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Yvonne said:Serena I am also quite petite 154cms or about 5ft 1, and l like you, had trouble finding a suitable backpack. I eventually settled on a Deuter Womens ACT lite 45 +10 Litre for my SJPP to Finisterre Camino last Sept/Oct.
Deuter gets my thumbs up.
Hi there, I know there have been a thousand posts on backpacks, and that in the end everyone is different and there is no one size fits all answer, but I'm having an extremely hard time finding a pack that fits me properly.
I am a fairly petite woman - 5'3" and 105 pounds - and so far, every single pack I've tried on (and I've tried on MANY - even those for children/teens!) hasn't fit me properly. I recently drove to the largest REI in California to try them on, as I was told that they'd be my best bet, and after trying on pretty much every one in the store, nothing really fit that great. Ultimately I ended up with an Osprey Sirrus 36. While I didn't love it, the REI guy told me that it was by far the best fit.
While I was there, I also tried on a Gregory Jade 38 and *I* felt like it was by far the best one, but the REI guy said that it was too loose around my waist, even when I had it pulled as tight as it could go (you can see a picture of what I mean here: http://distilleryimage8.s3.amazonaws.com/a11f0f3edf8d11e2bf4822000a1ddbe2_7.jpg). He said that the belt would stretch out, and since it was already as tight as it could go, that would be a problem.
However, the Sirrus kind of digs into my waist/rib cage, and after wearing it around the house for 10 minutes with about 15 pounds I was already really annoyed by the chaffing and rubbing of the shoulders.
I ordered the Gregory Jade just to compare, and personally, I still think it fits better, but the REI man was so adamant that it was a bad fit that I'm really not sure what to do.
So, this brings me to my main question, do any of you have recommendations for good packs for petite women? if not, do you think I should go with the Gregory Jade, which I prefer, or keep the Sirrus per the advice of the REI salespeople?
Lastly, a good friend suggested I look into external frame backpacks, as those are apparently good for smaller people?! Would this be something good for me try? I've never even heard of these kind of packs.
As always, thanks in advance for any advice you can share!
Serena
Thanks for letting me know about REI. I was thinking of going there because we have a store in Pittsburgh but I was afraid of weight.There is a company calle Ultra Light Weight. they make packs that weigh less then 3 pounds I bought a model called the camino. I also bought an ultra light weight tent, from REI and a sleeping bag that weighs less the 19 oz from Enlightened equipment REI does not carry much in the way of ultra light weight stuff.
James From Maine
I also used the ULA Circuit on my Camino. My main objective was weight, though I am small- framed too. I loved it! The only issue I had with it was that the side zippered pocket on the belt, that I used the most and over-filled (camera/phone/sunscreen...) began to rip at the zipper. I had to break into my blister repair kit for my thread and needle to repair it. When I got home, I called ULA and they mailed me a whole new belt, no questions asked. The pack is also machine washable (remove inner back support to wash separately). After 500+ miles it still looked brand new. Although I bought many things at REI for my trip, they did not carry ultra-light packs. I tried on most of what they had in stock and ultimately decided to follow the one most important piece of advice (for me) I got from this forum, which was: Weight is everything. It paid off royally.
I'm not certain what "ultra lightweight" is, but REI carries a ton of packs, and my Osprey Kyte certainly falls into the light-weight category - and I got it at REI. Also, weight is not the most important thing. Weight in a pack will be a bit different every day, and your load will be distributed a bit different every day. Your energy level will vary, the weather will vary, the terrain will vary, your clothing (and therefore the pack fit) will vary. All of the things I was concerned about on my Caminho never came to pass. Like...the weight of my pack! Not having enough water! Not finding food I can eat! (I'm gluten-intolerant.) Getting blisters!Thanks for letting me know about REI. I was thinking of going there because we have a store in Pittsburgh but I was afraid of weight.
Serena,Hi there, I know there have been a thousand posts on backpacks, and that in the end everyone is different and there is no one size fits all answer, but I'm having an extremely hard time finding a pack that fits me properly.
