For serious backpacking in demanding terrain

Here is something I will try this summer, on my trip to Ram Plateau. "For expeditions and heavy loads in challenging terrain, these offer the support you need for safe backpacking". Haindl is not a new company, but it is new to the backpacking and hiking community. I spoke to their International Marketing Manager at the head office in Kirchsanschnoring, Bavaria.

By Jörgen Johansson

- Haindl is a medical care company that has a long tradition of manufacturing different kinds of joint supports, she says. Most well known are probably our ankle and knee braces. Since I have been an avid hiker all my life it feels natural for me that we expand into this market segment.

- Many hikers, using supportive boots in order to stabilize their ankles, are not aware of how this affects the lower body. Stiff soles and stiff uppers on "expedition weight" boots transfer much of the strain from walking with a heavy pack to the knees and hips. In order to avoid knee injuries we have found that our knee braces are ideal for hikers who are serious about their backpacking.

- We also feel that many backpackers using heavy boots would be particularly receptive to our marketing, she continues. They have already embraced that their body needs support from modern engineering in order to be used. Taking advantage of our knee brace is just a logical continuation of this.

- However, we are also looking at military use for this product line. Together with the Austrian army we are conducting research into powered exo skeletons that will greatly enhance the strenght and endurance of foot soldiers. I think this could very well be of benefif for the backpacking community in the future. This sort of exo skeleton would enable hikers to carry heavier loads, meaning that you would not need to leave anything whatsoever at home, concludes International Marketing Manager at Haindl, April Primero.