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Tumplines

I picked up one of those Patagonia tumps a while back and have experimented with it a few times while backpacking. Still haven't figured it out, but the "alternative to a hip belt" concept wasn't something I'd thought of. I'll have to try it again.
 
Good article. I'm a tumpline guy but I doubt I'd use one backpacking. Although with a 30 or 35 lb. load it may be doable. I have noticed that portaging has realigned my low back, but I thought it was from carrying the canoe. Now I wish I could find a way to get rid of the pain between my shoulder blades that I get while tripping.
 
I don't use one enough... Yvon Chouinard is a smart man, really smart!
 
I use a tumpline only to keep my solo seat from sliding off my shoulders, not to carry heavy weight. I think I would needed to have used one since I was young, often not to mess up my back.
 
Coincidental timing... as I've gotten older, portaging my beloved wooden canoes (50, 50, and 75lbs, respectively) has gotten harder and harder... I was going to try out a tumpline on my Chum on a trip later this month. If it goes well, and I remember to take pics (harder when solo), i'll post something up.
 
Now I wish I could find a way to get rid of the pain between my shoulder blades that I get while tripping.
That indicates a biomecanical problem. Your arms aren't designed to provide power and that's what happens when you use them too much
Try using abdominal muscles instead. An exercise that forces you to do this is to paddle with locked elbows. Straight arms
 
Thanks YC but I don't think it's the paddling, although it probably contributes some. Last weekend when I was out I could feel it being aggravated when carrying the boat even though it was an otherwise comfortable carry. It's a spot in my back that has given me problems in the past.
 
That a why it's called 'practicing' medicine.
Jim

What do you call the person that graduates last in his class at medical school?




Answer
Doctor.
 
I was just taking a stab at it. I've taught hundreds of canoeing students and that was a hint that helped many.
The other cause people remotes was cramping of the trapezius when portaging trying to keep two hands on the canoe
Using a portage line and controlling elevation of bow or stern while keeping your arms down st the sides really helps

As far as the tump my neck muscles aren't well enough developed but I did use one a couple of weeks ago My pack he both hip belt and tump and using both was a help on the 2400 m uphill portsge
 
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I just made myself a tumpline for the coming trip, to be use for the wanigan, or if we have to cary a heavy load(moose, caribou) some distance. I use 3m of 1" webbing and 1m of 2" webbing, I sewn in 2 Drings to use as simple lightweight adjustment, and sewn the 1" webbing onto the 2" head band part to distribute the weight.

I added a length of rope to keep the land steady or to secure more gear on top....

That wanigan fully loaded with all the kitchen/cooking/fire stuff is around 37lbs and carrying it with the tumpline is a breeze...
 

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I use a tump for my wood canvas canoe - portaging with paddles, life jacket, dog pad and fish poles attached to the canoe. I also use a tump to port my wannigan with my bed roll on top. I find I can travel longer even as my kit gets heavier with the use of a tump. I do have to practice and "build up" to heavier weights before a trip. I also find I get "trail broke" a little faster using a tump over using my shoulders. All this said, I have never seen anyone else using a tump on any of my trips.

Bob.
 
I use a tump for my wood canvas canoe - portaging with paddles, life jacket, dog pad and fish poles attached to the canoe. I also use a tump to port my wannigan with my bed roll on top. I find I can travel longer even as my kit gets heavier with the use of a tump. I do have to practice and "build up" to heavier weights before a trip. I also find I get "trail broke" a little faster using a tump over using my shoulders. All this said, I have never seen anyone else using a tump on any of my trips.

Bob.

Bob, it would be nice to see your set up. What do you do to " practice and "build up" to heavier weights before a trip." ?
 
Canotrouge,

I will have to see if I have any pics of my kit - likely nothing very helpful. However, I have not tumped for lots of years, so I am careful to take a few weeks of working out to get my body prepared for the trip.

I also train my dog in obedience and canoe/timber manners, so we train together. I may start out with 2 driveway laps, with my wannigan and about 10 pounds in it, with my dog tetheard to my waist. My driveway is about 1/8th mile - one way with a slight grade. The dog and I practice walking the load. In time I put about 20 pounds in the Wannigan and walk up to 3 laps, the dog still attached to me has his pack on with about 3 pounds of water for weight.

