Backpacks! We chat with Amy Parulis from Deuter USA about exactly that!

In this episode, we talk with Amy Parulis from Deuter USA about the significance of selecting the right backpack for various activities. We explore features such as durability, ventilation, shoulder support, waistbands, tear resistance, and compartments. We commend Deuter backpacks for their functionality and longevity, while Amy highlights the evolution of backpack design, including the use of breathable suspension back panels and eco-friendly materials free from harmful chemicals since 2020. Special attention is given to the SL line, designed for women with narrower shoulders and shorter torsos.

Amy discusses her preference for Deuter SL bags due to shoulder issues and stresses the importance of choosing a bag based on personal fit, activity requirements, and comfort. She recommends trying bags in person and adjusting straps properly. Budget considerations and the versatility of certain models like the Speedlite are also discussed. The conversation touches on the suitability of specific bags for hiking and canoeing, mentioning waterproof options and the benefits of versatile designs across activities.

The discussion shifts to the use of sustainable materials, highlighting Bluesign-certified fabrics, recycled polyesters, and eco-friendly dyes, while emphasizing fair worker treatment and the balance between sustainability and durability. Challenges in using entirely recycled materials are acknowledged, alongside efforts to prioritize environmental consciousness in product development. Issues with “forever chemicals” and criticism of fast fashion’s impact on waste are mentioned.

The podcast also covers understanding bag capacities, the effect of additional features like expansion collars, and proper weight distribution to minimize strain. The use of hip belts for carrying essentials and ensuring comfort despite a heavier bag is emphasized. Adjusting straps correctly to avoid discomfort is advised, and trying different bags for optimal comfort is encouraged.

Finally, the importance of finding a backpack that fits individual needs is underscored, suggesting trying different brands and borrowing from friends before purchasing. 

Amy knows all the things. Come listen.

Transcript

00:00 - 00:01
Hello, and good day, eh?

00:01 - 00:04
Welcome to the Super Good Camping podcast. My name is Pamela.

00:04 - 00:04
I'm Tim.

00:04 - 00:05
And we are from supergoodcamping.com.

00:06 - 00:10
We are here because we are on a mission to inspire other families to enjoy camping adventures

00:10 - 00:12
such as we have with our kids.

00:12 - 00:14
Today's guest is the first in another new series.

00:14 - 00:19
We love talking about our personal experiences with particular pieces of gear, but we also thought

00:19 - 00:20
it would be good to hear from the pros.

00:21 - 00:25
To that end, we've reached out to a number of equipment manufacturers, outfitters, and retailers.

00:25 - 00:31
Amy Perullis works for Deuter USA, a backpack manufacturer that's been around since 18/98.

00:32 - 00:36
So I'm guessing they have a clue about what they're doing. Welcome, Amy. Let's talk about backpacks.

00:37 - 00:39
Oh, thank you for having me. You're welcome.

00:39 - 00:40
Thanks for coming out.

00:40 - 00:41
For being here.

00:41 - 00:44
I have a backpack. I have I have a lot of equipment issues.

00:44 - 00:50
I think I have something like 8 8 packs, 9 packs, something like that.

00:50 - 00:53
So I'm interested to know all things backpacks.

00:53 - 00:55
Is there such a thing as a backpack backpack fetish or a backpack?

00:55 - 00:56
Shit. Which this young lady would know. I would have

00:56 - 00:59
a few myself. It's fine. There

01:03 - 01:04
There's no

01:04 - 01:06
such thing as too many backpacks is what she's saying.

01:06 - 01:10
There there isn't. There are wrong backpacks for for doing different things.

01:10 - 01:19
In particular, I I like, my my Deuter is is my favorite simply because I had numerous other

01:19 - 01:21
backpacks that weren't doing what I wanted them to do.

01:21 - 01:23
So I sat down and went, okay.

01:23 - 01:25
Here's what here's what it has to happen.

01:25 - 01:27
Here's what it needs to do. These are the things.

01:27 - 01:30
And I specifically went out to to tackle those issues.

01:30 - 01:33
And it totally by accident.

01:33 - 01:36
I wasn't specifically looking at a Deuter.

