Vent: My pack was killing me for years because of one dumb mistake.

Did the Timberline Trail loop last month. My shoulders were screaming by mile two. A ranger at Cloud Cap saw me adjusting my straps and just said, 'Your hip belt is way too high.' I'd been carrying all the weight on my shoulders for three seasons. Felt like an idiot. Anyone else have a simple gear tweak that made a huge difference?

2 comments

2 Comments

patjones4d ago

Feel your pain, man. Did the exact same thing on my first JMT section hike. Spent a whole week with my hips bruised from a belt sitting way too low. That click when you finally get it right is pure magic. Now I obsessively check my fit before every single trip.

the_jason4d ago

Oh man, @patjones, that's a hip belt, not a belt belt.