With the backpack on the Harness Shoulder Straps should now be
positioned correctly with the backpack resting on the lower back,
the Internal Staves follow the contour of the back and the Hip Belt
Wing level with the Illiac Crest.
It is also important to adjust the backpack slightly higher than
the desired position to allow for final adjustment of the Harness
Shoulder Straps.
Next buckle the Hip Belt tightly and position the Hip Belt by
pressing down with your hands until the belt settles in the right
spot. Connect the Sternum Strap, and tension the two Lower Load
Stabilizer Straps for optimum comfort.
Finally loosen the Harness Shoulder Straps until the backpack
fits snugly into the lower back. At this point you may need to tension
the Sternum Strap to position the Harness Shoulder Straps correctly.
An important point to remember when positioning the Hip Belt
is to place the buckle level with, or below the position where you
would normally place a trouser belt. When correctly positioned the
Hip Belt would appear to slightly angle down from the backpack to
the front of your body, and cross the hipbone or Iliac Crest as
illustrated in this diagram.
The Hip Belt buckle is dual adjustable to allow ease of buckle
repositioning for continued comfort on long treks.
If after positioning the Hip Belt you find the backpack is riding
up even under weight, you simply need to loosen Hip Belt, adjust
the Harness Shoulder Straps to lower the position of the backpack
a little, then retighten the Hip Belt. After retightening the Hip
Belt loosen the Harness Shoulder Straps just a little to settle
the backpack into the lower back.
Placing the load securely on the lower back rather than the hips
is far more effective at preventing the backpack from slipping
downward. This also prevents soft tissue damage from the rubbing
of Hip Belt that is over tightened and incorrectly position into
the soft tissue of the waist.
|