01:36 - 01:40
I was looking at the backpack that would do what I needed it to do.

01:40 - 01:41
And it happened to be a daughter.

01:41 - 01:48
And it's, man, it's gotta be probably 8 years old, and it's got it has, like, literally it it's bombproof.

01:48 - 01:49
It has no wear on it at all.

01:49 - 01:52
So I'm I I have become a fan for that.

01:52 - 01:55
It's it's my favorite sort of day hike pack, I suppose.

01:55 - 01:57
So which one do you have there?

01:57 - 02:00
Pencil, it's a Speedlite, an older Speedlite?

02:00 - 02:02
Futura 2.

02:02 - 02:05
Oh, a Futura. Okay. So you have the suspension backpack.

02:05 - 02:09
Exactly. That's why I wanted it not sticking to me. Yeah.

02:09 - 02:16
So having that to have it off of me was great and it breezed because I sweat like I'm sweating now. Right?

02:16 - 02:19
And it's it's we're in April. I wanted that.

02:19 - 02:21
I want lots of really good shoulder support.

02:21 - 02:25
I wanted a waistband because I didn't have anything like that on any of my other packs.

02:26 - 02:30
I wanted tear resistant because I've got a couple of packs that have rips and holes and stuff in them.

02:31 - 02:35
Tenacious tape is filling those gaps now but they're not pretty.

02:35 - 02:36
And I wanted I wanted compartments.

02:36 - 02:39
I wanted to have more than just an inner and an outer.

02:39 - 02:45
I want that like, that bottom has worked out extremely well for stashing away different bits

02:45 - 02:49
to get at when I'm on a a day hike or whatever. Makes me happy.

02:49 - 02:56
Yeah. So we were actually the first company to do those, suspension back panels to get it off of your back.

02:57 - 02:59
We had the patent for it for a while.

02:59 - 03:03
Other people now since then have come up with their own version of it.

03:03 - 03:08
But we were the first ones to do that realizing that, again, for when you get really hot and

03:08 - 03:12
sweaty in in certain climates that you really want that to get it off your body.

03:12 - 03:18
And since then, we've moved it from that backpack and now we have it on, like, our bike specific bags.

03:18 - 03:21
We have it on backpacking bags, the future backpacking bags.

03:21 - 03:24
So it definitely helps with the breathability issue.

03:24 - 03:27
So what else would we look for or should we look for before looking at backpacks?

03:27 - 03:33
What other thing? Well so while I give you breathability, it takes it a little farther away from your back.

03:33 - 03:34
So it depends on the activity you're doing.

03:34 - 03:38
If you're doing something that there's, like, a real lot of scrambling or bouncing around or

03:38 - 03:42
whatnot, you might want one that actually fits closer to you.

03:43 - 03:45
So some of that is, you know, again, the preference.

03:45 - 03:51
So we do have it in a backpacking bag, but there's some people that just want their backpacking

03:51 - 03:54
stuff closer to their body, less movement, so they're gonna have that contact.

03:54 - 03:59
But you can still find again that the breathability through different various channels.

03:59 - 04:04
One of the things you wanna look for now when you're getting a backpack, at least we think one

04:04 - 04:09
of the important things is that it is PFC or PFAS free.

04:09 - 04:11
So it is free in forever chemicals.

04:11 - 04:16
For the longest time, in order to have the water resistant or waterproofing, the chemicals on

04:16 - 04:21
it, you know, could shed off or whatever and stay in, you know, the system.

04:21 - 04:27
And I think they said 99% adults in the US, they can find forever chemicals in your bloodstream now.

04:28 - 04:30
I'm sure that's the way for a lot of countries.

04:30 - 04:35
But since 2020, we have, not used any forever chemicals in any of our bags.

04:35 - 04:38
We started with some of the bags before then, especially the kids' bags.

04:38 - 04:42
That was our first focus, making sure that our children's bags didn't have it.

04:42 - 04:47
But then once 2020 came, all of our bags that come out now don't have those forever chemicals.

04:47 - 04:52
So you're gonna get your water resistance or waterproof without adversely affecting the environment.

04:53 - 04:54
So that's a big one.

