Abstract: A pair of levers are pivotally attached to the rigid frame of a backpack apparatus and extend forwardly over the shoulders of a person wearing the backpack and downwardly so that its distal or lower free end is positioned a spaced distance in front of the person's waist at a location conveniently within reach of his arms. A rotatable shoulder pad is provided on each lever near the point of pivotal attachment to the backpack frame to distribute the weight of the backpack over a larger area of the person's shoulders and to reduce the sharpness of the levers bearing on the person's shoulders. Each pad has a curved upper surface and is attached to the lever by a resilient strap such that the pad can rotate or rock to a limited extent independently of the lever.