Pack comfort

[kravguy]

Ok, you are training with 80-90lbs in the pack or hauling 80lbs of meat up the mountain side. Is the pack on your back ever really comfortable? Or is it more like tollerable knowing you are carrying that much weight?

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[bsnedeker]

It's not comfortable, but it shouldn't be painful either.

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[kravguy]

It's not comfortable, but it shouldn't be painful either.

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Thats kind of what I was thinking. I guess I was originally thinking it would be heavy but maybe supposed to feel comfortable, when I was reading thru other ppls posts on bags. Now after training with that much weight a few times, maybe its more like it sucks no matter what due to all the weight. No pain anywhere from the pack, but its not a whole lot of fun.

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[1shotgear]

Obviously an 80 pound load is going to be anything but comfortable, but you should not be getting any abnormal pressure points or chaffing from a proper fitting pack. "Comfort" under heavy loads is what really separates great packs from mediocre packs.

 

[bsnedeker]

Thats kind of what I was thinking. I guess I was originally thinking it would be heavy but maybe supposed to feel comfortable, when I was reading thru other ppls posts on bags. Now after training with that much weight a few times, maybe its more like it sucks no matter what due to all the weight. No pain anywhere from the pack, but its not a whole lot of fun.

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For the sake of your knees I would recommend against training with 80-90 pounds on your back. Doing it every once in a while so you understand what it feels like is fine, but if you are regularly training with that amount of weight on your back you are going to have problems down the road more than likely. I usually train with no more than 40 pounds on my back since that is the max that I'm carrying out in the woods 99% of the time. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Farmingdale's Finest]

For the sake of your knees I would recommend against training with 80-90 pounds on your back. Doing it every once in a while so you understand what it feels like is fine, but if you are regularly training with that amount of weight on your back you are going to have problems down the road more than likely. I usually train with no more than 40 pounds on my back since that is the max that I'm carrying out in the woods 99% of the time. Just my 2 cents.

Summed up perfectly!


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[kravguy]

I've been mostly training with a 40lb sandbag. After watching almost every video I can find on pack fit, I finally had it dialed in to where 40lbs feels like almost nothing. Then I see on a few threads from here that a guy should load up his pack with more weight to test that comfort level again. I have an 80# kettlebell I tossed in the pack to test it out. I admit that weight sucks compared to 40#, I found one or 2 places where pack fit bothered me. I needed to shorten stuff up as I don't like the pack right above my butt once all that weight is in there. Last night I loaded up with the 40# of sand and 50# bag of concrete mix to try the fit again. After that hike, I think things are adjusted pretty good. It's still a pain in the rear to be hauling that much weight. Nothing really bothered me about it, just that it's hard. Before I dove into thinking I should try adjusting the pack, I figured I would check how others felt. Can you really load up that much weight in a pack and expect to feel comfortable with it? It would probably help if it wasn't 90 degrees, and as humid as possible.

This coming from a 40 yr old desk jockey that is in above average shape, just spends a little too much time on his butt for work.

 

[tdot]

If the pack has the adjustment and it is the right one for your body, then yes, the pack should be comfortable. Now it will start to suck on your legs and core, but the pack fit itself can be comfortable.

I have different settings for both packing in (40pounds or so) and packing out (100pounds).

 

[duchntr]

It should be "comfortable", meaning it shouldn't be sagging pulling you backwards, the belt should not have to be so tight its cutting off circulation to not slip, the belt or lumbar pad should not be bruising or wearing holes in your skin. It took me a while to find a pack that doesn't do any of those things.

 

[eaglemountainman]

If the pack has the adjustment and it is the right one for your body, then yes, the pack should be comfortable. Now it will start to suck on your legs and core, but the pack fit itself can be comfortable.

I have different settings for both packing in (40pounds or so) and packing out (100pounds).

Curious as to what adjustments you make between those two weights. Would you mind sharing? I'll adjust my pack to ride a bit higher under a 60# plus load than I would for my 25+/-# day load. Just curious what else might make my heavy loads more bearable.

 

[tdot]

Curious as to what adjustments you make between those two weights. Would you mind sharing? I'll adjust my pack to ride a bit higher under a 60# plus load than I would for my 25+/-# day load. Just curious what else might make my heavy loads more bearable.

I currently have a Seek Outside pack, so I'm able to install frame extensions to increase the load lifter angle, then, same as you, I adjust the shoulder harness so the pack rides higher. Those are the 2 major adjustments I make, then once the pack is on, I go through a standard strap tightening process... hip belt, shoulder straps, lifter straps, and then usually have to lower the chest strap.

 

[roosiebull]

Ok, you are training with 80-90lbs in the pack or hauling 80lbs of meat up the mountain side. Is the pack on your back ever really comfortable? Or is it more like tollerable knowing you are carrying that much weight?

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It’s “relative comfort” not actually comfortable... there is a big difference in heavy pack comfort, they all feel different... I have my list of packs, and comfort under load, but it varies between people.
There will be some packs that suck when loaded heavy, and others that are as comfortable as the weight can be (general fit and secure)

it’s all relative, some slip down, put pressure in the wrong places.... others fit like they were made for you... weight stays put where it’s supposed to be, and just mates with your back well.

hunting mode comfort is important too, because it’s worn that way a lot more.

 

[RockChucker30]

Tired is good. Sore is good. Pain is bad.

Know when you have a problem:

1. Hipbelt Slip - causes you to strangle your waist, bruise the points of the hips, carry too much load on the shoulders. Tolerable for short distances, misery over the long haul.
2. Load distribution - get the load too low or too far away from the back and you'll stress your abs the whole time and have to unnaturally lean forward to compensate. Get the load top heavy and the pack will take you to the ground if you stumble (not good on steep slopes or deadfall).

There is more to it, but I'd say those two are the big causes. Hipbelt slip is by far the biggest. If you can't stop that the pack will never work right.

 

[kravguy]

I'll have to take some pictures showing how the pack sits. The pack was good with 40lbs in it. 80-90 had me second guessing things a little bit, which brought on the question. I wasn't in any pain, but things didn't feel as good as 40lbs in the pack. Which brought on the question.