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"It doesn't even feel like I'm wearing a pack!"
Our founders, Aarn and Devi Tate, set out to challenge traditional backpack design thinking. They spent years researching, innovating, and developing new design principles to create a pack that didn’t alter posture, balance and movement.
Designing the most comfortable packs on Earth has become Aarn’s driving force and mission, which we continue to stand by today.
Thanks to its free movement harness and balance systems, Aarn Packs remains an industry leader in the outdoor adventure scene. We’re proud to have received accolades and awards from Trail Kauftipp, Editors Choice at Outdoor, Outdoor Gold Winner, Gear Guide Innovation Awards, and ISPO Brand New Award.
Aarn Packs and Balance Pockets are designed here in Christchurch, New Zealand, and are available worldwide. Our design principles stay the same to this day, with a focus on posture, balance, movement, fit, lightness and using science to improve your comfort and health.
We believe that everyone deserves a good backpack and want to give everyone the confidence to hike and carry a backpack. If you think you can’t, we think you can, with an Aarn Pack!
We also care about the people making our packs. Our products are made in Vietnam in a professional pack factory with good working conditions. We visit our Vietnam team regularly and love to catch up with them over noodles in the factory canteen.
Aarn Packs was born in Aotearoa New Zealand, Mother Nature’s playground, where spending time in the mountains and on the trails is a way of life.
Aarn designed Aarn Packs and Pockets with one thing in mind: to help people enjoy being in nature.
By giving people the opportunity to immerse themselves in nature without pain or the long-term effects of unnecessary force on the spine, we believe that more people will give hiking a go and make it a lifestyle choice. Ultimately, leading to more people loving nature and the outdoors and having more people wanting to care for our great planet.
Our packs are designed with sustainability in mind. We use parts that can be easily replaced to extend the life of our packs.
“Love my pack!"
“My name is Patrick Jackson and I own and operate ChangingGear in Whitehorse Yukon. I recently completed another trip over the Chilkoot Pass and met some Australian hikers who were using your packs. They were kind enough to offer to try them and after 5 days using my pack and then slipping your pack on, it was like heavy boots to silk slippers. I was very impressed and they spoke very highly of the counterbalance system.”
Patrick Jackson, Yukon, Alaska
"Our research identified the principles of load carriage. As far as I am aware Aarn Bodypacks are the first to really put the principles into practice"
“For over 25 years I have been conducting international research on load carriage in military and leisure settings. This has involved a wide range of laboratory and field studies of many types of load carriage systems. Our research identified the principles of load carriage. As far as I am aware Aarn Bodypacks are the first to really put the principles into practice.”
Professor Stephen Legg, Centre for Ergonomics, Occupational Safety and Health
Massey University
"I think the pack is tremendous! It’s the first pack I’ve had that really does what it is supposed to."
"I had back surgery six years ago. Part of a disc in my back was removed. I don’t have any back pain with my Aarn pack as I always had with other packs. Backpacking is the love of my life. I have had one of the best known, highly rated and most expensive internal frame packs on the market. This one surpasses that in terms of comfort. There was no discomfort in either the shoulders or the hips.”
Dr. Jan Lemon, Boulder, CO, USA
Neuropsychologist