How to Wear a Backpacking Backpack

Too many beginning backpackers carry their loads on their shoulders. Here's how to get the weight where it belongs - on your hips.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Waterproof Matches
• Hiking Boots
• Hiking Shoes
• Hiking Socks
• First Aid Kits
• Swiss Army Knives
• Backpacks
• Flashlights
• Flashlights

1. Load the backpack (see "How to Load a Backpack" in Related eHows).

2. Stretch and tighten all the compression straps to make the load as small and as stable as possible before putting on the pack.

3. Loosen the shoulder straps, put your arms through the shoulder straps and heft the pack to your back.

4. Snap shut the waist belt.

5. Shrug up the pack's weight and tighten the belt until your hips - not your shoulders - support most of the weight.

6. Simultaneously tighten both shoulder straps and then both of the straps on top of your shoulders that bring the top of the load toward your head until the pack feels balanced over your hips.

7. Tighten the straps on the either side of the hip belt that pull the bottom of the load toward your hips.

8. Clip the chest strap shut across your chest.

Tips & Warnings

• If the pack is particularly heavy, lunge one knee forward and lift the pack up so that it rests on your upper thigh with the straps facing you. Then, lift it a second time up onto your back while slipping your arms into the straps.
• If your pack is too heavy for you to lift, have a friend hold it up so that you can slip your arms into the straps.
• Wear pants that do not need a belt to avoid possible discomfort.

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on 11/22/2005 Do not use the shoulder harness to lift the pack to your back. This will result in undue stress on the harness which can lead to failure. The proper way to lift a pack to your back, is to grab the loop above the harness, lift the pack to one knee, slip one arm through the harness and slide the pack to your back slipping your other arm through in the process.

on 11/22/2005 a soft sweater or light-weight polar fleece worn tied around the waist can help pad sore hip bones from the waist strap.