Backpacks - Why Do I See So Many 'Adults' Carry Them?

[MannyGlocks]

Do you really need so much 'stuff' - when you're 'not' going 'backpacking in the wilderness'?

I see this weird, ubiquitous phenomenon everywhere...WTF?

Seeing so many adults acting like 'Sherpas'...I don't understand...

The weirdest part of this is most of the 'backpacker's are either urban or sub-urban, not folks hitting the wilderness.

Why not just carry an 'anvil'...ok, I'm being a smart-aleck, but I'm flabbergasted about this...

Frankly, were I need to carry such a ton of stuff, I'd get a garden cart or something similar...less effort doncha know...

Are you one of these 'urban/suburban backpackers?

Did the need to 'sherpa' so much stuff come on gradually or did you start out slowly, with just carrying a few items in your pockets...and then you added more 'must haves with you, until finally you bought a backpack and added even way much more to your personal inventory of stuff you 'must' be able to lay your hands on instantly?

Oh, the need to have a warehouse full of...unnecessary stuff.

Someone must know the answer why we didn't find 'backpacking' so necessary in the recent past...?

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[CamoDeafie]

Human nature?

I mean, mankind have been hauling stuff on their backs for hundreds, if not thousands of years??

 

[CamoDeafie]

On a more serious note; we like having hands free. With a hand cart, you can't exactly have hands free unless you're harnessed like a mule;
With an animal, you can have both hands free if the animal is trained and bred for the purpose.

With a backpack, you streamline things , and your hands are free, you don't need more space like a cart does, or more food/waste disposal like an animal does; and you can be more agile than either setup

 

[albin25]

They've been carrying a pack since kindergarten… so it is habituated.
That and a laptop, phone(s), tablets, and all their cords adapters back-up batteries, cans of energy drinks.
If it's attending a college/universe5hity add; a spare badge showing their pronouns, pacifier, and their blankie.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Trauma kits, traumatizing kit, and trauma prevention kits

Long way of saying, fix holes, make holes, stop holes

 

[MannyGlocks]

Camo,

Are you a well equipped EMT or a doctor or nurse?

If not, of course you can haul any and all freight you care to...but, why?

Do you also carry a defibrillator, a stretcher, an MRI machine, if not, you need to add those items and more to be fully equipped...oh, and one of those hospital beds that go up and down...cuz ya can't carry enough to be ready for those emergency cases you handle...

Would you know what inventory of stuff all those other urban backpackers sherpa around?

Mortars and baseplates?

A week's groceries?

35 .lbs of ammo?

Gardening tools?

A smallish boat with a wee/tiny electric outboard?

Where does this insanity end?

Wait, I know, when the sherpa faints from the weight and exhaustion of his be-loved BP, but if he spots a fellow medic backpacker, he'll be A-OK!

PS, I think most bper's are into fads/trends...look ole Billy Bob's got him a stylish/cool lookin back pack...hmmmm, gonna get me one, yes I am...I too'll be the coolest kid on the block...except I'm 35...

 

[Stomper]

I use a backpack while hiking because the thirty 30-round (or sixty 15-round) mags would make my pants fall down.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Camo,

Are you a well equipped EMT or a doctor or nurse?

Not EMT/DR/Nurse but a parent

If not, of course you can haul any and all freight you care to...but, why?

Let's see .. two kids. A 3 year old and a 5 year old. Emergency clothes, underwear/diapers, wipes, first aid (mostly scrapes and cuts, but I do also have trauma kit for major things).

Blankets, warm clothes, dry clothes, tarp shelter.

Do you also carry a defibrillator, a stretcher, an MRI machine, if not, you need to add those items and more to be fully equipped...oh, and one of those hospital beds that go up and down...cuz ya can't carry enough to be ready for those emergency cases you handle...

Again,not trained in those.

Would you know what inventory of stuff all those other urban backpackers sherpa around?

Mortars and baseplates?

A week's groceries?

35 .lbs of ammo?

Gardening tools?

A smallish boat with a wee/tiny electric outboard?

Where does this insanity end?

Wait, I know, when the sherpa faints from the weight and exhaustion of his be-loved BP, but if he spots a fellow medic backpacker, he'll be A-OK!

PS, I think most bper's are into fads/trends...look ole Billy Bob's got him a stylish/cool lookin back pack...hmmmm, gonna get me one, yes I am...I too'll be the coolest kid on the block...except I'm 35...

I'm in my forties and the most freight I take out of the van tends to be a small backpack of stuff for my kids...if I'm not out in the woods having fun with my guns, ammo, shelters

Other times, it's just my art supplies for sketching and drawing while basking in the cool spring-summer breeze before the dry heat waves and wildfire smokes.


Edit there's the trend/concept of a "get home bag" or "get out bag" that's kind of popular these days but realistically most have no idea what to do with them

 

[Unka-Boo]

I just had flashbacks of my wife asking why I wear cargo pants....

 

[boattail]

There was a generation of kids that started using backpacks when they took lockers out of high schools. Those generations are adulting now and they never got away from backpacks. I never used them in school or anytime after until my late 40's and I don't ever remember putting one on my back. I use one for a mess kit in my truck. It has tools, papers, toiletries, extra clothes, medication, my lock bag for my CCW gun, and a few other items. Again, I have never slung it on my back. The only reason why that bag is a backpack is because the wife had it and it was unused so I gave it a job.

I am from the carry three knives, a Crescent wrench, screwdriver, big ball of keys, and a fat leather wallet in my jeans pockets generation

And, the older I get I have bandaids in the pack too...I'm not quite old enough to have them in my shirt pocket like gramps did.

 

[gmerkt]

I agree with Manny. I think it's just a trend. Can't go anywhere without a backpack. Or a water bottle. I think these days, they get started with them in school, and never age out of them as adults.

