View Full Version : ?s for Aarn Featherlite Freedom users. All others need not reply.
pgustaf249
05-19-2013, 19:37
I made my first multi-day trip with my Featherlite Freeedom pack and have some questions:
1. I find the stay in the main part of the pack continually wants to pop up above the pack.
2. I find that one of the sport pockets on the front has a stay that wants to pop above the pocket and want to repeatedly slip out of the receptacle on the waist belt. Not so with the other sport pocket.
3. I had a difficult time keeping the waist belt on top of the hip bones. After just a few minutes.
Any advice?
1. I find the stay in the main part of the pack continually wants to pop up above the pack.
Same here.
The stay is designed to be easily removed so that you can bend it to your own shape and put it back in.
Unfortunately it also is a bit too loose in that sleeve so it moves about.
I enlarged the top of the stay so that it does stay..
(I had to look at how I did it because it was done at least 7 years ago. It has worked since)
21682
2. I find that one of the sport pockets on the front has a stay that wants to pop above the pocket and want to repeatedly slip out of the receptacle on the waist belt. Not so with the other sport pocket.
I have the Sport Pockets on my winter pack. That gets used 6-15 per year so not that much but have not had your problem. I'll take a look but my pockets are an old version so it may not apply to yours.
3. I had a difficult time keeping the waist belt on top of the hip bones. After just a few minutes.
The hipbelt works well for me although I have noticed that even having it nice ant taut at the start I tend to pull it in a bit more after half an hour or so.
A mate with a larger Aarn pack had some problems with that, can't remember exactly what but on a trip I remember fiddling with his hipbelt but it worked after that.
I'll post again if I remember what I did...
(his pack is the same as my winter pack, the Effortless Rhythm)
swjohnsey
05-19-2013, 23:30
You might want to consider a guality American made pack that works like ULA.
scooterdogma
05-20-2013, 06:50
I have several AARN packs and have talked a lot of hikers into them. Everyone loves the quality and comfort. What they don't like is spending 30 min. to an hour fitting it to their body, using the tutorials supplied on the website. But, they agree later, the time spent on getting a perfect, custom fit was worth it in the long run. It helps to have a friend help you with the fitting. After the fitting, I hear," OMG, this is the most comfortable pack, I don't even know it is there!" a lot :sun
As to the problems you have had, try taking out the back stay and having a friend check and bend it to your back. The front pockets have a bendable stay, also. Bend the front stays in a crescent moon shape, allowing air circulation around your torso and better seating the stays in their "pockets". Good luck and happy hiking.
bear bag hanger
05-20-2013, 08:55
I have the AARN Freedom pack, but gave up on it in favor of a ULA pack. I was able to attach the AARN expedition pockets to the pack without any problems. I haven't had your problems with the stays coming out, my problem with the pack was the center adjustment dug into my back too much.
BTW, I have the ULA Circuit but prefer to use the Aarn...