Aarn Featherlight Freedom Pack
Balance Pockets
This is a fairly unique feature of Aarn packs. The idea is that you pack these front pockets with heavy items like food and water to achieve a better fore/aft weight balance.
Balance pocket benefits
- Very little pressure on the collar bone. This is usually a problem for me with conventional packs.
- More upright posture.
- Easy access to gear. Camera, water bottles, snacks etc. I've also found it great for a beanie, I can just take it on or off as I walk to maintain a more comfortable temperature.
- Pockets can get in the way of the legs when going up very steep terrain.
- Pockets bounce around a lot when running.
Fitting
The feather lite freedom offers many ways to customize the fit. The back length is adjustable as on most packs, I'm six foot five and with the large model I still don't have the back at full length so it's a good pack for tall people. There is a removable aluminium bar which allows you to adjust the back panel to fit the shape of your back, this seems to work very well. The hip belt comes in different sizes and each one is also adjustable for length and angle. I've found it to be a very comfortable hip belt, I can tighten it right up with out excessive pressure on my hip bones.
Freedom of movement
The shoulder straps on this pack are joined in such a way that when one shoulder lifts the strap will lengthen on that side and shorten on the other. This seems to work well when moving around obstacles on the track.
Conclusion
The featherlite freedom is now my pack of choice. I do wish the pockets would sit a little higher so as not to restrict leg movement on very steep terrain.
Update:
After having this pack for a couple of months I've found the restricted leg movement much less of a problem than I first though. The more upright posture and decreased pressure on the shoulders are great benefits that get more noticeable on a longer trip when more weight is being carried.