- Time of past OR future Camino
- 2017, 2018, 2019, 2025
Note: Hip belt systems are important, but that is not the focus of this thread. That will be a separate discussion later on. This is an edited version of an earlier post I had written.
There are currently a few discussions taking place about the cost of backpacks. . . dirt cheap low cost backpacks, versus moderate cost backpacks, versus expensive backpacks. One concern is whether or not there can be an equivalency, regardless of price point, to the ability to achieve a good and comfortable fit and adjustability. This is a separate consideration to the question of the longevity of a backpack, the ability of a backpack to absorb wear and tear, resist rainwater leakage, placement of pockets, etc.
I do not dispute the fact that even a 10 Euro China Market school bag can be used to hold stuff and be carried on one's back for a Camino. . . or a wilderness backpacking trip. In my mind, that is not the issue. The issue is whether or not carrying stuff on a Camino can be done comfortably, and that the backpack does not create problems and take away from the enjoyment of walking.
I also recognize that what one individual may find to be aggravating and niggling with a brand and model of backpack to the point of unremitting misery, a different individual may find that same backpack to be a blissful matchup.
From the large numbers of backpacks I have used or gear tested over the decades, I can state that price does not automatically determine whether a backpack will be comfortable to wear, which is the focus in this thread.
Price most often will reflect the durability of materials that are much lighter in weight, will see increased ease of use and usability due to higher quality parts like zippers and buckles, and the addition of such elements as the types and numbers of external pockets, hydration reservoir holders, and detachable brains (tops), etc.
It might be helpful to look at just one part of the whole, and to discuss and describe how that one part is designed to help assure the ability of the backpack to fit and to function properly. So for this thread, I decided to focus on the backpack's shoulder harness system. When assessing any price level of backpack for usability, these are some things you may wish to consider.
What is the shoulder harness?
Simply put, the shoulder harness is the system of straps, pads, and hardware that is attached to backpack’s bag. It is what allows the user to put on and to wear the backpack.
What Does a Shoulder Harness Do?
A well-designed shoulder harness will effectively and evenly carry, distribute, and balance the weight of the pack’s load to the wearer. “Wait, hold on a second”, you may be thinking, “Isn’t it the hipbelt which carries the load”?
Well, yes and no. A predominant myth exists which states that a hipbelt should carry the total weight of the pack. The reality is different. For the best performance and long-term comfort, the shoulder harness should carry between 5 to 15% of the weight, and the hipbelt will have 85% to 95%.
In order to have the best balance and control while carrying a backpack, it requires that the backpack be drawn close to the body. To accomplish this, there needs to be a slight loading onto the shoulder straps. A good shoulder harness system is designed to do this in the most comfortable method possible. Additionally, a good shoulder harness system works in concert with the hipbelt system, so that the hipbelt functions properly.
A good shoulder harness system will avoid impacts to your body’s ability to function properly. It will help to eliminate compression to the chest which can affect the volume of air-uptake in respiration. It will absolutely minimize or eliminate localized nerve compression which can cause numbness to the arms, and pain to the neck and shoulders. It will also help prevent undue stress to the core muscles caused by imbalances to the body.
Parts and Characteristics of a Well-Designed Shoulder Harness
The shape of the shoulder strap padding is readily noticeable. The pad's shape will affect the backpack’s comfort and feel while being worn. The shapes you’ll likely see on backpacks are either straight or contoured.
A ‘straight’ shaped pad is, well, straight. It is a singular, shapeless, straight line from the top attachment point on the strap to the bottom point on the strap.
A ‘contoured’ shaped pad is generally one of two basic shapes. These shape chosen will make a difference to the individual in both the overall fit of the shoulder harness, as well as its comfort. Contoured straps can reduce the amount of rubbing between your body and the straps, and reduces pinching to your muscles by shaping around them, instead of going over them
A sternum strap helps to evenly distribute the weight of the backpack through the shoulder harness. It helps by preventing sore shoulders. As even long-time backpackers will tell you, carrying a full backpack, even with a hipbelt properly adjusted, is going to put some strain on your shoulders. By using a chest strap, you will be able to ease the pressure on your shoulders, essential when you’re trekking for long distances
The sternum strap also helps maintain the placement of the shoulder straps on your shoulders so that they do not slide off your shoulders. The tighter the sternum strap is, the more weight is displaced. BUT, if a sternum strap is too tight, it can constrain your breathing. It can also cause your neck muscles to become pinched, as well as other areas like the Trapezius muscle.
