How do you put your pack on?

[AK Troutbum]

I was having a conversation with a co-worker the other day about the easiest/best way to put a loaded pack on. The way he did it was pretty interesting I thought. He would lay the pack down, shoulder straps up and top facing toward him, then he would put his arms thru the shoulder straps and place his hands under the pack and lift it up and over the top of his head in one swinging motion. The pack would end up in the proper position on his back, then just snap the belt, tighten all straps, and your off. He had a little back pack (about 20 lbs.) at work that he demonstrated for me. I haven't tried it yet with a big full pack, but he said that he has done it with packs up to 80 lbs. without any problems. Anyway, it just got me thinking, what is the best way to put a loaded pack on your back?

 

[7mag.]

I do the same thing up to about 70 lbs. Heavier than that, I try to find a downed log or big rock or something to set the pack on, upright, straps towards me. I then turn around, and get in a squat position, put my arms through the straps, and stand up, clip the belt and adjust straps, etc.

 

[Hunt'nFish]

Yeah right.... do that with a loaded 100-150lb pack and your gonna screw yourself up.

Some loads I can barely lift. For those I roll the loaded pack over so straps are up. I crawl into it and buckle in loosely, I then roll over onto my hands & knees w/ pack on my back and power lift w/ my quads to a standing position. (sometimes using a tree for support.) Then I adjust up the waist belt & shoulder straps to get weight on the hips. Then off we go. Many times it ain't pretty or graceful at all.
Hunt'nFish

 

[justin davis]

I don't think I could lift a heavy pack and throw it over my head. When a pack weighs like the one picture. It's hard enough for me to stay on my feet lol let alone move it up and over my head. Some heavy loads I need help lifting it!

I could do it with a lighter pack but not a heavier one.

For a heavy pack, say one loaded down with meat. I usually put arm through both shoulder straps. Lift the pack up to my leg and rest the pack on my quad. From there I swing my arm into it and get the pack on my back. Kinda hard to explain in words.

If I have a buddy I can get a little help that way. Lifting and going to the back. On steep hills I have sat down and put the pack on and then got to my feet that way too.

 

[snowcamoman]

I don't think I've ever seen that method before. I like to find a steep hill and just put the pack on and stand up. If I'm not around a hill, I just grab both straps and lift it onto my upper quad. Then, I stick my arm through one shoulder strap and quickly twist and get my other arm into the other shoulder strap.

 

[realunlucky]

Trout bum that's how we did it in the military. Now I'm more like hunt and fish after 60 its however I can get to my feet.

 

[Craig Van Arsdale]

With a really heavy pack 90+ lbs to me I sit down and buckle in loosely, then roll on to hands and knees, stand up and make final adjustments.

With a lighter pack I do as Justin describes.

 

[fillthefreezer]

"jerk sling" a shoulder through with avg pack. pull it up to a thigh and dip/drop a shoulder through for moderately heavy and when it gets really heavy i usually drag it on the ground to a spot that drops away a little. ill lay on top of it like a turtle, strap all in, and rock back and fourth til i get tipped down hill and can push up off all fours. then find logs and rocks or steep banks to rest against as i cant usually get back up once started.

 

[AK Troutbum]

Yeah right.... do that with a loaded 100-150lb pack and your gonna screw yourself up.

Some loads I can barely lift. For those I roll the loaded pack over so straps are up. I crawl into it and buckle in loosely, I then roll over onto my hands & knees w/ pack on my back and power lift w/ my quads to a standing position. (sometimes using a tree for support.) Then I adjust up the waist belt & shoulder straps to get weight on the hips. Then off we go. Many times it ain't pretty or graceful at all.
Hunt'nFish

My buddy stated that 80 lbs was about the most wt. he has ever done this with. We were basically talking about the wt. of a full pack as you start a hunt, although 70 lbs. was about the most wt. I've ever had on my back to start a hunt.

 

[gelton]

I was having a conversation with a co-worker the other day about the easiest/best way to put a loaded pack on. The way he did it was pretty interesting I thought. He would lay the pack down, shoulder straps up and top facing toward him, then he would put his arms thru the shoulder straps and place his hands under the pack and lift it up and over the top of his head in one swinging motion. The pack would end up in the proper position on his back, then just snap the belt, tighten all straps, and your off. He had a little back pack (about 20 lbs.) at work that he demonstrated for me. I haven't tried it yet with a big full pack, but he said that he has done it with packs up to 80 lbs. without any problems. Anyway, it just got me thinking, what is the best way to put a loaded pack on your back?

