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How to Fit a Backpack

If you routinely experience back pain, shoulder pain, or hip pain when you carry a backpack, there’s a good chance that your backpack doesn’t fit you or that you’re not wearing it properly. This is surprisingly common among backpackers, and one of the main reasons why people don’t go hiking more often.

The Biggest Mistakes that People Make

The number #1 reason why backpacks don’t fit is that people buy packs with the wrong torso size. Before you buy a pack, measure your torso (click for directions). Backpacks with adjustable torso lengths can be a godsend if you fall between sizes or want a more personal fit. Here are the 10 best adjustable torso length backpacks that we recommend. Adjustable torso backpacks are great for fine-tuning your fit after you’ve worn your pack for a trip or two.

Men's ModelWeightWomen's Model
Osprey Exos 582 lbs 10 ozOsprey Eja 58
Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra 601 lbs 5.4 ozZpacks Arc Haul Ultra 60
Osprey Atmos AG 654 lbs 10 ozOsprey Aura AG 65
REI Flash 552 lbs 13 ozREI Flash 55
Deuter Aircontact Ultra 50+52 lbs 10.7 ozDeuter Aircontact Ultra SL45+5
Granite Gear Blaze 603 lbsGranite Gear Blaze 60
Gregory Zulu 653 lbs 11 ozGregory Jade 63
Osprey Kestrel 483 lbs 9 ozOsprey Kyte 48
Gregory Paragon 583 lbs 8 ozGregory Maven 55
Six Moon Designs Flight X2 lbs 6.8 ozS-shaped shoulder straps available

The number #2 reason why backpacks don’t fit is that the hip belt is too big or too small. Many manufacturers only make hip belts in one size for their backpacks, and that size might not fit you. Come to terms with this and find a backpack that fits your waist, as it is today. Some manufacturers also offer replaceable hip belts that can be switched out on backpacks or adjustable length hip belts like on the Granite Gear Crown 3 60, ensuring a perfect fit.

Don’t be tempted to buy a pack because it’s on sale unless it fits your torso and hip size. Doing that is a mistake, and you’ll suffer needlessly from it.

Here are a few things to check to make sure your pack is properly fitted:

Hip Belt

  1. Does the hip belt cover your hip bones (iliac crest) or has it slid below them?
  2. If you can’t tighten your hip belt enough and it keeps falling below your hips, it may be too long.
  3. If your hip belt rests on your lower back and not the sides of your hips, it may be too short.
  4. Is your hip belt snug, but not so tight that it causes back pain?
  5. If you loosen your shoulder straps completely, can you feel the pack resting on your hips?
  6. Drop your arms so they hang along your sides. If your hip belts pocket are behind your arms, your hip belt is probably too short.

Torso Length

  1. Do you know the length of your torso and does it match the torso size of your backpack?
  2. If there is space between the tops of your shoulders and your shoulder straps, your pack’s torso length is too long. If your pack is adjustable, make the torso length shorter. Otherwise, return your backpack and get one with a shorter torso length.
  3. If you are carrying all of the weight of your pack on your shoulders, your torso length is too short. If your pack is adjustable, make the torso length longer, so most of the weight rests on your hip belt. Otherwise, return your backpack and get one with a longer torso length.

Shoulder Straps

  1. If the front of your shoulders get very sore when your backpack, make sure that most of the weight is on your hips and not your shoulders. If the cause of the pain is because your pack is too heavy, get a new pack with wider or more padded shoulder straps, or lighten your load.
  2. If the shoulder straps on your pack rub against your neck, loosen the sternum strap. If this doesn’t work, your pack may have a harness that is too narrow for you and you should exchange it.

Sternum Strap

  1. If you can feel your sternum strap on your neck, try lowering it. It is too high. If that still doesn’t work, try getting a pack with a larger torso size.
  2. If tightening the sternum strap doesn’t keep the shoulder pads on your shoulders, you probably need a backpack with a narrower shoulder harness.

Load Lifters

If your backpack doesn’t come with load lifters, don’t panic. They are often provided on higher volume packs where you need to carry heavy loads, but not on smaller volume or ultralight backpacks.

