View Full Version : Proper Hipbelt Placement
I'm trying to get a straight answer to a simple question. Where is the proper position for the hepbelt? The guy at REI told me to wear it where the top of the belt is even with the top of my hip bone. I've read other site the say the bottom of the belt should rest on the top of the hips, above the hip bone.
I know.... stupid newbie question.
thanks in advance,
dan
My hip bone usually ends up in the dead center of the hipbelt. Meaning that half of the belt is above my acutal hip bone and the other half is hugging my hip. It's just what works for me and is slightly higher than just on my hips. Not sure how it's supposed to be but that works for me and it's less comfortable in the short run, but more comfortable in the long run.
Homer&Marje
06-17-2009, 17:52
Whichever is more comfortable for you at the end of a long day. Try one day of each....you'll notice a difference one way or the other.
Whichever is more comfortable for you at the end of a long day. Try one day of each....you'll notice a difference one way or the other.
Yep... I think comfort is key, whatever that is. I tweak the straps and hip belt on my pack many, many times per day. I did eventually learn to keep the hip belt tight enough to support the weight of the pack so that every step didn't cause my pack to bounce on my shoulders - that creates a lot of soreness in short order.
kayak karl
06-17-2009, 18:43
could not find my hip bone till 4 weeks into hike:D after that i had the strap just over hip bone.
I would keep the majority of the belt in contact with your pelvis. Too high can cause abdominal problems if the belt is cinched too tight. Knew of one hiker who had to be evacuated from Zion National Park due to a strangulated bowel. He had emergency surgery, and the surgeon attributed it to too tight of hipbelt, worn too high on the abdomen. This was back in the days of heavy packs, may not be as much of an issue today.
Just a note, the surgeon was very cool about it and did not bill the hiker until the following year, once he was back at work.
skinewmexico
06-17-2009, 21:51
Another vote for comfort.
stranger
06-17-2009, 22:31
There is really only one way to wear a hipbelt correctly, and that is when the top edge of the hipbelt is slightly higher than the very top of the hipbone. Saying that, how much higher is somewhat dependent on your body type, length of hip bones, body weight, personal pref, etc... If the hipbelt is very narrow, you can probably get away with the top edge being equal to the crest of your hipbone, if that feels better.
The reason why this works is due to the nature of the hipbelt, all well designed hipbelts are conical to some degree, meaning the circumference of the top edge of the hipbelt is narrower than the circumference of the bottom. So, when the top edge is located above your hip bone, and tightened, the top circumference of the hipbelt becomes narrower than your hipbones, so it simply cannot slide down. Also, at this location it will not interefere with your leg movement.
When a hipbelt is fitted properly, you should be able to take a high step (like you were stepping onto a large rock or something) and your legs should not move the hipbelt or feel any resistance from it, another way of doing this is by squatting down, if you feel pressure from your hipbelt on your legs, the belt is too low.
Many people, generally men, and especially overweight men, tend to wear the hipbelt far too low, hence it will slide down. If you experience the hipbelt sliding down, and you have to constantly stop and retighten it, it's almost always due to it's location, it's probably too low. Where as women, although they generally experience less problems with their hipbelt, tend to wear their hipbelt too high at times. But these are both general statements and certainly exceptions do exist, although they are quite rare.
Yeah, according to the measurement I got at REI, I was 16-17" torso. Bought a pack that was 17-19" and it kept feeling like it was too small. Got an adjustable pack from same mfr, and I wear it right at 20". Top of my hip belt ends up right about the top of my pelvis. Not happy about the measurement from what I'd like to believe is an expert retailer, but at least they have a very good return policy. Now if they would only expand their product line and get rid of some of the crap that's been sitting around forever. Moral is, if you're not sure, get an adjustable pack and see what your preference is through experience.
stranger
06-18-2009, 05:13
Scope, you might be interested in knowing that only about 10% of males have a torso length that exceeds 19 inches, there is a very small chance you have a 20inch torso, this is based on about 5-6000 pack fits I've done over 10 years.
Generally speaking, the overwhelming vast majority of adult males have a torso length of about 17.5 - 19 inches, this would account for about 70%. The second largest group would be those with torso's 17.5 and under, and the final, smallest, group are above 19 inches.
There are very, very few people out there who know how to fit packs correctly. It's appalling really.
gearfreak
06-18-2009, 08:40
I've always heard that the very top of the hip bone should be centered in the hipbelt. I wear it this way and I get just the right angle on my load lifters. If the pack is worn too low and/or the torso length is too short, the load lifters may be too low relative to the shoulder. I think the rest is personal preference. :cool:
stranger
06-18-2009, 22:26
If the very top of your hipbone is in the middle of the belt, there is a very good chance the top edge of your hipbelt will either be touching your ribcage or quite close to it, while this isn't the problem most hikers talk about, I might argue if your hipbelt exceeds 4.5 inches in width this isn't going to work for many hikers.
On fitting... You don't wear a pack differenty to fit you, you put on pack on correctly and it either fits your or it doesn't. I would disagree that it's personal preference in terms of location of the pack, well alteast when talking about fit. Many people wear their pack wrong due to preference, generally cause they are too fat, doesn't mean it fits properly.
What works and what fits and peforms are quite different, and with packs almost more than anything, ignorance is bliss
Packs are like shoes, good ones have many sizes, adjustment is not always a good thing. But again this is all based my experiences over the years and fitting other people (granted we are talking thousands). Then again, no one can tell you how a pack feels except you.
I used to have a saying in pack fitting: "If the pack feels good than it's a good pack for you"
A reputable shop should be able to fit you properly. REI is a reputable shop & hopefully the one you talked to is properly trained. A properly sized pack can make a big difference, but if it is "properly sized" & causes you pain you need to adjust something. I had a properly sized pack but was wearing it wrong: I had the hip belt too low, The blisters / rup points were so bad I have a scar on my right hip from it. I accidently adjusted it properly one time, & WOW!!
Other than the pain, having my hip belt too low impeeded the movement of my legs, this wasn't noticable at first, but after 30 miles it made a difference. So much so that when I adjusted the pack off my hip joints, it was like I got a boost from behind. In a 3 speed car comparison, It was as if I had been stuck in 2nd gear, & finally shifted to 3rd: higher potential speed, better fuel economy, smoother ride.
I now wear the hip belt with the bottom of the belt just below the "bump" on my hips. I think my belt is 2.5" wide. No new scars in the past 4 years hiking with the belt adjusted correctly.