Author Topic: A Rucsack fitting problem.  (Read 4530 times)

Steve922

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A Rucsack fitting problem.
« on: 23:31:03, 29/04/18 »
I've been out testing my gear today preparing/testing for a first multi-day outing. My main problem is that my hip-belt keeps slipping when walking.
    When donning my rucsack the weight seems to be distributed perfectly - about 80% on the hips, 20% on shoulders. This gradually changes when walking until almost all the weight is on my shoulders after about 30 minutes.
   I'm fitting it so that the hip-belt (about 4 inches wide) sits about half on my hip, half on my waist and then adjusting the shoulder straps to be tight, taking about 20% of the weight. everything seems solid, tight and secure.
    Its a large rucsack but only about half full today (no overnight gear whilst testing today) weighing 6.5 kg. I'm at a loss how to fit it better to avoid having to refit every 20 minutes.

sussamb

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Re: A Rucsack fitting problem.
« Reply #1 on: 06:38:17, 30/04/18 »
Difficult to know exactly but you may be tightening the shoulder straps too tight, or it's simply your body shape doesn't suit that particular rucsac.  Check you're doing it correctly by following the tips here

https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/the-knowledge/walking/rucksack-fitting-guide.html
Where there's a will ...

fernman

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Re: A Rucsack fitting problem.
« Reply #2 on: 08:56:36, 30/04/18 »
I'm not very good at putting things delicately, but is it possible you've, um, put a leetle weight on around the middle, so that there's no difference between your waist and your hips or, heaven forbid, the proportions are inversed?
I certainly have this problem nowadays when it comes to keeping trousers up properlly, which I can only achieve by tightening belts to the point where they are practically strangling my middle.
Fortunately, though, I don't have a problem with the waist straps of my rucksacks, as I have fairly prominent pelvis bones underneath the love handles.

Thanks for that guide, sussamb, very useful.

Steve922

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Re: A Rucsack fitting problem.
« Reply #3 on: 09:14:36, 30/04/18 »
Thanks. I took a look at that link but not too sure about the advice there. I see their idea of where the hip-belt should fit is at odds with some videos I've seen of youtube - including their own!
   I'm thinking body shape may well be the key. I'm not the stick insect shown in all the instructions! Problem is I don't think I can do anything about that. And rucksacks are just too expensive to buy and try.

gunwharfman

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Re: A Rucsack fitting problem.
« Reply #4 on: 10:21:37, 30/04/18 »
When I bought my first serious rucksack, a Golite Jam and I could wear this in every way possible, a pull here, a tug there, it could be lop sided, but it was always comfortable.

I then bought a Lightwave rucksack, although it felt right when setting off, after a few miles my shoulders always become sore. I worked it out that as my body natually moved as I walked, the straps across my shoulders were minutely moving to and fro as well. I suspected a fault with the belt and tried everything, but my shoulders always became very sore. I used to fit Poundland sponges under the shoulder strap to ease the pain. In the end I took the easy way out, I bought a new rucksack.

My purchase was an Osprey 48L, which for me is a prefect fitting, but only as long as my waist belt is fitted below my hip bone, not half over and half under, this doesn't work. My routine now, because I know my rucksack so well, is to tighten the waist belt first, then tweak the shoulder straps until they firmly grip, but not to the point where they pull my waist strap up. I can then walk for hours after this without discomfort.

Slogger

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Re: A Rucsack fitting problem.
« Reply #5 on: 19:52:05, 30/04/18 »
It's not unusual to have to adjust shoulder and hip belts during a walk. Straps can slip slightly. I once had a 65 Ltr Berghaus sack which absolutely terrible for belt slippage and I just couldn't get it feeling comfortable. I got rid as soon as I could after a trip on the Everest base camp trail.

BuzyG

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Re: A Rucsack fitting problem.
« Reply #6 on: 23:34:57, 01/05/18 »
My modern day sack sits on my shoulders, far more than my old 65 ltr Karrimoor.  I think it's just not that adjustable, plus I'm 6ft 4in so the waist strap tries to sit at the base of my ribs rather than my waist. It still manages to be very comfotable though.  The frame on the Karimoor is totaly adjustable and I it sits perfectly as a result.  Horses for courses.

alan de enfield

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Re: A Rucsack fitting problem.
« Reply #7 on: 10:12:19, 02/05/18 »

I have the body of a God !!


And hence my belly (AKA Waist) is a 'little' larger than my hips.


I start off with the rucksack nestled nicely in the small off back and the waist-strap (cinched up almost painfully tight) seemingly sitting on top of my hips - after a couple of hundred yards it has all 'slipped', the waist-band has dropped and become looser.


After a couple of miles, if I undo the waist-band it makes not one iota difference to the weight on my shoulders.


I lost 4 stone in weight when diagnosed with Diabetes, but, in the last 3 years have put 1 stone back on -  I guess I just have to put up with my belly (the Doctors are not concerned) & I'll just live with the weight on my shoulders.


