Ultralight2

HOW DO WE DECIDE WHICH USES LESS ENERGY TO CARRY: AN AARN BALANCE PACK OR ANOTHER BRAND OF ULTRALIGHT PACK IN DYNEEMA COMPOSITE FABRICS?

1. If the Aarn Balance Pack and the backpack are the same weight, the Balance Pack will always require significantly less energy to carry
2. If two backpacks are the same weight and you add Balance Pockets or Balance Bags to one, then the one with the Balance Pockets or Bags will use less energy if the total load (including the pack) is only over 3.5 kg! With heavier loads, this energy reduction is magnified.
3. Imagine a pack that is 1 kg lighter than our large Ultralite models because it does not have Balance Pockets, U Flow systems or waterproof liners, and may not have such an effective frame or hipbelt. Only when carrying very low weights do you have an energy advantage with the 1 kg lighter backpack. With a total load of 7kg or more (including pack weight) the energy savings of our Balance Packs win out, increasing further with heavier loads. (Source: Professor Ray Lloyd). Below 7kg total load, you still get the benefits of better balance, instant gear access and no pull back force on the shoulders with your Aarn Balance Pack.

4. When comparing the weight of other backpacks to Aarn Balance Packs, be sure to compare like with like. Waterproof liners come standard with most of our models, so add these to a competitors product for a true comparison.

NATURALLY BALANCED LOAD + LOW WEIGHT = MINIMUM EFFORT + MINIMUM STRAIN

The research shows that reducing the weight alone will not achieve the maximum efficiency load carrying. Minimum weight must be combined with a naturally balanced load and Flow systems in the pack to achieve the greatest distance with the least effort and strain.

If you have already invested in another brand expensive Dyneema Composite backpack, you can still derive benefits from a more naturally balanced load by adding Aarn Universal Balance Bags.

Sports science findings suggest that adding the Balance Bags will reduce the energy to carry a load once total load of an alternative brand pack and Aarn Balance Bags is above a threshold of only 4-4.5 kg! (depending on how deep the side profile of the pack is). As the load increases above this, the energy savings of your newly created Balance Pack vs your standard pack will further increase. Additional benefits are the instant access to everything you need during the day without stopping and taking the pack off, the greatly improved balance, the more upright posture and the extra capacity.

Note The energy savings will not match that of a complete Aarn Balance Pack, because other brands of pack have not optimised their frame and bag designs for the slimmest side profile and full body movement (research shows both factors are needed for minimum effort load-carrying).

Hazel Meehan

I am deeply in love with wild places.

My relationship with the outdoors started as a teenager when I fell head over heels for rock climbing, often literally. I am inspired by expedition climbers and the notion of exploring and creating a relationship with a place. I find this to be especially true when soaked to the skin and covered in mud, belting out some Taylor Swift two hours into a 12-hour day.

Tramping allows me to experience the wild places in our world and helps create a deep sense of belonging tied to those places. The feeling I get, walking along a ridge playing hide and seek with the Kea is unbeatable. There is so much mana in these spaces, it is such a privilege to get to be a part of them for a short while.

This season I'm striving to explore fear and challenge with curiosity while deepening my connection with the places I study on my topo map.

@hazeldoesstuff

Mickey & Michelle

Musicians from Australia, Mickey & Michelle’s hiking origin stories are polar opposites!

Michelle started hiking with her Dad when she was 23, methodically gaining skills and gear over four years with the goal of her first long-distance hike at 27, the 680km Australian Alps Walking Track. Mickey spontaneously said ‘yes!’ to fill in on a section of this hike. His first ‘overnighter’ was 230km – there were some seriously sore knees, but also a very happy, inspired Mickey.

Both now hooked on long-distance hiking, they set their sights on New Zealand’s 3000km Te Araroa Trail. To make the 6 months of hiking financially feasible, they formed a band, wrote an original music set, recorded a debut album, brought their instruments and embarked on a walking tour playing concerts along the trail. It was a truly life-changing experience.

And Aarn packs have been with them the whole way! Michelle needs to load her back well due to a diagnosis of Osteoporosis when she was 24. Aarn packs just made sense. The fact that they’re also comfy and easy to access gear from the front pockets is an added bonus for her!

@mickeyandmichelle

The Yogaslackers

Raquel Hernandez-Cruz and Sam Salwei, the dynamic duo behind YogaSlackers, are known for merging yoga, acrobatics, and slacklining with significant contributions to the outdoor industry. For over a decade, they've been pivotal in testing and refining outdoor equipment, drawing from their extensive adventure sports expertise and a nomadic lifestyle, showcased by their life in the "#SlackerVan.

Their nomadic journey, vividly captured in their film "Road to Wanderlust," exemplifies their commitment to a life of constant movement, embracing the freedom and challenges that come with travelling extensively. This way of life deeply influences their work and teachings.

Together, they lead multi-day adventures, merging physical challenges with the serenity of natural environments. Their story, transcending physical feats, embodies balance, trust, and a life rich in adventure. They inspire people of all ages to explore the endless possibilities of life, backed by gear that they've helped to develop and perfect through their own adventures.

@yogaslackers