  1. If your backpack has load lifters and the back of your head hits the top of your pack, try loosening the load lifters.
  2. If there is a gap between the tops of your shoulders and your load lifters, loosen them.
  3. If you can feel your pack pulling you backward, tighten them. This will narrow the gap between your back and the pack and tilt the pack forward, so more of the load is carried by your hips. Also make sure that the heaviest items in your pack, such as water, are located as close to your back or sides as possible and not in the back of your pack.

Try on Lots of Backpacks

Buying a backpack should never be an impulse decision. Try on lots of different packs and test them fully loaded on a long day hike before you commit to keeping them. Come to grips with the fact that some packs will never fit you because you are too tall, too short, too round, too skinny, or you have no hips. Backpacks are just like business suits (men’s and women’s): some fit and some don’t.

Manufacturer and retailer return policies are also flexible enough these days, that you can try lots of backpacks before committing to one, guilt-free. Backpack makers want you to enjoy your backpack and tell your friends how much you love it. Buying a backpack is one of the most important decisions you can make if you like hiking, so take your time in making a decision.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment and I’ll try to answer them.

Philip Werner has hiked and backpacked over 10,000 miles in the United States and the UK and written over 3000 articles as the founder of SectionHiker.com, noted for its backpacking gear reviews and hiking FAQs. A devotee of New Hampshire and Maine hiking and backpacking, Philip has hiked all 650+ trails in the White Mountains twice and has completed 12 rounds of the 48 peaks on the White Mountains 4000 footer list with over 576 summits in all four seasons. He is the author of Backpacking the White Mountain 4000 Footers, a free online guidebook of the best backpacking trips in the White Mountains in New Hampshire and Maine. In addiiton, he's a volunteer hiking leader with the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Green Mountain Club, as well as a Master Educator for Leave No Trace. Click here to subscribe to the SectionHiker newsletter.

78 comments

  1. Hey Phil,

    Good little article.

    I have come across way to many hikers out on the trail who did not have proper sized backpacks, which was causing them pain in different areas of their bodies.

    Without a doubt I think one of the biggest issues is overloading a backpack beyond is recommended base weight.

    Next would be backpacks that are either too short or too tall (usually too short) when it comes to torso height.

    Agreed with your comments on the hipbelt not being the right size. I have had a couple of backpacks recently that the padding did not go far enough around the IC, so when I did need to tighten up my hip belt it caused improper alignment of the top of my backpack.

    Something not addressed is that often times, rather than going with load lifters (which cause stress on the shoulders if not used properly or your load is to heavy), is to simply buy a backpack with another two or three inches of height on the top of it. Obviously this is something that only custom backpack makers are able to do, but it has been a trick well used for a long time.

  2. I often end up with a sore neck while hiking and I believe that when wearing my pack I feel like if I stand up straight it puts a lot of pressure on my lower back, so therefor I compensate by leaning forward and arching my neck upward. I feel sort of like a turtle sticking his head out of his shell, if that makes any sense. I believe I load the weight in the pack correctly, could it be a pack size/fit problem. I had it fitted at EMS, and I have taken this pack on 3 trips so far (pack is the EMS Longtrail 70). I want to try the Pacer Poles you have talked about to help with my posture. Thanks for any information.

    • What’s your packweight? You shouldn’t be leaning forward. Pacer poles will definite help.

      • My pack weight is typically around 40-45 lbs. Which I would like to shave down some I believe I distribute the weight properly in the pack.

    • I have experienced a sore neck while backpacking due to my hat. This is a long shot and I know it sounds goofy but when I wore a boonie style hat the brim would hit the pack behind my head periodically. SubconsciouslyI would correct for this by leaning my head forward to clear the pack.

      At the end of the day my neck would be killing me. Switching to a ball cap eliminated the problem.

      Proper posture is even more important when carrying a pack.

  3. There are a lot of reasonsing and philosophies about what fits with backpacks. Pehaps the strongest point made is “Try on Lots of Backpacks.” If still in doubt, choose the tallest size between two equivalnly comfortable packs…it will put more of the load on your hips/legs directly, bypassing the spine and shoulders.

    Different people will also advocate different framed packs. No frame, internal frame and external frames. All fit a bit differently. Raw measurements do not take this into account. The shape of a frame and harness system can also influence fit. Straight frames are never fully comfortable. Curved frame sheets tend to hug your back better, with less additional weight in padding. Stiff, tubular frames can restrict hip movement while hiking, important for comfort while walking.

