Choosing A Backpack - Personal Fit
Make sure the backpack fits you properly and comfortably
Feb 8, 2007
Like most decisions about choosing outdoor gear, getting the proper personal fit is essential. Hiking boots or walking shoes that are too tight or too big will make your feet miserable. A tent that is too small will ruin your night. In the same manner, an ill-fitting backpack will quickly turn your pleasant hike into a disappointing and uncomfortable struggle.
This article continues the series "Choosing A Backpack", with general guidelines for beginner backpackers and others about how to pick the right backpack. The series articles will also include:
- Choosing A Backpack - Usage
- Choosing A Backpack - Climate Concerns
Personal fit - As important as what you'll use the backpack for is the issue of personal fit. An uncomfortable backpack is a regret you'll end up carrying (pun intended) with you. While most outdoor gear shops will help you select a backpack that fits you as it should (some will even fine tune the fit to your specific body type) here are some general guidelines to help you choose a backpack that fits you personally.
Don't size your backpack by your height. This is the most common error hiking and backpacking neophytes make, thinking that if they are tall, they need a tall style. Instead, you'll want to measure your torso length to get the correct fit for your backpack. You'll need someone to measure from the crest at the top of your hipbone to the prominent bone at the base of your neck to ascertain your torso length. This measurement will tell you if you need the tall, medium or short model of the backpack you'd like to use. Note: like clothing manufacturers, sizes can vary by the maker. Check the pack's technical specifications because a certain length torso may be a regular on one manufacturer's backpack and a tall on another.
Test the backpack with weight in it. Again, most outdoor shops will have weights or bricks to load into the pack for you so you can get a good fit with it weighted. Walk around the store for a few minutes and get a feel for how it sits and fits. Better to discover a problem at this point than out on a trail where you have no choice but to carry an ill-fitting pack. If you're buying a used backpack from an individual, bring your own weights of some type to be sure it fits well when loaded.
Make sure the shoulder straps are well-padded and adjustable, for maximum comfort and distribution of weight. Hip belts should also be well-padded since, especially on internal frame backpacks, a great deal of the pack's weight will be resting on your hips. An adjustable sternum strap will help take some weight off your shoulders and a padded back will help keep hard items in your backpack from sticking or rubbing on your own back.
Choosing the right backpack can be a challenge, but making sure you get one that fits properly can help you to meet that challenge.
Next to come in the Choosing A Backpack series: Climate Concerns.
