[pct-l] Jardine and the Backpack Hip Belt

[Yoshihiro Murakami]

Dear Steeleye

I learned and memorized  the landscape of JMT from several photos
beforehand  in my first attempt of JMT. This photo might be the
technique of "Jardine carry". I did not know the Jardine's book 2
years ago. My first impression was that he had selected the bad
backpack.

http://bryanlallen.smugmug.com/Nature/JMT-2007/3182426_zEGQU#175182070_f4ACi-A-LB






2011/2/16 CHUCK CHELIN <steeleye at wildblue.net>:
> Good morning, Sym,
>
> I discount Jardine’s “belt crunch” theory because I’ve found that for every
> instance I was distressed by having a belt-constrained pack I could find an
> equally distressing situation where a beltless pack flopped out of position.
>
>
> More important to me is the need to reduce weight by having frameless pack.
> Without a frame of some sort to apply force to the belt structure the pack
> just slumps and continues to load the shoulder straps – obviating the need
> for the belt.
>
> When I first read Jardine’s description of one-shoulder hiking I thought it
> was a silly idea, but after trying it I became convinced it was a very silly
> idea.  My 8 lb. base weight, loaded with food, fuel, and water consumables,
> could be about 20 lbs.   That’s 10 lbs. on each shoulder, or 20 lbs per
> shoulder with the “Jardine carry”.  Most ultra-lite hikers, including me,
> would consider a 40 lb. pack too heavy to be comfortably carried, however
> that pack would also provide 20 lbs. per shoulder – the same as the “Jardine
> carry”.
>
> Not only is the force at the one shoulder doubled, but my body is off-center
> loaded which strains my back, disturbs my gait, and changes my balance.  If
> I were one day from resupply, and was not carrying much water, my resulting
> 10 lb. pack could be carried any-which-way with no real effect, but why do
> it?
>
> Before you whack off your hip belt, give the idea a good test in actual
> hiking:  Unhook the belt and hike using one shoulder as well as two.  In a
> similar test, if your feet get tired, try resting one foot while hopping
> along on the other.
>
>
> Steel-Eye
>
> Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965
>
> http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye
>
> http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09
>
>
> On Mon, Feb 14, 2011 at 7:09 PM, Sym Blanchard <symbiosis222 at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> I just read Ray Jardine's opinion of backpack hip belts on page 44 of his
>> book *Trail LIfe*.
>>
>> He reckons that the hip belt constrains spine motion, and therefore
>> increases one's chance of injury from falling. "Crunch!" he says.
>>
>> Last September, I had fallen while hiking the PCT, breaking my ankle and
>> shoulder.  I figured I need to get trekking poles (which I hate), ditch my
>> umbrella (which I love), and buy high top hiking shoes (which I hate).
>>
>> Now I am rethinking my strategy.  My base pack weight is about 8-1/2 pounds
>> so I can cut off my hip belt, but the weight still seems tiresome on my
>> shoulders (especially when fully loaded with food and water).
>>
>> I am thinking about working out more at the gym to build up my shoulders
>> and
>> then carrying the pack on alternate shoulders (a la Jardine).
>>
>> Anyone else have this experience or have thoughts on this strategy?
>>
>> Thanks in Advance,
>> Symbiosis
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-- 
Sincerely
--------------- --------------------------------------
Hiro    ( Yoshihiro Murakami )
Blogs http://completewalker.blogspot.com/
Photo http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/CompleteWalker/
Backpacking since about 1980 in Japan
2009 JMT, the first America.
2010 JMT, the second America.
------------------------------------------------------