How to Properly Put on a Hunting Pack

Putting on a backpack goes way beyond simply shouldering the pack and tightening everything down like it’s going to run away. A backpack is a chain of things that all work together at evenly distributing weight. A good pack is a workhorse, made to handle way more than we can. If we don’t know how to handle them, we’re going to have a bad time. So, let’s get into it. Here’s how to properly put on a backpack so you get the best performance possible.

Before you do this, you need to make sure that your backpack is sized properly. It’s crucial for performance. This means proper waist belt and torso size.

1. Start Loose

A backpack is not a “set it and forget it” piece of equipment. Each time we take the pack off, we need to loosen everything so we can put it back on the right way. This ensures everything can be adjusted to your body time and time again. The waist belt, shoulder straps and load lifters should all be loosened. Sternum straps are excluded from this.

2. Waist Belt

Shoulder the backpack and go right for the waist belt. This is where you want about 80% of the weight when hiking, which is why sizing is so crucial. If your waist belt is too big, you won’t have the room to adjust it tight enough and it will slip. Pull the waist belt up until your hipbone is in the center of the belt. This is a good starting point. Cinch it down to the point where it’s tight, but not so tight that you can’t breathe.

3. Sternum and Shoulder Straps

Next are the sternum and shoulder straps. The sternum is just there to keep your shoulder straps in place from side to side. And it’s largely personal preference on how far or close together your shoulder straps are. Set the length and height of your sternum strap and call it a day.

The initial approach for shoulder straps is to yank on them like they did something wrong. Don’t do this. We want the majority of weight on our waist. Simply tighten them down just until you feel the shoulder strap evenly form to your shoulder. Use a mirror for reference. If there are gaps, something is off.

4. Enjoy and Repeat

Putting on a backpack should look like this every single time. Follow these steps and your backpack will work the way it’s supposed to. It doesn’t matter how much money you spend on a pack. If you don’t use it right, it won’t work right.

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