The conventional wisdom suggests that a framed backpack is essential for effectively transferring weight from the shoulders to the hips while hiking. However, for a number of years I have been adding hip belts to my frameless ultralight hiking packs to transfer weight and reduce shoulder and back pain. And I feel it works!
A recent comment on one of my videos challenged my approach, so as someone who relies on a hip belt to enhance comfort and alleviate back pain caused by a bulging disk, I decided to investigate. Can adding a hip belt on a frameless pack actually transfer some weight off the shoulders?
In this video, I test this by running a simple experiment.
Here is a link to my gear list for a recent Bibbulmun Track thru hike and my PackWizard page...
   • Ultralight gear list 2023  Bibbulmun...  
https://www.packwizard.com/s/_Cj54cE
I’ve also added some links below to other resources I think you might find useful.
Predicting injuries among backpackers...
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Impact of backpacks on ergonomics...
https://www.youtube.com/redirect?even...'>https://www.youtube.com/redirect?even...'>https://www.youtube.com/redirect?even...'>https://www.youtube.com/redirect?even...
Health advice for packs not to exceed 10% of body weight...
https://www.youtube.com/redirect?even...'>https://www.youtube.com/redirect?even...'>https://www.youtube.com/redirect?even...'>https://www.youtube.com/redirect?even...
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#HikingGear #HipBelts #BackpackMyths #OutdoorAdventure #UltralightHiking #BackPainRelief #OutdoorResearch