Showerthought: why does everyone put the heaviest stuff on top in their backpack?

I've been hauling a daily bag for years, mostly around Denver for work and hikes, and I keep seeing the same mistake. People shove their laptop, water bottle, and tool kit right at the top of the main compartment, then wonder why their shoulders ache by noon. The center of gravity ends up way too high, so every step makes the bag pull backward and dig into your neck. I tested this last month with a 15 pound load, packed heavy on top versus heavy at the bottom near my lower back, and the difference was wild. Bottom-heavy felt like maybe 10 pounds, top-heavy felt like 20 after an hour of walking. It's just physics, but nobody seems to think about where the weight sits. Has anyone else switched to a bottom-heavy setup and noticed their backstops hurting?

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lisar141mo ago

My 27 pound hiking pack has the heavy stuff up top on purpose, and my shoulders feel fine after 10 miles. Youre basically fighting how your body naturally balances a load, keeping it low means you gotta lean forward way more to compensate, which is its own kind of backache.