    Width of a backpack makes a big difference. Tall and narrow, vs, short and wide. Often these are chosen for a more specific purpose. Narrow packs seem to be better for climbing, and bushwhacking. Wider packs (and more compact loadings) can be better on flatter, open trails. You should pay attention to the size of the pockets (if any) and how vulnerable they are to snagging. I find narrow 11″-12″ pack-body width comfortable. Wider 13″-14″ pack-bodies can catch on all sorts of things on narrow trails.

    The overall use of load lifters is a rather controversial subject. Like belt stabilizers, they are designed for keeping the loaded pack near your center of gravity. Lets face it. All the load goes on your feet and legs. There is no such thing as a magical “load” lifter. (Hydrogen filled ballons and bags do not count, these are add-ons.) Putting them at 45 degrees “above” your shoulders, or straight across your shoulders, or at 70 degrees above your shoulders doesn’t do a da*n for carrying the loads. They DO help manage any “overload,” though. Keeping the weight close to your body will reduce any “pulling back” with the loaded pack.

    Compression straps can help by keeping a load more stable and “rattle” free. Also, they help keep the center of gravity closer to your body. They also keep the pack stiff and nearly self supporting, resulting in a better carry, generally.

    Center of gravity seems to be in two major types with packs. The first is the overall COG. It will force you to lean forward to balance a load while walking. This will ALWAYS happen with any load on your back. The second COG is forcing the pack to pivot on the wast belt. This will put stress on your shoulder harness. The two combined, can be quite uncomfortable. This has more to do with loading, than fit, though.

    The packs COG, load lifters, torso strap, and shoulder straps can all combine to put a lot of stress on your chest. Women pick up early on this with any pressure on the breasts becoming quite uncomfortable. These all conspire to reduce breathing. In high exertion activities, such as hiking or climbing, this is bad. You should NEVER feel like the pack is restricting your breathing. Often this is just a matter of adjustment, Sometimes, these things can conspire and will do this, regardless of the adjustments. Aarn front packs, indeed most front pack arrangements, fail in this regard. Your chest will move up and out while breathing. Any pressure on your breathing will cost you energy or pain on the trail. Reduce as much as possible the weight on the shoulder harness. In the video, he mentions 65% of the weight should be on the hips. I would rather say “as much as is possible.” The shoulder harness should never have more than 3-5 pounds of load on each strap…enough to stabilize the pack while walking, climbing, or twisting between trees on a bushwhack. Taller packs will twist and turn against you, putting additional strain on your chest. A deeper 7-8″ thick pack will change the COG and pull against your chest. Overly tight load lifters will pull weight agaist you shoulders, putting more weight and more pressure on your chest. We all need to breathe. With a 20 pound pack load and a good waist belt, as much as 80-90% of any of my pack load is on my hips. Indeed, my shoulder harness/torso strap is just tight enough to stabilize the pack against the load. Wow! I can breath!

    Keep the heaviest items low in your pack. This will move the packs COG closer to the waist belt and reduce the need for loading on the shoulder straps. The next heaviest items should be loaded close to your back. and as low as possible. ready items (lunch, sweaters, jackets) should be placed on top. This also makes them readily available. If your tent is the heaviest single item, it should be placed where? In the pack and on the bottom of course. Or, get a lighter tent, so you can put it next up, in the pack,ready to be used in wet weather. If you have trouble with pack collapse, try rolling it tightly and placing it upright, next to your back. There are tricks you can play with gear to help the pack be more comfortable. But there is no fix for an ill-fitting pack. If you do not have the correct size pack, then all the tricks in the world will not make the pack fit better. I would avoid the weighted bags at REI or EMS when checking the load ballance of a pack. These are usually very dense pushing the weight and COG very low. You would do better to simply take all your gear, and laod it to get a good idea of how the pack will carry. They will not usually complain, but tell them you are looking to buy a new pack. Often they will help!

