Aarn Packs are the best hiking packs for you as they limit the pressure put on your body when backpacking. And when we say that our packs improve your posture and will help you have a much more enjoyable hiking experience, it's not just hot air! Tim Grigg, a University of Canterbury student, researched the impacts of traditional tramping packs and of Aarn Balance backpacks on your body’s movements and posture.
So great news, science is backing us! Here's a breakdown of Tim Grigg’s study. Promise, we’ll keep it simple! 

How was the scientific research conducted? 

After reviewing over 50 different research studies that all looked into the relationship between backpack design and the user's walking biomechanics (gait), two variables stood out as key indicators for evaluating efficient posture biomechanics:

• Lumber flexion angle: the forward lean created from the hips.
• Centre of pressure displacement: forward and backwards shift in overall body weight. 

Therefore, the aim was to collect and compare lumber flexion and centre of pressure data from an experiment that replicated typical tramping conditions. Eight experienced and healthy trampers all participated in physical testing, where they were required to walk on a treadmill that measured their gait/body movement.

The different test conditions were as follows: 

• No Backpack - Flat   Traditional Backpack - Flat    Aarn pack - Flat
• No Backpack - Incline   Traditional Backpack - Incline   Aarn pack - Incline
• No Backpack - Decline   Traditional Backpack - Decline   Aarn pack - Decline

Do Aarn Packs reduce the impact on your body while backpacking?

Yes, Aarn Packs help reduce the strains put on your body by a backpack when hiking. The research's results were striking, showing significant advantages of wearing an Aarn pack over a traditional pack. 

• When walking wearing the Aarn pack, insignificant changes in posture were observed, compared to walking without a backpack; lumbar flexion only increased by 6.24% and centre of pressure by 1.89%.
• In contrast, when comparing walking with a traditional backpack to no backpack, lumbar flexion was increased by 40.35% and centre of pressure increased by 12.26%.
• The centre of pressure is also closer to its natural location while wearing an Aarn Pack, compared to carrying a traditional backpack. 

So, what do these results mean for hikers?

1. A better posture means less body fatigue 

The Aarn pack encourages an upright posture that is less fatiguing on muscles, therefore, improving performance over the long run. On the other hand, traditional packs tend to create an unnatural increase of forward lean in the torso, leading to additional stress and strain on the muscles used to keep balanced, specifically the lower back and hips. This is because the body needs to work a lot harder to stay balanced while in a “hunched over” position. Over prolonged periods of exercise, this additional work takes its toll, increasing the rate of fatigue and decreasing gait efficiency.

2. Fewer injuries with an Aarn Pack

While wearing an Aarn pack, your gait and posture stay natural, therefore reducing the risk of injuries. 

The centre of pressure is important because of ground reaction forces. A healthy walking posture will absorb these forces appropriately in joints and muscles, whereas an unnatural shift in weight will place the body in a more vulnerable position. This can create a greater potential for chronic injuries (injuries developed over time). 

The traditional backpack’s centre of pressure displacement was further forward than the Aarn pack, indicating a more “jarring” and physically demanding gait.

While the Aarn pack obviously doesn’t make the extra tramping gear weight disappear, it does have a more positive influence during a prolonged period of carriage. The pack encourages a healthier posture, which creates a more energy-efficient gait that is also less prone to injury.