Rucksack sizing and fitting

[oldtimer]

There is a lot of interesting discussion on these pages about how different packs fit different people.

Could someone point me in the direction of a foolproof guide to fitting and adjusting rucksack and harness?
Different manufacturers have their own help pages, but these are too often specific to their own products, or seem contradictory and I'm looking for a general one.

I have a Craghoppers 50 litre Dry-pac which is ideal for my needs and I don't want to change it, but it has quite a wide range of adjustment possibilities. On a recent trip I played with the back length adjustments and found out what was least comfortable, but now I'm not sure I have it adjusted. How do I know when I have the optimum fit for comfort without time wasting trial and error?

 

[lou1661]

this one seems to be quite good.

http://www.wildernesslectures.com/blog/media/blogs/a/Rucksack fitting _2_.pdf

 

[salad]

Hi

I will try to help with the fitting

1.First losen all straps
2.Now put the rucksack on
3.The first thing we need to tighten is the waist belt, try to line the centre of the waist belt with the tip of your hip bone . Then pull the straps as hard as you can to get it good and tight .
4. Now tighten the shoulder straps just enough so that the weight is still on your hips but no slack in the shoulder straps ( if that makes sence) . dont over tighten these .
5. Now its time for the load lifter straps. These are the ones that connect the top half of the pack to the top of the shoulder straps, again dont over tighten you want to pull these in enough so the pack moves in and is just on the point of lifting the shoulder straps off the top of your shoulder without actually doing it .
6. OK now if you have those small little straps on the back of your waist belt that connect to the pack ( delta straps) pull them in just enough to stop the pack moving around. Again dont over tighten or you will end up lifting the belt off your hips which is not what you want .( not all packs have these)
7. Ok the last thing to tighten is your sternum strap, I find that is normally to personal preference but remember the tighter that is the more restricted you lungs will be .
8. Now after walking about the first half mile give your waist belt another tighten . ( the tighter the better)
9. And there you have it a set pack

If you follow there steps the pack should follow the line of your back and should not be lifting to much off it . If it does then it may not be the right pack for you

Thats my personal set up and opinions anyway

 

[PDA1]

Here are pretty good articles together with a video from REI, a coop for outdoor gear here in the USA

http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/backpacks-adjusting-fit.html

http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/backpacks-torso-hip-size.html

 

[MORFY]

there are quite a few guides on the net from the various manufacturers and those who like to share their experiences, God bless em. I went through this process a few months ago. My own issue was that I have a slightly more pronounced curve to my spine and wondered if that would make a difference. Turned out not really. At 6'2" I sought advice from stores like snow & rock and go outdoors. Both these and one or two others have a back length measuring device and they don't object to you loading up their bags and trying them on.
Some bags like the Karrimor SF range (there are others) are adjustable to suit which is very useful. Myself I opted eventually for a Bergaus Crusader size 4. The struts were removable so I could custom bend them to suit my body shape. Ultimately I found that the recommended sizes are usually correct, but try before you buy for peace of mind.
Morfy