Shopping Crisis!

On Sun, 03 Jul 2005 11:17:31 GMT, Andy Howell

andy.howellNOSPAM@ecotrendDOTorgDOTuk said:

This week I had a kind of Peewiglet crisis.

Eek! <fx: reaches for the pretzels and coffee with bated breath...>

Quoted message said:

Realising I was only a few weeks
away from the summer's trek it struck me that I didn't really need any new
gear!

What?! <fx: ha ha haha ha ha ha!> You can't be serious....

Quoted message said:

Anyhow, I found myself strolling around the gear shops of Covent
Garden on Friday and found myself buying one of these bioform hip belts by
Osprey.

I have an Osprey Crescent which I bought last summer, which is probably the
best heavy duty rucksack that I have ever owned. You can buy these new
belts separately, they cost £30. This seemed a reasonable gimmick to try
especially as there was nothing else I needed.

A man with an approach after my own heart!

Quoted message said:

But this is anything but a gimmick. The belt is heated in an oven for about
5 minutes, then you put the thing on and walk around the store for 10
minutes while it is moulding itself to the shape of your hip. The effects
are quite astonishing as - even without a pack - you can feel the thing
sticking to your hips as it permanently fixed there.

Now I don't have very prominent hips which means that packs, when fully
loaded, can slip about a bit. So yesterday I fixed the new belt to my pack
and loaded it up>. Bingo, it was far more stable than before, indeed I'd go
so far as to say it was something of a revelation.

If you already have an Osprey pack - Crescent, Luna, Aether or Ariel - these
are worth checking out. If you're looking for a new rucksack then these
belts are another good reason why it is worth checking out Osprey.

That's very interesting. I had the moulded belt on my Luna during my
Scotland walk in May, and I was really looking forward to using it. In
the end, though, I wasn't entirely sure that it was as comfy as I'd
expected it to be. I was probably carrying a bit more weight than I
really should have had (probably between 17-20kg depending on whether
my water thingy was full) but the Luna should be well able to cope
with that. My hips were a bit sore on a number of occasions, though,
and I had some bruises when I got back. I wasn't sure what to make of
it, and I'll be v. interested to hear how you've got on with yours
after your upcoming trip.

On teh other hand, the Osprey Atmos 50L that I took up to the Lakes 2
w/es ago for 2 days' backpacking was far and away the comfiest thing
I've ever carried. I think it was about 12kg w/o water.

Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \ pee AT [guessthisbit].co.uk

On Sun, 03 Jul 2005 11:17:31 GMT, Andy Howell

andy.howellNOSPAM@ecotrendDOTorgDOTuk said:

But this is anything but a gimmick. The belt is heated in an oven for about
5 minutes, then you put the thing on and walk around the store for 10
minutes while it is moulding itself to the shape of your hip. The effects
are quite astonishing as - even without a pack - you can feel the thing
sticking to your hips as it permanently fixed there.

Sounds like the stuff the splint department at the orthopaedic??
clinic uses, it's cut from a stiff plastic sheet. I wonder if there is
scope for a diy model?

AJH

Andy Howell said:

But this is anything but a gimmick. The belt is heated in an oven for about
5 minutes, then you put the thing on and walk around the store for 10
minutes while it is moulding itself to the shape of your hip.

Is it Titanium? No. So it *must* be a gimmick! QED... ;-)

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Andy Howell said:

Now I don't have very prominent hips which means that packs, when fully
loaded, can slip about a bit. So yesterday I fixed the new belt to my pack
and loaded it up>. Bingo, it was far more stable than before, indeed I'd go
so far as to say it was something of a revelation.

What happens when you put a little weight on? My hips certainly aren't
what they were a few years ago! :-(

--
Dave McLaughlin

[censored] Sapiens Non Urinat In Ventum

On 3/7/05 12:59, in article [email hidden],

Peewiglet said:

On teh other hand, the Osprey Atmos 50L that I took up to the Lakes 2
w/es ago for 2 days' backpacking was far and away the comfiest thing
I've ever carried. I think it was about 12kg w/o water.

