Sizing - Backpacks

Find Your Backpack Size

 

With the right fit, you and your pack can become the best of buddies on short or long hauls. Here is how REI's pack-fitting experts make sure you get into the right pack.

 

The most important measurements to take into consideration when sizing a backpack are the torso length and waist size. We put these measurements in the specs tab on backpacks we sell.

 

See our great Expert Advice article on how to find your torso and hip size for a backpack.

 

1. Measure Your Torso Length.

 

This is key: Your torso length, not your height, determines your pack size. Here's how to measure it:

• With the help of a friend, locate the bony bump at the base of your neck. This is where the slope of your shoulder meets your neck, also known as the seventh vertebra. Tilt your head forward to locate it more easily.

• Using a flexible tape measure, have your friend start measuring at that spot down your spine, following the curves of your back.

• Place your hands on your hips to feel your iliac crest, the twin pointy protrusions on the front of your hips. Position your hands so your thumbs are reaching behind you.

• Finish measuring at the point where the tape crosses an imaginary line between your thumbs. This distance is your torso length.

 

2. Measure Your Hips.

 

While less critical than torso length, this is helpful if you're considering a pack that offers multiple sizes or interchangeable hipbelts. To measure, take your tape measure and wrap it around the tops of your hips. This is the "latitude line" where you can feel your iliac crest, the two pointy bones on the front of your hips. A properly positioned hipbelt will straddle your iliac crest at this line.

 

3. Find the Pack's Measurements.

 

When shopping for a pack on REI.com, you can find the torso length and hip measurement info as part of each product's description. To compare multiple packs at once, type "packs" into the search box and then check the compare box on up to four items. Note: If a pack comes in multiple sizes, you'll need to go to that pack's page to get the specifics on each size.