Subscribe to the Camobloge Over the years, I’ve spent a great deal of time in the great outdoors. Growing up, playing airsoft with my friends, hiking, camping, and playing team sports were always some of my favorite pastimes. However, it wasn’t until recently that I found an interest in a new hobby; backpacking. For those of you who (like me 6 months ago) might not be familiar with the term, backpacking is when you go on a multi-day hike while carrying your gear on your back. With the restrictions on travel that made it more difficult for people to go on their usual weekend getaways, backpacking has blown up in popularity with more Google searches in 2020 than at any time over the past five years!
I was responsible for more than a few of those Google searches. Backpacking seemed like a logical next step in my outdoorsman journey as a lifelong camper. While I have typically been a car-camper, I have always been interested in braving the wilderness with nothing but a map, compass, and the contents of my pack.
I already have my first backpacking destination in mind; the Great Range in the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate, New York. The Great Range is a mountainous 20+ mile trail that traverses over 12 of the Adirondacks’ 46 peaks with around 10,000 feet of elevation gain. Before taking on this challenge, it seemed wise to take a few baby steps and try walking with a weighted pack on some simpler trails closer to home. This way, I could gauge how difficult the Great Range might be and see if I can handle walking around with a weighted backpack.
With this in mind, I set out to find a rugged and lightweight hiking backpack that could handle at least 25 pounds of internal weight. I had a few make-or-break criteria that needed to be met; a kidney strap, sternum strap, comfortable backpack straps, hydration bladder compatibility, a breathable back to prevent sweat buildup, and of course, the durability required to handle the 25 pounds of free weights that I used to simulate carrying a full backpacking pack. This led me to one bag in particular, Rothco’s Medium Transport Pack.
The military-style backpack checked off all of my boxes and then some. It had plenty of pockets for storing EDC (everyday carry) essentials like my multitool pocket knife, fire rod, keys, and wallet, as well as ample space for hiking snacks. Cinch straps tightened the bag to keep the contents from bumping around, and it boasts a supremely-cool tactical look with MOLLE webbing.
The same week I got the pack, I was out on the trail with my backpack full of free weights, and boy am I glad I went with this Medium Transport Pack, over taking the lazy route and stuffing an old schoolbag. I chose a local 6-mile trail around a lake with just a little bit of elevation, and within the first mile, it was very clear that the kidney and sternum straps were absolutely essential. Without them, I found the burden of the weight overly concentrated on my back instead of on my hips and legs, where it belonged. I was glad that Rothco had clearly put a lot of thought into the design of this pack.
I stopped a few times throughout the course of the training hike to take in some beautiful views of the lake, which was filled with swans and fishermen. One fisherman I spoke to told me that he had been coming to that same fishing spot for over 30 years, and while we were chatting, I watched him pull a beautiful Yellow Perch out of the water. He jokingly offered me the opportunity to take it home in my backpack, but there was no way I was letting my brand-new hiking pack become a smelly fish sack!
I continued rucking along the trail with my heavy pack, stopping occasionally for breathers and granola bars. After about two and a half hours of hiking, I was exhausted as I hit the end of the trail. The backpack, however, looked like it could have gone on for a few hundred more miles. Even with the highly-concentrated pressure of the free weights, the bag held its shape perfectly and showed no signs of wear-and-tear. My body felt great, too, thanks to the ergonomic design of the padded shoulder straps, and reinforcing kidney and sternum straps.
It is clear that I have a long way to go before I am ready to take on the Great Range. I am thankful to have as reliable a training partner as Rothco’s Medium Transport Pack, which will be coming with me on each and every hike from now on. I am even considering picking up one of their larger packs, the Global Assault Pack, for when I eventually take on a more serious backpacking challenge. Thanks, Rothco!
I was responsible for more than a few of those Google searches. Backpacking seemed like a logical next step in my outdoorsman journey as a lifelong camper. While I have typically been a car-camper, I have always been interested in braving the wilderness with nothing but a map, compass, and the contents of my pack.
I already have my first backpacking destination in mind; the Great Range in the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate, New York. The Great Range is a mountainous 20+ mile trail that traverses over 12 of the Adirondacks’ 46 peaks with around 10,000 feet of elevation gain. Before taking on this challenge, it seemed wise to take a few baby steps and try walking with a weighted pack on some simpler trails closer to home. This way, I could gauge how difficult the Great Range might be and see if I can handle walking around with a weighted backpack.
With this in mind, I set out to find a rugged and lightweight hiking backpack that could handle at least 25 pounds of internal weight. I had a few make-or-break criteria that needed to be met; a kidney strap, sternum strap, comfortable backpack straps, hydration bladder compatibility, a breathable back to prevent sweat buildup, and of course, the durability required to handle the 25 pounds of free weights that I used to simulate carrying a full backpacking pack. This led me to one bag in particular, Rothco’s Medium Transport Pack.
The military-style backpack checked off all of my boxes and then some. It had plenty of pockets for storing EDC (everyday carry) essentials like my multitool pocket knife, fire rod, keys, and wallet, as well as ample space for hiking snacks. Cinch straps tightened the bag to keep the contents from bumping around, and it boasts a supremely-cool tactical look with MOLLE webbing.
The same week I got the pack, I was out on the trail with my backpack full of free weights, and boy am I glad I went with this Medium Transport Pack, over taking the lazy route and stuffing an old schoolbag. I chose a local 6-mile trail around a lake with just a little bit of elevation, and within the first mile, it was very clear that the kidney and sternum straps were absolutely essential. Without them, I found the burden of the weight overly concentrated on my back instead of on my hips and legs, where it belonged. I was glad that Rothco had clearly put a lot of thought into the design of this pack.
I stopped a few times throughout the course of the training hike to take in some beautiful views of the lake, which was filled with swans and fishermen. One fisherman I spoke to told me that he had been coming to that same fishing spot for over 30 years, and while we were chatting, I watched him pull a beautiful Yellow Perch out of the water. He jokingly offered me the opportunity to take it home in my backpack, but there was no way I was letting my brand-new hiking pack become a smelly fish sack!
I continued rucking along the trail with my heavy pack, stopping occasionally for breathers and granola bars. After about two and a half hours of hiking, I was exhausted as I hit the end of the trail. The backpack, however, looked like it could have gone on for a few hundred more miles. Even with the highly-concentrated pressure of the free weights, the bag held its shape perfectly and showed no signs of wear-and-tear. My body felt great, too, thanks to the ergonomic design of the padded shoulder straps, and reinforcing kidney and sternum straps.
It is clear that I have a long way to go before I am ready to take on the Great Range. I am thankful to have as reliable a training partner as Rothco’s Medium Transport Pack, which will be coming with me on each and every hike from now on. I am even considering picking up one of their larger packs, the Global Assault Pack, for when I eventually take on a more serious backpacking challenge. Thanks, Rothco!
This post first appeared on Rothco's Camobloge: A Rothco Tradition, please read the originial post: here
