The Benefits of Canoe Barrel Portage Packs:
Barrels excel as a portage pack for canoe tripping. They keep things dry, clean and intact throughout your trip. If you dump your canoe, the barrel will float. A canoe barrel also makes a great food pack as the sealing system keeps odours down to avoid attracting animals.
Another added benefit is that they are very easy to pack and unpack -- you can see the contents, and it avoids rummaging around inside a pack that is always collapsing.
Up until now, one of the main criticisms of canoe barrels has been that they are painful to carry, even with a harness. However, the Headstrong Harness addresses this problem with its innovative self-tightening design -- read on to find out why.
Benefits of the Headstrong Design:
The fabric on conventional harnesses stretches and loosens considerably when the barrel is loaded. So what's the big deal?
If you have portaged a fully loaded barrel then you know -- the weight of the barrel is supported along a line on your lower back. This results in a hot spot or pressure point where the lower edge of the barrel/harness digs into your back. Even with good padding, you will really feel this concentrated load on your back. In addition, because the barrel pulls away from your back, you need to hunch over just in order to keep your balance. The combination of these two factors results in considerable strain and discomfort.
In contrast to this, The Headstrong Harness actually tightens on the barrel when loaded -- the barrel & harness are 'one'. The barrel stays upright, and close to your back. The padding stays in contact with your back where it can do its job, and there are no 'high pressure points'. You no longer need to hunch over, and your back will not be subjected to unnecessary strain.
An additional benefit is that there is very little side-to-side movement. This movement tends to 'torque' your back, resulting in increased back strain and fatigue. You will really notice the difference when you are on rough, uneven terrain or when you bend over to pick up a paddle.
The three most frequent comments we receive from experienced paddlers about the Headstrong Harness are:
"It feels like a backpack, not a barrel"
"I'm surprised that I don't have to hunch over when portaging the barrel"
"I can't believe how comfortable it is to portage"
These benefits are derived from good design and engineering -- gravity always works the same way -- you can either work with it, or against it. Headstrong Packs may cost a bit more than some other harnesses, however you won't regret it once you have used it on your first pain-free portage.