Find the Right Fitting Pack

AMC Outdoors, June 2002

By Michael Lanza

When you decide to buy a pack, plan to try on several models to find the one you like best. When trying one on, fill it with the stuff you'll carry on the trail (it's OK to bring your gear to the store with you)—no more than one quarter to one third of your body weight is the general guideline. Loosen all the suspension straps. Buckle the belt and chest strap; position the chest strap where it's most comfortable. With the hipbelt resting atop your hipbones, not sliding down over them, pull the belt comfortably snug.

Tighten the stabilizer straps, beginning with the lowest if there's more than one. Next, tighten the load-lifters, which should lie at a 45-degree angle to your shoulders. Last, tighten the shoulder straps and chest strap as desired. You should have leeway in the belt and all straps to loosen or tighten further. The shoulder straps should wrap cleanly around your shoulders, without gaps or bunching, and extend about a hand's width beneath your armpits; if they don't, try adjusting the shoulder yoke up or down.

When properly adjusted, about two-thirds of the pack's weight should ride on your hips. Walk around the store wearing your loaded pack. If it doesn't feel comfortable, find another one.

In the backcountry, make slight adjustments for comfort in varied terrain. For instance, loosening the hipbelt and stabilizer straps a little will give your hips and legs extra mobility for high stepping up a steep, rocky trail. On the other hand, on a steep descent you want that pack snug against your body to minimize the risk that it will throw off your balance.

—Michael Lanza is the author of The Ultimate Guide to Backcountry Travel, from AMC Books.