I am a fairly petite woman - 5'3" and 105 pounds - and so far, every single pack I've tried on (and I've tried on MANY - even those for children/teens!) hasn't fit me properly. I recently drove to the largest REI in California to try them on, as I was told that they'd be my best bet, and after trying on pretty much every one in the store, nothing really fit that great. Ultimately I ended up with an Osprey Sirrus 36. While I didn't love it, the REI guy told me that it was by far the best fit.
While I was there, I also tried on a Gregory Jade 38 and *I* felt like it was by far the best one, but the REI guy said that it was too loose around my waist, even when I had it pulled as tight as it could go (you can see a picture of what I mean here: http://distilleryimage8.s3.amazonaws.com/a11f0f3edf8d11e2bf4822000a1ddbe2_7.jpg). He said that the belt would stretch out, and since it was already as tight as it could go, that would be a problem.
However, the Sirrus kind of digs into my waist/rib cage, and after wearing it around the house for 10 minutes with about 15 pounds I was already really annoyed by the chaffing and rubbing of the shoulders.
I ordered the Gregory Jade just to compare, and personally, I still think it fits better, but the REI man was so adamant that it was a bad fit that I'm really not sure what to do.
So, this brings me to my main question, do any of you have recommendations for good packs for petite women? if not, do you think I should go with the Gregory Jade, which I prefer, or keep the Sirrus per the advice of the REI salespeople?
Lastly, a good friend suggested I look into external frame backpacks, as those are apparently good for smaller people?! Would this be something good for me try? I've never even heard of these kind of packs.
As always, thanks in advance for any advice you can share!
Serena
Hi Serena,Hi there, I know there have been a thousand posts on backpacks, and that in the end everyone is different and there is no one size fits all answer, but I'm having an extremely hard time finding a pack that fits me properly.
I am a fairly petite woman - 5'3" and 105 pounds - and so far, every single pack I've tried on (and I've tried on MANY - even those for children/teens!) hasn't fit me properly. I recently drove to the largest REI in California to try them on, as I was told that they'd be my best bet, and after trying on pretty much every one in the store, nothing really fit that great. Ultimately I ended up with an Osprey Sirrus 36. While I didn't love it, the REI guy told me that it was by far the best fit.
While I was there, I also tried on a Gregory Jade 38 and *I* felt like it was by far the best one, but the REI guy said that it was too loose around my waist, even when I had it pulled as tight as it could go (you can see a picture of what I mean here: http://distilleryimage8.s3.amazonaws.com/a11f0f3edf8d11e2bf4822000a1ddbe2_7.jpg). He said that the belt would stretch out, and since it was already as tight as it could go, that would be a problem.
However, the Sirrus kind of digs into my waist/rib cage, and after wearing it around the house for 10 minutes with about 15 pounds I was already really annoyed by the chaffing and rubbing of the shoulders.
I ordered the Gregory Jade just to compare, and personally, I still think it fits better, but the REI man was so adamant that it was a bad fit that I'm really not sure what to do.
So, this brings me to my main question, do any of you have recommendations for good packs for petite women? if not, do you think I should go with the Gregory Jade, which I prefer, or keep the Sirrus per the advice of the REI salespeople?
Lastly, a good friend suggested I look into external frame backpacks, as those are apparently good for smaller people?! Would this be something good for me try? I've never even heard of these kind of packs.
As always, thanks in advance for any advice you can share!
Serena
Very interesting thanks.It may have been said above, and certainly has been stated elsewhere in other forum conversations, but the single most important thing is to be properly fitted by someone who knows what they are doing. You cannot hope to have a good Camino experience with the first rucksack you buy off the peg in a Wal-Mart store or other discount or online retailer. A properly fitting rucksack is second in important ONLY to a properly sized and fitted pair of hiking shoes or boots.
To fit a rucksack properly, you must go to an outdoors specialty store, not a discount department store or online retailer. If you are price sensitive, first go someplace to get properly fitted, then once you have decided on a brand, model, size and color, you can choose to seek the best price elsewhere.