04:54 - 04:55
Or a lot of times, it's the fit.

04:56 - 05:00
Like, there are gonna be people that just don't like how our bags fit, and that's fair.

05:00 - 05:05
Before I started working with Deuter, I found that they were actually my favorite fit.

05:05 - 05:07
I've had multiple shoulder surgeries.

05:07 - 05:10
So the SL line of the Deuter stands for slimline.

05:11 - 05:13
The shoulder straps are in a little bit more narrow.

05:14 - 05:18
As they kinda go down, they will taper on the SL line.

05:18 - 05:23
There's more of an s curve, shorter torso, and conical hip fins.

05:23 - 05:28
So what we did is we studied many women's bodies and kinda got an average.

05:28 - 05:32
Obviously, everybody's there's so many different body types, and we got an average and we found

05:32 - 05:35
on average, women had shorter torsos, narrower shoulders.

05:36 - 05:41
And just for me, with all my shoulder issues, I found the Deuter SL bags were worked best for me.

05:41 - 05:46
Now, you know, if you're a woman with the the wider shoulders, you're not gonna like the SL bag.

05:46 - 05:48
You might like one of our traditional bags.

05:48 - 05:51
But at the same time, you might find another brand fits you.

05:51 - 05:56
So I I really think you need to go in for a lot of time for a lot of these and try bags on and

05:56 - 06:02
talk to, you know, the retailers and talk to the staff and put weight in and actually feel what it's like.

06:03 - 06:07
You know, some of the smaller if you're under 20 liters, you can probably get away with buying

06:07 - 06:12
something online or or if you're used to something, but you really gotta feel it and and put

06:12 - 06:16
it on, and see how things buckle and how things strap.

06:16 - 06:19
Like, whether your sternum strap can move up and down.

06:19 - 06:23
So when you put it on, you don't feel like it's, like, choking you or, like, excuse me, women

06:23 - 06:25
way down on your chest and and in the way.

06:25 - 06:31
So, I mean, to me, really going in and and trying them on and feeling them is a big thing to look for.

06:32 - 06:34
And and know what you're doing using it for.

06:34 - 06:40
Like, if you're gonna be doing multiple activities, does your bag do you have one bag that fits all?

06:40 - 06:43
You know, if you're on a budget, finding that one bag that can do everything.

06:44 - 06:50
If you're not necessarily on a budget, you know, there are different bags for skiing as there are for bike riding.

06:50 - 06:54
That if you can get that in your budget, maybe you look at those specific things.

06:54 - 06:58
Because, again, like, if you have, like, a bike riding bag, it is gonna be a little slimmer.

06:58 - 07:03
It's gonna fit a little bit higher up because that's different than when you're hiking and how your body is.

07:03 - 07:05
So keeping those things in mind also. You know?

07:05 - 07:07
And then if you are on a budget, there are bags.

07:07 - 07:14
Like, for us, the speedlight is a bag that like, I used to use it for bike commuting. Used it for hiking.

07:14 - 07:15
You can use it for skiing.

07:15 - 07:19
So there are some of those bags that kinda can technically, it's a hiking bag if you look on

07:19 - 07:22
our line, but it really can tick those boxes for other things.

07:22 - 07:27
So also depends on your budget and, like, what you, you know, can afford to get you out.

07:27 - 07:33
So, you know, we want people to get out and have fun and figure out, you know, what you can

07:33 - 07:34
do so that you're comfortable.

07:34 - 07:43
Right. I think so for me, specifically to to my bag here, the the 3 3 or 4 bags that it was

07:43 - 07:47
that had sort of disappointed me that got me to to go and do this.

07:47 - 07:49
I just I did all the things.

07:49 - 07:51
Like, I went into mountain equipment.

07:51 - 07:53
That's our that's our REI here, I guess.

07:53 - 07:57
Mountain equipment co op back when it was mountain equipment co op. They did.

07:57 - 07:59
They fitted up a handful of bags on me.

07:59 - 08:05
This felt the it it just it felt like it was sitting in the right place for most of the stuff that I do.

