View Full Version : Ouch!
Why is my hip belt causing my waist area to chafe? It's painful and burns. My pack weight is around 28 to 32. I ask others and they seem not to have any problems.
DownEaster
06-29-2017, 23:14
Is the hip belt new? Sweat might be pulling sizing (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sizing) from the fabric, and you might be reacting to the sizing. This will eventually wash off, or you can wash and rinse the belt a few times to hasten this along.
Have you not been hiking previously? You could just need some toughening-up time. It's not natural to bear a lot of weight on a belt, but your body will learn to endure it.
Chafing is caused by rubbing. I would guess that your hip belt isnt pulled tight enough.
Traffic Jam
06-30-2017, 08:21
What kind of fabric is between your skin and the belt?
Mugthumper
06-30-2017, 09:40
Crank that hip belt down so that it doesn't have a chance to create friction. That will more than likely end you discomfort once the current chafing heals. You will also need to tighten it periodically after initially putting on the pack. I usually give my straps a tug once an hour or so to make sure that the belt is as snug as possible.
What kind of fabric is between your skin and the belt?
The fabric I wear is nylon pants and a quick dry polyester shirt. The pack is several years old (osprey) so it is broken in. I do a lot of packing in and flyfishing so not long enough to start chafeing. It's when I do my long sections 3 plus days. The second day is when I start filling it.
I have the belt senched really tight. Is it possible the belt is too big??
Traveler
06-30-2017, 09:53
Its hard to try and figure out whats causing this problem without seeing the pack on you and knowing where the rub-raw spots are. If the belt cinches tight and there is more adjustment left in the belt to get tighter, then the belt is not too big. It could be as simple as the adjustment straps on the back are pulling the hip belt and curling it or making it fit differently.
When this kind of thing happens to me, I usually take everything out of the pack, relax all the adjustment straps and shoulder straps, and check the belt and shoulder straps for bits of fabric, tags, or other imperfections that may cause a problem over time. Then I will start reloading the pack (a good time to review gear and if you've not used something in a long time it may be time to leave it out) and change how I put equipment into the pack to change its center of gravity and see if that has a bearing on the shoulder straps or hip belt. Going back to square one and redoing the pack loading and strap adjustment usually works for me and I find the problem is usually something I have done to change how the pack rides.
Another option is to load the pack and have someone who knows a bit about backpacking and help determine what the issue may be.
Puddlefish
06-30-2017, 10:20
After I tighten the load lifters, I back them off about an inch. This leaves a tiny bit of space at the shoulder, so the pack sits mostly on the hips and generally keeps the pack from swaying/shifting/rubbing. Maybe? I'm also attentive to keeping any shirt material under the hip pads unbunched.
Could also try rinsing the hip belt pads, could be some grit/salt from sweat built up in there. I also carry a tube of hydrocortisone for the rare chafing. Wash, dry and apply sparingly over night.
Mugthumper
06-30-2017, 10:28
Traveler makes a very good point that I didn't think to bring up. If you load it up optimally and something still doesn't feel right, loosen every strap on the pack and then make sure you tighten them down evenly. I'll do this every so often and find that it will increase the packs comfort even if there wasn't any perceivable discomfort to begin with.
It is possible that the pack or its sizing just isn't right for you. Every pack fits different and in my experience most seem to ride better with the belt near my navel but others down closer to my hips. My only Osprey is a child carrier and it is one of the few packs that I have to carry lower closer to my hips.
Spirit Walker
06-30-2017, 10:45
I have had this problem. As others have said, the pack belt may be loosening or it may just be too big. Crank it down and readjust periodically throughout the day. Be careful to keep the area as clean as possible, both because the salty sweat will cause more chaffing and because the chaffing can lead to infection. A friend ended up with big boils on his hips from his pack belt.
Crank that hip belt down so that it doesn't have a chance to create friction.
the guy that taught our group always told us, "tighten the hip belt to the point where you cant breathe, then loosen it just a little"
BuckeyeBill
06-30-2017, 12:00
the guy that taught our group always told us, "tighten the hip belt to the point where you cant breathe, then loosen it just a little"
???? I don't breath through my hips. JK:D
Feral Bill
06-30-2017, 13:22
If there is a good outfitter near you, try having a pack fitter adjust it with you. If it does not fit then, its time to do some shopping.
R U excusing beer belly or pregnancy stretch marks by blaming your pack?
Traffic Jam
07-01-2017, 06:40
R U excusing beer belly or pregnancy stretch marks by blaming your pack?
Pregnancy stretch marks don't require an 'excuse'.
hikermiker
07-01-2017, 07:24
I met a young female thru hiker who had severe chafing from her hip belt. Her pack was too heavy for her. I saw another thru who had put some pieces of blue foam ccf under her hip belt.
MtDoraDave
07-03-2017, 15:42
As someone else in this thread mentioned, after several days on the trail I sometimes get a rash on my hips. It could be my shirt, underwear, and/or pants bunching up under the waist band of the pack, or it could simply be that I haven't been clean enough. I use the Wet Ones wipes to clean myself between actually bathing opportunities. They kill germs, so a good wipe down in the evening gives the irritated areas overnight to heal a bit. It helps.
Traffic Jam
07-03-2017, 16:59
Lighten up TJ. :D
Sorry, it's been a rough week. I'll be nice. :)
I got a rash Saturday for the first time while on the Maryland AT. Why? It has 90 degrees and humid with a bit of rain and I ended up doing a lot of that distance with no shirt and often with one pack strap off just to change things up (My pack weight was about 10 lbs total.) It was also a very long "day" and I only had my pack off twice in 54 miles. All of that added massive chafing in places that I have never had it before (like lower back) even with taking precautions to avoid it. So while agree that the loose hipbelt which contributed in my case I also think the hot, wet weather is much to blame. Summer hiking belongs out West.