Kifaru pack No No's and tips on fit.

[eltaco]

Any way to judge how tight you should pull the shoulder straps? I'm trying to adjust strap length to get the 3-bar slider to sit directly above my collar bone, but of course the tighter I pull the shoulder straps, the lower the 3-bars end up. If I shorten the straps completely, I get the 3-bar to line up when the shoulder straps are tight, but the weight is almost completely on my shoulders.

Any chance I'm skinny enough to warrant sliding the 3-bars a bit higher towards the top stitching? I would think then I could lengthen the straps out and get them to lift off of my shoulders when fully tightened.

 

[DWarcher]

Any way to judge how tight you should pull the shoulder straps? I'm trying to adjust strap length to get the 3-bar slider to sit directly above my collar bone, but of course the tighter I pull the shoulder straps, the lower the 3-bars end up. If I shorten the straps completely, I get the 3-bar to line up when the shoulder straps are tight, but the weight is almost completely on my shoulders.

Any chance I'm skinny enough to warrant sliding the 3-bars a bit higher towards the top stitching? I would think then I could lengthen the straps out and get them to lift off of my shoulders when fully tightened.

You shouldn't be adjusting your suspension in order to move the three bar sliders...that should be the last thing you do after everything else is dialed in.

Then you would just slide the three bar to the correct spot on the strap.

 

[oldgrowth]

Thanks for posting this. I have watched some of the videos but some information didn't sink in. Having a list helped me go through step by step and dial the pack a fair bit better than i had it adjusted previously. When i first treid this pack i was blown away with how good my shoulders felt after packing weight for a while. I never experienced zero shoulder fatigue after packing weight around for a few hours with my previous packs. It was so much better than what i was used to that i really didn't take any real time to fine tune the pack to get every last bit of comfort i could. When i came across this thread i went through the list and found that the 3 bar slider was higher than my collar bone so i adjusted the shoulder straps to get them even with my collar bones. I now have less pressure on my low back where the lumbar support sits as the pad bears evenly against my back now. Before the pad felt like it was bearing more at the top than the bottom. This would push my pants down and out from under the belt. Also, i have less gap under the shoulder straps when the load lifters are engaged. I still get enough lift to keep the weight off my shoulders, but the load feels more secure. Before the top of the pack floated around.

I do have one question though, i am now getting some slight fatigue in my right shoulder. I tried to loosen the shoulder strap i little while i was walking but it didnt help. Do i need to raise the right shoulder strap a little? How do you check to see if you have one bigger (higher) shoulder than the other.

 

[cmeier117]

Thanks for posting this. I have watched some of the videos but some information didn't sink in. Having a list helped me go through step by step and dial the pack a fair bit better than i had it adjusted previously. When i first treid this pack i was blown away with how good my shoulders felt after packing weight for a while. I never experienced zero shoulder fatigue after packing weight around for a few hours with my previous packs. It was so much better than what i was used to that i really didn't take any real time to fine tune the pack to get every last bit of comfort i could. When i came across this thread i went through the list and found that the 3 bar slider was higher than my collar bone so i adjusted the shoulder straps to get them even with my collar bones. I now have less pressure on my low back where the lumbar support sits as the pad bears evenly against my back now. Before the pad felt like it was bearing more at the top than the bottom. This would push my pants down and out from under the belt. Also, i have less gap under the shoulder straps when the load lifters are engaged. I still get enough lift to keep the weight off my shoulders, but the load feels more secure. Before the top of the pack floated around.

I do have one question though, i am now getting some slight fatigue in my right shoulder. I tried to loosen the shoulder strap i little while i was walking but it didnt help. Do i need to raise the right shoulder strap a little? How do you check to see if you have one bigger (higher) shoulder than the other.

I have shoulders that are different height, my right shoulder is about 1 inch lower than my left. If was from me playing college baseball and having an over developed right shoulder and back muscles. My right shoulder is more muscular and tight and thus pulls my shoulder down farther than my left which is more free to move and not as restricted. If you take your shirt off and stand level and look in the mirror you can see if your right shoulder (In your case) is higher than your left. If it is then I would take your right shoulder strap and raise it up a 1/2 inch and see if that feels better. That is the great thing about a Kifaru pack is you can have each shoulder strap fit both of your shoulders the same if you are not symmetrical like me. Just check the pack with 30-40 lbs and make sure that when you have the pack on each shoulder has the same amount of "gap" on each side and then walk with it and see how it feels.

