Before you put the pack on
Start with a completely empty pack.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1) Fully loosen the top-tension straps, the shoulder-pad adjustment straps and the side hipbelt-stabiliser straps (Figure 1).

2) Undo the hook-and-loop tabs that secure the Exact Fit straps (Figure 2) on either side and secure them above the straps. Now fully loosen the Exact Fit buckle straps (Figures 1 and 2) and slide the shoulder straps up the frames as far as they go.

It is important that all straps mentioned in the first two steps are loosened to their full extent.

Now put the pack on your back
3) Position your pack so that the lumbar padding sits against the small of your back. Fasten the hipbelt buckle and tension it firmly. (To effectively tension the hipbelt buckle, pull on one side of the strap whilst holding the opposite side of the hipbelt. See Figure 3.)

When correctly positioned, the hipbelt buckle should be on or just under your navel.

It is important that the hipbelt is firmly tightened so it won’t slip down over your hips when loaded. If the hipbelt is allowed to slip downwards, sore spots can develop and a large proportion of the load will be carried on your shoulders, causing soreness and fatigue.

Now let's get your shoulder pads in position

4) Identify the shoulder stitching that goes through the shoulder pads where the top-tension straps take off to the frame (Figure 4). (It is more easily seen on the underside of the strap.) When your shoulder straps are in the right position, this stitching should be about 50 millimetres (two inches) down from the crest of your shoulder.

The crest is the highest point of your shoulder. (Most shirts have a seam here, running from the neck to the arm.) Ideally, the rucksack’s shoulder stitching should sit 50 millimetres (two inches) in front of the crest of the shoulder, but anywhere within 50 millimetres in front of the crest is fine.

Now that you’ve got the shoulder pad in the right place, you need to keep it there! Place one hand on the shoulder pad and firmly tighten the shoulder-pad adjustment buckle with the other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now adjust the pack to your back length
5) Using a backward-and-forward ratchet movement, tension the Exact Fit buckle until the slack in the strap is removed and there isn’t a gap between the shoulder pad and the top of the shoulder (Figure 1). This will adjust the back length of the rucksack to fit you. Don't overdo this adjustment: when the pack is empty, it is very easy to cause the pack to ride up your back.

Final adjustments when your pack is full
Before carrying out these steps, put some weight in your rucksack.

6) Lightly tension the top-tension and side hipbelt-stabiliser straps. It is important not to over-tighten these straps. They are not intended as load-bearing straps; rather they act as stabilisers for the top and bottom of the pack, giving stability to your load.

To better understand these adjustments, over-tighten the top tension strap on one side of the pack. You will notice that a gap develops between the shoulder pad and the top of the shoulder, causing a pressure point in front of the armpit. Loosen the straps again until they are lightly tensioned.

7) Fasten the sternum strap (Figure 4) between your neck and breast, again making sure that it is not too tight. (When correctly tensioned, the shoulder straps will remain flat against the body, while an over-tightened sternum strap will cause pressure points on the edge of the straps.) The sternum strap can be adjusted to a comfortable height by sliding the runners up or down. Choose a position that is comfortable for you.

A few helpful hints
Once the pack is correctly fitted, only a few day-to-day adjustments will be needed, depending on your comfort and activity. The main adjustment necessary will be to the shoulder-pad adjustment buckle, as the tension of this strap determines the load carried by the hips and shoulders.

The hips are the preferred (and most comfortable) position for carrying loads. Weight carried on the shoulders is transferred to the spine; something we want to minimise. However, to maintain stability of the pack, some load must be carried on the shoulders.

The distribution of weight that produces the most stable load is carrying 50% of the load on the hips, and 25% on each shoulder. Depending on the terrain (uphill, downhill, flat tracks, crowded markets in Istanbul, trying to find the tube station at Heathrow…) you may wish to carry more or less of the load on your shoulders.

Don't forget to release the top-tension strap before you adjust the shoulder-pad adjustment buckle, and vice versa. If you only adjust one, the other will be incorrectly tensioned. Remember: the top-tension straps need to be lightly tensioned, not pulled tight.

If you have reached a comfortable fit by following these instructions, you won't have to adjust the back length on a day-to-day basis. However, as you become more familiar with your pack, you may want to experiment with adjusting the back length via the Exact Fit buckle while using the pack. This is especially handy if the clothing layers you are wearing change during your trip. (For example, on a trek from sea level in India to Everest Base Camp, you would go through the extremes, from wearing light clothes to several thermal layers, as well as waterproof/windproof layers.) Finetuning your rucksack’s back length to suit your activity can also increase comfort.