Backpacks and body language

Steel-Junky

Steel-Junky

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Jan 15, 2009
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So I own many backpacks right. All are what I consider high qiality. I have a few Blackhawks, Maxpedition, Kifaru, and Eberlestock. No matter the pack if I'm hauling more than say 30lbs the nerve or muscle that runs from my jaw, down the side of the neck, and into my collar bone area aches pretty good. Not enough to make me stop... but it's nagging and irratating. Also... the shoulder straps will make the muscle right in the front corner of my arm pit and the lower side of my pec go numb every once in a while which will eventually lead to my hand going numb.

1. Anyone else have this problem or is it just my unique physiology?
2. Any fixes for it?
 
You may just need to adjust things a bit differently. . . If everything is adjusted right, most of the load should be on your hips via the hip belt.
 
Heavier stuff in the middle of the pack. Loosen shoulder straps a little. Tighten hip belt as Salamader42 suggests. Worked for me.
 
I typically carry 37-60 lbs in a kifaru navigator on a regular basis. When I get things cinched up correctly, there is very little if any pressure on my neck/shoulder area, and I get no pain. I used to carry 37 lbs in a kelty redwing which fit me very well, but would sometimes cause the pain/numbness you describe if I didn't have it set up just right. You mentioned that you have a kifaru. Their packs are adjustable in nearly every dimension, and you should be able to achieve what you need with it. Nearly all the weight should rest on your hips with your shoulder straps simply serving to keep the pack close to your body.
 
If you are anywhere near Denver, Colorado, I would be happy to help you set up your pack to fix your problems. If not, I would suggest visiting your local REI as I bet there would be someone that could help you fix your problems.
 
SJ,

When do you get the symptoms? Is it after you hike a certain number of miles or is it more with how hard you are exerting?

On what side of your jaw is the pain?
 
Salamander42 said:
You may just need to adjust things a bit differently. . . If everything is adjusted right, most of the load should be on your hips via the hip belt.
Click to expand...


Bingo.:thumbup: 25% sholders 75% hips. The shoulder straps should basically hold the pack to your body and your hipbelt should support most of the weight.
;)
 
Runsalone said:
Bingo.:thumbup: 25% sholders 75% hips. The shoulder straps should basically hold the pack to your body and your hipbelt should support most of the weight.
;)
Click to expand...

True plus a lot of those military type packs like he mentions having have the little loops all over them and when you hang stuff all over them it pulls them backward and can cause that armpit pain thing he was mentioning.

IMO you are way better off with a long narrow pack that has enough capacity where you don't have to hang a lot of stuff off of.
 
I actually know exactly what you're referring to with the numb hand issue. I found that when carrying a heavy load in a poorly adjusted pack, this would occasionally happen to me. The key was (as has been mentioned) to utilize the belt to get the weight onto your hips.


BTW - My BHI 3-day pack is the best frameless pack that I've ever owned...I love it and take it just about everywhere.
 
I think I've found the problem... I have a freakishly long torso and short stubby legs. I'm 6'4 and have like a 27" inseem LOL. All of my packs have a waist belt... but it usually comes up somewhere in the middle of my torso to the right under my chest on certain small packs... do the weight isn't hitting my hips. I may need to get one of those packs that drops the weight nice and low... maybe a large butt pack or something... Almost always the should straps are what is carrying the weight and the waist strap is what keeps the pack close to my body... I've been doing it backwards due to my mutant dimensions. I'll start trying to get the weight closer to my hips and see what happens...
 
bigbcustom said:
If you are anywhere near Denver, Colorado, I would be happy to help you set up your pack to fix your problems. If not, I would suggest visiting your local REI as I bet there would be someone that could help you fix your problems.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the offer... I'm in NE Georgia... But still I appreciate the thought.
 
hollowdweller said:
SJ,

When do you get the symptoms? Is it after you hike a certain number of miles or is it more with how hard you are exerting?

On what side of your jaw is the pain?
Click to expand...

It's starts about 5 minutes into a hike... and just get's worse as the day goes on... until my shoulder feels like it's got a rock stuck in it or my hand goes numb... also right on the bottom corner of my pec... it'll feel like someone just put a cigarrette out in my skin for like 1 second. LOL. It's on my left side but it's not a pain like that... It's on the surface... and it's a tension pain... not a heart/stroke type pain... I run at the gym pretty regular and have decent cardio so I wouldn't think it's anything of that sort... it's definitely the way I wear my packs.
 
hollowdweller said:
True plus a lot of those military type packs like he mentions having have the little loops all over them and when you hang stuff all over them it pulls them backward and can cause that armpit pain thing he was mentioning.

IMO you are way better off with a long narrow pack that has enough capacity where you don't have to hang a lot of stuff off of.
Click to expand...

Yeah... I never attach other pouches and stuff unless it's to a small pack... My big kitchen sink pack is a Blackhawk SOF Ruck... and believe it or not it's very comfortable. I had to replace the kidney pad with something that is actually comfortable... but other than... it's a nice pack.

I've got a really wide chest (60") and most of the time the thin part of the shoulder strap is what winds up riding right under my Armpit... so I'm thinking that might have something to do with it as well... as has been said... I'm making the shoulder straps do too much of the work.
 
with a kifaru, you really should be able to adjust that discomfort out of there...
if your torso is really long, maybe try a longer thinner pack, the kif express comes to my mind...
btw, just out of curiosity, which kifaru pack are you refereing to?
 
Get a well-fitted Gregory - best riding pack I've ever had.

And I agree on the"long and narrow" with at least 75% of the weight on the hips. Your shoulders should do no more than keep the pack from falling over backwards.

Never buy a pack without spending at least an hour in it, fully loaded, walking around the shop. If the shop won't work with you on that, leave!
 
Grampa said:
Get a well-fitted Gregory - best riding pack I've ever had.

And I agree on the"long and narrow" with at least 75% of the weight on the hips. Your shoulders should do no more than keep the pack from falling over backwards.

Never buy a pack without spending at least an hour in it, fully loaded, walking around the shop. If the shop won't work with you on that, leave!
Click to expand...


I never like to put a lot of $$ into a pack because I'm ordering them. Probably the 2 faves I have had are the Mountainsmith Achilles cause it's long and narrow and my Kelty 4300 external because you can adjust the shoulder straps far apart.

I really also love my Mountainsmith Approach I've mentioned before but it is a pack that if you aren't careful it can stick out too far in the back so I usually keep it at about 25 or less lbs and don't even use the waist belt with it.
 
hollowdweller said:
True plus a lot of those military type packs like he mentions having have the little loops all over them and when you hang stuff all over them it pulls them backward and can cause that armpit pain thing he was mentioning.

IMO you are way better off with a long narrow pack that has enough capacity where you don't have to hang a lot of stuff off of.
Click to expand...

Hollowdweller is right. Switch to alpine climb packs of the desired size. Arcterix, Millet, NorthFace, Norrona, Altus, Vaude, Lafuma... You won't find them in wodland camo but... they will suit you way better than military oriented packs. They are also a ton ligther and have better ergos.

Mikel
 
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