08:05 - 08:11
I do do biking, but I also figured out a way to to to cinch up the the shoulder straps, and

08:11 - 08:17
it pulled the whole bag up a little bit, which was a perfect spot for for my my biking.

08:17 - 08:19
It works well for me for hiking.

08:19 - 08:25
A lot of the times, we're doing well, a lot of times, our eldest and I are in a canoe and off somewhere.

08:25 - 08:31
So it it doesn't have to do It has to it has to I need to be able to lower it a bit because

08:31 - 08:32
I've got a canoe over my head.

08:33 - 08:37
It it it covered it covers a lot of ground for the things that I do.

08:37 - 08:41
So it's it it is that almost fits everything I needed to do.

08:41 - 08:46
It'd be it'd be if it was rubber so that it I could fall into the water with it, that would

08:46 - 08:48
probably be all it needed. But Well,

08:48 - 08:54
maybe you should maybe look at the the Duraset bag, the the one from this photo shoot.

08:54 - 08:57
It actually is completely waterproof. Oh, no.

08:57 - 09:03
It it is an alpine back system, so it's gonna be a lot more sweaty on your back, but it is completely waterproof.

09:03 - 09:05
So if if it falls in on a canoe trip, you're fine.

09:05 - 09:08
And if it could double as a life jacket, that'd be especially good.

09:08 - 09:13
I mean, if you fill it with it I mean, if it has air in there instead of maybe, like, work out

09:13 - 09:17
I mean, because, again, you have your hip belt and your sternum strap maybe.

09:18 - 09:24
But, I mean, that's like even, like, we have, trail running bag that came out last year, the Ascender.

09:24 - 09:26
And so we started doing trail running specific bags.

09:27 - 09:31
But I found I actually really liked it for gravel bike races, the way, like, the vest fit.

09:31 - 09:36
And, again, there's a lot of these bags that are put in a certain category, but you can find

09:36 - 09:38
they work for your other activities as well.

09:38 - 09:41
So don't feel like you have to peg it into one category.

09:41 - 09:46
I know people that use the, skiing bags that they love just for regular hiking, and they you

09:46 - 09:47
know, they're just so comfortable.

09:47 - 09:51
So don't feel pegged down to to the category it says it has to be in.

09:51 - 09:57
Okay. Cool. I I'm just thinking about the the rubber that it might have looked like I wasn't listening.

09:58 - 09:59
I was trying to think ahead a bit.

10:01 - 10:06
What other so we're we we don't do the forever chemicals, which means materials.

10:06 - 10:11
What kind of materials are you using for the bags then?

10:11 - 10:15
Like like, I know I know that this probably has a a bunch of different materials on it.

10:16 - 10:21
I would say that there's some kind of a I don't know if it's a polyester or nylon. It probably

10:22 - 10:27
It could be both. We were also the first company to use nylon in backpacks way back when.

10:28 - 10:34
And, but a lot of times now it is polyester, and we are working on doing more recycled polyesters,

10:34 - 10:40
whether it is, from post consumer use of plastic bottles when people recycle their plastic bottles

10:40 - 10:42
or it's, just from other manufacturing.

10:43 - 10:51
So, again, like, this year, this season, the bags that have come out, we have a lot more of the recycled poly, polyester.

10:52 - 10:53
And we also work with BlueSign.

10:53 - 10:56
Do you guys know much about BlueSign? Nope.

10:56 - 11:04
So they are a worldwide organization that certifies whether you are following good practices

11:04 - 11:12
and making sure that the materials through the entire supply chain are, good for the environment and good for people.

11:12 - 11:16
So it's one of the thing you'll you'll probably start seeing it pop up more, whether Bluesign fabric.

11:17 - 11:22
We saw another competitor, the, not too long ago said, oh, this is our 1st Bluesign pack.

11:22 - 11:23
And we're like, oh, yeah.

11:23 - 11:28
We've we've had a few for a few years now, but, you're gonna see it a lot more popping up because

11:28 - 11:34
then it's it's it's whether, you know, you're following good supply chain the whole way from,

11:34 - 11:37
you know, start to finish, not just one part of your supply chain.

