How To Measure Your Torso
Since your
torso length is more important for pack fitting than your
height, you need to know how to accurately measure your torso.
A tall person can have a short torso and a short person can have a long
torso. To measure your torso, you’ll need a soft
tape
measure, the kind that tailors use, and the help of a friend.
Stand straight with your legs about shoulder width apart.
Start
measuring at the seventh vertebra, the most prominent bone at the base
of your neck. If you bend your head forward it may be found
more
easily. If you bend your head backwards, you can find it in
the
crease of the neck.
Measure from that point down the spine following the curve of your back
along the way. To determine the bottom point of the
measurement,
find your iliac crests. These are the tops of your hip bones
on
each side. With your index fingers on the top of your hip
bones,
point your thumbs back and level. The point between your
thumbs
is the bottom of your measurement. The distance between these
two
points is your torso length.
That’s it! Now that you have an accurate measure of your
torso,
chip it in stone somewhere near where you keep all your camping
gear. It will come in handy if you buy a new pack.
In general, less than 18 inches is a small torso, 18 to 20 inches is a
medium torso, and over 20 inches is a large torso.
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About the author:
Steve Green of www.hikelight.com is an avid hiker who has enjoyed
trimming his backpack
weight for over 40 years.
Contact
Call: (800) 933-HIKE (4453)
Email: hikelight@yahoo.com
