Balance Pockets & Bags
BODY-CENTERED LOADS & INSTANT GEAR ACCESS
BALANCE POCKETS & BAGS ARE THE HEART OF THE BODYPACK REVOLUTION
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With a traditional style backpack, you have to stop and take the pack off to access gear in the pack, or reach awkwardly behind to find your items in external side pockets. With an Aarn Bodypack, the Balance Pockets allow you to easily access your gear without stopping. Because of their large volume, the bags can be packed with the items you most need throughout the day- such as camera, hats, mitts, aps, compass, sunscreen, snacks. Additionally, you will place heavy items such as stove, fuel, water, in these front bags. The heaviest, most compact and most often needed item we carry is water. It is best if this is placed as far forward as possible, in the stretch pockets on the front of each Balance Pocket. We find it is more efficient to use bottles than hydration systems. Bottles are easily accessed and you can refill them without taking the Bodypack off. If you prefer hydration bladders, place one in the mesh pockets of each Balance Pocket. By placing as much weight in the Balance Pockets as possible, you will achieve optimum balance and posture. Most models allow you to attach trekking poles in front while on the move. One model (Guiding Light) has built in tool quivers on the sides of the pack. You can pack and reach ice axes, snow stakes, tent poles or tripods without removing the pack. The Guiding Light has a rope door behind the head to feed a climbing rope in or out with the pack on. Three models allow you to attach a Petzl Carritool or a Black Diamond Ice Clipper on the Pelvic-Form Hipbelt. You can load up your quickdraws or ice screws in position for quick access, while putting their load on your hips. |
Aarn Bodypacks (pack plus pair of front balance pockets) are the best backpacks available. They use 4 different systems for carrying load on the front to counterbalance the load on your back. Each has its own advantages depending on usage.
(Click on Images below to evaluate and purchase.)
Our balance pockets come in pairs and attach to your Aarn pack before you put it on. They may be left attached or removed easily to create the best daypack for hiking or travel, depending on your needs. There are 3 kinds of balance bags:
Hipster, Compact, Mountain and Marathon Balance Pockets
These Pockets attach to the small to mid-volume pack models equipped with Auto-Form hipbelts and Lite Shoulder Straps. The Ultralite Pockets automatically position at the ideal spacing for good feet visibility and arm swing clearance.
Sport and Expedition Balance Pockets
These pockets attach to the larger models with Pelvic Form hipbelts and Flow-Thru Shoulder Straps. They may be unclipped at the top and pivot to the sides under your arms in conditions where your chest needs to be close to a cliff face to maintain balance. Pivoting Pockets may need a hipbelt length adjustment to find the best gap for feet visibility.
Photo Balance Pockets
Combined with an Aarn pack, a pair of Photo Balance Pockets solves the frustrations of current camera bags.
Universal Balance Bags
Our Balance Bags are a single unit that attaches to any brand of pack, allowing those without Aarn Packs to derive the benefits of a counter-balanced load. They may be used with your Aarn pack if you prefer to put pack and pockets on separately. The bags quickly clip to the pack after you have put it on and are removed before you take it off. These offer a great solution for carrying children effortlessly in a kiddy carrier, providing improved balance and reduced strain. Additionally, more storage volume is created, making backpacking with small children more practical. As a final note, Balance Bags provide a new design solution to backpack related injury in school children when teamed up with our FlowMo Friend.
