Micheal Garrett
External frame backpacks like vintage Keltys, Jansports, and Camp Trails put the load front and center for excellent weight distribution.
But the way you pack and position the heaviest items still impacts carrying comfort and control.
For the best performance from a classic vintage external frame backpack on the trail, you need to take advantage of the compact layout and place dense, weighty gear strategically. Suboptimal loading can throw off your balance and make the pack feel heavier than it should.
Why Weight Distribution Matters?
Good weight distribution does a few key things for external frame pack performance:
- Keeps overall load close to your core for stability
- Transfers weight efficiently through the frame and hip belt to your legs
- Minimizes side-to-side sway that strains your body’s alignment
- Lessons shock force of gear shifting violently on descents
- Reduces strain on shoulders compared to other pack types
When the heavy items ride high and tight, the frame feels like an extension of your body. Get it wrong and suffer the literal pains of improper loading.
Prime Placement for Heavy Items
Pack the following heavier gear items right up against the frame or uppermost in the main bag:
- Bear canister or food bag
- Stove, fuel, and cooking pot
- Share of communal gear like rope, tent
- Dense tools like saw, axe, climbing gear
- Water bladder or bottles
Keep volumetric fluffier items like clothing, sleeping bags, and pads towards the bottom and periphery of the main compartment.
The waist belt on an external frame is ideal for carrying water weight to keep it high. Use holsters to distribute bottle or bladder weight on both sides of waist.
Strategic Lighter Item Pairing
While heavy items ride up top, you can use lighter items in strategic ways:
- Place popular in-camp items like headlamp, jacket, first aid kit in lid for quick access
- Layer soft or pokey objects like clothes between dense objects to prevent uncomfortable pokes
- Sandwich odd-shaped objects between blocky dense items to immobilize them
- Surround rigid delicate items with padding
Think tetris when filling out the bag around the heavy central core.
Use All Compartments
Take advantage of an external frame’s multiple compartments to isolate and stabilize sections:
- Main bag: heavy shared and communal gear
- Top lid: frequently used lightweight items
- Front daisy chain: sleeping pad, tent, poles lashed tightly
- Side pouches: water and snacks close at hand
- Hip belt pockets: maps, compass, permit
Multiple compartments prevent weight shifting side to side as you move.
Prioritize Vertical Space
Given the narrow profile of vintage external frame packs, use the vertical space to achieve the best weight stacking:
- Long bulky items like tents and pads go highest, lashed above the lid
- Dense bricks like stoves and pots fit lowest near lumbar
- Soft low-density layers in the middle help absorb motion
Build up a 3D grid placing heaviest cubes vertically centered. With a deliberate loading strategy using these tips, your vintage external frame pack will handle like a dream! Adjust and refine your system with experience. Happy trails!
