How should my pack fit when properly adjusted?Updated 25 days ago
We advise loading your pack with 20-30 lbs. for proper fitting. Loosen the waist belt, shoulder straps, load lifters completely, and then put the pack on.
STEP 1:
With the top of your hip bones roughly centered or just slightly below the center of the hip belt, tighten it as if you were about to begin a hike.
STEP 2: Snug the shoulder straps down enough to provide solid tension without causing the waist belt to slide up from its position on the hips. Connect the sternum strap and tighten it to the desired fit. Up to this point, the load lifters should still be completely loose.
STEP 3: Now reach up behind your ears and slowly engage the load lifter straps until all slack is out of the webbing, but do not overtighten. Use a mirror to check for constant, gentle contact between the shoulder straps and your body from the back to the collar bone area. A small gap here or there is okay, but no more than a finger-width.
If a significant gap appears above or on the backside of the shoulder, remove the pack and move the shoulder straps down on the frame. On the other hand, if the shoulder straps are pressing hard over the shoulders and the waist belt feels like it wants to slide up your torso, the shoulder straps likely need to be moved up on the frame. These upward and downward adjustments are made by simply separating the hook & loop portion and sliding the shoulder straps in the T-Lock slot.
We recommend adjusting in 1-inch increments to fine-tune the fit slowly.
STEP 4: When the shoulder straps are correctly adjusted, and the frame size is correct for your torso length, the load lifter straps will be at roughly a 45° angle from your collar bone area up to the top of the frame stay.
If the load lifter angle is too flat, you may need to go up in frame size. On the contrary, a load lifter angle too steep may mean you need to go down in frame size. These load lifter angle details should not be analyzed until the proper shoulder strap contact scenario described above is achieved.