Ideally, the sternum strap will be adjustable, both in terms of the strap’s length, and allowing for vertical positioning up and down the shoulder straps. This means that you can place the sternum strap at the best height on your chest, around your chest’s unique anatomy. Then when you fasten the sternum strap across your chest, you can properly ‘dial in’ the desired tightness for the best function.
A few different systems are used for the height adjustment. If you are unsure of how to do the adjustments, check with the manufacturer’s website. Oftentimes there will be instructional videos.
When trying out a new backpack, make sure that the sternum strap can be properly adjusted to fit YOU comfortably.
As a rule of thumb, your sternum strap should be roughly an inch below your collar bone. One neat feature that some bags have is the ability to stow away sternum straps when they’re not in use through clips on the shoulder straps that hold them in place or lash points that can hold them down so that they’re not flapping all over the place when not in use.
Many backpacks Have Stabilizer Straps
Some, but not all, good backpacks have a set of adjustable straps connecting the upper portion of the shoulder straps, to an attachment point near the top of the backpack. These are called by two common names: stabilizer straps, or load-lifting straps.
These straps serve a couple of primary purposes.
Effectiveness requires that the load lifter straps are anchored to the proper locations on the backpack. Usually, that is not an issue with the major backpack manufacturers and the cottage manufacturers. It is the backpacks which are cheaply made in places like China, that load lifters can be worse than useless. They are added to these cheap backpacks as a cosmetic mimic of the high-quality backpacks. The cheap backpacks do this in order to fool consumers as to usability.
Pulling load lifters too tight can put excessive pressure on your shoulders. It can also force the top of the backpack's bag so close to the back of your head, that you have a hard time if you want to tilt your head up to look around or at the sky.
When under proper tension, the stabilizer straps will form an angle of 35-degrees to 50-degrees while looking at the backpack in profile as it is being worn. When the stabilizer straps are very long, they can start swinging all over the place as you move. Lash points that keep the excess straps out of the way are easy ways to prevent them from driving you insane.
Adjustability: How easy are the straps to adjust?
During your treks and hikes, you will make frequent and tiny adjustments to the straps as you are walking; it becomes second nature as you and your backpack develop a relationship. Adjustments are done to alleviate pressure in one area, to get a better feel of the pack, to help center its gravity-induced movements on difficult terrain, etc. You are doing small adjustments because it just feels good to do so.
A well-made harness system should allow for easy adjustments and not give you any problems. Straps should be easy to tension and just as easy to let the straps out and make them a bit longer. The strap’s material is one factor in this, but the hardware and buckles that a backpack manufacturer uses will be the biggest factor in the ease of performing that task.
When choosing a backpack, make sure that it isn’t a struggle to adjust the various straps on the harness and the hipbelt. You will be doing adjustments thousands of times during the life of your backpack and you want that process to be simple, intuitive, and easy. If it isn’t, you will start to loath your backpack.
A backpack is your ‘house’. Inside that house (depending on whether you are walking a Camino or on a wilderness backpacking trip) are your bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, closet, and attic. A great backpack is exceedingly usable (and lovable). However, without a good shoulder harness system, no backpack will meet those goals.
There are currently a few discussions taking place about the cost of backpacks. . . dirt cheap low cost backpacks, versus moderate cost backpacks, versus expensive backpacks. One concern is whether or not there can be an equivalency, regardless of price point, to the ability to achieve a good and comfortable fit and adjustability. This is a separate consideration to the question of the longevity of a backpack, the ability of a backpack to absorb wear and tear, resist rainwater leakage, placement of pockets, etc.
I do not dispute the fact that even a 10 Euro China Market school bag can be used to hold stuff and be carried on one's back for a Camino. . . or a wilderness backpacking trip. In my mind, that is not the issue. The issue is whether or not carrying stuff on a Camino can be done comfortably, and that the backpack does not create problems and take away from the enjoyment of walking.
