hello folks!

i've been checking out this forum for a while now, and finally decided to join. you all have a wealth of information.

i'm 25, and have been traveling on and off since i was 16. been on a few cross country hitch hiking trips, lived in the woods for months at a time. i'm currently settled down in my home state with a job, an apartment, and a relationship, but i think about travel all the time and am always prepared for an adventure.

i've been slowly accumulating gear for another possible long trip in the future, and recently have shopped around for a new pack. the pack that i've lived out of for the past 4 years has been a north face terra 30. i am a little lady and the pack has done its job, but it's a little bit of a tight squeeze, and i can't travel with it without having a decent amount of stuff hanging off of the outside of the pack. after trying on a million packs, i finally settled on the gregory z55. it's by far the most comfortable pack that i have ever tried, and seemed to be one of the only ones that fits my small frame and has a large capacity. i'm waiting for it to arrive by mail, and am going to give it some test runs when it does. anyone own one of these?

the only issue for me is that every - and i mean EVERY - backpack that i've ever tried on with weight makes my left arm go numb, including the terra 30 that i have used for years. it's fine up to 15 or 20 pounds, but anything over that makes my arm get all tingly.

does anyone else have this problem? are there any pack adjustments you could recommend to avoid pinching that certain nerve? pretty frustrating.

anyway, thank you all!

- c