Lowe Alpine's Guide to a Great Fitting Pack

Any hiking trip, short or long, will be more enjoyable when the pack fits properly and the gear is packed correctly. Imagine a line of balance running vertically through the body. No matter where a person walks - level, uphill or downhill - the body compensates to maintain that balance.

Follow these steps in sequence to achieve the best fit.

First add some weight to the pack, ideally similar to a typical load.

Before you try the pack on, loosen the harness including hip belt, shoulder straps, load lifters and hipbelt stabilizers. If the pack has an adjustable back, adjust it to your correct back length indicated by Lowe Alpine’s Torso Fit® System.

Put the pack on, position the hipbelt on your hips and tighten. Tighten the shoulder straps until snug. Weight can be distributed between the shoulder harness and the hipbelt to suit by tightening or loosening the shoulder straps.

The top tensioners attaching the shoulder harness to the pack are designed to stabilise the top of the pack to your body. By pulling on the web you will feel the top of the pack tighten against your back, adjust until you feel it is comfortable. You may want to readjust during your trip depending upon the terrain. The angle of the web is unimportant so long as you can feel the pack stabilising against your back.

On each side of the hipbelt you will find a further web, pulling this side cinch will stabilise the lower section of the pack and pull the pack into the small of your back. Adjust until comfortable, again you may want to readjust during your trip. On TFX® styles you can lock the Torso Motion feature by pulling firmly on these webs.

When all adjustments are completed, fasten the sternum strap.