A real easy way to do this and see if it is the problem is put the pack on with the weight you had in it when you were feeling the fatigue in your right shoulder. Then raise your left arm above your head and notice the resistance you feel from the shoulder strap, it should be little to none. Then do this with the right arm. If you feel more resistance than you should do what I said above and make that shoulder strap longer. Keep doing this until you get the same resistance and then go for a hike to test it out long term. Let me know if that works for you.

 

[bobhunts]

Can someone explain on how you would adjust the shoulder strap height? Do you go down above the Lumbar pad and release more strap from the 3 bar slider? If so or not please describe on how it is done. Bob.

 

[cmeier117]

Can someone explain on how you would adjust the shoulder strap height? Do you go down above the Lumbar pad and release more strap from the 3 bar slider? If so or not please describe on how it is done. Bob.

Yep that's right.

 

[huntabsarokee]

I think I am almost dialed in but is there a way to move the waist belt slightly higher on my hip without adjusting the shoulder belt length? I had the shoulder length all the way shortened and I thought the belt was good but the 3 bar slider was near the top of my shoulder not collar bone.

 

[cmeier117]

I think I am almost dialed in but is there a way to move the waist belt slightly higher on my hip without adjusting the shoulder belt length? I had the shoulder length all the way shortened and I thought the belt was good but the 3 bar slider was near the top of my shoulder not collar bone.

Sounds like you need to let some length out in your shoulder strap. If the 3 bar slider is too high on your shoulder the strap needs to be lengthened.

Put the waist strap where it needs to be. Then go through the proper steps of tightening other straps in order. Adjust the shoulder strap accordingly to bring your 3 bar slider down (lengthen strap). You should be good.

 

[c5mrr270]

Not to hijack but I'm having trouble getting my dt3 dialed in. I was wondering if kifaru had different length shoulder straps because I have mine sucked all the way in and I think they need to go further. (I have a short torso and I bought it used from a guy much taller). Thanks.

 

[cmeier117]

Call kifaru and ask them. Are they tightened all the way? So the shoulder strap it self is bottomed out down by the waist belt where the strap starts?

 

[Buster]

I have shoulders that are different height, my right shoulder is about 1 inch lower than my left. If was from me playing college baseball and having an over developed right shoulder and back muscles. My right shoulder is more muscular and tight and thus pulls my shoulder down farther than my left which is more free to move and not as restricted. If you take your shirt off and stand level and look in the mirror you can see if your right shoulder (In your case) is higher than your left. If it is then I would take your right shoulder strap and raise it up a 1/2 inch and see if that feels better. That is the great thing about a Kifaru pack is you can have each shoulder strap fit both of your shoulders the same if you are not symmetrical like me. Just check the pack with 30-40 lbs and make sure that when you have the pack on each shoulder has the same amount of "gap" on each side and then walk with it and see how it feels.

A real easy way to do this and see if it is the problem is put the pack on with the weight you had in it when you were feeling the fatigue in your right shoulder. Then raise your left arm above your head and notice the resistance you feel from the shoulder strap, it should be little to none. Then do this with the right arm. If you feel more resistance than you should do what I said above and make that shoulder strap longer. Keep doing this until you get the same resistance and then go for a hike to test it out long term. Let me know if that works for you.

Well I'll be...turns out my right shoulder is higher than my left (I am strongly left handed, and I have a right shoulder issue, which makes my right side less muscular). Never would have thought of this as an issue. Reviewed this thread again after a couple weeks of use. I had originally skipped over the posts concerning dialling in each shoulder, but I'll never make that mistake again. Took comfort to a historic new level.

 

[mauidiver]

Great thread!! Just got a new lumbar pad and trying to fit that sucker in is a blast!! Ugh!

 

[TurkeyBowMaster]

Thanks for posting. I'm not sure what the 3 bar slider is but got everything else down.

When I am loaded I feel the wt on my hips only, with pressure on the shoulder straps against my chest, pressing back against me, not down on my shoulders. Does this sound right?

 

[badkneesbro]

Thanks for posting. I'm not sure what the 3 bar slider is but got everything else down.

When I am loaded I feel the wt on my hips only, with pressure on the shoulder straps against my chest, pressing back against me, not down on my shoulders. Does this sound right?

That's the way mine fits. Cant see how else it can work. There is a saying that I firmly believe."There are no comfortable packs, some are just less uncomfortable than others."