11:37 - 11:41
So So some of it's also like the dye you're using if it's more environmentally friendly opposed

11:41 - 11:45
to because dye the dye, the colors you know, be really bad.

11:45 - 11:51
Like, some of the the processes, some, apparel and manufacturing use can be really bad.

11:51 - 11:55
So it's not just, like, where it comes from, how it's made, like, whether it's recycled, like,

11:55 - 12:00
the way you get it, the way it's spun, how the, you know, the people working in the factories are treated.

12:00 - 12:01
And that's part of Fairware also.

12:01 - 12:06
So having all those things, like so now that's a big thing for us is making sure that we are

12:06 - 12:13
using better like, still good materials, but are also good for as good for the environment as

12:13 - 12:14
we can be along the way.

12:14 - 12:19
So trying not to use, you know, virgin materials and trying to do recycled as much as possible.

12:19 - 12:23
It's not always the case, like, again, with this new Durascent bag that is waterproof.

12:23 - 12:30
Again, it doesn't have any forever chemicals, but, you know, right now, we need to use some newer materials.

12:30 - 12:34
So the whole bag might not be blue sign but you might find pieces along the way.

12:34 - 12:41
So, you know, as much the fabric or or sometimes it's actually the sewing, the thread that's

12:41 - 12:42
used in it, the buckles.

12:42 - 12:47
Like, whether you can get recycled, you know, plastic on the buckles that are recycled, but

12:47 - 12:50
still can't stand out because recycled plastic is not as durable.

12:50 - 12:54
So, you know, that's one of the things we're also working on is finding as much.

12:54 - 12:58
So we have, you know, some of our new stuff, like our trail running line and some of our bike

12:58 - 13:00
stuff that came out this year.

13:00 - 13:01
It's a full BlueSign fabric.

13:01 - 13:04
I mean, not full suit Bluesign product.

13:04 - 13:05
So it's not just the fabric.

13:05 - 13:11
It's also the buckles, the hook and loop closure, the zippers, like, the whole process.

13:11 - 13:16
So that's another, you know, getting into having all that stuff.

13:16 - 13:21
But, again, a lot of what we use is just different versions of polyester and trying to do as

13:21 - 13:22
much recycled as we can now.

13:22 - 13:28
So, I mean, like, your bags, believe the future, next year's, I think, gonna have an update potentially.

13:28 - 13:32
It's gonna look completely different than what you have from 8 years ago.

13:32 - 13:37
And then, you know, working on the fabric in that case, we also have to work on, like, the suspension

13:37 - 13:39
material, trying to get that along.

13:39 - 13:43
Yeah. That's gotta be interesting too because when you're I because it would change, like, you'd

13:43 - 13:50
I like, I have a clue, but you I would assume you guys have, specs for the manufacturing stuff

13:50 - 13:54
where it has to have this much stretch to do that suspension thing.

13:55 - 13:59
If you make a change in the materials, I. E.

13:59 - 14:04
More recycled, that's going to change the properties of what it is. Then I don't know.

14:04 - 14:07
I guess it's I guess it's back to the lab to to figure out Yeah.

14:07 - 14:09
What we're talking about now.

14:09 - 14:14
So a bag like the future is probably gonna take longer than, say, you know, a speed light or

14:14 - 14:19
like how our trail came out this year, climate neutral, blue sign fabric just because there

14:19 - 14:24
are there is more technical features, I would say, on the Futura with that suspension back panel.

14:24 - 14:30
So it's gonna take a little longer until we find, again, that process that still meets our comfort,

14:30 - 14:33
still meets our durability, but also has the sustainability.

14:34 - 14:37
It's constantly a work in progress trying to, you know, get all those things.

14:37 - 14:39
And, you know, we're so it's slow.

14:39 - 14:45
You get the the products that you can get now, and you're still doing your r and d on the back

14:45 - 14:46
end of the other ones.

14:46 - 14:48
It keeps it from being boring, though. Right?

14:48 - 14:49
Yes.

14:49 - 14:50
Keeps you busy.

14:50 - 14:56
Along lines of, forever chemicals that that includes flame retardants as well?

14:56 - 15:02
Yeah. Definitely. That, flame retardants have been one that definitely has a lot of forever chemicals.