Personally, I don't like to carry a lot of gear around with me wherever I go. If I'm going beyond my own place where I already have everything I might need at hand, I'm going by car. And I have most of my absolute necessities in it. Carrying a bunch of stuff around with me just gives me more to have to deal with. Going on a hike is another story but I don't do that much anymore.

I've done a modified backpack trip to Europe once as an adult many years ago. Modified in that I was staying in pensions, not tenting up every night. So I carried two weeks worth of gear in a medium sized back pack. Anything I acquired along the way, I posted home. The pack I stowed away as often as I could, as native Europeans typically do not care to see itinerant strangers/furriners wandering around and a backpack says it in capital letters.

There is some backpack etiquette and courtesy that should be observed and often isn't. There have been times since I retired that I've used public transportation. Also, at gun shows when those were a viable thing and I used to attend. Here I'm referring to some idiot with an oversized backpack who crowds into public areas, then bangs the pack into people all around him when he moves. The act of a discourteous oaf.

My gun show carriage gear was an old GI tool bag. In the best of times, I don't like anything strappy draped around my shoulders.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Graduated high school in 2002 and the school still have lockers to this day. Grew up with backpacks for as long as I can remember; usually for school and art supplies, then camping stuff. Still got too many rucksacks and stuff but man, it can be fun to do silly things like this, ostensibly for ""survival"" purposes but really, just for the fun of seeing how ridiculous I can pack things .. loaded with nothing but down sleeping bags/quilts and Army sleeping bags

 

[gmerkt]

Graduated high school in 2002 and the school still have lockers to this day.

This is one of the reasons backpacks have become so prevalent among school kids here. Because many schools no longer have lockers, or if they are still in place, they aren't used. They do this, I'm told, to discourage storage of contraband items. When I was in school back in the Stone Age, we had lockers in junior high and high school, so we didn't have to tote an entire class schedule of books around everywhere. We just visited our lockers between classes.

 

[CamoDeafie]

On the other hand, backpacks have largely replaced briefcases at least for most jobs and most people, it seems.

Edit the same way polos/button ups and slacks jeans have replaced three piece business suits

 

[arakboss]

With all my cargo pockets, a fanny pack, a man bag and my Spiderman lunch pail, I see no reason why I would need a backpack. Backpacks are ridiculous!

 

[MannyGlocks]

Camo,

While the photo 'is' very cool, those particular bp's aren't on a human pack mule...

When I was in the U.S. Army infantry was the 'only time' I was forced to wear one of those satanic pos...ggrrrrrrrrrr....

This has been a good therapy session (sob, choke, snuffle) ...I now realize my ire at anyone 'volunteering' to wear one is based on my G.I. once abused back.

Voluntarily wearing one as a good sam. or even as a parent...makes shudder.

There are better ways.

Perhaps, mail your stuff ahead, ok, not as immediate as being a 'rented mule', but it'll get there...

 

[CamoDeafie]

Realistically those two large bags are most assuredly not meant for long range ruck marches, they're the Mechanized Crewman Compartmented Equipment Bags, and are basically big duffle bags with zero frame, no frame attachments, and ALICE style straps. Just for taking between the barracks and then tossing into the armored vehicle or into the bustle basket of the Abrams or M60A3.

Actually pretty good for containing the family hoard of sleeping bags for emergencies


These days I just use the much smaller MOLLE Patrol Pack, or a civilian backpack for parenting duties or my wife would use the big green diaper bag for the same purpose.

 

[Stomper]

I just had flashbacks of my wife asking why I wear cargo pants....

It's to carry around fruit-chews.... duh!

 

[WAYNO]

Although it's not for me, I do see many folks with backpacks, everywhere.
If it works for them, I will not lose any sleep. I am not Karen.

My boy often carries his laptop, and can be expected any time to be logged in at work. He also regularly carries cameras and game paraphernalia. A pack of some kind is sure convenient.



.

 

[Jbsheepdog]

Camo,

Are you a well equipped EMT or a doctor or nurse?

If not, of course you can haul any and all freight you care to...but, why?

Do you also carry a defibrillator, a stretcher, an MRI machine, if not, you need to add those items and more to be fully equipped...oh, and one of those hospital beds that go up and down...cuz ya can't carry enough to be ready for those emergency cases you handle...

Would you know what inventory of stuff all those other urban backpackers sherpa around?

Mortars and baseplates?

A week's groceries?

35 .lbs of ammo?

Gardening tools?

A smallish boat with a wee/tiny electric outboard?

Where does this insanity end?

Wait, I know, when the sherpa faints from the weight and exhaustion of his be-loved BP, but if he spots a fellow medic backpacker, he'll be A-OK!

PS, I think most bper's are into fads/trends...look ole Billy Bob's got him a stylish/cool lookin back pack...hmmmm, gonna get me one, yes I am...I too'll be the coolest kid on the block...except I'm 35...

I'm 28yo I'm a delivery driver and I run an eBay reselling business. I carry a backpack for carrying extra stuff.

What I keep in my bag is pretty much the same everyday.

1-2 containers of water 32-64oz total.
Small admin pouch w/ electrolyte replacement, battery pack and charging cords, lighter, ear plugs, small fixed blade, travelers pick with a dot wedge, small razor knife for breaking down box's.
A rain/wind layer
Trauma kit(quick clot, TQ, chest seal etc.)
Boo-boo kit for my kids under 4yo
"Nut butter" anti chafing stick
Extra pair of socks and gloves, and a wool balaclava
Most of the time I'll have a snack of some kind
Some extra mags for my EDC pistol and a ballistic panel on the back because it's light and added capability with little drawbacks. Plus, it gives the backpack a little more rigidity.

What's your problem with that? It seems like your anti-backpack.