Pack belt rubbing my hips raw

[Hunt_Jefferson]

Within a mile of hiking my hips are raw and painful with a minimal load (25lbs) in the pack, something with the bottom of the pack belt is the issue since its not the top part of my hips (above the illiac crest) where it hurts. I've tried all sorts of adjustments to the pack and think it may be my next-to-skin layer. Does anyone wear a compression-style shirt as next-to-skin to minimize friction?

I have the pack belt centered on my illiac crest (or even a little higher) and wear 33-34"x32 pant size, Kuiu Pro L/XL pack suspension with tall frame. 6', 170lbs slim build.

I try to wear my pants/underwear right under the pack belt because any lower and they are falling off or I have to cinch my belt so tight that it cuts off circulation to my legs. It doesn't feel comfortable to wear the pants directly under the pack belt either because I would need to hike them up so high I would be talking in a higher pitch Happens with various pants (Kuiu, Wrangler, Carhartt) with different waistband styles and with just a shirt or with a coat between the belt and my body. One constant is the underwear with an elastic/synthetic waistband (90% Nylon, 2% Polyester, 8% Spandex is the label but not sure what applies to the waistband)

I also just might be the belt doesn't fit my body. It almost feels like I can't get the top of my pack belt to sit on top of hips, and when I crank down on the pack belt it tightens the bottom and flares out the top. The wings of the pack belt also stop right at the point of my hips which could explain why it's most raw in that location due to a pressure point..

This is my first "real" backpack with a suspension and something is wrong, I just can't figure out what needs to change and I don't know anyone in person that I can compare with. I need some help as I bought this pack to boost my confidence in retrieving game further away from the roads but it's having the opposite effect.

I'd post pictures but no one wants to see that. The worst spot is at the point of the hip bones about where the line for "Anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS) is. But it is raw from where the "gluteus medius" line ends to the point of my hip bones.

 

[Marbles]

Sounds like a pack issue to me. Even when I'm dump and wear a thick leather gun belt (don't recommend it) none of my various packs (Osprey, Gregory, Exo) has rubbed a raw spot. The hip belt should not be shifting around enough on your hips to chaff.

You could try applying body glide to see if that helps. On multi day trips I tend to role the waste band of my underwear down so that it does not sit under the pack belt, but while it has caused discomfort I have never had chafing from it. That said everyone is different on their body shape and where they chafe.

You may have already done this, but check that the suspension is adjusted properly so the weight is sitting on your hips and not your shoulders. I can comfortably run a finger between the shoulder straps and my body even with 120 pound loads. The shoulder straps are really just there to stabilize the load, not to carry it.

 

[HuntWyld]

I’ve found that some packs like to ride higher or lower depending on the pack. My old mystery ranch was comfortable down fairly low just above my belt line. My Kifaru will rub me raw right where you describe if I wear it that low, it likes to ride with the buckle up near my naval and the majority tension from the straps across the top of my iliac crest. Took some getting use to but solved the rubbing problem.

 

[5MilesBack]

I wear my packs with the waist belt "above" my hips........i.e. around my waist. I can cinch it down tight and it locks in place above my hips and my pants belt. Never had any issues. Loads can't slip down either.

 

[eoperator]

Kuiu pack did the same to me (similar size) felt like my hip bones about ready to blow through skin. Any pack that comes closer to "bottoming out" (almost out of adjustment) wraping around my hips work better for me

 

[JNDEER]

Yep- I have the same issue. I wear kuiu pants and went through a list of belts (rei, first lite, etc) . None are perfect - best I have found is kuiu newer model belt (old models rubbed really bad).

 

[Bear Wrestler]

I had a similar issue and switching from a belt to suspenders solved it for me.

 

[Hunt_Jefferson]

I wear my packs with the waist belt "above" my hips........i.e. around my waist. I can cinch it down tight and it locks in place above my hips and my pants belt. Never had any issues. Loads can't slip down either.

Yep- I have the same issue. I wear kuiu pants and went through a list of belts (rei, first lite, etc) . None are perfect - best I have found is kuiu newer model belt (old models rubbed really bad).

I had a similar issue and switching from a belt to suspenders solved it for me.

Thanks, once the hips heal I will experiment a bit more with placement and belts too. I think I have enough adjustment left in the frame for the shoulder straps to try above the hips but not much since it's a tall.

Using primarily a Grip6 1.5" belt which I really like but will try some tighter pants and go no-belt to see if that makes a difference. If so I'll look at suspenders.

 

[Rob5589]

The pack belt should sit on top of your hip bones. It will likely be higher than where you, and most guys, wear their pants. I would try moving the belt up and not using a pants belt and see if there is any improvement.
I use a Marsupial Gear belt and have no issues with chafe although my pants always end up being pushed down some. I just deal with it as it is a minor annoyance.

 

[tdot]

I'm virtually the same build as you, 6' @ 165 pounds. I've had bad packouts where my hips bleed, and that was after alot of energy being spent on dialing in each of my packs. Best pack hipbelt for me has been the Seek Outside, its substantially better for me then any other that I've tried. But with bony hips sometimes there is nothing to do but pad them. I carry bandages called Mepilex Border 6"x6". Sometimes I'll put them on to prevent an issue, but sometimes I don't and having them in my pack saved my hips on the last 2 days of my sheep hunt this year.

 

[Marbles]

I'm virtually the same build as you, 6' @ 165 pounds. I've had bad packouts where my hips bleed, and that was after alot of energy being spent on dialing in each of my packs. Best pack hipbelt for me has been the Seek Outside, its substantially better for me then any other that I've tried. But with bony hips sometimes there is nothing to do but pad them. I carry bandages called Mepilex Border 6"x6". Sometimes I'll put them on to prevent an issue, but sometimes I don't and having them in my pack saved my hips on the last 2 days of my sheep hunt this year.

Mepilex are a really good choice for this. I had not thought of using them, but makes perfect sense.

 

[*zap*]

Move the pack belt up & shorten suspension.

 

[Cng]

It doesn’t sound like this is your issue, but I’ve had a lot of problems with the “pinch” my skin between the top of my pants and the bottom of my pack belt. It seems like this is just where everything naturally wants to ride but over miles it develops hot spots. For a long time I thought it was “rubbing” until I really paid attention to it.

Depending on the pack and pants, I’ll sometimes pull the pants much higher than usual to ride better beneath the hipbelt (giving myself a little “moose knuckle”) or I’ll sag them down more than usual to be clear of the hipbelt. Either option looks kind of goofy, but helps with comfort. I’ve also put Leuko tape there before setting out, and that’s helped a little.

 

[eltaco]

I’m the same body build and have fought this exact same scenario for years. Some packs are absolutely better than others for me, but hip belt adjustment really is the key.

I read so many people say they run their hip belt covering their bellybutton and I can tell you there’s no faster way to wear holes in my iliac crests, doesn’t even matter if I have a heavy pack, if I tighten my hip belt at that location, I’m in trouble. If I run the belt any higher, it has a negative impact on my breathing and is detrimental to my load carrying capabilities.

I’ve found that I need to run my pack lower for best results. I minimize skin wear, have no impact to breathing, and can more comfortably carry weight. Ive come to the conclusion that many of us slim guys have this same issue, and it requires a unique approach to pack fitment as compared to others.

 

[Jedgar]

At all possible the belt is upside down on the pack? Some belts are tapered slightly wider at the bottom and narrower at the top to / \ on the hips.