I've been looking at these; everyone is saying that they are great. I've
got an Osprey Ellipse, 35 litre, which although not the heaviest tent has a
great weight bearing hip belt. Overall I'm quite impressed by Osprey!

I suspect the problem with the other pack was just weight. There comes a
point where nothing you do can really make things comfortable, especially if
you're travelling with a fair amount of food and water,

--
Andy Howell
Birmingham, UK

To mail simply put back the dots ...

On 3/7/05 12:59, in article [email hidden],

Peewiglet said:

Quoted message said:

Realising I was only a few weeks
away from the summer's trek it struck me that I didn't really need any new
gear!

What?! <fx: ha ha haha ha ha ha!> You can't be serious....

Have to confess to - today - going and buying some MSR titanium pans!

--
Andy Howell
Birmingham, UK

To mail simply put back the dots ...

Peewiglet said:

the end, though, I wasn't entirely sure that it was as comfy as I'd
expected it to be. I was probably carrying a bit more weight than I
really should have had (probably between 17-20kg depending on whether
my water thingy was full) but the Luna should be well able to cope
with that.

But ultimately it's you that's got to do the carrying. 20 Kg is a
*heavy* pack and there's no getting rid of the weight just by
adding a fancy hip-belt. When I've been carrying that size of pack
I've always been happy to get it off me, even though I find the
harness on my pack (an old Lowe) works very well for me. Weight is
weight, and it's never going to be a breeze in those sorts of
quantities.

Quoted message said:

My hips were a bit sore on a number of occasions, though,
and I had some bruises when I got back.

A "better" hip belt actually means more weight on your hips though.
Your shoulders probably had an easier time of it, though.

I'm still waiting for designers of big rucksacks to rewind 15 years
and realise that foam on the back (above the lumbar pad on the hip
belt) of a pack designed to take most of the weight through the
hipbelt is actually *bad* for comfort, adding unnecessary weight
and restricting ventilation for no gain whatsoever except looking
superficially comfier in the shop. <Grrrr>

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

In article <[email hidden]>, Dave
McLaughlin said...

Quoted message said:

Andy Howell said:

Now I don't have very prominent hips which means that packs, when fully
loaded, can slip about a bit. So yesterday I fixed the new belt to my pack
and loaded it up>. Bingo, it was far more stable than before, indeed I'd go
so far as to say it was something of a revelation.

What happens when you put a little weight on? My hips certainly aren't
what they were a few years ago! :-(

Mine are. My hips are /everything/ they were a few years ago. Plus
inflation.

--
/
Fran O(<|={
\

On Sun, 03 Jul 2005 19:06:29 GMT, Andy Howell

andy.howellNOSPAM@ecotrendDOTorgDOTuk said:

On 3/7/05 12:59, in article [email hidden],

Peewiglet said:

Quoted message said:

Realising I was only a few weeks
away from the summer's trek it struck me that I didn't really need any new
gear!

What?! <fx: ha ha haha ha ha ha!> You can't be serious....

Have to confess to - today - going and buying some MSR titanium pans!

Lovely things.... I'm sure you'll enjoy them. Now you can join the
Kettley Thing Owners Club, K-Toc!

Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \ pee AT [guessthisbit].co.uk

Peter Clinch said:

Quoted message said:

My hips were a bit sore on a number of occasions, though,
and I had some bruises when I got back.

A "better" hip belt actually means more weight on your hips though.
Your shoulders probably had an easier time of it, though.

Good point - I hadn't thought of that.

Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \ pee AT [guessthisbit].co.uk

Fran said:

Quoted message said:

What happens when you put a little weight on? My hips certainly aren't
what they were a few years ago! :-(

Mine are. My hips are /everything/ they were a few years ago. Plus
inflation.

:-) I know that feeling!

Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \ pee AT [guessthisbit].co.uk

On Sun, 03 Jul 2005 19:05:43 GMT, Andy Howell

andy.howellNOSPAM@ecotrendDOTorgDOTuk said:

Quoted message said:

On teh other hand, the Osprey Atmos 50L that I took up to the Lakes 2
w/es ago for 2 days' backpacking was far and away the comfiest thing
I've ever carried. I think it was about 12kg w/o water.

