A backpack that doesn’t fit well can quickly ruin a trip by causing pain in your shoulders, back, hips, or even feet. But it’s not hard to find a pack that fits you well, or to adjust to fit a pack to your body perfectly. This guide will show you how to fit it to your body in a few simple steps.
Finding a pack that fits
The two most important steps to fit a pack are 1. finding the right torso length and 2. the right hip size.
1. Measuring your torso
To properly measure your torso, you need a friend and a flexible tape measure.
1a. Find your C7 vertebra — Your C7 Vertebra lies where your shoulders meet your neck. Tilt your head forward and find the prominent bump at this junction. This is the top point of your measurement.
1b. Find your iliac crest — The iliac crest is at the top of your hipbones. Put your hands on your hips and your thumbs will naturally find the iliac crest. The horizontal line between your thumbs is the low point of your measurement.
1c. Measure between the two points — Stand up straight and have your friend measure between these two points.
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2. Measuring your hip size
Next, find your hip size. You can ditch the friend, but keep your flexible tape measure. Find your iliac crest and measure all the way around at this point. For most people the measurement point is slightly higher than their belt-line.
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Find your pack size
Backpacks usually come in “Small”, “Medium”, and “Large” sizes, but don’t focus on that. What’s most important to fit a pack is finding the right torso length and hip size. This information is usually found under “Technical Specs” online (see photo below) or on the pack’s tag if you’re looking at it in person. You want to find a bag that has a torso length range and hipbelt range that closely match your measurements. Falling right into the middle of the range is best. Backpack hip belts are very adjustable, while torso lengths cover a much smaller range. If you happen to fall in between torso lengths, look for a pack that has an adjustable torso like the Osprey Atmos AG 65.
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Fit the pack to your body
Once you find the right sized backpack, you’ll need to adjust it to fit your body so that it moves as much of the weight of the pack onto your hips as possible. Put at least 15-20 pounds into your backpack to mimic a loaded pack, then adjust the four main straps in this order: hipbelt, shoulder straps, load-lifters, and sternum straps. It helps to have a friend who can hold the weight of the bag while you adjust it.
1. Hipbelt
Start with the hipbelt. You want the hipbelt to hug the top of your hips, with the middle of the belt at your iliac crest. In order to get the hipbelt in the right spot, tighten or loosen the shoulder straps so that the hipbelt ends up in the right spot. Then tighten the hipbelt until it’s snug and secure but not painful.
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2. Shoulder straps
Next, tighten your shoulder straps so that they’re snug on your shoulders, but not so tight that they’re carrying significant load. You want the weight to stay on the hips as much as possible. If the shoulder straps don’t actually touch your shoulders when fully tightened, the torso length of your pack is wrong or the hipbelt is too high. Adjust as needed.
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3. Load-lifter
Load-lifters are included mostly on larger backpacks (~20 liters or more). Located at the top of your shoulder straps, they connect to the top of your pack’s backpanel. When pulled, they bring the weight of the pack over your hips—they’re sometimes called “Oh yeah” straps because of the pleasure they bring when pulled. But be careful not to pull too hard—making them too tight can lead to excessive shoulder and upper-back tension. Ideally, you want the strap at a 45-degree angle from the top of your shoulder straps to the anchor point on the back panel of your pack.
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4. Sternum straps
Sternum straps should sit about an inch below your collarbone. Tighten them until your shoulder straps rest in a comfortable spot and your arms can swing freely. DO NOT overtighten your sternum straps, since they can restrict breathing and increase the weight on your shoulders. If in doubt, loosen them.
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Dynamic Adjustments to Fit a pack
It‘s normal to make adjustments over the course of a hike as your pack’s load changes in size and weight distribution. Play around with tightening and loosening straps to fit a pack well.
A few pro tips:
- While you want most of the weight on your hips, alternative tightening and loosening the shoulder straps and hipbelt while on a long hike to shift a little weight back and forth, giving your shoulder or hips a little break.
- Lean forward slightly while hiking to get the weight of the pack over your hips as much as possible.
- Take off your pack and stretch whenever possible. Even a short 5-minute break and quick stretch can give your back, shoulder, and hip muscles a much-needed rest.
Check out our How to Choose a Backpack for more info on the best packs for you! Or you might be interested in How to pack a backpack.
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