View Full Version : Hows your Illiac Crest?
When I was fitted for my backpack the template (for lack of better words) had slots or holes where my iliac crest was supposed to fit. This gave me the impression that your waist belt should fit "around your hips". But if I put on my pack that way and tighten it, the belt eventually falls down from the weight of the pack and most of the weight is eventually carried by my shoulders. The only way my hips "carry" the majority of the weight is when I actually secure it just above my hips and the pack somewhat rests on top of my hips with the weight of the pack pressing down on my hips.
So the question here is how do you wear/adjust/fit/conform your pack's waist band? Is the proper way around your hips with the belt super tight so it doesn't slip down and shoulder straps cinched tight or is it just above your hips with the weight resting on top of them?
I hope that makes sense. Kind of a crazy question I guess. And no, I've never done a 2000+ mile thru hike but I have hiked a couple of hundred miles and just want to know how others do this.
Thanks
fastfoxengineering
04-04-2018, 01:56
It's a personal preference, varies from manufacturer to manufacturer thing.
Sounds like you possibly have the wrong torso size in your given pack.
I don't cinch tight any of my belts or straps. I'd call it finger tight. But that's just me.
You should start with a properly loaded pack. Loosen all straps. Put it on. Snug, not cinch the hip belt where it's most comfortable for you. The pack should kinda feel as if it's floating off your shoulders because the weight is on your crest. Gently snug not cinch your shoulder straps. Gently snug your sternum strap. Snug your load lifters if you have them.
From there, you can loosen or tighten anything slightly till it's dialed in.
I don't recommend cinching any straps down real tight. If the pack fits well and is packed right it shouldn't be necessary.
I comfortably carry 25-30lbs this way with an internal framed pack.
Another thing could be your possibly overloading your pack.
Stuffing 40lbs into a lightweight pack typically equals discomfort.
How much weight are your putting in it? What kind of pack is it? How are you packing it? What is your torso length? What size torso length is your pack sized for?
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Burrhead
04-04-2018, 06:47
Sounds like you got properly fitted. Give this a try, I got the same demo from a Gregory rep back in the mid 90's and it helped me out.https://youtu.be/A07eqwG05zg
Most comfortable for me slightly above hips or it slides down. Everyone’s hips aren’t shaped the same. Don’t like my pack sag on my ass.
chknfngrs
04-04-2018, 07:29
Always had trouble with hip belts. So I don’t use them anymore!
saltysack
04-04-2018, 08:00
Always had trouble with hip belts. So I don’t use them anymore!
+1....
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When I was fitted for my backpack the template (for lack of better words) had slots or holes where my iliac crest was supposed to fit. This gave me the impression that your waist belt should fit "around your hips". But if I put on my pack that way and tighten it, the belt eventually falls down from the weight of the pack and most of the weight is eventually carried by my shoulders. The only way my hips "carry" the majority of the weight is when I actually secure it just above my hips and the pack somewhat rests on top of my hips with the weight of the pack pressing down on my hips.
So the question here is how do you wear/adjust/fit/conform your pack's waist band? Is the proper way around your hips with the belt super tight so it doesn't slip down and shoulder straps cinched tight or is it just above your hips with the weight resting on top of them?
I hope that makes sense. Kind of a crazy question I guess. And no, I've never done a 2000+ mile thru hike but I have hiked a couple of hundred miles and just want to know how others do this.
Thanks
Howdy neighbor! I'm just south of you in Wood County.
I can't help much. I've owned and still use packs from Rivendell Mountain Works, Dana Design, Osprey & ULA. Hip belt centered vertically on the iliac crest. Tight! Shoulder straps with a finger gap. No slack, but not tight, for the sternum strap and load lifters. Works for me. The ULA double buckle belt is very nice. Tighten the upper belt first. The belt assumes a conical shape and rides on the hips very nicely.
Wayne
Time Zone
04-04-2018, 08:14
Positioning of the belt is not as exact a science as it is sometimes made to seem. I found a 2"+ difference in "torso length" depending on the measurement method prescribed. This puzzled me until I read Kelty's description in their user manual for external frame packs (e.g., Tioga). They show how to adjust a pack to fit both a person who wears the hipbelt high (on top of the hip bones, just under the rib cage - their recommended position) or low (on the hip bones). That accounts for the difference in torso length, I found.
The recommended position of belt relative to the iliac crest always confused me. It was not clear at all. But Kelty's guide showed that in the higher position, the buckle basically goes right over top of your belly button. That makes it easy to figure out. And indeed, I found that I prefer it positioned there as well, otherwise it slides down over time and transfers weight to my shoulders. In the high position, it stays there and the only pressure on my shoulders is from the front - i.e., the shoulder straps only serve to keep the pack from falling backwards. They don't keep the pack up, vertically.
