A Backpack with Wheels

Who would have thought a backpack with wheels would actually work? But when I saw the web site for the "Wheelpacker" (TM) , I was impressed. It has a frame that attaches you to a wheeled pack that can go over logs and rocks. It got me to thinking about what other backpacking innovations are just waiting to be marketed. Here are a few of the things I came up with (Originally published on my site, 999 Ideas .com, on the page "Backpacking Gear Ideas."

Water Bag Pillow

Normally I use a plastic soda bottle to carry water when backpacking. When I need to carry more water I have used the plastic bladders from boxed wine, because they are light and very strong. To get to the point of this innovation, I inflate the bag with air to use as a pillow too. To market this as a dual-purpose water container/pillow, it just needs a soft covering of some sort, probably a removable cover.

Wax Paper Food Packages

Backpacking food in wax-paper packaging instead of plastic. The packages doubles as emergency fire-starters, since wax paper will usually burn even when wet.

Inflatable Frame Backpack

Backpackers with frame-less backpacks often put folded sleeping pads in the pack, against the back side. This provides some cushioning and some support for the load. This could be also be done by having the part of the pack that rests against the user's back inflate. Using the same technology as the lightweight self-inflating sleeping bag pads, it would only add about six ounces, and the backpack could then double as a foot-bag/pad for sleeping.

A continuation of this idea is self-inflating backpack that folds out into a sleeping pad. The backpack "frame would be the pad, in a "U" shape for some rigidity in the pack. Given that self-inflating sleeping bag pads are as light as 14 ounces now, and frame less packs are as light as 12 ounces, the combination could probably be made to weigh just 20 ounces.

Jacket Backpack

A frame less backpack with a jacket that is a part of the pack. It can be folded back out of the way, and the pack would have normal shoulder straps. When wearing the jacket, though, it would stabilize the pack, and make it easy to push through heavy brush, because it wouldn't catch on things as easily. It would be something like wearing a large jacket over a backpack, but with the weight-savings and stability that come from combining them.

Backpacking Game

Just print a jacket or one side of a backpack with a chess/checkers board, and you have a carry-along game that weighs nothing extra (except for the plastic pieces you'll have to carry). Great for when you have to spend hours in the tent waiting out the rain. If you don't carry pieces, little stones or pine cones could work as checkers.

I am still thinking of backpacking gear ideas as I write this. Some may work, and other not, but it was fun, and a lot of inspiration from a backpack with wheels.

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