In spring and summer, for 1-3 nighters, I sometimes hike with a GoLite Day pack, which has no hip belt. It took me a few tries to get it right, but as long as weight is held to a minimum, and all the pack's 'innards' are packed to fit my back contours, it's my pack of choice and works great. Whether the pack has a waist belt or not, if I haven't been out in a few weeks, I'll still feel early pack discomfort somewhere, simply from not having weight on me until the trip. I know how to fit and pack a pack, and I'm afraid this same early discomfort is what new backpackers are describing when they only do 1-2 nighters and low mileage. Personally, by the beginning of day 3, I've got all the packing and strap 'tweaks' worked out for the load, and the only discomfort is from me being out of condition. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

This is the tricky part when taking out new hikers.....the pack can fit fine, but the muscles protest just the same until they settle in to the trip, and sometimes the trip ends before that happens, leaving the new hiker with a sense of 'this is just too painful to mess with', and now they are on a search for the perfect pack....or give it up altogether. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

There is definitely a 'learning curve' with packs and backpacking. Our loads constantly change (as consumables disappear or get re-supplied) , terrain changes, we get tired, different pain tolerances, knowing what 'good' feels like, etc. The more you hike, the more you know what to expect and how to deal with it. You have to take some time and give it a chance.