How to Properly Fit Your Backpack for Hiking and Backpacking, by BackpackingTV on YouTube. 12 min 20 s.
- Video length
- 12 min 20 s
- Time to do it
- 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Load the pack with roughly the weight you plan to carry, since an empty pack sits very differently on your back. Fill the main compartment first and keep heavy items near the middle of your spine.
Loosen every strap: hipbelt, shoulder straps, load lifters and sternum strap. Put the pack on and let it settle before you tighten anything.
Centre the hipbelt padding over the top of your hip bones, not your waist. Buckle it and tighten until the pack feels like it is sitting on a shelf.
Pull the shoulder straps down and back until they curve smoothly over your shoulders. Most of the weight should now be on your hips, not your shoulders.
Clip the sternum strap and set it about 5 to 8 cm below your collarbone. Tighten it enough to hold the straps in place without pulling across your chest.
Tighten the load lifters on top of the shoulders until they sit at about a 45 degree angle. This pulls the pack closer to your back and stops it leaning away.
Check the torso length if your pack allows it. The shoulder straps should wrap over your shoulders, with the padding ending a few centimetres below the collarbone.
Walk around for a few minutes, then fine-tune. Loosen the hipbelt slightly if it digs in, and readjust the shoulder straps so your collarbones carry no pressure.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep the total load under about 20 percent of your body weight to protect your knees and back.
A hipbelt that rides on your waist instead of your hip bones will slide down all day.
Over-tightening the sternum strap can restrict your breathing on climbs, so keep it snug rather than tight.
Recheck the fit after the first hour of walking, because straps settle once the pack warms up and shifts.
Questions
How do I know if the pack is too big for me?
If the shoulder straps end well below your collarbone or the load lifters sit flat, the torso length is too long. A pack that is too big will lean away from your back and pull on your shoulders.
Should the weight be on my shoulders or my hips?
Almost all of it should sit on your hips through the hipbelt. Shoulder straps mostly keep the pack steady, so sore shoulders usually mean the hipbelt is loose or sitting too low.
Can I adjust the fit once I am on the trail?
Yes, and you should. Loosen the hipbelt on steep climbs, tighten everything on descents, and readjust after rest breaks.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
