Very hippy woman needs help fitting a backpack...

[pqtex]

I am a long time day hiker, but have never backpacked. I have a lot of experience river camping on several day solo wilderness canoe trips. I have tons of gear, some of it very compact and lightweight, but some items need to be tweaked and/or replaced. I have never owned a backpack. I've been researching and reading reviews of backpacks trying to narrow down a list of ones to try. I doubt I'll ever do long distance thru hikes, and my plans are for 2-3 days trips to start with, and a goal of 1-2 weeks trips. I will be doing most of my hiking in Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. Water is generally not a problem where I'll be and I plan on carrying a limited amount, and filtering/treating water sources.

I live in a smallish town without specialty outfitters so I drove several hours to Dallas yesterday to shop REI and get fit assistance. The main ones I tried were the Gregory Deva and Jade, Deuter ACT 45 + 15, and Osprey brands. I'm not sure what my base weight will actually end up, but trying to stay under 20 lbs base weight, and I don't want a large volume pack. So, if you've made it past the background, I need some help fitting a backpack. None of the packs I tried were comfortable, I think due to my hip size. I am 5'2", weigh about 185. Despite my weight, I am very active and decently fit. As far as body shape goes, I have largish breasts, a very defined waist and flat stomach, but large hips and buttocks.

The fitter at REI measured me at 17" and was fitting me in women-specific models, size small. Tightening the hip belt snugged it up around my waist area instead of my hip bones. I'm not sure what the problem is...whether I need a pack with a larger hip belt, one that is angled, or what. I always use a waist packs for day hikes because my old cheapo day pack hurts my neck and shoulders (only has shoulder straps, no sternum straps or hip belt).

What suggestions can you make for fitting a conventional backpack or alternatives to a backpack? I'd especially love to hear from women with hips as to what has worked for you. Or anyone who has experience helping fit someone with this problem.

Much appreciation for advice and suggestions...

Jill in Texas

[Karma13]

Hi, Jill!

I'm also hippy -- as in pear-shaped. I have a ULA Circuit that I love. (There are measuring instructions on their website, along with a video. I was able to order the pack to fit where I wanted the hip belt to rest.)

When you tried on the pack at REI, was it full, or was it empty? When the pack is fully loaded, it falls much farther, and on me, at least, the belt comes down onto my hips. Also, sometimes I like to snug the belt up closer to my waist; then I tighten the loading straps at the shoulders so my shoulders carry more weight, and that gives my hips a rest.

ULA also has a video about how to tighten the various strap systems for a customized fit depending on what you're carrying that day. That might be helpful, too.

(My ULA has the S-straps, by the way. It's a curved strap that doesn't cut right across the breast area. It's very comfortable.)

Anyway, I hope you find something that works for you. It might help to work out the specifics of the load first, because that makes all the difference in how the pack fits. (ie, how much of the load is soft and crushable, how much is hard, where the heavy bits are, etc, etc)

--Karma

[pqtex]

Thanks...

The fitter loaded up the packs with about 20 lbs of weight. I know she was loading the heavier packets closer to my back. When we snugged up the hip belt, it shifted the shoulder straps up too high. I will look at the ULA video as well as some of the others I've watched. Now that I've tried on some packs, I'll probably have a different perspective on the information. I forgot to mention that I didn't find any of the shoulder straps comfortable in any position. Even though they were women's packs, they all dug into the side as well as putting a lot of discomfort closer to the inner side of the shoulder joint.

Jill

[LadybugPicnic]

I have tried to wear women-specific packs, but I have linebacker shoulders and the straps never fit me correctly. It kind of sounds like the person who was fitting you for the pack may not be that knowledgeable on how to fit a person for a pack. I went to REI 4 years ago to buy a new pack and I definitely knew more about sizing myself and adjusting the pack properly than the guy who was fitting me, so he just let me do it myself (I work part-time at a gear store - fit people all the time). Take time to educate yourself on fitting the pack properly and then go try some out - getting the torso length is very important and after that, you can usually adjust all the straps to get a good fit. Good luck!

[Creek Dancer]

+1 @ ladybugpicnic. My boyfriend had a similar problem with the salesman at REI who was trying to help him with a proper fit. I am no expert, but I could easily see that the torso length was way too short and the pack straps were way too tight. REI does (or did) have a very good video on properly adjusting the pack to fit the person.

Pqtex, based on your description, I think that the hip belt was too small. The hip belt should fit at your hips; not at your waist. Line up the center of the hip pad to your hip bone and that is ideally where the pack belt should rest. Ideally, you should be carrying the weight of your pack on your hips - not your shoulders. When properly fitted, you should be able to slide a couple of fingers between the top of your shoulders and the shoulder strap. The strap should not be cinched down against your shoulders. If it is, you need to release the pack straps and the compressions straps. Some people prefer to carry some of the weight of the pack with their shoudlers for various reasons, but ideally that is not how the pack should be carried.

