Hi all,
I'm planning on some travel in the next few months that'll take me in places where a rollerboard/wheeled suitcase doesn't work so well. Anyone have any suggestions or thoughts on what to get for a travel pack with a bpi? With my injury I do have shoulder movement (can shrug) but no arm, elbow or wrist, so I'm not sure if I'd be limited on a backpack or not.
Previous posts about bags were about bookbags for kids... I'm looking for thoughts on an urban backpacking trip.
Thanks,
MW
Travel pack / backpack
-
Christopher
- Posts: 845
- Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2003 10:09 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: Date of Injury: 12/15/02
Level of Injury:
-dominant side C5, C6, & C7 avulsed. C8 & T1 stretched & crushed
BPI Related Surgeries:
-2 Intercostal nerves grafted to Biceps muscle,
-Free-Gracilis muscle transfer to Biceps Region innervated with 2 Intercostal nerves grafts.
-2 Sural nerves harvested from both Calves for nerve grafting.
-Partial Ulnar nerve grafted to Long Triceps.
-Uninjured C7 Hemi-Contralateral cross-over to Deltoid muscle.
-Wrist flexor tendon transfer to middle, ring, & pinky finger extensors.
Surgical medical facility:
Brachial Plexus Clinic at The Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN
(all surgeries successful)
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
~Theodore Roosevelt - Location: Los Angeles, California USA
Re: Travel pack / backpack
I hiked in Nepal for a month for the 5 year anniversary of my injury. Since my injured shoulder has no muscle on it, getting a backpack with adequate padding and variable adjustments was crucial. Luckily the pack that I used pre-injury worked just fine. I've tried quiet a few since, and the points that I find important are:
-chest strap that will cinch shoulder straps towards each other across the chest keeping the weight evenly distributed.
-waist strap that displaces most of the load bearing weight onto hips.
optional and useful:
-lumbar straps that adjust between shoulder and waist straps to keep pack as close to body as possible. Let's you run/jog and make erratic movements with out worry that the pack will move or throw you off balance. (Usually for smaller day packs)
-hydration insert/sleeve for camelback or other H2O feeder & clip on shoulder strap to hold water hose.
I'd head to a good outdoor gear outfitter and try a bunch out. Have them load them up with weight and give it a hike around the block.
I recommend Eagle Creek luggage for light weight, multi-purpose, life time warranty, and reasonably priced.
This one can be used as a backpack & has wheels (which will save you but when you can use them):
http://www.eaglecreek.com/collections/e ... x-25-20218
North Face makes them too, but pricier, more durable, and not quiet as ergonomic in y opinion:
http://www.thenorthface.com/webapp/wcs/ ... tionId=001
Good Luck!!!
Christopher
Were are you headed?
-chest strap that will cinch shoulder straps towards each other across the chest keeping the weight evenly distributed.
-waist strap that displaces most of the load bearing weight onto hips.
optional and useful:
-lumbar straps that adjust between shoulder and waist straps to keep pack as close to body as possible. Let's you run/jog and make erratic movements with out worry that the pack will move or throw you off balance. (Usually for smaller day packs)
-hydration insert/sleeve for camelback or other H2O feeder & clip on shoulder strap to hold water hose.
I'd head to a good outdoor gear outfitter and try a bunch out. Have them load them up with weight and give it a hike around the block.
I recommend Eagle Creek luggage for light weight, multi-purpose, life time warranty, and reasonably priced.
This one can be used as a backpack & has wheels (which will save you but when you can use them):
http://www.eaglecreek.com/collections/e ... x-25-20218
North Face makes them too, but pricier, more durable, and not quiet as ergonomic in y opinion:
http://www.thenorthface.com/webapp/wcs/ ... tionId=001
Good Luck!!!
Christopher
Were are you headed?
-
MW
- Posts: 81
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2009 6:13 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LTBPI, Feb 2009, hit by truck while on a run. Free muscle transfer at Mayo Clinic 6 months later.
- Location: Chicago, IL
Re: Travel pack / backpack
Thanks a lot Christopher. I'm going on a 10-11 day trip to northern Vietnam, with a short layover in Korea on the way there.
Not to sound too much like a cliche, but before my injury I wasn't really into traveling; I kind of thought I could always put it off until later. After a traumatic injury, I started to think that I shouldn't take the time I have now for granted.
Not to sound too much like a cliche, but before my injury I wasn't really into traveling; I kind of thought I could always put it off until later. After a traumatic injury, I started to think that I shouldn't take the time I have now for granted.
-
karategirl1kyu
- Posts: 363
- Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2007 12:59 am
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LOBPI, had surgery when I was 9- they moved muscles and tendons from one side of my arm to the other side. I can lift my arm to about my eye level, can't straigten it all the way and can't completely supinate my wrist.
- Location: Richmond, RI
Re: Travel pack / backpack
when i went on a cruise in september (and for hiking later) i bought a hinking backback, its an osprey pack (i believe it was a kestral) and it has a ton of room!! it felt like nothing when i was carrying it around (though i really didn't carry it too much). it was weighed in the airport and was 35-45lbs ( i cant remember exactly). but it has the waist buckle, the buckle on the chest between the straps and an area for the water bottle. it really did fell extremely light!! compared to the other backpack that i had on the trip (which was my carry on, and felt wicked heavy). the other pack was my bookbag from HS and college, a normal LL bean pack, and that one felt heavier than it was... i guess its the weight distribution points that make an actual hinking pack seem so much lighter... hope that helps!!
~Mel/23/LOBPI