Load Lugger.

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crosslandkelly

A somewhat settled
Jun 9, 2009
26,265
2,212
67
North West London
As time goes on, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to carry a large pack with winter kit and supplies for two to three day outings.
So taking inspiration from the Monowalker and the Mule load carrier, I thought I'd try and make my own.
Progress so far using an old step ladder and an old mountain bike wheel.
IMG_20190211_180405.jpg
IMG_20190211_180506.jpg
More pics to follow as I progress.
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
Good. The hauling harness maybe at waist level????
I can see that frame doubling up as a very good tarp support. Clever.

Made of peeled small tree-logs, First Nations on the Great Plains made a load-carrying "travois" that was pulled by dogs.
You can imagine the sheer mass of a bison hide teepee made of 6-10 skins.

Horses were not a part of the landscape until they were stolen from the Spanish explorers after 1515 or so.
The proliferation was very slow, perhaps 1800 in western Canada. Before that, everybody walked.
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
2,293
Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
Having had the pleasure of pulling heavily loaded pulks, please do not even think of using your shoulders.....

You need a belt that sits ON your pelvic bone. Not resting above like most backpack waist/pelvic belts.

To pull with your shoulders - you need to lean forward, plus risk a damaged spinal disk.
Pulling with the belt above the pelvic bone - you risk herniating a disc.

Trust me.

Could you change the tyre to a wider, fatter one? Skinny tyres damage the ground a lot, and sink into it. A wider tyre will make it easier for you to pull.
(just an idea..)

Just out of interest, supplies and stuff for three days should be no more than 20 kilos?
 
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Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
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McBride, BC
The skinny tire will do less soil compression damage than foot prints do.
Stick to pounded down trails as the greatest percentage of travel.

All we ever see here are really fat, low-pressure balloon tires.
The ones on ATV, Argo swamp tractors and Tundra Buggies ( a little over the top there.)
There's a claim that the fat ones have less rolling resistance (gas mowers, etc)
True?
 
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crosslandkelly

A somewhat settled
Jun 9, 2009
26,265
2,212
67
North West London
[QUOTE="Janne, post:

Just out of interest, supplies and stuff for three days should be no more than 20 kilos?[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the Info Janne.
I tend not to do lightweight, I like my comforts. When I'm car camping it's not a problem, but anything over a kilometer or so, then my knees let me know about it.

RV, I usually keep to well trodden trails.
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
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Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
OK, dodgy knees. I got one of those too. Operated on two years go. I am used to see blood and gore, but the vid the doc took during the op is sickening. I will need a nice new Ti knee next.

You want the least resistance, so I think fat tyre = less sinking = less resistance.

If you walk on trails and tracks, the ground clearance will not matter.

As Robson V says, you have a good opportunity to use it as a support.

On tarmac, the skinnier tyre the better. And no thread.
I was foolish enough to do long road races in Sweden. Finished off my previously damaged knee!
 

saxonaxe

Nomad
Sep 29, 2018
481
1,131
79
SW Wales
"Just out of interest, supplies and stuff for three days should be no more than 20 kilos?[/QUOTE]

That's a timely comment...:biggrin: I'm away early tomorrow for 3 nights in the wood and I've just weighed my Bergan.
42lbs with 2 litres of water aboard just to give me a brew until I filter some in the wood.

I could go lighter with fancy food but I use Rat Pack rations mostly, and I've probably got more cold weather gear than necessary, but I'm getting on a bit and feel the cold and hey! any fool can be uncomfortable. It's about 45 minutes walk into the wood from transport, so not a major problem with that weight....:biggrin:



 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
2,293
Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
The difference between 3 days and 3 weeks is the weight of the food.
21 kilos is heavy, but it depends on the sleeping arrangement.

One thing I have an increasing problem with is that my old worn bod likes to sleep soft!

I love your backpack. Proper, oldfashioned design!

What is it?
 

Geek

Member
Dec 20, 2018
29
12
North West
Advancing years seems to inflict upon many of us.

I'd be very interested to see how you get on with this.

Me too, hopefully I am not in need of this yet, but who knows in the future. I recall going for hikes when my son was quite young (7 or 8) and he carried his lunch in his rucksack, now about 7/8 years later he's fitter than me.
 
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Damascus

Native
Dec 3, 2005
1,662
194
65
Norwich
The pack is an old military artic Bergen, it brought back some memories when i saw the picture, used them in Norway in the late 70,s and early 80’s, then we struck lucky and got to trial from berhaus the Crusader, the for runner to the military Bergen of today and never looked back.
 

sunndog

Full Member
May 23, 2014
3,561
477
derbyshire
The skinny tire will do less soil compression damage than foot prints do.
Stick to pounded down trails as the greatest percentage of travel.

All we ever see here are really fat, low-pressure balloon tires.
The ones on ATV, Argo swamp tractors and Tundra Buggies ( a little over the top there.)
There's a claim that the fat ones have less rolling resistance (gas mowers, etc)
True?

Wider tyres will have more rolling resistance. Stick some extra wide tyres on your car and see how much it slows down
 

SaraR

Full Member
Mar 25, 2017
1,631
1,177
Ceredigion
As time goes on, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to carry a large pack with winter kit and supplies for two to three day outings.
So taking inspiration from the Monowalker and the Mule load carrier, I thought I'd try and make my own.
Progress so far using an old step ladder and an old mountain bike wheel.
View attachment 52389
View attachment 52390
More pics to follow as I progress.
I've got a canicross/skijoring belt for getting pulled along by the dogs. It's very sturdy and sits quite low. Maybe something like that with attachment points on the sides would work if you can't find a hip belt that works.
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
Wider tyres will have more rolling resistance. Stick some extra wide tyres on your car and see how much it slows down
Depends on the terrain. Wire tires (“balloon” tires) work best in sandy areas Ike aches. They “float” on the sand instead of sinking into it. Both with beach buggies (cars) and fishing carts.
 
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sunndog

Full Member
May 23, 2014
3,561
477
derbyshire
Depends on the terrain. Wire tires (“balloon” tires) work best in sandy areas Ike aches. They “float” on the sand instead of sinking into it. Both with beach buggies (cars) and fishing carts.

Good point mate. On super soft terrain wider tyres will reduce rolling resistance. Esp paddle tyres on soft sand
That's the exception rather than the rule though
 
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Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
That's why there are visible trails in the forest = soil compression.
Plant root systems need nitrate as nutrient and oxygen for respiration ( roots are alive, agreed?)
You stomp on the ground, you compress it. Roots starve for oxygen and die.
Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter take the nitrate apart for the oxygen to leave the plants with nothing.

The trails are already buggered up, that's why you can see the results of the damage.
Might as well stick to that for the most part.

As a note added in factual proof, talk this over with the grounds keepers at a posh golf course.
Much of the logging here is done in winter so the vehicles 'float' on huge tires and tracks without compression.
Conifer forests cannot survive in compact soil. There's even tilling machinery to prep for planting
if the contractor has done a loaded job on the soft forest soil.
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
2,293
Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
In Scandiland skiers use wheeled skis on tarmac. 4 wheels per ski.
Skinny tyres are perfect on hard surfaces. Fat on sift surfaces.
Ever seen Tour de France bikes with fat tyres?
In nature you want wheels with fat tyres, or if you do not want to spend coin on that, scavenge another pair and mount them on the side of the first pair.
Two skinny tyres on each side equals one fattish tyre per side.
 

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