Aarn Bodypacks

Thanks Aarn. I have a multi day trip planned in January and will take advantage of your tester program. One question - does the combination of pack on the back and balance packs on the front tend to get uncomfortably hot in warm weather? I sweat like 20 pigs when it's hot....

Hi Aarn. Thank for visiting the forum. If I can ask, what are the most significant barriers which block New Zealand retailers from stocking your products? Is New Zealand a market which the company spends much time chasing compared with overseas buyers? I think it's fantastic that you'll offer to send individual test-packs to people around NZ for testing purposes, but I found it a little ironic that it was much easier to see a decent range of Aarn products on a retail shelf during my time living in Melbourne than it was (either before or after that Melbourne stint) in Wellington.

Im interested in the body pack idea, I think the idea has merit especially if you were carring a light load. I'm not keen to slape down a couple of hundred to find it doesnt work well though. Those front pouches look like they could interfer with your legs when climbing/walking uphill. Does anyone have any experience with Aarn gear?

bradley1, if you contact Aarn (the company or the person), they'll typically be happy for you to trial one of their packs for a week or two. When I investigated this a few years ago, the offer included them paying to freight the thing to Wellington and freight it back. I'm not sure if Aarn still has that policy/programme but I'd not be surprised if it does. Hopefully Aarn could elaborate when he next visits the forum. The general Aarn line on this question is that they don't interfere, even in situations like river crossings. There are big sections about balance pockets in the FAQ at http://aarnpacks.com/faq/ I haven't tried it properly, but I can imagine how this would be the case as I carry quite a few things on the front of me. In practice it actually seems to be one of the more protected places when I'm crashing through bush head-first. :)

Hello Bradley1 I've used an Aarn pack (a Guiding Light Mk 1) as my main pack for almost four years. It's done 3-4 hundred days in the hills now with much of that thru untracked country. My one has the sport balance pockets & they are good thru the scrub & uphill so long as you don't overstuff them & hang them as high as the adjustable fittings allow. The pockets allow me quick access to stuff likely to be needed whilst walking and are much more useful than initially expected. Somewhere else on these forums there are posts about Aarn packs. I've found mine great; the best I've ever had in over 40 years of working & recreating in the bush & mountains! A similar weight in my M Mule or other frame pack seems lighter if carried in the Aarn. p.s. this is an unsolicited endorsement. I've only met Aarn once, briefly when our separate tramping parties met in the Perth Valley, Sth Westland.

Hi HutchK No problem with heat as the Balance Pockets should not touch you. You can bend the frame to adjust the air gap. Hi Izogi Re getting into retail stores. There are a number of reasons. 1. Many stores do not want to spend extra time selling a new idea. They want things through the till as fast as possible. Or they do not have staff with the technical understanding who use packs all the time and have experienced the trade offs of carrying a backpack compared to a body pack. In our best stores the staff use our packs, and they sell more of our packs than any of the imported brands. 2. There are also chains of stores who import their own pack brands so make the best margins on them. 3. I have not had the time or cash flow to do regular sales trips around the country. I am sorry we have gaps in our distribution network- this will improve as more of you ask your local store why they don't stock Aarn Packs. Hi Glennj, The latest Balance Pocklet/hipbelt attachment system allows the Balance Pockets to sit higher so there is no leg interference in steep climbs and good for scrub.Thanks for your unsolicited testimonial. Could I add it to our testimonial portfolio? (You could email me your full name and town) Thanks!

Aarn I've replied via the link in your first post. Didn't say but in case you didn't click I'm the same Glenn J that worked for the NZFS in the old days and the one that is currently active with Permolat.