After I can master that without breathing to hard or any significant fatigue - I move up to walking about a half mile field romp with my dog - practicing recall, sit stay ... hide and seek, then put on my wannigan loaded and my bed roll ( 18 pounds with blanket, and axe ) about 50 pounds give or take and nightly ( after work) walk 4 laps on my driveway no stopping, my dog using his packs with 6 pounds of water ( 3 pounds per side ), attached to me with his 6 foot leash. Last year I knew he was ready when we kicked up a deer at the edge of the driveway no more than 15 feet away. The deer exploded back in the timber, my dog (leashed to me) wanted to give chase in the worst way, but I yelled NO - SIT! He sat and looked a t me, then at the bounding deer, then back to me. With 50 pounds on my head, if he suddenly ran that could have been ugly. He received a hearty good boy and pat on the head. We continued our laps up and down the lane confidence growing.

My canoe with the gear in it after a 7 day trip last year was 72 pounds. My wannigan with bedroll attached at the end of the trip was I think 47 pounds and my canvas pack was 44. I use the shoulder straps as well as the attached tump on it as well if it is a long port. If it is manageable I tump the canoe with the pack on my shoulders and double port only. Usually I triple port as most of them seem to be longer, 2/3 of a mile or more.

If I this is not really too clear, jsut PM me. I do not always express myself well when typing.

Bob.
 
Canotrouge,

I will have to see if I have any pics of my kit - likely nothing very helpful. However, I have not tumped for lots of years, so I am careful to take a few weeks of working out to get my body prepared for the trip.

I also train my dog in obedience and canoe/timber manners, so we train together. I may start out with 2 driveway laps, with my wannigan and about 10 pounds in it, with my dog tetheard to my waist. My driveway is about 1/8th mile - one way with a slight grade. The dog and I practice walking the load. In time I put about 20 pounds in the Wannigan and walk up to 3 laps, the dog still attached to me has his pack on with about 3 pounds of water for weight.

After I can master that without breathing to hard or any significant fatigue - I move up to walking about a half mile field romp with my dog - practicing recall, sit stay ... hide and seek, then put on my wannigan loaded and my bed roll ( 18 pounds with blanket, and axe ) about 50 pounds give or take and nightly ( after work) walk 4 laps on my driveway no stopping, my dog using his packs with 6 pounds of water ( 3 pounds per side ), attached to me with his 6 foot leash. Last year I knew he was ready when we kicked up a deer at the edge of the driveway no more than 15 feet away. The deer exploded back in the timber, my dog (leashed to me) wanted to give chase in the worst way, but I yelled NO - SIT! He sat and looked a t me, then at the bounding deer, then back to me. With 50 pounds on my head, if he suddenly ran that could have been ugly. He received a hearty good boy and pat on the head. We continued our laps up and down the lane confidence growing.

My canoe with the gear in it after a 7 day trip last year was 72 pounds. My wannigan with bedroll attached at the end of the trip was I think 47 pounds and my canvas pack was 44. I use the shoulder straps as well as the attached tump on it as well if it is a long port. If it is manageable I tump the canoe with the pack on my shoulders and double port only. Usually I triple port as most of them seem to be longer, 2/3 of a mile or more.

If I this is not really too clear, jsut PM me. I do not always express myself well when typing.

Bob.

Bob, thank you for the info this is what I call a useful reply... I didn't train... But I'm working a lot these days and I feel that is like training lol
 
Yes, there are right ways and wrong ways to tump. Here's an example of poor posture.
(I'm arching my back with too loose shoulder straps.)
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I didn't get a photo of the correct posture on this trip; when I said "Okay. Now..." she ran to pull a pot off the fire that was boiling over. Priorities. Ha.
Anyway, my tump snapped at this campsite while we were packing up the very next morning. The rivet placements were poor. Too bad. It was a nice piece of leather. (I left the nicer tump at home.) Using them properly can make a heavy load a dream to carry, but I've chosen to lighten our loads these days instead. This canvas pack had a small barrel "T'd" on portages for this trip, so there was never any use for the tump. I hope and plan to never need one in future. Regardless of what you carry, and whatever your fitness level, posture is of the utmost importance.

Maybe soon I'll finish this tump trip report at home here. I'm convinced there's a place for tumps on trips, but only if you want/need big heavy loads. Otherwise a well fitted backpack with full suspension might be for you. As for me, I'll reduce the load and weight for carries. BTW, tumplines are traditionally used for wannigans, something I've never tripped with. Check out the gear used by some youth camps.
 
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