    • Hikers with heavy camera gear have a problem, in that the lenses and other heavy camera gear should be packed at the bottom, with the camping gear on top. This is problematic in a traditional top-loading pack. Furthermore, one often wants to stop, shuck off the pack, set up the tripod and camera, and maybe swap lenses. The thought of having to completely unpack and repack a top loader is just gruesome. The alternative is to put the less dense tent, inflatable pad, food, water, clothes, etc at the bottom and the camera gear near the top of the top loader. Unfortunately I haven’t found a good large side-access or back-access pack with adjustable/ multiple torso sizes and with adjustable/interchangeable belts and shoulder straps. .

  4. One of the things I have found confusing is that to determine your “torso size” some manufacturers want you to measure ALONG your spine and some manufacturers instruct you to measure VERTICALLY from the C7 to the Iliac Crest. Measuring along your spine can add as much as 2″.

    • That is pretty odd. Who asks for this?

      • Philip,
        I thought Gossamer Gear did but looking on their website I could not find any information regarding how to measure your torso so I may be mistaken. Same for MLD. Zpacks’s description could be interpreted as meaning measuring vertically:

        “To measure for your torso:
        Stand up straight. Measure in a straight line from just below where you want the belt to ride on your body to the top of your shoulder.”

        • I just watched the REI video you point to for instructions on measuring torso length and they indeed tell you to ”measure along the contours of your back”. The text says to use a flexible tape measure.

  5. I recently went on a practice Duke of Edinburgh expedition for a weekend, my hip strap was around my waist the whole time (25km) and I came back with really bruised hips. Could someone let me know if there’s any padding or anything that I can put on my hips for my next expedition? also, is it supposed to be around the waist or the hips?

  6. My hip belt keeps creeping up while I am hiking. REI recently switched out my hip belt so that it is longer, but I’ve encountered the same problem with the longer belt. Any suggestions?

    • Sounds like the torso is too short or you’re pulling the shoulder straps too short.
      Bottom line. If it doesn’t fit, and not all packs fit all people, return it and get something else.

  7. If I have the hipbelt around my hips it seems to interfere with the medius gluteus muscle, constricting it and making it harder when going up inclines. When going up inclined trails I’ve tried moving the belt more into my waist area, unfastening the hipbelt (which defeats the whole purpose), and holding it away from my hips and supporting it with my hands to get the pressure off my side hip muscles. I have a Buttermilk 55 pack and it “fits” the torso measurement criteria. Thanks for your help!

  8. It should be higher than your butt and cover your hip bone (illiac creast). Try positioning the hip belt over your belly button and sliding it down a wee bit.

  9. That reduced the constriction on the medius Phillip, appreciate your help.

  10. My ongoing fit problmem is that I am a big, barrel-chested guy who cannot keep the shoulder straps from making a short curve around by shoulders, and then digging it with a lot of discomfort. It seems all shoulder straps attach at the pack bottom too far in which keeps them from being a wider geometry.
    Does this explanation make sense? I have tried highly-regarded packs from Kelty, Dana Design, Gregory, etc. over the years, and always work hard to insure the torso lenghth, etc. is set correctly. Regardless, I HATE the way the shoulder straps fit. What the heck am I missing?

  11. What is too high above the head for a pack. Mine is about a foot taller than the top of my head. I also heard to carry heavy items on the top?

  12. I dont think it matters so much how ‘high’ the pack is but packing it properly is a key skill. Ideally heavier items should be closer to your back and not too high up. Lighter items i.e. spare clothes, bivy, lightweight shelter, sleeping pad should be placed in the bottom, with your sleeping bag/quilt midway up with food and stove/fuel etc on top but close to your back. Of course it depends on the individual weights. But heavier stuff not too far down but not on top either but as close to you as you can get it.

  13. Thanks for your post. I have been having a problem finding a pack to fit width wise. I am a thin women, torso length is 18″. The shoulder straps rub my neck even with the hip belt tightened. Also the buckle that tightens the shoulder straps tends to restrict free range of motion with my arms as it rubs them. I have tried several packs. My old external frame pack had places to adjust the width of where shoulder straps attached, are there any internal backs with that do that?

    • Unfortunately not. You’re justg oing to have to try on a lot of backpacks unti you find something that works. When you do, buy two. Try looking at packs intended for climbing as they tend to be less broad.

