Abstract

The frame to which a backpack is fastened is formed of tubing bent in hourglass shape in rear elevation and two inward offsets in side elevation. A horizontal rigidifying cross bar extends through about the middle of the top part of the hourglass and is adjustable at different elevations. The upper end of a connector is fixed to the narrow part of the frame at adjustable elevations. The lower end of the connector is fixed to a hip level belt stretcher. The connector is constructed with generally vertical ribs which are wide in a front-rear sense and thin in side-to-side sense so that the connector flexes about the Y and Z axes passing through the narrowest part of the connector, which is positioned close to the point of the spine of the wearer, where there is little or no bending of the spine during bending or twisting of the torso, but is rigid against flexing about the X axis. A hip belt encircling the hips of the wearer is connected to the belt stretcher at the lower end of the connector. The tops of shoulder straps are adjustably connected to the cross bar and the lower ends to the lower part of the frame. The pack weight is distributed between shoulders and hips. Natural movements of shoulders and hips are not inhibited.