The belt on Day Packs for Walking Hiking and Rambling

Q. Hi there

I've read the article on Day Packs under Gear Guides and would like to take issue with one point in that article. ie. The 'hip' belt fitted to day packs and its use.

There is no way that the belt fitted to 'normal' day sacks up to about 30 ltrs can be used as a HIP belt for the following reason:-

The distance between the shoulder and hip top of an average adult male is about 55 cms.

The distance between the belt top (which if it is to be used as a hip belt corresponds with the body hip top) of the three day sacks that I have and the shoulder position on the shoulder harness is 40 cms (Dart 30), 32 cms (Hot Ice), and 40 cms (Red point).

If you take these measurements and relate them to each other you find that the average day sack is far too short for the belt to be used as a hip belt - between 15 and 23 cms short. With the hip belt in the correct position on the hips the sack would be about 6 to 9 inches below the shoulders.

The belt on a day sack is there for sideway support only and was never intended to take the weight of the sack. Unlike the proper hip belt on an expedition sack 65 - 75 ltrs which is designed to do that job and must fit properly.

Sorry to be picky.

Thanks for an excellent web site

Cheers

Geoff Hall,

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A. I totally agree with Geoff Hall regarding the usual belts on smaller sacks which are designed as a stabiliser when running, bending over etc.

The weight is taken on the shoulders not the belt which as Geoff says is miles too high too be a hip belt.

Mores the pity as I've hunted all over the place for a 15/20 litre small sack with a hip belt, anyone know where I can get one please let me know.

Thanks

Ges Brown, Ringwood

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