  14. hi everyone, I got a Columbia 40l backpack as a gift. I have been using it for a while and sometimes felt my shoulders aching. i did not know about torso measurement at that time, but now realised that the bag is too small for me. If i want the hip belt to be a hip height then i have to let go on the shoulder strap, but if i pull on the shoulder strap, then the hip strap goes above my hips. also the lift loaders are not the position recommended because they are either the top of the bag is at my shoulder level or below, or almost useless.

    can anyone suggest what should be the best position to use this bag, hip level or raise up on shoulder, because the person giving it to me would have spent some money to buy this for me (and not his fault for not knowing about torso length). I can still use it at least as my daily office bag.

    thanks for your advice.

    regards
    pascal

  15. Hey Philip, just reading this past post. Do you have any insight to why I get pain between my shoulder blades (upper back but below neck) after backpacking for a few hours? The only thing I can think of is maybe my straps are too wide and they are pulling my shoulders back, thus activating those muscles more. Any insight would be great.

    • It the top of your pack below the tops of your shoulders? What about weight distribution..are you carrying most o fthe weight on your hips or your shoulders?

      • Hey Philip maybe you are right. I don’t put much thought into where the load is. I try to get most of the weight on my hips though.

  16. For some reason on all of the packs I have tried I feel like I have to arch my back to support the weight. What could be causing this?

    • They may be too small. The weight should mostly be on your hips.

      1) Did you measure your torso size and match it to the pack? (Yes or No)

      2) Have you tried buying a pack with an adjustable frame and setting it to your toso length? (Yes or No)

  17. I have no hips, well, i have them but I am very slim. When I was fitted for my pack (Kelty Lakota 85) if felt fine in the store the half hour (+) I had it on with weight. When I am out on the trail the hip belt eventually slides over my IT’s and I am have to bounce the pack up and tighten the belt time and again. (You can imagine how this eventually feels). The torso length was measured and feels right, the hip belt is the right size, but other than getting artificial hips implanted is there anything I can do or should look for in a new pack? Thanks!

    • Minimal hip belt padding. If you can downsize, I highly recommend a Gossamer Gear Mariposa. it has 69 liters of capacity.

      • I have the same situation as Tad. I find the problem is at its worst when I have any kind of nylon jacket or coat on, as this causes the pack to slide down even more easily. I hoist the pack up onto my hips, tighten the belt as much as possible, and it still slides down soon afterward. In warm weather with just regular cloth shirts or tops, the slippage is minimal to almost non-existent. I am currently on my umpteenth pack in search of one that will stay put on my hips. I’m now using the new Kelty Catalyst 65 with the Perfect Fit feature. The Mariposa pack you suggest in your earlier reply seems to have the same degree of belt padding as my Catalyst, I have next to no hips and butt upon which a pack should rest. Any further suggestions? Thanks!

        • Get a jacket that lets you run the straps underneath like those from outdoor research with torso side zips or a poncho. Also, try packs with minimal padding. Thy slip a LOT less. It’s the “give” of the padding that causes the slippage.

        • Yup. Phiip is absolutely correct. Many backpacks have a heavily padded hip belt. In the store and for short periods of time, they work really well. On more rugged terrain & trails, for hopping around obstacles & over streams, and, for long periods of time, they often compress and slip. You are better off with light padding, not a heavily padded belt.

          The position of the belt is also important. Too high and it will “bite” into your hips making them sore after a day of hiking. Too low and they do not lock onto the hips making your shoulders sore.

  18. Hi. I did a backpacking trip for 3 months in Europe with a 65litre. Now I am going to Indonesia for 4 months and I bought a new osprey 50 litre.
    My question is why is the strap hurting my right side collar bone and the muscle under the collar bone ?
    I went to the store to ask and show them but all the other backpacks are kinda big for me as I am 5’1 and 97 pounds. Is the answer I’m just too thin
    And that’s why it’s rubbing so much?

    • It’s hard to say why without knowing what size your torso is, what pack you bought and the size you got, what size your waist is and what the waist size of your pack is. If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say that your collarbone is hurting because you have to much weight in the pack and you’re not wearing it correctly on your hips, or the torso is too short, causing more weight to ride on your shoulders.

    • My wife had this problem. Lots of men suggested lots of things that didn’t work. Eventually her chest strap broke, and the rope replacement we kludged together didn’t stay as tight as the factory strap. She said it f felt seriously lose and almost floppy. After 3 longer than usual days, no collarbone pain. She’s not much bigger than you, narrow shoulders. Not saying it will work for you, but might be worth a try.

