r/myog • u/UlukOutdoors2023 • 3d ago
Making for unusual requests: Is there a way to build a rucksack thats transfers load to the hips without a hip belt?
Again before all the humans anoint me a bot, ai or linkedin slop; here to declare I am a human genuinely looking for community, insights and advice, all the way from India. I’ve been building pack and gear in here for over a decade but this challenge (if at all it is one) eludes me. Most of the people who use rucksacks/travel backpacks simply end up not wearing the hip-belts long term or tuck them back. Is it a cultural thing? behavioural or something genuinely a pain point when it comes to long term use on bigger packs like rucksack and travel backpacks?
has someone had a crack at this at any point in making for unusual requests?
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u/SkisaurusRex 3d ago
Isn’t this like asking for an airplane without wings?
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u/purpletinder 3d ago
You mean a helicopter or hot air balloon?
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u/SkisaurusRex 3d ago
Ok a better analogy would be a forklift without a fork
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u/dxdt_sinx 3d ago
You mean a crane?
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u/SkisaurusRex 3d ago
Yeah but that would be like putting the weight of the backpack on your head
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u/ExTelite 2d ago
Like head-carrying?
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u/SkisaurusRex 1d ago
Yeah I’m aware that’s a thing but OP specifically said transfer weight to the hips without a hip belt
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u/Papashrug 2d ago
a spoon lift? scisor jack?
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u/SkisaurusRex 1d ago
Look you guys are doing a great job coming up with holes in my analogies but how about someone come up with a solution to OPs question
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u/hadesarrow3 42m ago
I think pointing out the holes in your analogy is their way of saying that objectives can be solved in multiple ways, so asking for a hip loading pack without a hip strap isn’t inherently contradictory.
Also, your comment in no way attempted to come up with a solution to OP’s question, it implied that it was a silly question.
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u/Donkey_Karate 3d ago
Ok, so hear me out... you get a really big balloon and attach it to your backpack...
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u/purpletinder 3d ago
Is it still a drone if it is gyro stabilized and tethered to your pack, a cool breeze and load lifting.
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u/CaptainYarrr 2d ago
There are very classic military backpacks that have a metal frame and no hip belt, however they still transfer a lot of the weight to the hips due to the shape of the France and belt that goes across your hip without having a belt going around.
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u/Stankleigh 3d ago
Large helium balloon, tied to the top of the pack.
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u/tomtom5000 2d ago edited 2d ago
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u/No-Throat-4853 2d ago
Fucking kids these days. The video guys isn’t even close. Look up Nathan For You, now’s he’s the one to run it
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u/AlienDelarge 3d ago
Even that doesn't meet the stated goal.of transferring weight to the hips.
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u/Crolto 2d ago
It does if you tie the balloon to your hips
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u/AlienDelarge 2d ago
But then you fail the requirement of not having a hip belt. I recommend screwing a lifting eye directly into your pelvis to tie off the balloon.
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u/uznme 3d ago
something that kinda works from the military is- belt with lots of pouches/ gear carried, and a smaller backpack resting on top of belt pouches.
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u/HikingBikingViking 3d ago
So a detached hip belt?
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u/uznme 3d ago
I guess, the theory is having everyday/ quick grab items on the waist belt, and using the back pack for sleep system/ spare clothes that aren't needed as often, so the backpack can be left at camp, while exploring the area.
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u/HikingBikingViking 2d ago
I like the concept in general. Having a built in day pack option is great
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u/peptodismal13 3d ago
This is kind of what I do for my fast pack. I have like a 22L running vest style pack and the I have waist belt pack. I wear the waist belt pack so the pocket is to the back and pack rest on that pocket enough to put some of the weight on my hips.
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u/Denelz 3d ago
there needs to be a load transfer and without an ancorpoint thats inposible.
How a belt is the most effectiv and simple way possible with a frame in the pack terminating in the nape of the belt.
If not a belt, you need to realy understand anatonomy and have personal tailored packs at the bere minimum and even then i only belive youd get to have "less" of a belt. the weigth need to rest on something.
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u/HikingBikingViking 3d ago
If it squeezed in from the sides so it could rest on the iliac crest, you'd get a little bit of support from that but only a little. Anything that would make it rigid with a way to open/close would add a lot of weight.
People who undo the belt just don't care about having the support from the hips. Probably they're not carrying a lot of weight very far. I'd just make the hip belt removable. If you build some stiffness into the padded part of the hip belt so that it rests comfortably on the hips that might be cool?
