How you carry your backpack through the trekking trip says a lot about how you’d be feeling post the adventure in terms of backache. It’s crucial to have your backpack fitted and positioned correctly (i.e., an inch above the hips at least) for you to be able to perform peak bagging, day hiking, or long-distance hiking without any traces of an ache.

Why Stabilize the Weight of the Backpack?

Wearing your hiking backpack wrong can put immense pressure on the back, shoulders, and neck, causing the muscles to strain. For example, if your backpack sways side to side while walking, it’ll rub against your back and cause chafing from the shoulder straps. For this reason, it’s crucial to wear a backpack with a waist strap to distribute the load evenly onto the hips; this relieves the shoulder pressure altogether. Remember to adjust your shoulder straps in a way that the backpack doesn’t extend past the waist. Moreover, use the chest strap to reduce swaying by keeping the shoulder straps steadfast in place.

Avoid These Hiking Backpack Positions

1. One Strap Sling

Wearing a heavy backpack that is slung over one shoulder using one strap of the backpack can put uneven strains on the bones and muscles of your body. This is likely to account for poor posture and back pain. You’ll be walking off balance even if you switch the shoulders every so often, so check the hip belt to fit snugly on the top of your hip bones and tighten the shoulder straps to hug your shoulders but not carry any additional weight.

2. Lowered on the Back

The lower you place your backpack on your back, the more pressure it will create on your shoulders. This causes a lower back strain as it positions you to forward lean through the trip. It’s a good idea to measure your torso length and match it with the hiking backpack to walk around without any strain. Moreover, ensure that the backpack does not weigh greater than 20 percent of your total body weight for it to not affect your comfort, balance, or stability.

You’ve arrived at the right place to address all your backache concerns associated with hiking — Light Hiking Gear is your comfortable day pack supplier with the best ultralight hiking gears designed to improve mobility and enhance comfort as you head out in the wild. Our premium hiking packs lighten the load you’re carrying uphill with their intelligent design that prevents muscle fatigue, not add to it. We’ve got a variety of comfortable hiking backpacks for sale online that are naturally balanced day bags, body-friendly, and science smart.