Chronic Pain. Those are two words we’ve all heard but we hope never become personal. For me, these words are more than that. They’re a part of my daily life. The pain, at times, is so bad I don’t feel I can get out of bed. For a period, I thought I’d never go on adventures again. The pain during a hike or trek was just too much to even bear the thought of opting outside.
When I was fifteen, I was diagnosed with scoliosis. The doctor told me it was no big deal and as a teenager, I wrote it off. However, fifteen years and two children later, my scoliosis started to create major problems in my body. Scoliosis is the medical term for an abnormal curvature of the spine, and because my spine and body are not aligned properly this has led to problems in my hips, knees, and back. And those problems decided to make themselves unforgivingly known when I was hiking down the John Muir Trail from Nevada Falls with a cheap backpack and way too much weight in it.
Every step down the 4.1 mile trail felt like someone was taking a sledgehammer to my knees and back. By the time I was done, my legs could barely hold mine and my pack’s weight and I stood hunched over from the aching in my back. I cried at camp with the realization that I would probably never be able to do an extended hike or backpacking trip ever again because my body was so out of alignment that walking, especially with a pack on, was too much to handle.
Fast forward a few years and a new co-op retailer opening nearby, and I found myself longing to be outside again. To explore the public lands that surround Southern California and beyond. To feel the sun and wind on my face. To have adventures! I decided at that point that I was not going to let my body stop me from doing the things I loved. But, I needed to figure out how I was going to do this while minimizing pain and being safe on the trails and in the backcountry.
I spent months researching packs. I knew I needed to just go into the co-op retailer and spend some time trying them on, but I was also afraid that if I did I’d find that investing in a good backpack wouldn’t help my situation. I feared that the pain would still keep me off the trails. But eventually, I went in. I spent 6 hours over 2 days trying on various weighted down packs. Walking around the store. Trekking up and down the stairs. Trying to get an indoor feel for what it would be like outside. I’d tried on just about every brand and could tell they wouldn’t work for me.
But then I tried on the Osprey Aura AG. Even before I weighted it down, I knew this bag was different. It slid on like butter and seemed to fit me like a pair of perfect wool socks! I thought to myself, “But how will it fair with weight in it?” Well, once weighted down, the feel of the pack didn’t change much. I could barely feel the difference! It was as though I was wearing shoulder straps with nothing attached to them. The anti-gravity mesh was doing exactly what it advertised: “providing exceptional weight distribution, allowing the wearer to move as if they aren’t wearing a pack.” I was sold. Yet still a little skeptical to see how it would work in practice.
In an ambitious attempt to get back outside, I scheduled a 4-day trek through the Grand Canyon as my first big adventure with the new pack. And my new Osprey did not disappoint. It worked just as well in nature as it did in the store. As I walked down into the Canyon, the wall of rocks surrounding me left my soul feeling light. I was back. And I was doing it with minimal pain. When we reached the Canyon floor, I was the only one in my group who didn’t want to take off their pack! I was ecstatic that I had found a pack that distributed the weight so well that it alleviated the strain on my back, hips, and knees. They say that nature is healing. And, I’d have to agree. Upon completing this trip, I was sore, but it was at a more manageable pain level; more like my day to day pain. And, as I’ve been out in nature more often, I’ve definitely seen an improvement. Being in nature, with the right equipment, has not only started to heal my body, but it’s healed my spirit. During my hiatus, I felt broken. I was depressed. But that 4-day backpacking trip awakened a happiness within me that had been dormant for far too long.
The Aura AG pack worked so well that I also invested in an anti-gravity daypack: the Mira AG. I also just got the Hikelite 18 (read my review HERE)! After getting involved in the outdoor community again, I became an ambassador for Mountain Chicks. Mountain Chicks is an all-inclusive adventure platform geared towards women. The group’s goal is to spread a love for the outdoors and create a safe space for women to adventure together with “mountain dudes,” dogs and kids. As an ambassador, I now host monthly hikes and multi-day trips. This wouldn’t be a possibility without the backpacks from Osprey. Now, you can find me out on the trails every weekend and on adventures throughout the year. I’ve discovered new trails that are so overwhelmingly beautiful, they leave me in tears (check out the Badlands Loop in Death Valley National Park or the Devil’s Chair in the San Gabriel Mountains). And, since I spend so much time outside walking, my body pain has been much more manageable. It’s still a daily struggle, but I no longer long for memories of adventures past. I’m making new ones every day. Thanks to Osprey, now I am able to opt outside every chance I can get!
See you on the trails.
This post originally appeared on Osprey.com as part of their Dear Osprey series.
The Pink Hat Hiker 