15:02 - 15:10
I think I was just reading the other day that, water 75% of water resistant fabrics that are

15:10 - 15:16
used whether it's clothing or or bags are still contained forever chemicals.

15:16 - 15:18
So there's still a lot out there.

15:18 - 15:24
So there's still, you know, you kinda wanna almost not demand but really talk to some of these

15:24 - 15:26
other companies that aren't doing it yet.

15:26 - 15:31
Like, you know, what can we do to get you guys to switch over so it's it's good for everybody

15:31 - 15:33
and and get that process going.

15:33 - 15:37
But, unfortunately, there's so much of the, like, the fact, I forget what's called, like, the

15:37 - 15:40
fast clothing culture or like that.

15:40 - 15:43
You know, it's just quick, it's cheap, and that's what, you know, that people aren't really

15:43 - 15:47
thinking about things lasting forever and ends up in landfills.

15:47 - 15:51
And once it ends up in a landfill, that that's where the chemicals sleep out.

15:51 - 15:57
So it's some of, you know, the durability and sometimes you gotta pay more, unfortunately, but,

15:57 - 15:59
you know, that's the stuff that's gonna last.

15:59 - 16:02
So if you put more up front, it's gonna last you longer.

16:02 - 16:09
But that that quick clothing culture that, unfortunately, that there is that we've gotten to.

16:10 - 16:13
Yeah. Well, I think, unfortunately, I think that plays in

16:13 - 16:13
a

16:13 - 16:15
a lot of business models. Mhmm.

16:16 - 16:20
It's quick, it's cheap, more money for the the guy at the top of the ladder.

16:20 - 16:21
I don't care who does.

16:21 - 16:22
Oh, I think it's called fast fashion.

16:22 - 16:24
I think that's what it is.

16:24 - 16:28
But I try to stay out of the fashion business just just to get back to us.

16:28 - 16:31
It's it's not really my my ticket either. Okay. Cool.

16:31 - 16:40
So maybe maybe some of the the blocks, the building blocks about bags, they they obviously come in different sizes.

16:41 - 16:43
Tell me how that works, like the leaderage.

16:43 - 16:48
Is that is that total capacity for it inside the bag?

16:48 - 16:51
Generally, yes. That the leader says what's inside the bag.

16:51 - 16:54
If you notice on some of ours, you'll see, like, a plus 10, a plus 5.

16:55 - 16:57
That means where the original collar is.

16:57 - 17:01
So so it's, like, a 50 liter bag, but this is like your backpacking bags.

17:01 - 17:07
A 50 plus 10 means if you keep the collar as is, you have your 50 liters, but we make it that

17:07 - 17:11
has an expansion that you can get 10 more liters on it.

17:11 - 17:16
And usually the brain then can also expand so you can get more on top, but that is your inside capacity.

17:17 - 17:20
Once you add a hydration bladder, it's gonna take some away.

17:20 - 17:25
So some of our smaller, like our bike bags or our hip belts, you know, they might say 5 liters,

17:25 - 17:30
but if you have a 1 and a half liter bladder inside, that does take away some of the capacity,

17:30 - 17:32
but your leaders are showing that.

17:32 - 17:38
And, you kinda use also the leaders to know about how much weight you can put in it.

17:39 - 17:46
For us in America, we can do the leaders is minus, I think, £10 is about what your comfort rating is.

17:46 - 17:49
Not sure what the liters to kilograms is. Sorry.

17:49 - 17:53
No. No. 2.2. No. I don't know what 2.2.

17:53 - 17:55
It's not as easy as us saying £10.

17:55 - 18:01
This is the one time that our American system actually works a little bit better is minus £10.

18:01 - 18:08
So, you know, a 50 liter bag minus £10, that means you're gonna probably comfortably carry 40.

18:08 - 18:10
Some people can comfortably carry more, but that's approximate.

18:11 - 18:12
Cool. So it's a lot of weight.

18:12 - 18:21
I weirdly, we do a lot of camping discussion things in discussion with with somebody.

18:21 - 18:22
They I had no idea.

