01.01.70

So far, the trail has avoided the monotonous routine of switchbacks and leads circuitously around a few mountains towards Humphrey’s ridgeline. I can see a saddle a mile or so above me and guess that Humphrey rises somewhere behind it. The trail consistently maintains its steady uphill gradient, and I pause to take a brief water and snack break. “Three uphill miles in 45 minutes?” I think to myself. “Not bad.”

As I pass a fellow hiker, he glances at my Neeko hydration pack and thoughtfully murmurs, “That’s nice.” I slow down and grin. “Yup.” He seems skeptical. “But does it have enough room for everything you need?”

While living in China a year ago, I discovered this fanny pack-esque waist pack with dual water-bottle pouches and a padded two-liter compartment for hiking sundries resting on the back. It is NOT a fanny pack: fanny packs are uncool accessories for short shorts–wearing dads and tourists. I prefer REI.com’s more ostentatious descriptor, “lumbar hydration pack.” Not to mention that getting the weight off my back while hiking keeps my back cool, reduces sweat and takes the load off my twisted scoliosis spine.

Source: San Diego Reader

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