When buying a new pack, finding your back length is essential. To figure out your harness size you will need to know a few measurements, so grab a friend and follow our easy instructions. 

 

 

FINDING YOUR BACK LENGTH

• Measure from your C7 vertebrae down your spine to the point level with the top of your hip bones, the iliac crest.
• The easiest way to identify your C7 is to look directly at the ground and feel for the vertebrae that sticks out farthest on the back of your neck.

 

 Once you know your harness size it is important to fit the pack correctly. Above all else, the best backpack for you is the one that fits your body the best, so correctly fitting your pack is essential.

 

FITTING THE BACKPACK 

 

• Put the pack on, loosen all of the straps and tighten the hip-belt until firm. The middle of the hip-belt pads should wrap snugly over your hips.
• Next, tighten the shoulder straps under your arms, then the stabilizer straps between the tops of the shoulders and the top of the pack frame.
• With the hip-belt hugging your hip bones the shoulder straps should wrap comfortably over your shoulders without excess pressure.
• If the shoulder straps are too tight on your shoulders or sitting loosely above your shoulders, you will need to adjust the harness back length. This is done by tightening or loosening the webbing strap recessed between the shoulder straps at the top of the harness.
• For previous model MotoActive and NovoLite harnesses the back length adjustment is above the lumbar pad or recessed beside the lumbar pad and behind a hip belt.
• The curvature of the stays may also need adjusting. Inside the pack is a flap covering the top of the aluminum stay/s. Pull back the flap, pull out the stay and shape it to fit.
• Finally, tighten the stabilizer straps between the hip-belt and the base of the pack.
• With light to moderate loads you may not need to use the sternum strap, but for heavy loads the sternum strap will provide extra stability.

The best way to evaluate your harness fitting is to load the pack up with about 12kg and go for a wander. A correctly fitted pack will distribute a majority of the weight comfortably on your hips via the hip-belt, the shoulder straps are largely for stability.