18:22 - 18:28
I've been loading my pack literally backwards for forever. They they're like, no. No.

18:28 - 18:30
Put all the weight up high in your bag.

18:30 - 18:35
Put put the big the stuff that's takes up a lot of space, lower in your bag.

18:35 - 18:38
Your lower back will thank you at the end of the day.

18:38 - 18:41
So last summer, I tried it for one of our trips.

18:41 - 18:43
I can't remember which one now, and it did.

18:43 - 18:49
It actually put it in a better certainly, I I'm I'm old and I don't have a fabulous back, and

18:49 - 18:54
it I my back my lower back was way less tight at the end of the day. Holy crap.

18:54 - 18:58
Yeah. It's like the the sleeping bag and the puppy stuff down on the bottom.

18:58 - 18:59
At the bottom. Yeah. Exactly.

18:59 - 19:03
Close to your back and a little bit higher up, like dead even with your back getting the heavy.

19:04 - 19:06
Yeah. That worked out well. Very cool.

19:06 - 19:12
So what other what other I'm thinking largely backpacks, but you're talking about about waste bags.

19:13 - 19:17
Where do they where where would something like that best apply? Which I'm sorry.

19:17 - 19:21
In in my old old ski days, I we would have called it a fanny pack.

19:22 - 19:23
Yeah. People still call it fanny pack.

19:23 - 19:27
We we we try to feel like we're cooler maybe, hip belt.

19:28 - 19:32
You're seeing a lot more mountain bikers actually wearing hip belts.

19:32 - 19:37
Again, I think some of it is, you know, the heat of having, like, the full bag on.

19:37 - 19:43
Like, here, I'm in Colorado, and it it gets very warm on the front range in the summer because

19:43 - 19:45
we're not up in the mountains.

19:45 - 19:49
So having a regular backpack on when I'm mountain biking just doesn't sound great.

19:49 - 19:51
So instead, I use the hip belt.

19:51 - 19:54
Trail runners, we also have, hip belts for them.

19:55 - 19:58
And I mean, I've used the hip belt for, like, shorter hikes too.

19:58 - 20:01
I mean, if I can get 1 and a half liters of water, a snack.

20:01 - 20:05
Like, if I'm doing something really local that I'm not worried about needing the 10 essentials

20:05 - 20:09
for, that, you know, I know I will have cell phone service.

20:09 - 20:13
And if for some reason something happens to me or my cell phone, there's plenty of people around

20:13 - 20:15
that somebody else could, again, can call help for me.

20:15 - 20:17
But I don't have don't need my 10 essentials.

20:17 - 20:22
I need my my water, put my keys in, my phone, and, like, 1 or 2 snacks.

20:22 - 20:25
I mean, it's great for, you know, those kind of hikes as well too.

20:25 - 20:29
So someone who's had 3 shoulder surgeries, it's nice to sometimes not have something on my shoulders

20:29 - 20:31
and just carry some weight around my waist.

20:32 - 20:36
One of the things I think that some people get hung up on with backpacks and when they're looking

20:36 - 20:39
to buy is the weight of the bag, how much it weighs because you're talking about some things

20:39 - 20:43
that are really heavy, especially when you have those dry bags when you're going on your canoe trips.

20:43 - 20:46
Don't get hung up on how much the actual bag weighs.

20:46 - 20:52
You need to put it on and feel it, because the carry comfort and the carry weight are different.

20:53 - 20:57
Like, a 5 pound bag from us is gonna feel different than a 5 pound bag from another company

20:58 - 21:00
because of how it sits and how it carries on you.

21:00 - 21:02
That's another thing we with.

21:02 - 21:06
Like, we do have some our bags tend to maybe weigh a little bit more, but when you put them

21:06 - 21:08
on, they're not gonna feel that way because of the comfort on them.

21:09 - 21:13
We came out with a backpacking bag last year, the all air contact ultra.

21:13 - 21:19
We are putting it up against the ultra light bags, and some people just totally won't even consider

21:19 - 21:21
us because of the weight.

21:21 - 21:26
But once you put it on, it does not, you know, necessarily feel what that weight is.

21:26 - 21:29
So I've hear too many people get caught up. Woah.