In my view, the steps to proper rucksack / backpack fitting are:
1. Speak to an experienced (hiker / backpacker) sales person. Tell s/he what you want the rucksack for and how long daily/days you will need to wear it. (example: I will be carrying 10 - 15 pounds of stuff in the sack and will be walking about 30 days covering just about 800 km - 500 miles, on gravel and stone paths, in very hilly terrain. I expect rain and possibly snow. I do not need to carry a tent, cooking gear, or bulk food or water.)
2. Have the sales person measure the length of your torso - from the top of your Iliac loop hip bone to the center of your shoulders. The better shops have plastic forms that strap to your waist to accomplish this. In particular, Osprey has one. It can be used for any brand rucksack.
In general, a torso length / height of less than 19 inches is considered a short to medium frame size. Most women and shorter men will likely fall into this range. But do not make the assumption. Every person is shaped differently. However, Osprey breaks it's size range between Small/Medium sizes and Medium/Large sizes at 19 inches.
Personally, I measure 18.75 inches so I am on the cusp. Through proper measurement and fitting, plus some trial and error, we decided that a M/L size Osprey rucksack adjusted to the minimum / shortest possible adjustment worked for me better than a S/M rucksack extended to its maximum length. In the latter scenario, the very large, heavy duty Velcro patch used to secure the shoulder harness to the sack body was not fully engaged. I considered that less safe. I did not want to take the chance it would let go and throw me off balance at an inopportune moment.
3. Select several likely possibilities from the available makes and models. Bear-in-mind that some manufacturers simply offer different colors of their S/M men's bags and call them women's bags. So, if you are a short torso woman and cannot find a woman's style you like, do try a S/M man's rucksack. It might work for you.
4. Once you have selected a possible rucksack, ask the sales person to place weight in the sack. REI uses sand bags in 5 pound increments. I suspect other good outdoor shops do the same. Put the weighed sack on and have the sales person assist you to get all belts and straps adjusted properly for the load. ALL rucksacks ride differently empty than they do with a load in them. Pay particular attention that the hip belt rides on the top of the upper hip bone as mentioned before. (Just FYI - I train with 20 pounds of kitty litter bags in my Osprey rucksack before I go on Camino).
5. Wear the pack for 20 - 30 minutes in the store. Walk around, climb stairs, bend over and touch your toes, squat down. Move your arms all around. Kneel down and get up. These are all things you are going to have to do while wearing the rucksack on Camino, so get a feel for it. If the store has a simulated "hill" for testing boot fitting - use it. If the store has stairs in it - used them too. Get a feel for walking up and down an incline with the weight on your back. With the rucksack, your center of gravity is changed. You need to learn how to walk all over again.
Once you have tried this and found a good "fit," you have found your bag. The only two decisions to make are what color, and do you want to buy it there, where they took the time to help you, or they to find the same bag online. Either way the decision is yours.
I hope this helps someone...
The 10% "rule" is only a rough guideline and is actually based on guidelines for how much weight schoolchildren should be asked to carry in their schoolbags. It's a reasonable place to start if you are average shape and size but don't take it as an absolute rule.That said - if I adhere to the 10% body rule I'm only supposed to bring less than 11 pounds, and with a 3.5 pound pack, I don't have much to work with. How important is this "rule"? What did all you other petite ladies do?
Your REI person sounds as if they need a serious talking-to and some better training.
Hi SerenaHi there, I know there have been a thousand posts on backpacks, and that in the end everyone is different and there is no one size fits all answer, but I'm having an extremely hard time finding a pack that fits me properly.
I am a fairly petite woman - 5'3" and 105 pounds - and so far, every single pack I've tried on (and I've tried on MANY - even those for children/teens!) hasn't fit me properly. I recently drove to the largest REI in California to try them on, as I was told that they'd be my best bet, and after trying on pretty much every one in the store, nothing really fit that great. Ultimately I ended up with an Osprey Sirrus 36. While I didn't love it, the REI guy told me that it was by far the best fit.