I also recognize that what one individual may find to be aggravating and niggling with a brand and model of backpack to the point of unremitting misery, a different individual may find that same backpack to be a blissful matchup.
From the large numbers of backpacks I have used or gear tested over the decades, I can state that price does not automatically determine whether a backpack will be comfortable to wear, which is the focus in this thread.
Price most often will reflect the durability of materials that are much lighter in weight, will see increased ease of use and usability due to higher quality parts like zippers and buckles, and the addition of such elements as the types and numbers of external pockets, hydration reservoir holders, and detachable brains (tops), etc.
It might be helpful to look at just one part of the whole, and to discuss and describe how that one part is designed to help assure the ability of the backpack to fit and to function properly. So for this thread, I decided to focus on the backpack's shoulder harness system. When assessing any price level of backpack for usability, these are some things you may wish to consider.
What is the shoulder harness?
Simply put, the shoulder harness is the system of straps, pads, and hardware that is attached to backpack’s bag. It is what allows the user to put on and to wear the backpack.
What Does a Shoulder Harness Do?
A well-designed shoulder harness will effectively and evenly carry, distribute, and balance the weight of the pack’s load to the wearer. “Wait, hold on a second”, you may be thinking, “Isn’t it the hipbelt which carries the load”?
Well, yes and no. A predominant myth exists which states that a hipbelt should carry the total weight of the pack. The reality is different. For the best performance and long-term comfort, the shoulder harness should carry between 5 to 15% of the weight, and the hipbelt will have 85% to 95%.
In order to have the best balance and control while carrying a backpack, it requires that the backpack be drawn close to the body. To accomplish this, there needs to be a slight loading onto the shoulder straps. A good shoulder harness system is designed to do this in the most comfortable method possible. Additionally, a good shoulder harness system works in concert with the hipbelt system, so that the hipbelt functions properly.
A good shoulder harness system will avoid impacts to your body’s ability to function properly. It will help to eliminate compression to the chest which can affect the volume of air-uptake in respiration. It will absolutely minimize or eliminate localized nerve compression which can cause numbness to the arms, and pain to the neck and shoulders. It will also help prevent undue stress to the core muscles caused by imbalances to the body.
Parts and Characteristics of a Well-Designed Shoulder Harness
- Shoulder straps. The straps should not be too narrow and made of a synthetic material which will not degrade with exposure to sun, sweat, and weather. The material should have a texture to keep it from slipping when adjusted.
- Padding. The pad on your shoulders should feel comfortable AND supportive. Good pads are made of dual density foams or EVA, or similar. Good pads should have a contoured shape for comfort and to reduce muscle fatigue. The two basic shapes are “J” and “S”.
- Sternum strap which can be adjusted by height and length.
- Stabilizer / load-lifting straps.
- Attachment points to the backpack’s frame and bag that are reinforced, efficient, comfortable, and useful for the load’s weight disbursement.
- Buckles that allow quick, easy, and intuitive operation for harness and strap adjustments.
The shape of the shoulder strap padding is readily noticeable. The pad's shape will affect the backpack’s comfort and feel while being worn. The shapes you’ll likely see on backpacks are either straight or contoured.
A ‘straight’ shaped pad is, well, straight. It is a singular, shapeless, straight line from the top attachment point on the strap to the bottom point on the strap.
A ‘contoured’ shaped pad is generally one of two basic shapes. These shape chosen will make a difference to the individual in both the overall fit of the shoulder harness, as well as its comfort. Contoured straps can reduce the amount of rubbing between your body and the straps, and reduces pinching to your muscles by shaping around them, instead of going over them
- “J” shape: The J shape has been the most common shape on both men’s and women’s backpacks for quite a while now. For upper body shapes that are more slender to regular, the J shaped strap pads work very well.
- "S" shape: The S shape pads are a fairly new innovation. These pads curve inward just above the sternum, then back outward below your arms. This shape works very well for women due to the shape and unique anatomy of their chests (OK, ok, I'm referring to breasts). This pad shape also works well for men who have large and/or muscular chests.
