have prevented this, but I wouldn't even have noticed
the extra weight. Try on the backpack in the store with the approximate weight you plan on carrying
and walk around as much as you can with it. Jump up and down with it too. After you've done that,
you should still be able to insert your thumbs between the top straps and your shoulders with almost
no resistance. Like I said, this is all in hindsight [sigh].

Russ