Rant: Took me 17 miles on the JMT to realize my backpack straps were adjusted completely backwards

I was an hour from camp near Thousand Island Lake with terrible shoulder pain when some 60 year old thru-hiker pointed out my hip belt was basically floating above my waist and the load was all on my shoulders the whole time, has anyone else made a gear setup blunder that took way too long to catch?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_wesley28d ago

Blew my mind when I realized the same thing on a trip last year. Had my hip belt sitting up near my ribcage the whole time because I was rushing to pack and didn't check the straps. Should have watched a YouTube video before heading out instead of just guessing.

brooke7128d ago

Dude, I did almost the exact same thing on a long section hike. What finally clicked for me was actually taking the time to adjust all the straps while standing still, not while I was tired and frustrated. Once I got that hip belt sitting right on my hip bones it was like carrying a totally different pack.