A sternum strap helps to evenly distribute the weight of the backpack through the shoulder harness. It helps by preventing sore shoulders. As even long-time backpackers will tell you, carrying a full backpack, even with a hipbelt properly adjusted, is going to put some strain on your shoulders. By using a chest strap, you will be able to ease the pressure on your shoulders, essential when you’re trekking for long distances
The sternum strap also helps maintain the placement of the shoulder straps on your shoulders so that they do not slide off your shoulders. The tighter the sternum strap is, the more weight is displaced. BUT, if a sternum strap is too tight, it can constrain your breathing. It can also cause your neck muscles to become pinched, as well as other areas like the Trapezius muscle.
Ideally, the sternum strap will be adjustable, both in terms of the strap’s length, and allowing for vertical positioning up and down the shoulder straps. This means that you can place the sternum strap at the best height on your chest, around your chest’s unique anatomy. Then when you fasten the sternum strap across your chest, you can properly ‘dial in’ the desired tightness for the best function.
A few different systems are used for the height adjustment. If you are unsure of how to do the adjustments, check with the manufacturer’s website. Oftentimes there will be instructional videos.
When trying out a new backpack, make sure that the sternum strap can be properly adjusted to fit YOU comfortably.
As a rule of thumb, your sternum strap should be roughly an inch below your collar bone. One neat feature that some bags have is the ability to stow away sternum straps when they’re not in use through clips on the shoulder straps that hold them in place or lash points that can hold them down so that they’re not flapping all over the place when not in use.
Many backpacks Have Stabilizer Straps
Some, but not all, good backpacks have a set of adjustable straps connecting the upper portion of the shoulder straps, to an attachment point near the top of the backpack. These are called by two common names: stabilizer straps, or load-lifting straps.
These straps serve a couple of primary purposes.
- Support for your shoulders. When pulled tight, they pull the pack bag closer toward your back. This tends to take a bit of pressure from the top of the shoulder straps.
- Balance and stability. Because the pack bag is closer to your body, it further stabilizes the balance of the backpack’s load by keeping it closer to your center of gravity.
Effectiveness requires that the load lifter straps are anchored to the proper locations on the backpack. Usually, that is not an issue with the major backpack manufacturers and the cottage manufacturers. It is the backpacks which are cheaply made in places like China, that load lifters can be worse than useless. They are added to these cheap backpacks as a cosmetic mimic of the high-quality backpacks. The cheap backpacks do this in order to fool consumers as to usability.
Pulling load lifters too tight can put excessive pressure on your shoulders. It can also force the top of the backpack's bag so close to the back of your head, that you have a hard time if you want to tilt your head up to look around or at the sky.
When under proper tension, the stabilizer straps will form an angle of 35-degrees to 50-degrees while looking at the backpack in profile as it is being worn. When the stabilizer straps are very long, they can start swinging all over the place as you move. Lash points that keep the excess straps out of the way are easy ways to prevent them from driving you insane.
Adjustability: How easy are the straps to adjust?
During your treks and hikes, you will make frequent and tiny adjustments to the straps as you are walking; it becomes second nature as you and your backpack develop a relationship. Adjustments are done to alleviate pressure in one area, to get a better feel of the pack, to help center its gravity-induced movements on difficult terrain, etc. You are doing small adjustments because it just feels good to do so.
A well-made harness system should allow for easy adjustments and not give you any problems. Straps should be easy to tension and just as easy to let the straps out and make them a bit longer. The strap’s material is one factor in this, but the hardware and buckles that a backpack manufacturer uses will be the biggest factor in the ease of performing that task.
When choosing a backpack, make sure that it isn’t a struggle to adjust the various straps on the harness and the hipbelt. You will be doing adjustments thousands of times during the life of your backpack and you want that process to be simple, intuitive, and easy. If it isn’t, you will start to loath your backpack.
A backpack is your ‘house’. Inside that house (depending on whether you are walking a Camino or on a wilderness backpacking trip) are your bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, closet, and attic. A great backpack is exceedingly usable (and lovable). However, without a good shoulder harness system, no backpack will meet those goals.
Last edited:
Sure. I've made an edit to include a basic diagram.
I do not care what others use.