I've been looking at these; everyone is saying that they are great. I've
got an Osprey Ellipse, 35 litre, which although not the heaviest tent has a
great weight bearing hip belt. Overall I'm quite impressed by Osprey!

Me too. It's not just the comfort, of course, but the fact that the
packs have so obviously been designed by backpackers for backpackers.

<whisper>
I have the Atmos 35L day sack too.... it's the comfiest daysack I've
ever used.
</whisper>

Quoted message said:

I suspect the problem with the other pack was just weight. There comes a
point where nothing you do can really make things comfortable, especially if
you're travelling with a fair amount of food and water,

You're probably right. It was certainly too heavy, and that's rather
annoying because I actually spent ages planning what to take, to try
to keep it as light as possible. I'm going to apply again for next
year, though, and if I get in <fx: quick prayer> I'm taking the Atmos
50L. Anything that doesn't fit won't be going 🙂

Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \ pee AT [guessthisbit].co.uk

On Sun, 03 Jul 2005 22:40:02 +0100, Peewiglet <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I'm going to apply again for next
year, though, and if I get in <fx: quick prayer> I'm taking the Atmos
50L. Anything that doesn't fit won't be going 🙂

You read it here, folks!

Oh, if only MSR would bring out a Titanium wheelbarrow for poor
PeeWiglet!

Judith

Peter Clinch said:

Is it Titanium? No. So it *must* be a gimmick! QED... ;-)

Apparently, once moulded nothing to mis-shape them. That nice man at the
shop told me that even if I was to leave the belt out all day in Death
valley it would still be shaped to my hips! Apparently, they heat the belts
to 70 C.

Mind you I did buy some titanium MSR pans yesterday. A real steal at - gulp
- am not going to admit how much!

--
Andy Howell
Birmingham, UK

To mail simply put back the dots ...

On 3/7/05 18:35, in article [email hidden], "Dave

McLaughlin said:

What happens when you put a little weight on? My hips certainly aren't
what they were a few years ago! :-(

Having the same problem since the winter, having to spend too many weekends
at my computer. However, stomach is more of a problem than hips!

--
Andy Howell
Birmingham, UK

To mail simply put back the dots ...

Peter Clinch said:

But ultimately it's you that's got to do the carrying. 20 Kg is a
*heavy* pack and there's no getting rid of the weight just by
adding a fancy hip-belt. When I've been carrying that size of pack

20kg is far too much. I reckon mine - even loaded with tons of water in very
hot climates - is no more than 15k - and that's probably too much!

--
Andy Howell
Birmingham, UK

To mail simply put back the dots ...

On Sun, 03 Jul 2005 21:50:08 GMT, Andy Howell

andy.howellNOSPAM@ecotrendDOTorgDOTuk said:

Mind you I did buy some titanium MSR pans yesterday. A real steal at - gulp
- am not going to admit how much!

Tut.... I know how much.

(Don't ask me how...)

:-)

Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \ pee AT [guessthisbit].co.uk

Judith said:

Quoted message said:

I'm going to apply again for next
year, though, and if I get in <fx: quick prayer> I'm taking the Atmos
50L. Anything that doesn't fit won't be going 🙂

You read it here, folks!

Oh, if only MSR would bring out a Titanium wheelbarrow for poor
PeeWiglet!

Crubeens crossed! :-)

Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \ pee AT [guessthisbit].co.uk

Andy Howell said:

20kg is far too much. I reckon mine - even loaded with tons of water in very
hot climates - is no more than 15k - and that's probably too much!

Too much for what, though? The time I've taken that size of pack was
ski touring for a week with snowholing kit, which requires certain
standards of sleeping bag and clothing, plus stuff like snow shovels and
ski repair kit, which are simply irrelevant for a simple walk in hot
climates.

Different jobs require different kit: my ski touring/snowholing pack
pales into insignificance compared to what military guys have to take,
and they're not packing pointless luxuries. We all get similar rucksack
harnesses though.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/