Backpack Fitting

Step 5 - Position the Hip Belt

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.