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Re: Backpacks for big boys?

Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2016 9:56 pm
by ericZ
Thanks for the offer Tom. I'll run it by my friend, but I'm with wandering daisy, he doesn't need a BIG pack. i'm thinking that he should stick to something 60-70 liters to help cut down on the possibility of carrying too much gear. I believe he just needs something with a long enough hipbelt and adjustable shoulder spacing that will fit him for carrying 30-45lbs comfortably. as he goes lighter weight, his gear will too.

eric
fresno, ca.

Re: Backpacks for big boys?

Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2016 10:34 am
by Tom_H
While not an absolute, large packs also tend to have large straps and belts. I am not advocating the person needs to fill up an expedition pack, far from it. Also true is that expedition packs tend to be longer. If you take a small pack and put XL belt and shoulder straps on it for a big person, you are running the risk that the torso fit is simply too short. I don't know how tall this person is. A short pack on a taller person requires a long set of shoulder straps. Keeping everything ideally positioned can be difficult and cause discomfort in the shoulders, neck, and back. It just works better for a tall person to have a long pack that matches the length of the torso.

Also to consider is that the XL belts for a small pack may be thin (narrow) and prone to dig in at the hips. The highly padded yoke gear from expedition packs can make a huge difference in the way that even moderate weight impacts the hips of an overweight person. Having led numerous commercial trips I have had to swap out the yoke systems between packs and deal with this exact situation many times. Without having the person in front of me with a large assortment of gear, my instinct still would be to go with an expedition size L pack with XL yoke, carry a light load, and use the generous cinch straps to tighten everything down appropriately.

Re: Backpacks for big boys?

Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2016 6:36 pm
by gary c.
I would eco the suggestion of an external pack. I had a buddy with the same problem and even after he got an internal pack that he could wear it kept sliding down and all the wieght ended up on his shoulders. Someone suggested an external frame with just a web belt instead of a padded hip belt and he was much happier.