To resolve this issue, I do not fill it completely up with heavy stuff. Honestly, most of my trips it’s a quarter full and the water bladder and extra water bottles are what makes it heavy. After the last few trips and hiking with a near empty bag, I decided to get a 20-liter bag since my gear only ozark trail chair fills up about that half my normal bag. My suggestion is to get a smaller bag for shorter trips so can save on weight. Every pound does add up and if you cut the weight down by 5+ lbs. In the main pocket I keep my camera bag and jacket and\other clothing for layering (for colder hiking days).
If you are using your phone for navigation, pack a paper copy of a map in case you lose signal or find yourself without battery. Trail maps are free to print at home or are available for purchase at the online store. Bring enough water for your trip or a way to purify water to make it safe to drink.
All told, I’ve had the pack on my back for about 50 miles. Keeping the load under 15 pounds seems to be the key. I really wanted to use it for our fall two-nighter on the AT, but was unable to fit my bivy with a 20 degree Kelty Cosmic down bag inside. I contemplated ozark trail backpack stepping down to the 45 degree bag, but thankfully, did not. A perk of hiking lesser-traveled trails are fewer (or non-existent) permits and parking fees. The Ozark Trail does not have permit, parking, or registration requirements for its trail sections.
And once he was old enough to walk on his own, his little brother was being carried by me or my husband. There are two basic kinds of carriers you can use to tote those who can’t make it the whole way on their own. These are for babies and the smallest toddlers; check the manufacturer specifications for weight limits. The second kind of carrier is hard-framed backpack that kids can ride in for as long as mom or dad are willing to carry them.
It’s also small enough that it wasn’t inconvenient for them to have it with them everyday. We recently took a camping trip to the mountains and I needed a lightweight pack to hold my toiletries (soap, shampoo/conditioner), fresh clothing change and my crocs/hiking boots and my towel. This daypack came in handy just for what I intended.
I sweated just a bit but not too much since the walk was short (and I didn’t want to sweat after a shower). I did finish my activities very sweetly and was able to walk and hike without carrying anything in my hands. Aside from the main pack bag, there is a small zippered compartment on the front, that, depending on how much you have stuffed inside, is pretty tight. I managed to fit my headlamp, lighter, map, compass, and some tp in the pocket.
I’ve been using this bag for over a year and love it for it size and comfort levels. I like how almost every strap can be adjusted to fit the user. Most of our hikes are seven miles or less but we are combing the hikes so I’m wearing the bag for hours. The trails have been up hill/downhill near vertical hikes to rock hopping and scrambling over rocky terrains and the bag has always stayed in place. After some research we realized they make backpacks designed for women, men and unisex.