A first glance, the Monowalker, a “hiking trailer” conceived in Germany, had me snickering. Come on! Man up! Carry it on your back!
But the more I think about…well…maybe it’s cool..?
For one thing it can carry up to 100 pounds of gear. Try carrying that kind of weight on your back for a long distance. Ouch.
Also, contrary to my first assumption, the weight is not all supported by your arms, but is distributed to the waist and shoulders with a harness.
The Monowalker can be converted into a bike trailer (with the purchase of an additional wheel and draw bar) and a backpack. And the ash wood frame gives it a cool old-school vibe.
For me, the jury’s still out. I’m trying to imagine what my wife would say if I brought one home.
“Honey,” I’d say. “They’re all the rage in Europe. And it only cost $1000.”
She’d shake her head in distain and reply: “So are David Hasselhoff and Spandex.”
The Monowalker converts into a full fledged backpack when the need arises.
You’re right, there’s definitely something silly yet alluring about the Moonwalker. Although, I can’t see it being so nifty when faced with a sudden scramble. Hopefully you can still throw it on your back in such cases?
Can’t wait till they come out with a cheaper version here in N.America. I am at the end of my ability to carry a large pack but don’t want to give up the backcountry trips yet. I was thinking of getting the harness attachment for the chariot we used for our son and dragging that behind, but this is a much better size and more manouverable in tight trails.