How Does
How Does an External-Frame Backpack Differ From a Regular Backpack?
By Isaiah
eHow Contributing Writer
Day Packs
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Backpacks come in three basic flavors: external frame, internal frame and day pack. The day pack is the regular backpack familiar to students the world over, and it is the smallest of the three. Day packs usually have no frame at all and have enough room to take some school books, pencils and maybe a bag lunch with you. They can also be used for day hiking. You can fit a meal, snacks, a flashlight, a jacket and some basic survival gear in one. A skillful packer hiking somewhere warm and easy to walk can pack enough for an overnight trip in a regular backpack.
External-Frame Packs
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External-frame backpacks are serious hiking backpacks. They are large bags with a metal frame around them. They are rugged and have a lot of space in them. You can tie water bottles, spare shoes, tents and other gear onto the outside of the frame, saving space in the bag. In emergencies, the frame can be taken apart to make a splint, or be used as a support for an improvised shelter. External-frame backpacks have the drawback of not being very comfortable. They are bulky and awkward, and do not conform to the back very well. These problems are the reason that internal frame packs were invented.
Internal-Frame Packs
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The internal-frame backpack has the frame built into the pack. Unlike external-frame backpacks, internal-frame bags use flexible frames designed to be more comfortable. The backpack itself is usually wider at the bottom than at the top to keep a low center of gravity. This makes them easier to balance when wearing than external-frame backpacks. Because they lack an external frame, however, you can't tie things on to them or use them as a support or brace.
Hybrids
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Some backpacks blur the distinctions between day packs and internal-frame bags. For example, some regular backpacks have internal stays like an internal-frame backpack to help them keep their shape. In general, if they are small enough, they are still called day packs.
eHow Article: How Does an External-Frame Backpack Differ From a Regular Backpack?
