What’s the difference between men’s and women’s backpacks?

Dear Coach,

What is the difference between men’s and women’s backpacks? If I’m a small person – should I buy a women model?
– Eyal

Many manufacturers began to realize a number of years ago that men and women are not built alike – what a revelation, yes? – and started designing backpacks, daypacks and even hydration packs with the physical differences in mind. Coach put her head together with our resident outdoor expert at Adventure Network, Michael Hodgson for the nuts and bolts.

The differences generally are:

• Narrower shoulders – Shoulder straps may be cut narrower and shorter and also set closer to accommodate narrower shoulder widths, plus they’ll be shaped differently, i.e. specifically curved so they don’t cut into a women’s breasts.
• Short torso-length – Packs will be cut shorter so they don’t bump into pelvic bones or hang too low and just plain get in the way.
• Narrower waists and wider hips with more curves – Hip belts may be set to accommodate the curve of the hip and also cut to not dig into hip bones as much. Plus they can also be pulled shorter for a slimmer waist.
• Sternum strap – able to slide higher up so it goes across the chest/sternum and doesn’t cut across, well, um, what guys don’t have upstairs.

Some companies have shied away from naming a pack “women’s” so as not to put a label on a pack that men won’t buy (silly guys)  — since some small-framed men may actually fit better in a pack that is marketed as designed for a “woman” – so they instead extended their lines down into “smalls” or “extra smalls” to fit tinier people. However, these same smaller packs typically also offer both men’s and women’s suspension systems so the waist belt and shoulder straps fit as well as the pack itself.

Be forewarned, though, that not all “women’s-specific” or “smalls/extra smalls” are built or sized alike. You will likely want to try them on to see if they fit you. Coach finds even many small hydration packs are simply cut too long and hang too low – and even some simple waist belts just can’t crank down as small as she needs.

–Therese Iknoian

Ask The Coach — Have Your Own Question For The Coach?
Click here and ask away! Your question and answer from The Coach may find its way onto these pages soon!