The Lost Art of Carrying Loads: How Ancient Cultures Outsmarted Modern Backpacks
Before Cordura and aluminum stays, humans solved the problem of hauling heavy loads across impossible terrain with ingenious systems. This article explores five traditional carry methods: Japan's versatile furoshiki cloth, Papua New Guinea's flexible bilum bag, the Himalayan namlo and doko basket that hangs from the forehead, the gaucho's integrated rastra and sash, and Scandinavia's breathable birch-bark kont. Each design reflects its landscape and culture, challenging modern assumptions about what makes a great carry system.
The gaucho's clothing was a kind of wearable infrastructure, designed to keep essential tools accessible without interrupting movement.
- alexpotato
With regards to how skill is more important than technology in these other form of carrying:
A couple years ago I read Survival of the Bark Canoe by John McPhee [0].
There are several discussions of a crooked knife and how it was the "multitool" of craftsman in the northern forests and was used for everything from making canoes to snowshoes.
This led to me learning more about crooked knives and even starting https://crookedknives.com.
One of the most interesting parts about this journey was reading the below quote:
"Skill allows you to do a lot with one tool whereas many tools can be used to replace skill".
e.g. it's hard to learn how to use a crooked knife but once you do learn, it's like having a plane, gouge and carving knife all in one hand.
This article feels very similar in that it probably takes more skill to use a soft bag or basket to carry loads instead of a modern backpack but also gives you a lot more options.
- absoluteunit1
Interesting article.
But I don't know if I am imagining it; I'm starting to feel Claude's (AI) writing everywhere. Like this sentence for example:
> The genius of the gaucho’s system isn’t storage. It’s integration.
The x isn't y. Its z.
- oidar
Thanks for the essay Claude. It’s good info, just something feels off. It doesn’t feel like a person wrote this article… what are 10 options to fix this?
- vehemenz
Though it's associated with Africa, head portage was commonly practiced nearly everywhere.
- jcmontx
I'd like to add another thing about the gaucho: the recado (the traditional saddle) was also a really important part of his equipment. It was basically his whole camping setup. The different layers could be taken apart at night and used as a mattress, blankets, insulation from the ground, etc. Then in the morning everything went back on the horse.