Vapor Trail Fit?

Hi, I could really use some help fitting my new Vapor Trail. I bought the medium, but i am noticing that the load lifters slope down from my shoulder to the pack at about a 45 degree angle. The hip belt also seems to ride a bit high. I tried on a large, but even then the load lifters were just horizontal, and the large has a big gap between my shoulders and the pack. This is with both packs loaded with 28lbs of bean bags. My only experience to compare this to is my Aether 70 medium, which fits a bit differently. I was told I have about a 19" torso. Is there a chance that the vapor trail just doesn't fit me? I was considering ordering a ULA Circuit instead. Also, the attachment points for the top of the shoulder straps is fairly close together on the vapor trail, which seems to make it rub on my traps a lot.

There is a possibility it won't fit. (The VT fits me perfectly; the Atmos 50 wouldn't - the bar across the top dug into my shoulders. So, yes, the same pack won't work for everyone equally well.)

However, if the hipbelt is too high, it sounds like you've got the wrong size. When I got mine, they fit me with a GG measuring device that indicated I needed a medium (I was near the break between medium and large.) I tried on the medium, and noticed the same problems you did. The large fits me great - though the load lifters are pretty much horizontal. However, that seems to work on this pack; I even emailed GG, and they indicated that they considered anything from 0 to 30 degrees or so to be a proper angle.

The only difference between the way I got mine fitted and you got yours was that I took my weekend gear, plus food, to the store and used it instead of bean bags. I've always found that bean bags simulate weight, but not distribution - and in lightweight packs, with light loads, the distribution seems more critical than the weight itself.

Before you give up, go back to the store with your gear and try the size large.

I am 19 inches in torso length as well, and the VT medium did not fit me. Unfortunately, the large version was way to long (fits to 23 inches, I believe). The ULA Circuit fit me much better - true to a custom fit.

However, if you are willing to carry a little extra weight and a slightly larger pack (and are sold on GG), look toward the GG Meridian packs as they are adjustable in torso length and have fully interchangeable shoulder harnesses and belts for a clost to custom fit as well.

Hmmm. I'm going to call on the Circuit in the morning. Would I need a med or large? I tried on the large VT again today, and it feels better at first, but the shoulder straps start right at my neck line where they are very close together, causing them to rub worse on my traps.

I had the pleasure of actually visiting Brian @ ULA in Logan, UT last year. I thought I would for sure need the Large torso, but after trying it on it was clear that it was too long for my 19". I went with the Medium - if I had of simply ordered it over the net I would have gotten the wrong size. Now I know that you probably can't just swing by his place (I was lucky and on holidays travelling through Utah), but you may want to send him a note. The key thing about the ULA framed packs is that they do not have an overly padded hipbelt but instead a really wide one, which permits some 'leaway' over the hips. In other words, your illiac crest could be at a different position than mine on the belt but it would not necessarily affect the ride of the pack on your torso. The belt also is removable and has about an inche of adjustment up or down (it is attached by velcro), effectively increasing or decreasing the torso length a bit. Hope this helps.

So... as I understand it the Vapor Trail has NO shoulder harness (as a module) vertical adjustment?

That's a backpack design no-no these days.

Eric

You assume correctly - the shoulder straps are fixed in place; the only adjustment is by lengthening or shortening them (normally, on your chest) - there is no way to move the attachment point. If you're lucky, and it fits (and I am), that's fine. Otherwise, take a look at the Nimbus Ozone or one of the other packs that do have the adjustable suspension. (It's virtually the same packbag, plus or minus a few hundred cubic inches.) Non-adjustable reduces the weight as much as possible. It may be a no-no (though Gossamer Gear might join Granite Gear to dispute that), but it works for me.