Even with almost infinitely variable Rucksack size / fitting / adjustment we are not all capable of getting the 'perfect fit'.
« Last Edit: 10:16:55, 02/05/18 by alan de enfield »

gunwharfman

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Re: A Rucsack fitting problem.
« Reply #8 on: 10:42:51, 02/05/18 »
I can't tighten a rucksack belt sitting ABOVE my hips, the more I tighten the more uncomfortable I feel, its too squidgy an area and if so tight I would worry about what I would be compressing.

Steve922

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Re: A Rucsack fitting problem.
« Reply #9 on: 12:12:40, 02/05/18 »
I think the last two replies understand my plight. However, I NEED to solve this since I want to go walking long distance utilising wild camping. I know that carrying too much weight on my shoulders (I'd estimate any more then 4 kg from past experience) I will get the kind of back pain that will stop me dead.
   Yesterday I visited Cotswold Outdoor with my fully loaded Rucksack and asked for advice. The guy went through my adjustments, etc. quite thoroughly and I'll be trying them out later today.
    I was really impressed with Cotswold. The guy who helped me was obviously an 'outdoor guy' and really seemed to know what he was talking about. Definitely not a box-shifter. Very willing to help for the sake of it with no apparent attempt to sell me anything.

harland

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Re: A Rucsack fitting problem.
« Reply #10 on: 13:24:14, 02/05/18 »
I think the last two replies understand my plight. However, I NEED to solve this since I want to go walking long distance utilising wild camping. I know that carrying too much weight on my shoulders (I'd estimate any more then 4 kg from past experience) I will get the kind of back pain that will stop me dead.
   Yesterday I visited Cotswold Outdoor with my fully loaded Rucksack and asked for advice. The guy went through my adjustments, etc. quite thoroughly and I'll be trying them out later today.
    I was really impressed with Cotswold. The guy who helped me was obviously an 'outdoor guy' and really seemed to know what he was talking about. Definitely not a box-shifter. Very willing to help for the sake of it with no apparent attempt to sell me anything.
That is exactly the same with me when I bought one years ago at Cotswolds, the guy actually got (not sold) me a cheaper version as the one I thought I wanted didn't fit in his opinion.  The one he recommended after taking some time to fit it and taking into account I am 6'4" it fitted beautifully to the point that I hardly know it is on my back even though it is 65L +15L (Low Alpine Frontier). I can't recommend Cotswolds highly enough they are always helpful, leave you alone if that is what you want, but very knowledgeable - the ones in my local shop are all walkers, climbers, cyclists etc. i.e. they do appreciate what you want/need. 

marmottungsten

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Re: A Rucsack fitting problem.
« Reply #11 on: 05:26:32, 09/05/18 »
I use ultralight, ultra compact options when it comes to camping gear, so even when fully packed, with everything needed for a weekend hiking and wild camping, including my Marmot Tungsten 1P tent, Marmot Phase 30 sleeping bag, Klymit Inertia X-Frame Recon sleeping pad, a space blanket, full first aid kit (including a mirror, folding scissors and a penknife), Sawyer Mini water filter kit,  Klymit Inertia Pillow-X Recon pillow, Marino wool night clothing, Alpkit Splitta folding table, Esbit Titanium solid fuel stove, 16 Strider solid fuel tablets (split into 8 each in two empty Berocca type tubes), two Titanium pots (450ml mug/pot and a 750ml mug/pot), Titanium spork, jet lighter, Helinox Chair Zero, 2 litres of water, kitchen roll, moist toilet tissue and a dry bag full of food, my Mountain Hardware Scramber RT35 outdry rucksack (about 800g empty) came in at just under 10kg. I walked over 18km last weekend, about a third of it up hills and could barely feel it on my back...So using a larger pack doesn't necessarily make it more comfortable to carry...My RT35 is extremely comfortable, even though it is not that big. So my advice would be to try before you buy!
« Last Edit: 23:18:53, 09/05/18 by marmottungsten »

Steve922

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Re: A Rucsack fitting problem.
« Reply #12 on: 09:01:04, 09/05/18 »
That's a really good idea, to try before you buy but how do you do that exactly?

marmottungsten

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Re: A Rucsack fitting problem.
« Reply #13 on: 23:18:05, 09/05/18 »
Simple, go to a store that sells various backpacks/rucksacks and try them on!  To make the test more accurate, take a couple of clean, fully-filled gallon water bottles with you to put in each pack before you try them on...That would work out to be about 10kg, which is the sort of weight you will likely be carrying when you go hiking so you will be able to get a first hand feel of how each pack feels whilst carrying that weight.

Steve922

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Re: A Rucsack fitting problem.
« Reply #14 on: 00:54:46, 10/05/18 »
Actually, all our larger stores offer this service - they have sandbags on hand to supply whatever weight I want. I've tried on several rucksacks in shops which feel great. But so does my own rucksack, as I said in the original post above: when I fir my pack, its smashing for a while, then slowly slips down until the weight is steadily transferred from the hip-belt to the shoulders and therefore back which will cause me problems.

 

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