The first thing to understand, with a full frame pack that has two shoulder straps, a lumbar belt and probably a chest compression strap is that the weight of the pack should be taken more so on your hips than your shoulders. This is the biggest mistake people make when sizing their packs. You also want to back off of the chest compression strap as the tendency is to ratchet that sucker down until you can barely breathe this makes you work all the harder.

Know your load. Don't fit your backpack with 20 lbs. of gear if you are going to be hiking with 70. And vice versa. Each load has a unique way of taxing your body, so you have to fit it with as close a simulation of that load as possible, the ideal being to fir the pack with the actual items you plan to take inside. Speaking of that you want your center of gravity to be low, therefore pack your pack with the heaviest items at the bottom, usually the sleeping bag, water, food and fuel are best kept at waist level. Lighter items such as utensils and clothes should be moved to the top of the pack. And do not forget to secure your pack itself! When you get everything in there, use the packs compression straps to cinch everything together so the weight within the pack cannot shift there is nothing worse than balancing a fallen log across a stream only to lose your balance due to your backpack shifting 10-30 lbs. to left all of the sudden.

Once these are done, you will want to start adjusting the shoulder straps and the lumbar belt to fit your frame accordingly, you do not want the belt too low where it feels like it is taking your shorts off with every step, nor do you want the entire weight of the pack suspended off of your shoulders you will get tired of that quickly.

Once you find that sweet spot, use your shoulder strap and lumber belt fine tuning tools, the smaller straps that anchor the pack to the strap points these help to cinch the pack down and further bring the pack closer to your body. Again avoid overuse and placing excess pressure on these smaller straps as they can tear apart under full load, they are meant to be used only after the major tuning of the pack has been obtained.

Understanding these techniques will make you hike that much more enjoyable, and you will be able to hike farther with more on your back than you had ever imagined.

Learn more about this author, M.L. Brooke.
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