How to Measure Your Back for Backpack Fitting

A properly fitting backpack makes the difference between an enjoyable hiking trip and a painful back. No matter how expensive or high-tech your pack is, a poor fit will cause you extreme discomfort. To get the right size, proper measurement of your torso, not your height, is necessary so you can trek the trails comfortably with ease of movement.

Things You'll Need

  • Tape measure
  • A friend
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Instructions

    • 1

      Ask a friend to find the bone protrusion located at the base of your neck. Move your head in a forward motion to make it more prominent. This bone is your 7th cervical vertebra.

    • 2

      Use a tape measure and begin measuring at the bone protrusion then move the tape downward along the spine of your back.

    • 3

      Find the midpoint on your spine in between the top parts of your hip bones. To find the top parts of your hip bones, run your hands downward from the ribcage until you feel the hard spot right above your hips. From this spot, draw an imaginary horizontal line to the center of your spine. This is the measuring end point.

    • 4

      Finish measuring from the base of your neck to the end point in inches. This measurement is the distance of your torso length.

    • 5

      Use the torso length measurement for backpack fitting. According to REI experts, the general manufacturers' sizing for backpack frames is extra small for torsos up to 15.5 inches, small for torsos 16 to 17.5 inches, medium for torsos 18 to 19.5 inches and large for torsos measuring 20 inches and above.