SUSPENSION FEA
TURES
1. SUSPENSTION FEATURES
The Backcountry Tornado suspension features:
4
CUSTOM FITTING YOUR P
ACK
5
2. FITTING YOUR PACK
Follow these steps IN SEQUENCE to achieve the best fit
every time you use your pack. Refer to the figure on
page 4 to identify pack parts.
Before starting, loosen all load-lifter & belt stabilizer straps.
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
hip bone
bottom two ribs
shoulder blade
belly
button
A. FIRST weight the pack with at least 25 lb.
(35 lb. is ideal).
B. NEXT put the pack on and tighten the waistbelt.
Make sure you place the waistbelt in the proper
location (Figures 2A & 2B).
It is recommended to wear the belt on hip bones, just under the
rib cage. If you still prefer to wear the belt low, add one to two
inches to your torso length measurement. Figure 2A shows both
the preferred placement of the waistbelt and an example of a
belt worn low. The low position is not recommended. Once
positioned correctly, tighten the belt to prevent it from sliding.
(A good rule of thumb is to have the belt buckle approximately
over your belly button.)
Benefits of wearing the belt high on the waist:
• Proper loading of the skeletal frame, further supported by
the two strongest muscle groups in the body: the
quadriceps & gluteals.
• Blood flow & nerves route across the front of the hips;
wearing the belt too low can restrict blood flow causing
muscle fatigue, nerve pinching and possible numbness.
recommended
position
low
position
Flexible,
PLASTIC
FRAMESHEET
gives
vertical support
to the backpanel.
LIGHTBEAM™
STAYS
provide load transfer,
strength and support.
LOAD-LIFTER STRAPS
lift the pack’s weight
off the shoulders.
Anatomically curved
SHOULDER STRAPS
& SHOULDER PANEL
adjust vertically on
the stays for perfect
torso fit.
Contoured
WAISTBELT
with Scherer Cinch.
Adjustable height
STERNUM STRAP
helps stabilize load.
BELT STABILIZER STRAPS
on waistbelt help transfer
and control load.
TFO™ HYDRATION
reservoir included.
