Backpacks and body language

In my years of hiking and industrial first aid your "pain in the neck" could be due to an atrophied or unstretched tight muscle or ligament. Once your other muscles fatigue the weak link becomes apparent. Lots of stretching will alleviate.
I agree that alpine carry packs are the best ergonomically, spent a lot of time in rugged mountain terrain up here and a load shifting when your on a ridgeline or rockface could be fatal, not to mention it's fun to hike and NOT hurt.
hope my 2 cents helps
 
Thanks everyone for the good advice... I am not an expert by any means and pack type to me always meant the right size to carry all my stuff and only that it be durable... I can see how the pack attaches itself to the hiker is more important than anything. I remember talking to a buddy of mine who was a marine about the pains or aches of carrying a pack... he just said in the core you dealt with it and that's just the way it is when carying a pack... I see now that doesn't have to be true... Oh Lord... Here I go shopping for ANOTHER new bag. LOL.
 
Make sure you get fitted by someone that knows what they are doing if you buy a new pack. I used to do pack fittings, and was amazed at the packs that people would be sold at places that did not know that torsos actually come in different sizes. If you are in NE GA, go down to the Buford REI and ask to be sized for a pack. They will measure your torso so you can take that measurement and use it to buy the appropriate pack. REI usually has a good selection and their REI brand packs are pretty nice and at a better price point than the Gregory, Osprey, Arc'Teryx, etc. packs they sell. Just judging from what you have told us, you need a large. :)
 
In addition to making sure the load is better distributed, and that the pack is adjusted properly to your frame, bear in mind that the pack is working parts of your musculature and skeleton that--I'm assuming--don't usually do any load bearing. That's a long way of saying that you may not be used to it. The more you wear the pack, chances are the easier it'll eventually feel to carry it.
 
The numbness is likely caused by pressure put on the brachial nerves which run down the arm.

--good luck, and i hope you find a good fitting pack:)
 
regardless of your body type the kifaru navigator will work. the omni belt should set on your illiac crest. if it is setting on your stomach then you need to lower the shoulder straps. trust me on this because i was having similiar problems and wondering what all the fuss was about kifaru until i put the omni belt where it was designed to go and adjusted everything else:thumbup:

this is the recommended setup:thumbup:
http://www.militarymorons.com/equipment/kifaru/kifaru_setup.html
 
Steel-junky

A jumper style pack similar to the Mystery Ranch recommended above is basicly an oversized butt pack. I'd bet Mystery Ranch would even add some longer straps to fit your long torso. I have carried these style packs for pushing 20 years, my first one ws built by the Missoula jumpers. They are perfct day or 2 day pack, fit thru trees well, carry weight better than most. I have packed 50+ pounds thru very tuff country with these packs, can't say enough good things about them. These were built by guys who carry a lot of weight in remote places. Wildland firefighters the smokejumpers and shot crews, figured this out a few miles and a couple of pounds ago! It has always amazed me that there aren't more of these style packs and they aren't more popular.

Good luck
 
Its called Hikers palsy, as it is refered to in "The Complete Walker" and it is caused by what has been said many times already. the whole reason the hip belt is there is to carry the weight, not your shoulders.
 
mgraff said:
Steel-junky

A jumper style pack similar to the Mystery Ranch recommended above is basicly an oversized butt pack. I'd bet Mystery Ranch would even add some longer straps to fit your long torso. I have carried these style packs for pushing 20 years, my first one ws built by the Missoula jumpers. They are perfct day or 2 day pack, fit thru trees well, carry weight better than most. I have packed 50+ pounds thru very tuff country with these packs, can't say enough good things about them. These were built by guys who carry a lot of weight in remote places. Wildland firefighters the smokejumpers and shot crews, figured this out a few miles and a couple of pounds ago! It has always amazed me that there aren't more of these style packs and they aren't more popular.

Good luck
Click to expand...


When you order, there are 2 options with three sizes each for different body types. :thumbup:
 
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