Lightning 40

The torso length is the length of a person's back, measured from the hip to the shoulder, and is an important factor in the fitting process of a backpack.

Depending on the volume of the backpack and its intended use, the suspension system of a backpack becomes a key criterion. Determining back length is not as critical for shorter hikes or everyday backpacks, but is crucial for expedition, trekking and touring backpacks. With these backpacks, the pack weight can only be optimally transferred to the hips if the back length and suspension system are correctly matched.

The center of the hip belt is ideally located on the hip bones (upper edge of the pelvis) and the sacrum to carry most of the load, especially with large internal frame backpacks. There are exceptions where a shorter backpack length is better, such as in alpine situations, because this allows a shorter overall length of the backpack suspension system to allow easier access to the climbing harness.

To determine your back length, use a tape measure to measure the distance from the top of your shoulders to the top of your hip bone (pelvic rim). This is best done by a friend who can properly place and read the tape measure on your back. Any EXPED retailer should also be able to help you determine your back length.

EXPED measures the volume of its packs using standardized plastic balls. The volume declarations are exact. The external dimensions are measured at the widest point. Calculating volume based on dimensions can lead to different values.