Need advise from pack experts.

[WVELK]

I am having a couple issues with my new Stone Glacier Sky 5900 that is on the XCURVE frame.
One is pack specific the other is a problem I have with all packs so looking for advice.

I am lean at 6 feet tall and 165 pounds when starting a hunt. I don’t hunt a lot with a full frame pack, but am not a stranger to it either. On the Sky 5900 the padded lumbar support seems to thick which pushes the top of the pack forward and into my neck. Today, I went for a 2 hour hike, and ended up removing the pad all together. That was better, but not perfect. I think a better solution would be a thinner pad. I may actually look at one of my KUIU pads because as I recall they have sections of foam that can be removed. Thoughts?

The bigger issue is that regardless of what pack I am wearing it causes a fair amount of hip pain on the outer side of my hips. My initial thought is perhaps I have too much weight on the belt and not enough on the shoulders and load lifters? Thoughts again?

 

[IBen]

The stone glacier lumbar pad is two sections glued together. Take them apart and you have half a pad.
The pad will flatten after use though (pic)
Before that try putting the shim at the highest position.
As far as hip pain try putting the buckle at your belly button.
Your hips can acclimate though
If you have slipping run the webbing through both the hip-belt and buck tension locks
You also may have the shoulder straps torso length too long and the load lifters are pulling it down instead of forward

 

[WeiserBucks]

SG waist belt causes me pain under moderate to heavy weight regardless how I wear it. Had to go back to a different brand to solve that issue for me personally.

 

[nphunter]

I sold my x-curve this summer due to hip belt issues. I just couldn’t get it right enough to stay up, had to keep jumping up and down trying to cinch it. If it rides too low I get pain / muscle soreness on the front of my hips where the leg muscles connect.

I was use to a Kifaru and now have a new one and they have a way bigger pad but the pack stays up better with the better belt.

It sounds to me like you should run the pad further up your back so that the very bottom of the pad is above your butt. Typically I like the belt to be about 2/3rds above my Iliac crest to keep it from sliding down and that puts the pad on my lower back. Sliding down onto the but by the tail bone would push the top of the pack toward your shoulders. In can and often do let 100% of the weight rest on my hips to give my shoulders a break and the pack rides just the same or tips slightly away from my back to let air cool it down.

 

[WVELK]

The stone glacier lumbar pad is two sections glued together. Take them apart and you have half a pad.
The pad will flatten after use though (pic)
Before that try putting the shim at the highest position.
As far as hip pain try putting the buckle at your belly button.
Your hips can acclimate though
If you have slipping run the webbing through both the hip-belt and buck tension locks
You also may have the shoulder straps torso length too long and the load lifters are pulling it down instead of forward

Thanks all excellent. I had just moved the lumbar pad a little higher before checking messages. Will try it that way as first step.

 

[Marbles]

The bigger issue is that regardless of what pack I am wearing it causes a fair amount of hip pain on the outer side of my hips. My initial thought is perhaps I have too much weight on the belt and not enough on the shoulders and load lifters? Thoughts again?

To me, this sounds like a training/muscular issue and not a pack issue. I have had it before, more training with a pack made it go away.

There is no such thing as too much weight on the hips, even with 150 pounds, you should be able to slide a finger between the shoulder strap and the top of your shoulder.

If the belt is too low and is squeezing the muscles on your lateral hips, that can cause issues to.

Good luck.

 

[WVELK]

To me, this sounds like a training/muscular issue and not a pack issue. I have had it before, more training with a pack made it go away.

There is no such thing as too much weight on the hips, even with 150 pounds, you should be able to slide a finger between the shoulder strap and the top of your shoulder.

If the belt is too low and is squeezing the muscles on your lateral hips, that can cause issues to.

Good luck.

I am thinking the belt may be too low. I know the lumbar pad was too low got it adjusted. Will do another 1.5 to 2 mile hike in steep terrain this afternoon and see how it goes. Stay tuned.

 

[WVELK]

The stone glacier lumbar pad is two sections glued together. Take them apart and you have half a pad.
The pad will flatten after use though (pic)
Before that try putting the shim at the highest position.
As far as hip pain try putting the buckle at your belly button.
Your hips can acclimate though
If you have slipping run the webbing through both the hip-belt and buck tension locks
You also may have the shoulder straps torso length too long and the load lifters are pulling it down instead of forward

Update. Hike a few miles yesterday and today. I did raise the lumbar pad and that help, no doubt. My lumbar pad has a pad and a 1/3 pad in it. I took out the 1/3 pad. I have not pulled the glued pad apart just yet.

I am attaching two photos. My first question is whether the gap between my shoulder and the pad is acceptable. I know another member said I should be able to slide a finger or two under load. This pack had 25 lbs in it.

The next photo is from behind. I clearly had this thing on crooked, I think. We will get there.

 

[IBen]

Update. Hike a few miles yesterday and today. I did raise the lumbar pad and that help, no doubt. My lumbar pad has a pad and a 1/3 pad in it. I took out the 1/3 pad. I have not pulled the glued pad apart just yet.

I am attaching two photos. My first question is whether the gap between my shoulder and the pad is acceptable. I know another member said I should be able to slide a finger or two under load. This pack had 25 lbs in it.

The next photo is from behind. I clearly had this thing on crooked, I think. We will get there.