  19. Hi, I just stumbled across your site here and have a question. I likely know the answer after reading your post and all the comments, but I will ask anyway. :) I recently bought an Osprey Mira 34. I don’t need to carry a whole lot – extra layer, rain jacket, lunch/snacks, water, sunscreen, etc. (stuff for a day). No tents or sleeping bags. Anyway, my torso is apparently 16″ which puts me in the XS/S category. I was kind of surprised as I am 5’10” (female). A few years ago, I had a pack for the Grand Canyon rim to rim and returned it because it didn’t seem to fit – the very tops of my hip bones were bruised/tender by the end of the day. Now with the Osprey Mira 34, I can’t seem to keep the dang thing on my hips – it rides up. If I really clamp down on the waist belt, it’s either over my belly button/almost to my natural waist, which seems uncomfortably high and seems to put all the weight on my shoulders, or I have to almost stick my tummy out to keep it to stay down. I’ve adjusted all the other straps (shoulder and the other top ones), and while it feels fine at first, within a few minutes of walking, it’s ridden up again. I am going to try the next largest size in this pack – do you have any other recommendations? Thanks.

    • I think you’ve already diagnosed the problem. The torso length of your pack is probably too short. Before you try another size, measure you torso. Torso length has nothing to do with height and varies widely between people.

  20. Any thoughts for what someone could do with a newly torn rotator cuff? I can’t use a shoulder strap but am dying to go backpacking……

    • Another option is to hire a docile pack animal and its pack harness (choices include donkeys, mules, llamas, goats). An alternate is to hire a larger species, horse or mule, and ride, with saddle bags carrying your gear. Neither of these should be done if you aren’t familiar with the behavior of the animals in question or taking along a wrangler/guide.

      On short trips with several other people who really like you, you could parcel out the stuff that doesn’t fit in the hip pack to the other hikers. :)

      The real question is, are you going on routes where you need to scramble or otherwise put stress on the shoulder/arm? You shouldn’t go if there is any doubt about the difficulty, and needless to say, don’t go alone. Ask your doctor about reasonable activities. Also, will your sleeping arrangement be comfortable enough for you to get rested?

  21. I know it has kind of been covered but is it normal to tilt your head back and hit the internal frame of your pack? Not a super concern but can be a bit annoying at times… When I tired my pack on on I maxed out the Medium size and the was recommended to get the large because of this… I’m 6’2 with long torso… I’m rocking an Osprey Atmos AG. Love the pack, just wondering about the head/frame issue.

  22. Cinnamon Silenthawk

    Are all of the packs that are created for different torso sizes, only top loaders? I carry a RUSH72 that opens in half but is it too wide for my small stature.

    • No all backpacks are sized this way.

    • Osprey Ariel 65 has both top and side loading, and comes in extra-small. I have a 14.5″ torso, and it was one of two large packs in the REI store that fit well, the other being a child’s pack. Granite Gear has a side loader that takes interchangeable shoulder harness and belt with wide range of sizes. It wasn’t available for personal examination, so I went with the Ariel. The opening on the Ariel isn’t as large as the GG pack, by photographs. Ariel has a large C shaped zipper mid-pack. It is NOT a minimalist pack, though.

  23. I just bought a new 22 liter pack for day hikes and admittedly did not do enough research on fit first. I’m 5’4″ and a normal weight, but curvy with lots of junk in the trunk. The pack I bought is supposed to fit a torso length of 18-21″ and my torso measures at 19″. The problem I’m having is that after hiking for even a short while, my butt goes completely numb. It’s as if the load of my pack is sitting on top of my butt (like a shelf). Coming downhill is the worst.

    • Sounds like you’re wearing the hip belt too low and too tight. That’s just a guess though, but those symptoms match.

    • Did you figure out a solution? I just purchased the osprey tempest 20. My torso is 17 and I got the m/LG size. I have the adjustment all the way in for torso hight. When I put the hip belt on my hips where it belongs it’s rests on my rear because I too have a great dwla of junk in my trunk. ? Anyhow my rear seems to be up high. If I put the hip belt high enough for it to not hit my rear end it’s about 2 inches above my belly button and feels terrible. Do I need a smaller pack? Or does this particular pack just not fit my body well?

