Better balance for heavy packs

After years of being ridiculed by other hikers for carrying heavy cameras in chest-mounted packs while backpacking, I'm finally vindicated. It seems my front-mounted system not only keeps my camera close at hand and ready for action, but actually improves my hiking posture and overall comfort.

While I moved my heavy SLR camera up front to make it more accessible while hiking, the new Syncpack system for backpackers takes weight off your back and puts it on your chest in order to make your hiking more efficient.

The Syncpack front-pack attaches to any backpack's suspension system (shoulder straps and hipbelt) via four quick-release connections. The 400-cubic-inch pack will hold a water bottle or two, cameras, binoculars, GPS, and other small but heavy items. Bringing these things upfront makes them much more accessible while hiking, but more important, it shifts a significant portion of your pack weight forward.

Why is that important? Because a heavily loaded backpack pulls your center of gravity (CoG) backward, so to keep the CoG balanced over your hips, you end up leaning forward while hiking.

By helping you move 5 or 10 pounds from your back to your chest, the Syncpack shifts your CoG forward again, putting it closer to your normal unburdened position. In fact, because the Syncpack is positioned so much farther from your center of gravity than your backpack is, you only need 10 to 20 percent of the total load weight on your chest to realign your CoG to its normal position. So if you typically carry a 40-pound backpack, moving 4 to 8 pounds to the Syncpack will have you walking upright once more. That makes it much easier to navigate rough terrain, and helps eliminate lower-back strain.

The Syncpack boasts an aluminum frame to prevent the pack from sagging. Pivoting "arms" at the corners of the frame feature small ball ends that clip into connectors you attach to your pack shoulder straps and hipbelt. These ball joints and pivoting arms allow the Syncpack to move somewhat as you stride and scramble, preventing the pack from binding or pinching.

Our testing convinced us the Syncpack concept was a good one, and the product was effective and well made. But it seemed significantly overdesigned. The heavy framework and pivoting arms are largely unnecessary — the integrated compression straps are enough to keep contents in place (no need for the frame). And basic webbing straps with side-release buckles for attachments would be just as secure and flexible as the heavy ball joints and pivoting arms.

Perhaps the folks at Syncpack will unveil a lightweight version in the future, but in the meantime, this is a heavy but effect way to improve your posture and increase your on-trail comfort, especially if you are prone to carrying heavy packs (40 pounds or more).

The Syncpack weighs 2.3 pounds and retails for $159. See www.theSyncpack.com.

— Dan A. Nelson, special to The Seattle Times

Freelancer Dan A. Nelson, of Puyallup, is a regular contributor to Backpacker magazine, and an author of outdoor guides with The Mountaineers Books. For the purpose of review, gear manufacturers lend products, which are returned after a typical use of four to six weeks. There is no payment from manufacturers and they have no control over the content of reviews. Contact Dan with gear-related questions at gearguy@adventuresnw.net.