So I'd recommend you try the hipbelt higher - buckle over your belly button, belt on top of your hips, just below your rib cage.
None of the previous discussion allows for the user to fine tune the location of the hip belt or shoulder strap anchor point if either is present on the pack.
That might make a difference.
Wayne
Time Zone
04-04-2018, 08:30
None of the previous discussion allows for the user to fine tune the location of the hip belt or shoulder strap anchor point if either is present on the pack.
That might make a difference.
Wayne
True. For example, you could find out where you like the hip belt, then adjust the shoulder strap anchor point accordingly (so that the straps are just above the shoulders). Again, I found the Kelty manual to be very helpful in this regard (I don't even own a Kelty pack - but some of the information is applicable to other packs as well, even internals.
Link to PDF of kelty manual:
www.kelty.com/pdf/2009/09Tents/ExternalINST.pdf
Just a guess but I suspect those with a well defined waist will have good luck with wearing the belt on the crest while those with love handles and a more generous waist line will favor having it higher(thats me). Carrying 40lb in an Osprey Stratos 50 required me to cinch the belt up really tight and have it above the crest. Being really well padded, having it really tight was still quite comfortable and was preferable to having to hike up the pack every couple of minutes.
Carrying 40lbs my first time out really required keeping the weight on my hips, at which point 40lbs was a total non issue. Several days in my shoulders toughened up and I could have the weigh all on them without discomfort and I then tended to alternate between letting it slide down and hang off the straps and hiking it up over the hips between rest breaks.
hikernutcasey
04-04-2018, 12:12
My understanding was the hip belt was supposed to center your hip bones and be pulled snug so that the pack weight is distributed there instead of your shoulders. A properly fitted pack will be able to do this but if it's too big the pack will sit too low and if it's too small it will sit too high both of which will cause tired shoulders in no time.
One thing that helped me was learning how to put on a pack correctly. When you remove your pack loosen the shoulder straps and hip belt before unbuckling. Then when you put it back on position the hip belt on the hip bones and tighten it first, then adjust the shoulder straps where the pack is snug but not tight against your back. This has worked well for me.
BuckeyeBill
04-04-2018, 15:34
You can check out how ULA Equipment advises to fit their packs here (https://www.ula-equipment.com/product/catalyst/). While this takes you to the Catalyst pack page, scroll down for written directions and a short video. It seems pretty simple from there.
rocketsocks
04-04-2018, 15:37
Suck up and cinch up!
Odd Man Out
04-04-2018, 17:45
I have an Elemental Horizons Kalais pack. They have two adjustment straps on the waist belt. One high and one low. Their instructions are to tighten the upper strap more than the lower strap so the belt conforms to the contors of your body. I personally try to cinch it up above the IC. I am "blessed" with wide hips so I can carry the pack up high so all the weight is in the hips. When I start out there is no weight on the shoulder straps. I can loosen my shoulder straps completely and the pack is still supported by the belt. I then tighten the shoulder straps just enough to keep the pack from moving horizontally (providing no vertical support). It will eventually sag. When I feel more weight than I like on my shoulders, I reach around to the bottom of my pack with one hand and lift until the waist belt is above my hips, I tighten with the other hand, and then lit it come to rest again above the IC. I should probably buy a pack that is has a little shorter torso length to have it ride this high. But when you got big hips, you might as well use them.
DuneElliot
04-04-2018, 19:56
True. For example, you could find out where you like the hip belt, then adjust the shoulder strap anchor point accordingly (so that the straps are just above the shoulders). Again, I found the Kelty manual to be very helpful in this regard (I don't even own a Kelty pack - but some of the information is applicable to other packs as well, even internals.
Link to PDF of kelty manual:
www.kelty.com/pdf/2009/09Tents/ExternalINST.pdf (http://www.kelty.com/pdf/2009/09Tents/ExternalINST.pdf)
THIS ^^^
As a woman who HATES any pants whose waistband goes above my belly button I knew I'd hate having my pack hipbelt so high. My hipbelt is generally cinched to hug the top of my hip bones. Of course, as a woman, we have hips that prevent slippage...who knew that a female figure would have so many benefits when carrying a pack.
You need to know where YOU like your hip belt cinched. Get a rough idea from the measurement at REI or other reputable pack fitter but in the end a pack needs to feel comfortable to you. According to my torso measurement (19") I could do a Sm or Med Osprey Exos but I found the hip belt to be in the wrong place on the small. I have found this to be the same with my ZPacks Arc Haul. As my pack sits lower and on the wider part of my hips I actually had to upgrade to the medium hip belt on my Arc Haul despite my tiny 110# frame.
The top of my hip belt rids just at the top of my iliac crest. My little paunchy belly determines where my belt buckle rides and that's below my belly button. The bottom of my hip belt is even with the top of my butt, or maybe a smidge higher. The weight just settles there.