      • I would get another pack because this one, specifically the hip belt, isn’t designed for someone with a high clearance butt.
        You really don’t need a hip belt on a 20-liter pack or any pack where you carry less than 20 pounds. If you relax the requirement of having a beefy hip belt or a get one without a hip belt or just a webbing strap to hold it closer to your body , you’ll be a lot more comfortable.

  24. I went to REI and they measured me as XS for a backpack (I am 5’6″ and very short waisted), so that the belt goes over my bellybutton and is resting on the tops of my hip bones. The packs felt like they were pulling me over backwards and it felt like they were riding too high. My old pack rested much lower on my hips and was more comfortable because the weight was entirely on my hips. Should I stick with what feels more comfortable (lower on my hips) or go with the “expert” advice?

    • Hard to say without seeing it first hand.

    • Dori, It really doesn’t matter where your bellybutton is. The top of the hip bone (iliac crest) is not in the same position on everyone relative to the bellybutton. If both packs were loaded to 25-30 pounds, then go with the most comfortable one. Often, without loading it up fairly well, a shorter pack feels better, but, once you have weight in it, it won’t. Most of the weight will be on your shoulders.

  25. This whole measure torso thing is very strange. Some say measure the curvature of the spine. Some say measure straight, and some say to measure from the floor like this. https://www.mchalepacks.com/packs/detail/measure.htm

    Between these measurements, I get a large margin of difference. The packs that are most comfortable for me are even longer than the longest torso measurement. I am tall and skinny. Packs fit best for me low on my hip. Especially with a short hip belt. I am more concerned with where it fits on the lower portion of my hip, because anything on top, slides down. For a skinny person everything gets smaller below your liliac crest, and digs into those bumps on the front of your hip. Simply put, for me it is where my love handles start where my pack belt needs to rest.

    I believe that some of these ideas about having a “professional” fit a pack for you, has alot of people wearing an uncomfortable pack that is the wrong size. There is alot more to this than measuring a portion of your back that needs to be considered.

  26. Hello my name is kate currently on a round the world trip constantly destroyed by a backpack. Initially, i got the aura osprey 50L antigravity small and regardless of what i did, i felt extreme pain on the shoulders. Then they exchanged it to medium, same issue. My torso is 48. I am 1.64 and i am now clueless what to do. Id had back surgery in the past and i am terrified. Can you please reply to me and help?

    Kate

  27. I am 80 years old and have owned many backpacks, starting with my first one, a WWII war surplus army backpack for $5 around 1950 (a remarkably good pack, but with iron tubing frame). This Section Hiker discussion is the most enlightening and useful exchange of ideas on backpack fitting I have seen. Please keep up the good work, Mr. Werner.

    I bought my latest pack this year, the Gregory Paragon 58, by clicking REI from your blog so that you would get credit for the purchase. I was planning to use it for my 80th birthday hike of Mt. Whitney this summer but had some problems with fit and adjustments, so ended up successfully reaching the summit hiking solo with a combination of an old (and too large) Osprey pack that I was very familiar with, and a small REI summit pack. After reading this discussion, I am ready to do some more adjustments on the Paragon 58 and packing it better. I wasn’t packing it symmetrically and it listed to starboard, causing pain in my right shoulder on short training hikes. Thank you.

  28. Hi, I have pain in my upper back between my shoulders just below my neck. I only do day hikes and so the heaviest thing in my pack is 2 liters of water and I only carry a few other lightweight items. I have two different osprey packs size xtra small as I am only 4’11” and very short wasted. Any suggestions on what is causing this pain and how to alleviate it? Thank you

  29. My backpack hits the small of my back I would say my tailbone when it never before so now everything feel like twice the weight I carry n pulls me backwards n makes it so much harder . What’s happened there? Thx!

