[at-l] backpack question

[astrogirl at aol.com (Nicole Markee)]

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.  I will pass them on tomorrow, 
so if anyone else has ideas, feel free to post them..

On Apr 14, 2005, at 16:11, Shelly Hale wrote:

> Hey Nicole!
>
> I stand about 5'5", am short-waisted, and have really big breasts and 
> hips.  I've always had trouble finding a pack to fit just
> right.  My main problem has always been the size of my breasts.  With 
> the standard harness, I get pinched around my shoulders, ribs,
> or breast, and it's not fun.  A male harness will simply not work for 
> me.
>
> I started looking at the new women's packs and have tried on the 
> Osprey Luna and Gregory Diva as well as a few of the Dana Designs.
> While they are really great packs for the standard woman with typical 
> curvature, however, I still had issues with both of their
> setups.
>

I'm carrying a Gossamer pack now.  My pack has a hip belt, but I don't 
need the padding for it, which is nice.  Anyway, the sternum strap was, 
um, binding and I had to move it up three inches.  Four would have been 
better, as it turns out, but at least it doesn't squash and pinch any 
more.  It was formerly located exactly across my breasts.  I wrote to 
Gossamer that it was poorly placed for a woman and that I had moved it 
myself, but no one wrote back.  I just thought it was something they 
should maybe consider.  :)

The Gossamer rides really nicely.  I'm surprised how good of a 
suspension the z-rest makes.  I've been carrying it for local hikes (I 
live about 6 miles from the AT and hike close sections often) so I'm 
not annoyed with the weight for my section hike in May.  I had been 
carrying a GoLite Breeze with a (poorly) improvised sternum strap.  
Without the sternum strap, the pack causes pain in my upper back.  It 
is a frameless rucksack, and I just packed so nothing poked me.  I 
carried the pad on top of the pack.

-Astrogirl