fitting women's packs

[Pickleodeon]

I have an Osprey Luna 60 pack. At PA Ruck a bunch of people, including Vera who worked fitting packs for 4 years at an outfiiter, looked at it and said it's too big. Here is what I said, and what the outfitter said.

ME:
"I bought an Osprey pack from the store in July. I used it for about
30 miles or so. I went to a hiker gathering this past weekend and
everyone said my pack size is too big. It's a Luna 65 size medium. It
should be a size small. The shoulder straps are also too long,
they're cinched all the way down and there's nowhere to go. So, I
don't know if I'd be able to swap and get the smaller size, I mean, I
understand if that's not possible, I've had it for a while. Or, maybe
we could put on a smaller set of shoulder straps? I wanted to check
it out before I drive up there."

OUTFITTER:
"If memory serves me correctly when you were fitted you had a belly
ring which is why we bumped you up a size so it wouldn't interfere
with your navel ring.
I wish you would have brought this to our attention earlier, it has
been 8 months since you purchased it, I would assume you were at the
PA Ruck depending on who you all spoke with there, you got decent
advice or well, the very opposite. We had gone last year, there are
some very nice people there.
You are more than welcome to bring your pack in and well will try the
shorter shoulder harness however I would caution you with the navel
ring there is a reason why we set the torso the way we did, I will
shorten it for you of course at no charge but please bare in mind the
shorter the torso the better the chance that you will in fact catch
you belly ring on the waist strap and tear your skin at the worst, at
the least it will give you a pressure point but again, we will do
whatever we can possibly do to make you happy. I f possible please
let me know when you plan on coming in I would like Tammy to also
help fit you she also has a belly ring, If we need to we can see
about swapping the pack frame, but I will need to get those parts
from Osprey to do so."

I've never had an issue with the hip belt rubbing my belly button
ring- with either of my two packs. However, the straps have a gap of
an inch or two sitting above my shoulder, and they're cinched all the
way down. Any advice for when I go back to the outfitter? Seems like
he was kind of annoyed in his response, it is a while later, but
jeez, he sold me a heavy pack (around 5 lbs.) for almost $250, I
deserve to have it fit, right?

[kanga]

swap it out for one that fits correctly. it should have been done at the outfitters the first time, belly ring or no. i have a belly ring, use a small pack and have never had a problem with the belt. i would think that the belly ring wouldn't have gotten in the way with either size belt, regardless.
be nice, but be firm and get the pack that fits you. the only thing that should matter is if YOU think the belly ring is in the way.

[Rusty_S]

Don't give the outfitter any flak. It has been 8 months. If the pack is wrong then you should have realized that earlier.

[kanga]

didn't sound to me like she was giving any flak. sounds like she got fitted incorrectly at an outfitters and when somebody pointed it out to her, she went back to the people who did it wrong and asked them to make it right.

[KG4FAM]

If they didn't fit it right that should have been noticed earlier. 8 months is too long.

[WritinginCT]

I think I can see where the outfitter's annoyance is coming from. You bought a pack 8 months ago and used it. Now you want to return/swap/have him fix it.

Think about it if we were talking about a pair of boots instead of a pack. You bought them, wore them 30 miles then 8 months later you want to return them because they don't fit. Not going to fly.

We're not talking about buying something and returning it unused with the tags still on it. Or even a pack that is defective in some way.

There is a certain amount of responsibility you assume as a consumer. Making sure that the product you purchase is in fact the product you want/need is a big part of it.

Sorry.

[Blissful]

That's why it's good to get something like this from say REI, with liberal return policy etc esp if you aren't sure.
With a regular outfitter they are pretty good about exchanges for a limited time (I had a pack for a week or 2 to try it out - one I returned one I kept) but after 8 months, they have no way of knowing how much you used it. Might try to sell it to recoup money and get a different pack. Sorry!

[stranger]

Packs are fit to torso length, nothing else really matters. And even if they did bump you up one size to accomodate the ring, they should have discussed that with you. Even so, any experienced pack fitter would know a larger sized pack will come stock with larger hipbelt and shoulder harness components - so they should have alteast put you in a medium with a smaller shoulder harness.

I fit packs for almost 10 years and I have no reservations saying that there are very few people that can fit packs well. I was fortunate to learn from the best, people like Wayne Gregory and Dana Gleason, but most people who sell them (in my experience) need a whole lot more training and experience fitting them.

What they should have done is asked you to remove the ring and fit you to your body type.

[streakerofAT]

i ama boy but my girlfreind like northface the best

[Alli]

wow I can't believe they remembered you so specifically they knew you had a belly ring.

But I agree, unless they have some sort of set policy that states you can return stuff that you don't like for a long period from the date of purchase, you really waited too long. I don't think he sounded rude at all given the circumstances.

[emerald]

I decided to read the thread after reading its title having helped the thread starter some with her planning. Just thought you should know she expected to be in Georgia now and to begin her hike tomorrow and may not see your posts. She may have solved her problem.