I cannot deal when a backpack when the temperature is above 65 degrees Fahrenheit, for the very reason Arnade gives -- a sweaty back. I've been using a Nittany Mountain Works fanny pack on bike rides recently (the larger model will carry A5 notebooks, which is plenty big for my non-work commuting since I'm remote full time now). I guess I will still deal with a sweaty lower back, but that's better than my entire back.
That said, I agree with you -- I could imagine walking (or riding) with stuff in my pockets.
Getting a good hiking pack designed to sit off of your back a bit was a godsend to me. I'm with you that I won't carry one if it's hot out, but I'll gladly carry a smaller pack all the time otherwise.
Fanny packs are sweet, except the part where you're wearing a fanny pack.
> Fanny packs are sweet, except the part where you're wearing a fanny pack.
Hear me out:
Sport coats. (edit: and blazers)
Very light linen ones for hot days, which keep sun off your skin without really making you hotter. Cooler days, break out the wool.
All those extra pockets are wonderful. Grab some thin old mass-market genre paperbacks and discover why they made them that size :-)
They're like purses for men, that you can wear instead of carry, and that make you look better. Similar storage capacity to a fanny pack, I'd say. Maybe a little more.
You could grab one or two from a thrift store and see how you like it, then upgrade if it seems like something you want to keep doing. Nice and cheap way to try it out. Difficulty: a nice light linen jacket's probably gonna be a little hard to find at a thrift store, so it may be best to start this attempt in the Fall.
In my experience, when you go on very long (10-20mi) walks in hot weather, you need a backpack even more, since you have to carry around large amounts of water (either in water bottles or in one of those hydration pack things).
Biking is different, of course--you're not outside for as long (at least for a given number of miles), and you can store your water bottles on the bike itself.
Hydration bags tend to be slightly less problematic as many incorporate some amount of airflow-management and moisture-wicking, and the water itself tends to be somewhat cooler, at least initially.
Sir/madam, have you ever tried an Osprey that suspends the weight of the bag off of your back with a sturdy piece of mesh and very minimal metal internal frame?[1] (I think Osprey pioneered this, other manufacturers now have it too). It has been life changing for me. I use it daily for commuting, and just finished 3-week tour through 3 countries with laptop, Kindle, and everything else packed inside this one bag. I’m sure Osprey has smaller versions if 34L is too much.
The metal frame must be the key. I have an Osprey backpack without it, and the mesh alone does almost nothing to help with sweat, even though it was sold to me as being better. A friend in high school found an old Vietnam-era? US army rucksack with a metal frame that was less comfortable in the short term but not bad in the long, sweaty term.
Cross body bags are a nice midpoint between a backpack size and a fanny pack size and they don't sit on your back causing sweat - I got an adidas one for like $30 and I can easily fit a 32oz water bottle a folded light jacket plus other small things.
I fixed that by using a small gym sack for longer (mostly urban) walks and hikes. There are some with rather thick ropes, and they are quite comfy if you don't pack them too heavyweight. Also lets your back breathe due to the smaller area covered, and the ropes are narrow enough to not leave a sweatmark (as opposed to straps).
I can't stand sweaty back either. Each of my bikes has some sort of rack or basket.
With that said, the college kids tend to prefer a backpack because it's their mobile office, and they don't want anything on their bike that can get stolen.
That said, I agree with you -- I could imagine walking (or riding) with stuff in my pockets.