Ill Fitting Hiking Backpacks Can Be a Pain

There are two considerations when buying hiking backpacks, including size and comfort. The size will be decided by the length of any trips you plan to take and the comfort is determined by having the pack fitted to your body. While most hiking backpacks are generally the same size, the shoulder straps as well as the shoulder harness can be adjusted to insure a more comfortable fit.

For hiking trips of many days, hiking backpacks should also have external pockets for things that will be needed throughout the journey. No one is going to want to stop and remove the pack from their back to get to their water bottle. Stopping to eat will usually allow enough time to give your back some rest, but during short stops, there should be access to many useful items. Small snacks should also be available through external pouches so even if you do not have to dig through hiking backpacks to grab a trail bar.

Adjusting the harness is usually a simple matter of adjusting the straps. In some cases a second person may be needed to make sure you achieve the proper fit. To adjust the shoulder harness may be a little more difficult. Typically, they are sewn into the straps and are made of metal or plastic and they can be bent to adjust the pack to your specific height.

Positioning Load Also Makes Pack Lighter

Ideally, the top of the loaded pack should be above the shoulders, with a lot of the pack’s weight resting on your shoulders by the shoulder harness. The straps are to keep the pack from sliding to the side while hiking, not to hold the back tightly to your back. Quality hiking backpacks will also have a lumbar pad to keep the pack’s frame or hard items packed inside from digging into your back.

If the load is going to be fairly heavy, hiking backpacks can use an abdomen strap that holds the pack snug against the lower back, which also helps stop the pack from sliding to either side while walking or while traversing hills and uneven trails. The straps on hiking backpacks should be snug enough to provide comfort but not so tight as to restrict circulation.

The use of hiking backpacks can also be made more comfortable by proper packing methods. Hard objects against the body will quickly become uncomfortable and spare clothing and other soft items should be used as padding between those types of items and the body inside the pack.