If you’ve taken a moment or two to look around our site, you’ve likely noticed that those wearing an Aarn bodypack often have goofy-looking bags attached to the front portion of their body and are likely wondering why they have these and if they add any value.

Look Past the Look

Imagine if you’d never seen anyone carrying something in a backpack before; you’d be pretty confused the first time you saw someone carrying something with their back instead of their arms, right? Then, the first time you carried the same load in a pack, you’d likely be out looking for the best hiking packs you could find; we see our balance packs (the front pouches) as the same.

Incredible Ergonomic Value

Consider this: Your spine is not a straight line, it curves inward as it approaches your waistline, yet a traditional hiking pack alone distributes weight straight down, as if your spine did not curve. By offsetting that weight with a counter weight on the lower front portion of your body, you bring the weight distribution into alignment with your body’s natural shape. If you were to carry the same load in your pack before adding our Body Packs to your front, effectively carrying additional weight in them, you’ll definitely feel as though you carried less after a few hours, not more. By aligning the load with your body’s desired shape, it will feel as though you’re carrying much, much less than you are.

They’re Handy, Too

The term “handy” was made to refer to things that are conveniently close at hand; what could be more close at hand than packs that you can actually rest your hands upon? Even the best hiking packs in the world can’t give you access to the things you’ll need while you’re blazing the trail. By now, you’re probably used to stopping to get anything you need out of your pack, replacing it, re-hoisting your pack, and then moving on; maybe you have a buddy do the pack digging for you, but neither case allows you to continue moving as you do so. With our Balance Packs, accessing the things you need to keep “handy” will be easier than ever before. Plus, since you’ll receive the ergonomic benefits mentioned above, you won’t want to stop and dig through your pack nearly as often anyway!

Find Your Next Pack Today

At Light Hiking Gear, we have put real science to work in each of our Bodypacks. Through strategically-applied engineering and a willingness to think outside the box, we have designed a pack that is sure to feel better, longer - because it was designed to do so. Look through all of our ultralight body packs to find your next hiking pack. Even if you’ve just upgraded your pack, you can browse our selection of Balance Packs to accent just about any hiking pack out there and make it much more enjoyable to wear!

Browse our entire selection of packs available online today!