While I was there, I also tried on a Gregory Jade 38 and *I* felt like it was by far the best one, but the REI guy said that it was too loose around my waist, even when I had it pulled as tight as it could go (you can see a picture of what I mean here: http://distilleryimage8.s3.amazonaws.com/a11f0f3edf8d11e2bf4822000a1ddbe2_7.jpg). He said that the belt would stretch out, and since it was already as tight as it could go, that would be a problem.
However, the Sirrus kind of digs into my waist/rib cage, and after wearing it around the house for 10 minutes with about 15 pounds I was already really annoyed by the chaffing and rubbing of the shoulders.
I ordered the Gregory Jade just to compare, and personally, I still think it fits better, but the REI man was so adamant that it was a bad fit that I'm really not sure what to do.
So, this brings me to my main question, do any of you have recommendations for good packs for petite women? if not, do you think I should go with the Gregory Jade, which I prefer, or keep the Sirrus per the advice of the REI salespeople?
Lastly, a good friend suggested I look into external frame backpacks, as those are apparently good for smaller people?! Would this be something good for me try? I've never even heard of these kind of packs.
As always, thanks in advance for any advice you can share!
Serena
My suspicion is that Osprey make their women's packs for slender women, something that is extremely common in outdoor equipment and clothing. Apparently we wider women aren't supposed to be active. I know several women who are rather wider across the rear who find their packs uncomfortable. I once carried an Ospry pack for someone else for a while and ended up with bruises and abrasions on my hips.Hi Serena
I’ve done 2 caminos and am doing my 3rd this summer. I’m 5’2’, 110ish pounds. I really like my Osprey 26L, but understand feeling like it digs in. It did for me at my hips but my body got used to it. A friend who is about my size also uses this pack.
Laura
My suspicion is that Osprey make their women's packs for slender women, something that is extremely common in outdoor equipment and clothing. Apparently we wider women aren't supposed to be active.
I tried the Gregory Jade, but no luck. I ended up with this great little pack!Hi there, I know there have been a thousand posts on backpacks, and that in the end everyone is different and there is no one size fits all answer, but I'm having an extremely hard time finding a pack that fits me properly.
I am a fairly petite woman - 5'3" and 105 pounds - and so far, every single pack I've tried on (and I've tried on MANY - even those for children/teens!) hasn't fit me properly. I recently drove to the largest REI in California to try them on, as I was told that they'd be my best bet, and after trying on pretty much every one in the store, nothing really fit that great. Ultimately I ended up with an Osprey Sirrus 36. While I didn't love it, the REI guy told me that it was by far the best fit.
While I was there, I also tried on a Gregory Jade 38 and *I* felt like it was by far the best one, but the REI guy said that it was too loose around my waist, even when I had it pulled as tight as it could go (you can see a picture of what I mean here: http://distilleryimage8.s3.amazonaws.com/a11f0f3edf8d11e2bf4822000a1ddbe2_7.jpg). He said that the belt would stretch out, and since it was already as tight as it could go, that would be a problem.
However, the Sirrus kind of digs into my waist/rib cage, and after wearing it around the house for 10 minutes with about 15 pounds I was already really annoyed by the chaffing and rubbing of the shoulders.
I ordered the Gregory Jade just to compare, and personally, I still think it fits better, but the REI man was so adamant that it was a bad fit that I'm really not sure what to do.
So, this brings me to my main question, do any of you have recommendations for good packs for petite women? if not, do you think I should go with the Gregory Jade, which I prefer, or keep the Sirrus per the advice of the REI salespeople?
Lastly, a good friend suggested I look into external frame backpacks, as those are apparently good for smaller people?! Would this be something good for me try? I've never even heard of these kind of packs.
As always, thanks in advance for any advice you can share!
Serena
Can you tell us what it is without watching a ten minute video?I tried the Gregory Jade, but no luck. I ended up with this great little pack!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0151EFF3G/?tag=casaivar02-20Can you tell us what it is without watching a ten minute video?
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