You are missing some compression straps. That should keep the load centered. I would move the shoulder straps down more. If they are in a good position they shouldn’t lift off the shoulder even if you are over tightening the lower lifters. Atleast that is what i have found. Even though i have a long torso my shoulder straps are in the lowest setting of the velcroe.

 

[WVELK]

You are missing some compression straps. That should keep the load centered. View attachment 846312View attachment 846313 I would move the shoulder straps down more. If they are in a good position they shouldn’t lift off the shoulder even if you are over tightening the lower lifters. Atleast that is what i have found. Even though i have a long torso my shoulder straps are in the lowest setting of the velcroe.

Thanks. Will give that a try tomorrow. At least my late August should be in good enough shape to hunt.

 

[IBen]

It took me a while to get the SG to work for me. Its normal. I really like 40lbs for training load. Wool blanket in the bottom of the pack then two 20 lbs weighted blankets. That gets the weight higher up where it should be

 

[madcalfe]

you defiantly have the shoulder straps positioned incorrectly, move them up about 1-2".
The start of your load lifters should start at your collar bone and be a 45-degree angle roughly.

when you get it setup to your body correctly start with the hip belt, tighten it, then shoulder straps, then load lifters last.

I'm about the same for height and weight as you i honestly never really got my stone glacier to start feeling good until i modified all the foam in it. The hip belt would always dig into my hips and when i was really loaded down with anaimal I could feel the X section in the frame on my spine.

 

[WVELK]

you defiantly have the shoulder straps positioned incorrectly, move them up about 1-2".
The start of your load lifters should start at your collar bone and be a 45-degree angle roughly.

when you get it setup to your body correctly start with the hip belt, tighten it, then shoulder straps, then load lifters last.

I'm about the same for height and weight as you i honestly never really got my stone glacier to start feeling good until i modified all the foam in it. The hip belt would always dig into my hips and when i was really loaded down with anaimal I could feel the X section in the frame on my spine.

View attachment 846330View attachment 846331View attachment 846332

I am having a hard time following. Had a previous move straps down, now this one is up.

Did you add foam to your shoulder straps?

And, in the photo of your belt where is the top of the belt in that photo?

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Your load lifters are too tight, shoulder straps too low on the velcro and too long on the bottom straps.

If you're that skinny you also might be better off with the krux, it doesn't curve into you the way the x curve does.

 

[peterk123]

I'm built almost identical to you. But in probably a bit older, 58.

I use the 5900 exclusively and I use it all year, fishing, hiking, hunting, hauling rocks for my garden, you name it.

I have my straps set height wise in a manner that I can put load on my shoulders or none at all. And I can do this with the lifters (I think that's what it's called).

Don't know why the lumber is an issue. I have no ass. I've actually have been tempted to add thickness, but overall the existing setup works. I wonder if you have the hip belt too low.

As for hip pain. I get it early season sometimes when carrying a load. You body has to get into hauling shape. Also, I find if the hip belt is low I will get hip pain.


I will say it's trial and error. What works for me may be horrible for you.

 

[madcalfe]

I am having a hard time following. Had a previous move straps down, now this one is up.

Did you add foam to your shoulder straps?

And, in the photo of your belt where is the top of the belt in that photo?

yea i replaced all the foam to thicker foam in shoulder straps and hip belt. but the foam padding in mine was punched out after 3 years and numerous animals packed out lol.
I also replaced all the foam in my kifaru the first week i had it

 

[5MilesBack]

I'm tall and lean and I absolutely hate lumbar pads. I have an original Krux frame with their original 1-piece belt. I lock that thing down above my hips and it doesn't move. I cinch up the shoulder straps and adjust the load lifters as needed. No idea how the X-curve fits, but I really like my setup.

 

[madcalfe]

I am having a hard time following. Had a previous move straps down, now this one is up.

Did you add foam to your shoulder straps?

And, in the photo of your belt where is the top of the belt in that photo?

You see in IBen photo the line I made where the grey meets the black on the strap you want that line to be pretty much on your collar bone when your shoulder straps are tightened

So you have to just play with the adjustment on the frame until you achieve that, and then also notice the angle of his load lifters there pretty much right where they should be.

 

[Maverick1]

The stone glacier lumbar pad is two sections glued together. Take them apart and you have half a pad.
The pad will flatten after use though (pic)
Before that try putting the shim at the highest position.
As far as hip pain try putting the buckle at your belly button.
Your hips can acclimate though
If you have slipping run the webbing through both the hip-belt and buck tension locks
You also may have the shoulder straps torso length too long and the load lifters are pulling it down instead of forward

Copycat! I’ve been doing that with my Kifaru for year! Just posted about it for the first time the other day on this thread here. Interesting coincidence. Anyhow….This is the way!

 

[WVELK]

Your load lifters are too tight, shoulder straps too low on the velcro and too long on the bottom straps.

If you're that skinny you also might be better off with the krux, it doesn't curve into you the way the x curve does.

Replying to this but read everyone’s comments and watched the Stone Glacier video. No doubt the load lifters are pulled too tight and I did raise the shoulder straps some to make sure the point at which the color changes on the strap is across my collarbone.

As for the Krux, I tried it on at SCI and hated it. I do have a fair amount of curve in my lower spine and for whatever reason the XCURVE was much bette for me.