In preparation for my Camino Portuguese walk in the fall, I decided I would use an alternative to a conventional back-pack . Too old for that kind of lugging. I identified the Dixon Roller Pack, developed by Bob Dixon in the USA, as the ideal choice. It’s a modern variation on the “travois” which was used by Plains Indians to carry loads by foot or on horseback or pulled by a dog. And yes, the Dixon Roller adds a wheel at the ground, so you are rolling the weight not dragging it.
It appealed to me because it transfers the pack weight to the hips, and rolls it. This seemed a kindness to my back and knees. I got mine about 6 weeks ago (cost about $400.00) and it includes a nice duffel bag designed for the pack. It was a piece-of-cake to assemble and I was rolling in less than 30 minutes. I have been playing with the straps and such since then to get the weight distribution optimized. I have been testing it out with light and medium weight loads over 30-120 minute distances on road surfaces or forest trails.
I have found it a wonderful means of walking with equipment. There is zero strain on the upper body and the location of weight along the hips is easily accommodated while walking. It does take some getting used-to because it limits your mobility in that, like a tandem trailer, you need to swing slowly when turning. This can make walking on a narrow and twisting trail awkward. It is imperative that you balance the weight properly too. I tried carrying some wine bottles back from the store and did not pay enough attention to the balance. The liquid sloshed and shifted making for an annoying wonkiness. I’m still perfecting the hook-up process, which can be fumbly at times.
My other accomodation is while pole walking. Good poling form requires a smooth hip-swinging and this can conflict with the pack-harness fitting. At first I had it tight, which was comfortable for weight but not motion. Now I need some fine tuning for the swinging motion - there’s a sweet spot I have almost found. I’ll keep testing it and report more later.
The Dixon Roller Pack comes in 2 load sizes and has a winter ski attachment too. So far I give it 5 out of 5 stars for performance and quality.
You can see numerous videos on these units in use - http://dixonrollerpack.com/
Yours , on the journey,
Ray
Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet
Thich Nhat Hahn
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