This is how my dad puts on his pack (not with more than 60-65 lbs though) says they taught it that way in the fire rescue and emt schools that he went to for the refinery that he works for. Pretty sure you couldn't put it on that way with more than 65-75 lbs though without fear of hurting yourself.

 

[Coyote Commander]

Up and over your head?

Sounds like a good way to screw up a rotator or your back.

 

[Manosteel]

That sounds like shoulder trouble waiting to happen. Within anything over 60#, I just grab both straps and lift it onto my upper quad. Then, I stick my arm through one shoulder strap and quickly twist and get my other arm into the other shoulder strap.

 

[gelton]

Up and over your head?

Sounds like a good way to screw up a rotator or your back.

Back maybe but its actually easier on the shoulders because as the pack gets about head high the straps slide right into place onto your shoulders so there is no twisting and turning trying to get your off hand and arm in the other strap that you have when putting it on the conventional way. You have to try it yourself to get the feel for it and make up your own mind, as its hard to put it in words how its done. For what its worth I still use the conventional method because it is faster for me.

 

[GoatNuts]

Granted we had 20 pounds of heavy bulky turnout gear on, but when I did the fire academy several years ago they taught us three ways to don the SCBA. 1) the over the head method, 2) the coat method- this is when the bottle an harness are mounted in a vertical position on an apparatus and you slip into it, and 3) the buddy system- just like it sounds, a buddy helps support the SCBA while you slide the pack on. Its been a while since I've put on an SCBA but if I remember correctly the 1-hour bottle (composite), harness/frame, and associated hardware weighted about 35 pounds.

In the mountains with a heavy load I'd stick to something similar to the coat method using a rock, steep hill, or stump, and/or the buddy method.

 

[TheRambler]

I put my pack on this way all the time, no matter the weight. Its much easier than it sounds. Its also much easier on the pack straps and prevents stitch poping on the straps that can sometimes happen with other methods(typically on lesser quality brand packs with minimal reinforcement).

You place the pack on the ground in front of you, standing up, straps facing away from you. Bend/lean down and put your hands between the shoulder straps and grab the pack frame about in the middle of the pack. Then lift it straight up and over. Its very easy, is an ergonomic action and actually minimizes risk for bodily injury. I have a bad rotator cuff in my right shoulder and have a lower back injury where j broke my back many moons ago. Zero problems for me with this method.

 

[fillthefreezer]

I put my pack on this way all the time, no matter the weight. Its much easier than it sounds. Its also much easier on the pack straps and prevents stitch poping on the straps that can sometimes happen with other methods(typically on lesser quality brand packs with minimal reinforcement).

You place the pack on the ground in front of you, standing up, straps facing away from you. Bend/lean down and put your hands between the shoulder straps and grab the pack frame about in the middle of the pack. Then lift it straight up and over. Its very easy, is an ergonomic action and actually minimizes risk for bodily injury. I have a bad rotator cuff in my right shoulder and have a lower back injury where j broke my back many moons ago. Zero problems for me with this method.

what do you do if you cant lift pack above waist?

 

[Coyote Commander]

I put my pack on this way all the time, no matter the weight. Its much easier than it sounds. Its also much easier on the pack straps and prevents stitch poping on the straps that can sometimes happen with other methods(typically on lesser quality brand packs with minimal reinforcement).

You place the pack on the ground in front of you, standing up, straps facing away from you. Bend/lean down and put your hands between the shoulder straps and grab the pack frame about in the middle of the pack. Then lift it straight up and over. Its very easy, is an ergonomic action and actually minimizes risk for bodily injury. I have a bad rotator cuff in my right shoulder and have a lower back injury where j broke my back many moons ago. Zero problems for me with this method.

Im sorry, but I just cant for the life of me see this NOT being hard on your back and/or shoulders.

So you bend over, than proceed to stand up straight with basically 50+ pounds of weight suspended up over your head??? That just goes against everything on how to safely lift weight.

 

[TheRambler]

Well its one of the main method that is commonly taught alot of places as one of the main ways to put on a pack, especially a heavy pack.(like above mentioned military and firefighting). you are using your legs to lift the pack not so much your arms or back. All i can say is give it a try, it works for me and for alot of other folks out there. It may seem a little awkward the first time but just give it a try and see for your self. Your legs do the brunt of the lifting and then the pack frame pivots on your hands and the pack just slides down into position.

Why cant you lift a pack above your waist?

 

[TheRambler]

Obviously if you have a big rock, log or other elevated platform of some sort then you dont need to do this. This is only for when you need to pick the pack up from the ground.

 

[fillthefreezer]

Why cant you lift a pack above your waist?

i dont go beast mode enough to lift 140-150lbs over my head