What To Consider When Fitting a Hiking Pack

We sent Lachie to Osprey Australia HQ to find out how to fine-tune his pack fit before jetting off for two weeks of hiking in New Zealand.

Choosing a pack that’s the right size can be like filtering water. When there’s too many floaties that filter gonna jam baby and I know you’re thirsty. The internet is full of information, bobbing around like floaties – illiac crest? Isn’t that a thru-hike?! My aim is to bring you H2O straight from the mountain, pure and simple.

In this article I’m referring to framed packs in the range of 40 – 70L, that’s the kind of style and size most people will be using on overnight and multiday hikes unless they already really know their stuff. 

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Ella from the WAE crew (and Lachie’s partner) demonstrating flawless pack fit + trail steeze with her trusty Osprey Ariel 65

In recent years there’s been a big uptake in frameless packs, particularly among those wanting to shave grams and travel faster and further with less effort.

But framed packs are the best place to start on your hiking journey, they provide structure and are generally more forgiving when your pack is heavier, which is often the way for beginners who are working out what is truly essential kit for your adventures. Or you’re just not that talented of a packer, like me.

Choosing Between the Mountains of Brands

There are some big names out there to choose from and it can be pretty overwhelming, but there are a few reasons we love Osprey.

They have over 50 years of pack-making experience and a super broad and high-quality offering. They’re also a BlueSign Partner, which shows their focus on sustainability.

What’s the difference between B-Corp and BlueSign? Whilst B-Corp is a more holistic account of a company’s workings, BlueSign really drills down into the safety and quality of materials being used by their partners – they monitor their manufacturing processes from start to finish.

Osprey look to the social element of sustainability by ensuring their HQ and Factory floors adhere to principles outlined by the International Labour Organisation. Tick, Tick, and one final Tick: their repair program, the All Mighty Guarantee.

Ok, Osprey locked in. Time to move onto choosing the design and getting it fitted.

Brand, size, gender fit, and the exact model for your needs are all important considerations

Why You Should Go Into Store

There are a number of variables at play when choosing the right pack for you and everyone’s body has its unique quirks to consider. Retailers such as Paddy Pallin, and other Osprey authorised dealers, will be trained to help you.

Having said that, it can be luck of the draw as to who you get on the day, the level of knowledge they have with pack fitting, or maybe it’s Black Friday and your poor friend has been going non-stop since the store opened. If you don’t feel like you’re getting the attention needed then you may need to try another store.

Just remember: putting the time in now to choose the right pack and ensure it fits will ensure you’re comfortable for many trails to come.

‘Oooh yeah, this colour is so Lachie’

Why Are There Gender-Specific Packs?

During your research, you’ve probably come across packs labelled as gender-specific. These designs can be worth considering, regardless of your gender identity.

Gender-specific packs are built around different body proportions. These variations can include hip belts shaped for different hip angles, pack lengths tailored to a range of torso heights and shoulder straps that sit closer together or further apart depending on the intended fit profile. 

The goal isn’t to reinforce stereotypes, it’s to improve comfort, balance, and load transfer for a wider variety of bodies.

Ella rocks an Ariel pack, which has a woman-specific fit compared to the Aether

Not all brands offer these distinctions, some stick to a single ‘unisex’ or standard fit across their entire range, while others split certain models into multiple fit options. Osprey is one of the brands that makes this distinction very clear and available; the men’s and women’s models have different paired names for each model, which gives more people the chance to find a pack shape that genuinely suits their frame.

It’s important to keep in mind that a well-fitted pack isn’t just about choosing a gendered product. It’s about choosing a design that aligns with your body’s proportions so you can hike, ride and travel more comfortably.

Better fit = more focus on the task at hand

How to Ensure the Right Fit

Once you’ve narrowed down the pack, it’s time to ensure that it fits properly. We headed into Osprey HQ, and met Alex, who was ready to give us the rundown. Let’s dive in.

First things first was getting our torso measured. Alex at Osprey had set us up with their handy tool to quickly measure this, but if you’re at home you’ll need the help of a friend, ideally not your dog, as paws struggle with tape measures.

Outdoor stores are equipped to size you up perfectly

You’ll need to measure between two key landmarks, your C7 vertebra and iliac crest. You’ll start at the C7 vertebra which can be located by tucking your chin to your chest and measuring from the lowest protrusion. You’ll measure down your spine to iliac crest, the bony part you can feel on the side of your hips.

For most people, it should now be a clear choice what size you go for. The caveat is when your measurement sits at one of the extreme ends of the sizing spectrum. For example, a torso length of 48cm would land you right on the borderline of S/M and L/XL for the majority of Osprey’s lineup, in this instance it would be best to go the smaller of the two.

You’ll then do an initial adjustment of the torso length – this moves the shoulder straps closer to the hip belt or futher away. Have a stab at what looks like it’ll work for you and put the pack on. It’s best to have some weight in the pack when you do this so it sits correctly. There should be no gap between your back and the pack if it’s sitting right, if it’s not, adjust it up or down until it’s fitting nicely.

This is generally a set-and-forget process, but you may come back and adjust the torso length for different loads or clothing layers.

 

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The Four Key Adjustments

These are the four key adjustments to be done, in order:

• Hip belt: This should be firmly and evenly cinched in with the middle of the padding sitting over your hip bone. It’s common to want to secure this above the hip bone as it can feel as though the weight is being carried on a shelf but this will increase instability
• Shoulder straps: You’ll want these tightened to the point where the padding follows the curve of your body. These are mainly to help create stability and are not meant to be taking the weight

• Load lifters: These sit atop of your pack’s harness and help orient the top end of the pack towards or away from your body. The ideal tension should create an angle no greater than 45 degrees with the strap. This can change depending on the terrain you’re traversing. If the grade of the trail kicks upward to the point where you’re using your hands for balance, then tightening the load lifters further might help you stay upright
• Sternum strap: This runs across your upper chest, aiding your shoulder straps from wandering too far, especially if you’re fully loaded. You know these are too tight if your chest is getting squeezed
  

Go Out and Test Before Your Next Quest

Now that you have our pack adjusted it’s worth loading it up with some weight to reflect something close to what you might be carrying out on trail.

Grab your sleeping bag or something soft to fill the bottom of the pack and then place your heavier items towards the middle. You want these sitting close to your back if possible, over your centre of gravity. Then get that thang on your shoulders, and head out for a short walk, ideally for ten minutes or so.

Test hiking is a great excuse for a microadventure

Alex gave us a few tips to consider as you’re walking:

• Does the weight feel planted on your hips? If not, then the torso length may need to be altered or perhaps the hip belt just needs some tensioning.
• Are your shoulders comfortable and not under strain? Generally, that will be about finding the balance between the tension of my hip belt and that of my shoulder straps. Alex’s tip was to have the shoulder straps taught not tight, so try backing off the tension of the shoulder straps.

You’ll continue to tinker with the fit over time, nothing is fixed forever, but a well-fitting pack won’t need major adjustments.

A good fit means that Ella’s sternum strap doesn’t need to be too tight

Case in point, this fitting session encouraged me to check my pack fit for the first time in four years, right before my partner Ella and I took off for a fortnight of tramping in New Zealand (we don’t ‘hike’ anymore IYKYK).

Nothing was glaringly wrong previously, but I wanted to experiment and as it turns out, I maybe didn’t have it quite as dialled as I thought. After shortening the torso slightly the weight just seemed to sit more snug to my middle and I noticed my stabilisers could relax on uneven terrain.

Followed all these steps, faithfully? Great! Go on and get out there!