Pack fitting?

[N2TRKYS]

When I have weight on my hips it feels like I have nails in my nerves at the top of my legs after a few steps. I can take the weight off of my hips and it feels great. What am I doing wrong?

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

What pack? How much weight?

 

[tttoadman]

tagged in on this.
I would also like to see some info from the veteran guys on belt placement:
How high on the hips?
How tight do you pull it?
How much shoulder weight?
How do you change the fit between day hunt, pack in, heavy pack out?

Not trying to hijack. Just want to throw more detail in the pile.
Note which pack you are using with your comments. Kifaru, SG, Exo....

 

[N2TRKYS]

What pack? How much weight?

Any pack that I've tried, except my Blacks Creek Canadian. I just bought a Kifaru duplex frame, AMR bag, and cargo panel. I was trying the frame and cargo panel out yesterday for the first time with 2 plates in it(a 35 and 25 lbs).

 

[LaHunter]

You may have the belt too low possibly causing pressure on nerves??
What is your level of physical fitness?? What body type are you (thin build vs thicker)??
I find that if I position my belt where my hip bones are pretty much centered in the belt, that is most comfortable. This is just above my waist line where I wear my pants.
I tighten my waist belt tighter as my pack wt increases.
50# should not be causing this type of pain with any quality hunting pack. Most likely a fit / position issue.

Good Luck

 

[wasatchcomm]

i think you have belt to low as well
you need the belt partially sitting on (above) the iliac crest
between your ribs and your crest is a void, put your hands on your hips, thumbs to the back palms facing down
you can feel the void between ribs and iliac crest
look at belt and how it is shaped, just like your palms, center line of belt should became elevation as hip bones (crest)
it is supposed to wrap around that space placing the weight on the crest for the most part
shoulder straps should be tightened to touching shoulders
then load lift
i did notice when i got my pack my straps were off just a bit and i had to lower them about 1" one side a little lower than the other as well
play with it
make sure you put 20-30lbs in it while adjusting it
i am no expert, but i used to wear a inferior pack to low as well, and when heavy it was not comfortable, pinching, stinging,,,, it takes a little bit to get to used to how high the belt should be but after you walk around the house for a hour you will get a good feel for it.
refer back to instructions that came with pack
these packs are as described once you get them on correctly and fitted just right

 

[N2TRKYS]

I figured it was a position issue. I "thought" that I had it placed correctly, but I'll try it a little higher. I'm far from an expert, which is why I came here. Thanks for the info.

 

[switchback270]

Check out the pack fitting videos on kifaru's YouTube channel if you haven't already.

 

[flyinsquirel]

Belt buckle right over your belly button on a kifaru.

I stubbornly wore my pack too low for some time because it didn't feel natural to have it up where it's supposed to be. I finally caved and did as instructed, it took a bit to get used to, but its worth it.

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

The belt buckle should be running right across your belly button (usually) and the runs straight back with the center seam at the top of your illiac crest.

 

[Aron Snyder]

Give me a call this week (anytime is fine/after hours not an issue) and we can go over fitting and belt placement.

720-937-1418

Look forward to chatting with you!

When I have weight on my hips it feels like I have nails in my nerves at the top of my legs after a few steps. I can take the weight off of my hips and it feels great. What am I doing wrong?

 

[N2TRKYS]

Give me a call this week (anytime is fine/after hours not an issue) and we can go over fitting and belt placement.

720-937-1418

Look forward to chatting with you!

That's awesome! I'll give you a call tommorrow. Thanks.

 

[Aporia]

I've been rucking with my K2 5500 with about 45 lbs of weight and I feel like the lumbar pad is sitting too low. Where should the weight of the pack be sitting exactly? I've got the middle of the hip belt sitting just about at my iliac crest (maybe slightly above) and I've tightened the hip belt down just shy of interfering with breathing. I've also got the shoulder straps adjusted so that it's just floating over my shoulders and the logo is right around my clavicle.

The very bottom of the pack-frame is approximately 2 inches from where the tailbone starts and with the weighted pack the lumbar pad compresses and it feels like it's sitting more on my pelvis than on my lower back. Is this normal?

 

[tjthebest]

I've been rucking with my K2 5500 with about 45 lbs of weight and I feel like the lumbar pad is sitting too low. Where should the weight of the pack be sitting exactly? I've got the middle of the hip belt sitting just about at my iliac crest (maybe slightly above) and I've tightened the hip belt down just shy of interfering with breathing. I've also got the shoulder straps adjusted so that it's just floating over my shoulders and the logo is right around my clavicle.

The very bottom of the pack-frame is approximately 2 inches from where the tailbone starts and with the weighted pack the lumbar pad compresses and it feels like it's sitting more on my pelvis than on my lower back. Is this normal?

My exo does the same thing. Haven't found a solution yet.

 

[mfllood3800]

I have the new duplex and an older one, one has the AMR and the other the Tahr. Both set ups loaded with 50 lbs did this to me. I ended up raising my belt just above my belly button. In doing this I had to lower my shoulder straps as low as I could go in the frame as the pack is now higher than designed to run per my set up from the factory.
But it feels great.
I just hauled out a rear QTR of an elk as well as the loins and neck meat, and it rode perfectly.
It is not the text book fit, but for me it has to be that way of I get sharp pains almost immediately.

The only issue I have in running the waist belt this high is when I eat my home made dehydrated chili, and start to get "gassy" that is a lot of pressure on my lower intestine. I only have to run it tight when carrying a load (camp) in or a load out ( qtrs.). While in day pack mode, I just snug it and it is fine.

 

[RockChucker30]

You shouldn't have to strangle yourself with the belt to get it to stay put. That style belt may not work well for your body type.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mfllood3800]

I also used to run a belt with holster and belt in pants. That was too much belt going on. I added the holster to my pack belt, got rid of the pants belt and went to suspenders. My pack belt now goes just above the top of the belly button as I snug it tight, But it will settle a little as I carry the loads of any weight, so I just "shrug" my shoulders and lift it up by doing that, and re-cinch slightly and I am good. My belt is actually riding on the top half of my Belly Button when all said and done. I run it as high as I can and still have the shoulder straps fit right, (about 1/2" gap on top)

Bottom line- you have to get it to fit you. If it doesn't work the way we tell you, find the way it will or the pack does you no good. I love the variables of these frames, a lot of options to fine tune.
I rarely run the clevis strap with my set up, as it is just too high for me with the pack higher than text book technique. I have yet to have it be a problem.

I have close to 50 miles on my newest one and couldn't think of using another one in its place.
Aron helped me directly like he is you, and that made me feel like part of the family