REI sells Osprey packs, some of which have removable and replacable hib belts which REI normally has in stock. (Not all Osprey's are designed this way.) You might want to switch out for a larger hip belt and see if that feels better.

Good luck!

[pqtex]

After watching some more fit videos, I agree that the hip belt was too small on all of these packs. It will be a while before I can get back to Dallas to try on more packs. I felt the fitter at REI was trying hard to fit me, not just sell, but since I have a body shape that is hard to fit in clothing, I kind of expected a hard time fitting a pack.

I do not want the weight of the pack on my shoulders...that's why my day pack is uncomfortable. I have always been very comfortable with waist packs, either worn in front or in back. Since I had never even tried on a "real" backpack, I didn't know what to expect with the feel of it. I appreciate the suggestions and advice and any other suggestions are more than welcome.

Jill

[surfnturk]

i would suggest you do some upper body, specifically lots of back/shoulder resistance excersises. having a stronger upper body should help.

[Feral Bill]

With a moderate load, a pack that fits well should not hurt in any area, even after a long day. Even a heavy load, in a pack designed for such, should not hurt, except for moving it uphill.

[pqtex]

Still wondering what part body shape plays in fitting/selecting a pack? All of the videos show athletic bodies being fitted. What about the round bodies?

[Erin]

Hi Jill, when I was in Arkansas a few years ago getting my Gregory Deva (yeah, it is heavy) they actually had just fitted a person that needed an extended hip belt and had it hooked up to the Deva I was trying out. I was at Packrat in Fayetteville, Ark. I am thinking the right shop can fix you up with a hip belt that will work for you. I am five one and 150 and still have that Deva because the sucker won't wear out.

[AT Trail Magic]

Check out Hyperlite on fb. LIGHT, durable, reasonably priced.

[Country Roads]

ULA makes nice packs. You can get different hip belt sizes and the hip belts are very adjustable as to hip angle. The S-straps are very nice.

[avalonmorn]

How far are you from Marlow, OK?

[pqtex]

According to Rand McNally, I'm about 484 miles south of Marlow, OK.

[pqtex]

Thanks for the input on ULA's straps and hip belts. I will definitely look at packs that have the ability to swap belts

I really appreciate the helpful attitudes of folks here. Very nice!

[lynn523]

I had to go to several stores before I found someone who knew how to fit me properly. Depending on the store, I was told I needed a woman's L, M, S, XS before I a very helpful person at the 2nd REI correctly measured me as being between a woman's S and XS. I'm 5'7" and usually wear L or XL so it was a surprise. Turns out I have a short torso. I wanted to be able to comfortably carry up to 30-32 pounds, including food and water. Tried many packs, hoping I'd love the lightest. Ended up with the Gregory Deva. It was one of the heavier ones but it made the 30 pound load feel lighter than all the rest. REI also swapped out the shoulder harness, putting a medium harness on my small pack. (Another good Gregory feature. Fyi, their hip belts also can be swapped out). I hiked 165 miles in Maine with it this summer and loved my Deva the whole time.

[lynn523]

Forgot to note that the new Deva I carried thru Maine this summer was the most comfortable of the 3 packs I've ever used. It's a great pack, but even more importantly, it fit well pin me with a full load. Good luck.

[pqtex]

...REI also swapped out the shoulder harness, putting a medium harness on my small pack. (Another good Gregory feature. Fyi, their hip belts also can be swapped out). I hiked 165 miles in Maine with it this summer and loved my Deva the whole time.

Interesting. That bit of knowledge helps. The person at REI never suggested I could swap belts or harnesses on any of their packs. I know she was trying, but I felt she wasn't as knowledgeable about fitting as I needed. I'll be back in Dallas next week and will see if I can get help from a more experienced fitter and try everything again. I'll also look to see if there are any other outdoor specialists in the area. There used to be several good stores when I lived there a few years ago, but many of the smaller specialty shops have closed.

[Iron Owl]

PM sent with details so I don't clog this with a long post...but swapping out the harness and hip-belt is the way to go. Also if you've got more direct pressure because of said hips- a more heavily padded belt vs. that of a very lightweight pack may also help. My Osprey Aether 70 with an up-size hip-belt makes 45 lbs (full winter load for a week) disappear on my back. I believe the Ariel is the women's version...and is available down to a 55.

Perhaps order some options from REI...then return what you don't go with (obviously keep tags, etc on it so REI can re-sell immediately and not lose money on it). I think they carry the belts/harnesses as well, but usually have a more limited array available in the store.

[pqtex]

Thanks for the info. If it had been shoes or clothing, I wouldn't have hesitated to order 2 or 3 things to judge fit or size; but since I'd never worn a backpack before, I didn't want to guess and was depending on the fitter to assist me. Now that I know I can request a larger hip belt, I'll be sure to look at the packs that allow the belts to be interchanged. I'm very excited about all of this. I'm happiest outdoors, whether in the canoe, or hiking. I never backpacked because I mistakenly believed it involved carrying a ton of gear. After I discovered forums for backpacking with light loads, I realized it was something I really could do and still enjoy it.

Jill