  30. Hey,

    When hiking multiple days I always get pain in my traps. My base weight is 9.5 pounds and I typically do week trips so I end up carrying a 25 pound pack. I’m currently using a hyperlight mountain gear pack that’s fitted for my torso size. Any help is much appreciated

  31. Hello Phil, I have the Exped Lightening 60, I’ve had it for 2+ years and have never had a chance to use it…yet. I am planning a A.T. section hike in Aug 21′, Great Barrington MA to Hanover N.H., I have never been on a backpacking trip. I am gonna take it real slow, and I have bail-out plan if I get over my head, ha ha. I’m taking an Amtrak to Pittsfield. I am geared up, Tarptent DRainbow, quilt, pad, clothes, etc etc. I think?? I have the pack adjusted correctly, but dunno really. I did mess with the aluminum T-rex bar 2 years ago, and may have bent it a bit much, but not sure. I think it fits okay.
    Any further advice, on pack…on my trip????
    Thanks a lot Phil!
    Oh, I turned that pack inside out, seam-sealed, and did the out side, all the stitching, took hours, ha.
    Steve, 54 yrs old, Waterville, Maine

    • I’d take a short trip, maybe just one night, with a 5 mile hike in to shake things out before you’re big trip. You can see how the pack fits, practice using your other gear, and you may decide to leave some stuff at home. Shakedown hikes are always eye-opening.

      • “…you may decide to leave some stuff at home.” Forty years ago, my wife and I decided to take an overnight trip in Rocky Mountain NP. Fortunately, the first hundred yards of trail started practically straight up from the parking lot. We got to to the top of that hill, turned around, went back to the car and dumped a bunch of gear back in. The “just in case” stuff almost never gets used and sure adds up!

  32. Interesting that AARN was not included in the review. They are a small boutique seller and not the mass marketed type offered through the normal brick and mortar stores. There is a US seller, so the excuse of not having access to evaluate their system is not an excuse. I for one have the AARN Natural Exhilaration 33L, and the fit and carry is so much better than the lean forward counter balance way of hiking. The ability to shorten or extend the length, fit of the hip belly over and around the hip along with the shoulder lift to bring the pack in and center the load to your sweet spot is very nice. The front pocket/loaders are also very researched, and offer a very good counter balance to how the load is distributed. I have no shoulder weight due to how the load is evenly distributed to my hips and legs. I am not affiliated in anyway to the company, but was trying to eliminate many of the topics here. If you are still searching, give them a view through a search engine. The New Zealand site has a very exhausted look at the development and research to their backpack system.

  33. Do you have any advice on proper fit for a day bag without the padded hip strap (just webbing strap) I don’t see any thing that indicates torso lengths on these types of bags and the few manufactures I have tried feel like they are either too short or too long … too short causes the arm straps to sit under my arm pits and is pretty annoying even adjusting the straps doesn’t fix this issue and bag that is too Long causes the dreaded gap on top of shoulders and again adjusting straps doesn’t seem effective … I just want a day bag that I can carry water, medication, binoculars , phone and little odds and ends … Im just a day walker.

    • You just have to try on day packs until you find one that works and that you like. I would point in the direction of a larger volume pack, like 30 or 40 liters because you’ll probably find something in that range that fits better.

  34. This should be at the start of every hiking trail as there is nothing worse than a poorly fitted backpack – we have all been there. Great post!

  35. I am not a stick thin northern European women. I have struggled to find a rucksack that 1. Fits a narrow shoulder tip to shoulder tip back, 2. Doesn’t crush my breasts 3. Has a hip belt that fits a frame where there is about 1 ½” between lowest ribs and top of pelvic crest. Any suggestions for companies that do this?

  36. Just a general comment on breathing and how it may impact the shoulder strap fit, comfort and function. Many folks “chest breathe” which causes an expansion of the upper rib cage. This is an inefficient and incorrect breathing cycle and causes a constantly varying chest diameter which could complicate getting the proper fit.

    The correct way to train yourself to breathe per The American Lung Assoc.:
    “Humans are “belly breathers,” and just above your stomach is a major muscle in the respiration process, the diaphragm. Proper breathing starts in the nose and then moves to the stomach as your diaphragm contracts, the belly expands, and your lungs fill with air. “It is the most efficient way to breathe, as it pulls down on the lungs, creating negative pressure in the chest, resulting in air flowing into your lungs.””

    As there is virtually no contact of the shoulder strap and stomach area to cause any variance in dimensions during the belly breathing cycle, it makes a consistent strap adjustment easier. BTW, it also has the secondary effect of “massaging” your abdominal organs helping with blood flow, digestion and peristalsis for that giant chimichanga you had for lunch.

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