The simple answer is yes, but the search for a pack that works is not easy.
In 1978, I broke my back in an unfortunate tire swing accident. It healed just fine, but the combination of that and scoliosis meant I had to have back surgery to keep from being crippled in my early 20s. My back was a “C” curve at a 33 degree angle, and getting worse each passing year. I had a back fusion in the early 80s and my back is at a permanent 13 degrees with 2 pencil-sized metal rods. I’ve been incredibly fortunate, as I have no back problems other than my lower backbone kind of sticks out. If I lean back on a hard surface, I get bruises.
Fast forward to 2020. I got hit by a car on my bike, and again, very fortunate to not have major back problems from it. Even my physical therapist and sports medicine doctor were amazed! The one thing that did happen from the accident is now my spine protrudes in the middle of my back, and just to make it a bit worse, right where my bra strap goes. My friends see my back and call it “spikey.” It’s annoying, but doesn’t really limit me from doing much, so I planned an epic bike ride for later this year. It’s 59 miles of remote desert terrain in Big Bend Ranch State Park. I have to carry a lot of water and other resources in order to do this safely, so a new backpack is in order. Easy, right? Just go buy a new backpack. Uh, no.
Let me start by telling you what I need. The backpack needs to hold a 3 liter water bladder, an extra water bladder, food, and other survival supplies. It must be smaller than 22 liters in volume and fit snug against my back for good balance. There are many backpacks out there, so many that it’s a little overwhelming to chose one, even when narrowed down to my specific needs.