A “floating” backpack may make hiking a tad easier on your back. The HoverGlide is a backpack that bounces up and down as you walk with the help of a sliding rail and pulley suspension system. Although it may look silly, research claims the design can reduce impact forces up to 86 percent, and make heavy loads almost 20 percent easier to carry, according to New Atlas.
The backpack’s straps attach to a frame that sits on your back. While the backpack is mounted to the frame, it is also suspended by bungee cords on a pulley system. This allows the backpack to ride up and down as you move.
This system works when the bungee backpack bounces out of step with the user’s stride, allowing the backpack to hover at the same height as the user walks. This means the person wearing the backpack is not expending extra energy to move it up and down as they walk.
Although the HoverGlide is heavier than most backpacks from the spring-loaded hover mechanism, the reduction of impact on the joints and extra endurance makes the extra weight worthwhile.