21:29 - 21:32
That weighs, you know, whatever 3 kilograms.

21:32 - 21:34
It should, you know, it should be less.

21:34 - 21:36
But, like, once you put it on, it's it's the feel.

21:36 - 21:41
It's how you feel when you put it on and talking about and make sure you're adjusting it properly.

21:41 - 21:46
I've seen too many people, like, with the load straps on the back. Totally stretch them.

21:47 - 21:53
And there's, like, the actual shoulder strap is all, like, buckled in, and you're gonna get chafing.

21:53 - 21:56
And that's you know, it's it the it's to keep the load even.

21:56 - 22:01
It's not to be, like, totally cinched and, you know, making sure that all your your straps and

22:01 - 22:06
everything are on so it it's comfortable because that's what you wanna be is we want people

22:06 - 22:11
to get out, have fun, and be comfortable and not hate their experience because of their bag.

22:12 - 22:14
So you might have to, like, you know, maybe ask a friend, hey.

22:14 - 22:17
Can I borrow your bag and see what it feels like? And try different things.

22:18 - 22:22
And and don't give up if you go out on one trip with one bag and your bag bothers you.

22:22 - 22:25
Maybe you just need to try a different brand, and it might not be our brand.

22:25 - 22:29
I like to think we have the most comfortable brand, but I know it doesn't work for everybody's body.

22:29 - 22:33
Everybody's different, and you can't make a bag to fit everybody.

22:34 - 22:35
I mean, that's the thing.

22:35 - 22:39
We can try as much as, you know, we have adjustable back systems once it gets bigger and, you

22:39 - 22:45
know, weight belts that are different sizes, but they're really every brand is a little bit different.

22:45 - 22:49
So you might need to try and just don't get discouraged.

22:49 - 22:53
You know, if you buy a bag and it doesn't work for you, maybe put it Facebook Marketplace and

22:53 - 22:54
sell it and then try something different.

22:54 - 22:59
Yeah. Well and I like that idea of, you know, somebody else in the community, like a friend

22:59 - 23:00
or whatever, borrow their bag, try that out.

23:00 - 23:05
That's a great idea because then you're not buying the bag, getting home, and going, maybe it

23:05 - 23:09
doesn't feel quite as good as it did in the store. Yeah. Cool. All right.

23:09 - 23:15
Well, I think that's I'm tapped out. That's fantastic.

23:15 - 23:20
You have explained everything so well that we just had to record it. It was awesome.

23:21 - 23:26
I So thank you so much, Amy, for for spending all the time with the back and forth to set this

23:26 - 23:32
up, and thank you for taking your time today to come and have a yak with us about about packs, man.

23:32 - 23:33
Yeah. Thanks for having me.

23:33 - 23:40
I obviously love talking about bags, so I I could keep going, but, yes, we have a limited amount of time.

23:40 - 23:45
So I'm sorry that we had to cut it short and sorry that my technology kept us from having a

23:45 - 23:52
few more minutes of chatting, but sometimes things get in the way in life and technology doesn't always work. So Yeah. Okay. Get outside and hike.

23:53 - 23:56
Exactly. Get out there. Do the things, man. Yep.

23:56 - 23:58
Throw your throw your pack on and go. Cool.

23:58 - 23:59
That's it for us for today.

23:59 - 24:00
Thank you so much for listening. For listening.

24:00 - 24:06
Thank you so much to our special guest, Amy Perullis from Deuter USA to you for walking us through backpacks.

24:06 - 24:08
And, hopefully, you find the backpack that's just right for you.

24:09 - 24:13
We'll talk to you again soon. We are from supergoodcamping.com. My name is Pamela.

24:13 - 24:14
I'm Tim.

24:14 - 24:16
And we would love to hear from you.

24:16 - 24:19
So if you would like to email us, our email address is hi@supergoodcamping.com.

24:20 - 24:25
That's hi@supergoodcamping.com, and we are on all the social media.

24:25 - 24:31
Feel free to reach out to us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and we would love if you subscribe to us on YouTube.

24:31 - 24:32
Talk to you again soon.

24:32 - 24:32
Bye.