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Sandwich CarryingThe way in which you carry your
sandwiches, waterproofs, spare clothing, etc, whilst out can turn your walk into
a nightmare. Sore shoulders are
second only to sore feet in putting people off walking. Rucsacs come in all shapes and sizes.
Choosing the one which suits you the best can be a daunting task. For the occasional short, summer walk, a
small rucsac (in the 15l - 20l range) is generally perfectly adequate.
It is big enough for your sarnies, flask, waterproofs, First Aid Kit,
map, compass, whistle, and apple. As
this type of rucsac tends to be at the cheaper end of the market do not expect
it to have a long life, especially if you intend to use it two or three times a
week all year round. A padded back is something to look out
for. A medium size rucsac (30l - 40l) is
better if you intend to walk outside the summer season.
In addition to the above mentioned items you will need spare clothing
(mittens, scarf, hat/balclava, sweater, for if the weather turns cold), a
survival bag, a larger quantity of food and drink, torch, and emergency food
rations. When carrying such a load,
a restraining 'waist' belt is useful. This
will stop the rucsac swaying from side to side whilst walking.
Frames and 'true' hip belts (where the belt is fastened tightly round the
hip in order to carry the load here) are not generally available on rucsacs of
this size, but for serious walkers it is worth 'going up' a size (and price) for
the extra comfort. For weekend and long range day walking, a
rucsac with a 40l - 55l capacity is required.
Because of the extra weight being carried, it is essential to choose a
rucsac with a well-padded back, a hip-belt, and an internal frame.
The hip-belt should fit round the hip and not the waist. For week and expedition walking, a large
rucsac (55l - 70l) is required in order to accommodate all the extra food,
towels, etc, etc. Whilst the material of modern rucsacs is
waterproof, the abundance of seams means that the sac itself cannot be
considered so. Consequently a
plastic liner is recommended for inclement weather (bin-liners are too thin). When trying on a rucsac ask for some
weight to be added to it in order to judge what it feels like when full. The capacity (size) of rucsacs is measured in litres (l). |
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