Make your rucksack work for you

26 June 2008 16:21

It’s tempting just to ignore the many straps hanging off your rucksack, or pull them any which way until some semblance of fit is reached. But tighten them right, and your backpacking rucksack can help you up and down a hill, and can even make rest stops easier…

Going uphill
Locate the torsion straps (above the shoulder straps) and tighten them so the top of the sack is drawn towards your body. This pulls in and compacts your centre of gravity, aiding balance and making each forward movement, arm reach and step less draining.

Resting
Take the weight off your shoulders by slackening the shoulder straps (usually under your arms) and allowing the weight to drop from your back to your hips. When walking, a good rule of thumb for hipbelts is to ensure a third of your hipbelt padding is below your hipbone, and two-thirds above it.

Going downhill
Slacken the torsion straps you tightened going uphill so the sack hangs back. This transfers weight to your hips, and drops your centre of gravity backwards, giving you a more pleasing, balanced weight distribution for downhill walking.