To determine the right size for a backpack, measure your torso from near the neck to around 4 inches above where hip bones meet. This measurement will help you select an appropriately sized external or internal frame pack for hiking or camping trips lasting several days or more. To accurately determine this key spec, you’ll need a friend and a flexible tape measure. Tilt your head forward and feel for the bony bump where the slope of your shoulders meets your neck, which is your 7th cervical (or C7) vertebra—and the top of your torso length.
On each side of your body, slide your hip belt, shoulder straps, load lifters, sternum strap, and stabilizer. Learn how to measure your torso and hip size to find the right backpack frame size. Follow the steps to adjust the hip belt, shoulder straps, load lifters, sternum strap, and stabilizer.
The type of frame in a backpack affects its size, and it’s important to know your torso length for a proper fit. Learn about different types, features, and sizes of backpacks for various outdoor activities and durations. Measure your torso, hip bones, and shoulder width to ensure a comfortable and efficient design.
To choose a backpack based on trip length and pack capacity, as well as fit, frame type, and features, every manufacturer’s website should explain how to measure your torso length. Find the largest vertebrae at the base of your neck where your shoulders meet the base of your neck.
In summary, measuring your torso and hip size is crucial for selecting the right size for a backpack for hiking or camping trips.
📹 How to Properly Fit Your Backpack for Hiking and Backpacking
Having a properly fitting backpack is a critical component of your comfort on the trail. So in this video, I’m showing you how to …
📹 How to Fit a Backpacking Pack || REI
When you’re looking for the right backpacking pack, nothing is more important than fit. In this video, Katie and Miranda walk you …
Army vet here, getting back into hiking after a number of years. Seems like things are really different with modern civilian packs. Our ALICE packs were one size only and we ran the kidney belt back through itself to get it out of the way (didn’t use it). I bet this is way more comfortable to lug around with a proper fit!
Great vid, especially the part about loosening the hip belt before unbuckling. One more note. The rear stabilizers (small straps from pack to the belt) should be loosened fully before fastening the hip belt, then pulled snug as the very last step. If they’re too tight when you’re putting on the hip belt, they can kink the hip belt causing a stress concentration. If they’re not snugged up at the end, the pack wobbles back and forth more as you walk, especially if the wight is carried low in the pack.
For men with active builds (i.e. no hip curve) or even men with larger bellies (inverse hip curve), trying to carry 80% of your weight on your hips is going to require your waist belt to be so tight you will have significant skin abrasion at the end of any longer hiking day. Best technique for these people is to start the day with 50-75% of weight on the hips, then adjust the pack throughout the day, carrying more weight on the shoulders at various times, back to the hips, back to the shoulders, switching whenever you start to feel noticeable discomfort. You can also look into dropping base weight by making careful choices about what not to bring, and investing over time in DCF gear and other ultralight alternatives. If you can get your base weight down into the 15lb range, you probably won’t have to worry very much about how you carry your weight as your pack won’t weigh much over 25 lbs fully loaded.
Big fan of your REI articles. But, kinda surprised that you didn’t show bending the internal supports …or adjusting the shoulder strap heights. How many customers order online? Not all REI customers live within driving distance of an REI …for that custom fit service. The two areas left out are perhaps the most important aspects of “How to Fit a Backpacking Pack”. Wouldn’t you (REI) agree? I guarantee you that Katie and Miranda were like, “Wait, …aren’t we going to show….?”
I love how no where they tell you to take in my case my 19″ torso measurement to your pack is it the “top” of the shoulder strap adjustment point or the bottom of the adjustment point? IE how to place your measurement onto the pack. And the bottom measurement would that be the top/middle /bottom of the hip belt?
what is very confusing is that every article or website talks about measuring your torso length to the C7 vertebrae. it is the first one you can feel, but coming down from your head. and you feel it best when you tilt your head back and not forward. it is way up your neck and i have always wondered why i should measure my torso length up to my neck when the backpack ends at my shoulders. in this article it seems like you are measuring to the vertebrae you feel when you tilt your head forward and closer to the height of the shoulders and honestly it is hard for me to find the one you talk about as i think its different for everyone which vertebrae you can actually feel at this part of the back. but it is definitely not C7. (i am a doctor, believe me i know which vertebra is where.)
YouTube also has some nice article footages of Wayne Gregory (founder of Gregory Backpacks) demonstrating and explaining how to fit and put on a backpack. And he is emphatic about NOT to tighten the hip belt first like you see most people doing at trailheads. Rather, he says (starting with a pack on back and all straps loose) to adjust shoulder straps first, next raise both shoulders up to lift the pack, THEN tighten the hip belt before lowering raised shoulders. He explains why and it’s very instructive. I really like these useful REI articles, but on this particular point I find Wayne’s way works well for me.
It’s not my reading or my words. It’s my experience and knowledge. That’s why weight doesn’t bother me. I don’t carry weight with my spine. Hips only. Which means my legs are doing all the work. You put weight on your spine, sure your back and spine are carrying a lot of the weight. However much you put on your shoulders-spine. It doesn’t take any of the weight off your legs. So why burden your spine !!!!