Product Selection
School Packs
There has
been much discussion about school packs and the damage inflicted
on students in carrying excessive weight. The main consideration
here is the design of the daypack, the positioning of a
well-designed daypack, and customisation of a fully functional
harness system on the individual. The designers at White
Mountain™ tend to disagree with some of the statements made on
school daypack construction, and this is what we recommend.
An example of
a well designed a daypack harness system is the White Mountain™
AFS (Airflow System) Harness System used on all White Mountain
Premium Performance Daypacks.
The features
of this high functioning
White Mountain™ AFS Harness System includes the following:
- A Frame Sheet inserted into the back of the daypack made
of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), a flexible but strong
plastic to protect the back from objects within the daypack.
- A vertically centred single Internal Stave covered in 50
mm webbing and stitched to the HDPE frame sheet on the
opposite side to the back. The HDPE frame sheet not only
protects the back, but also in bending the entire HDPE frame
sheet, we can contour the backpack to the individual back.
- Longer than usual Shoulder Straps enable the backpack to
sit comfortably on the lower back.
- Correctly contoured Shoulder Straps by design, clear the
neck, come in at the chest, and then move away from the body
for a comfortable male or female fitting.
- An elasticised and adjustable Sternum Strap positioned
to distribute some of the weight across the chest and
position the Shoulder Straps away from the shoulder joint.
- A padded Hip Belt with a dual adjustable 50 mm side
release buckle, 50 mm webbing and Lower Load Stabilizer
Straps. A padded Hip Belt and Lower Load Stabilizer Straps
enables the individual to draw up to 80% of the load into
the lower back, without backpack sway. The 50 mm webbing and
the dual adjustable 50 mm side release buckle, make it an
easy exercise to tighten the hip belt fully.
Worn correctly, a well-designed daypack with a fully
functional harness system will function correctly in protecting
the back. That means not leaving the Waist Belt, Hip Belt, or
Sternum Strap hanging, and not wearing the daypack resting on
the bum, hanging from one shoulder, or strung over neck and
shoulder. Positioning a daypack in this way puts excessive
pressure on the shoulders, neck and lower back, and quickly
leads to severe lower back, neck and shoulder problems. A
standard daypack worn high on the back between the shoulders
with a waist belt attached alleviates a lot of pressure on the
lower back, provided the weight is not excessive. For heavier
daypacks, a fully functional Internal Frame Harness System like
the White Mountain AFS Harness System is essential.
To wear a fully functional well-designed daypack correctly:
- Contour the Internal Staves or HDPE Frame Sheet to the
individual back, place the Hip Belt across or just below the
hipbone or Iliac Crest and secure the Sternum Strap.
- Place the Hip Belt at the point where an individual
would position a trouser belt, just below the hipbone or
Iliac Crest. Positioning the Hip Belt in this way will
prevent soft tissue damage above the hipbone and prevent
excess pressure on the stomach.
- NOTE: A Waist Belt is NOT an Adequate Substitute
for a Padded Hip Belt.
- Position the Sternum Strap across the centre of the
chest, then loosen the Shoulder Straps just enough to allow
a weight transfer to the Sternum Strap, and lower back. Make
sure that the backpack is still positioned against the back
of the shoulders.
For all backpacks, we would recommend that the maximum
weight, even with a well-designed backpack with a fully
functional harness system, should not exceed these
recommendations:
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