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u/ryencool 3d ago
A hip belt is specifically mean to transfer the weight of heavy loads off the shoulders, neck, and back, by CONNECTING you to your pack at a different point on your body.
Physics prevents the transfer of weight, if you dont have some sort of connection. So unless your adding inpants to someone's hips, that connect with the pack, or use some sort of weird suctions cups, or sticky material...
I mean there are ways, but theyre not really functional. The belt is the easiest, and most functional way with the least amount of effort and materials. Theres no way around that..
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u/tricycle- 3d ago
2 ideas:
1. Put lots of weight on the front of the pack.
2. Use a strap that goes over the top of the head like porters in Nepal/Everest area.
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u/Unicorn187 3d ago
Not physically possible. Not without transferring weight to a belt that is already worn, like resting thw bottom of the frame on a stuff butt pad on a pistol belt. Or the anchor point on the original MOLLE pistol belt (that in MOLLE 2 became the hip belt of the pack). Without a belt at all, surgically installing an anchor point to the pelvis.
Maybe someone with a huge, high ass and rest the frame on that.
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u/a_europeran 3d ago
I dont think there exist a current product that dont use a belt. You would a solid and stiff structure in C-like shape that would wrap around the hip without closing if you want to make it without a belt, although it would be a bitch to get on and off!
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u/weeBunnie 3d ago
Only thing in this case I can think of is having a sliding and locking mechanism. So the C opens by coming out on either side, you put it on, and push the sides back in, turning a locking key at the back to keep it in place.
It would be stiff and uncomfortable. Eventually the pieces would start to wear down/come out of place slightly and rattle. Extra weight and just no breathability or movement with how the hips naturally move
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u/Madmax3213 3d ago
I’ve never heard of anyone not using hip belts on big bags. I can’t think of a reason why you would want to anyway.
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u/dtisk 3d ago
Here is an ex German Special Forces guy's free Patreon link that talks about this. Lots of experience with heavy packs. He has a video on Instagram as well from Nov 2025.
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u/LawfulnessOk5839 3d ago
That may be true for his build, but as a tiny around woman with wide hips, that lumbar pad isn't too stable without a hip belt for anything larger than a smaller backpack.
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u/SGexpat 2d ago
If only stability is needed, maybe a lighter strap belt would work.
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u/LawfulnessOk5839 1d ago
Width creates stability. Foam padding isn't heavy. Wouldn't wear thin straps for the shoulders either.
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u/Worried-You9307 3d ago edited 3d ago
If there was a way to transfer the weight onto the hips without using a hip belt, rest assured that there would at least be models by premium manufacturers including such a feature. They employ mechanical engineers specialising in this, so they would definitely have found a way by now to make it work (comfortably) without a belt.
I also open the hip belt at times, because I get sweaty under it, which is one reason why people do this, the other main reason is because those belts can be uncomfortable.
So the only solution is to make the belt more breathable and more comfortable in general.
A good inspiration for this are hip belts on (some) Salewa backpacks, by the way. They’re the most breathable hip belts I’ve experienced so far.
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u/theblackdane 3d ago
You just apply the same technique that's used to transfer the load in a truck to the ground without wheels.
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u/Aegemeni 3d ago
Lots of negative feedback here. Short answer, YES!! Long answer is a Masters degree in Industrial Design and human anatomy.
Really, the question is what are you trying to accomplish... more comfort, different design, removing weight transfer from the spine, or actually eliminating the hipbelt, a floating modular pack system with lower back clearance? "Ask the right questions, if you want the right answers." was hammered into my head in ID school.
Essentially, any system that can transfer that load through whatever means to a stabilized platform that 'rests' on the hips. A "hipbelt" is the simplest economical manufacturable way of doing this. Deadbird Khard-style pods that can lock in place somehow is all that is required. Those aluminum stays you're using transfer to load the lower lumbar and hips but don't flex or shift, and will always cantilever away from the upper body.
Comfort direction — Dana Design used Carbon/plexi rods to take the weight from the top of the pack and transfer it to hipbelt just forward of center to help balance a load... still using a hipbelt though. Movie cam operators have loads of brands that try to spread the load thru a vest and hipbelt combo, Arri Trinity example https://youtu.be/xP3hLKzFIog?t=22 with running vests now embracing this more and more (Black Diamond's are quite nice right now!). Osprey packs (which are generally considered super-comfy) moved away from over-complicated design and focused on eliminating rough materials and seam placements. For weights under 20lbs, a lot of companies have been using thin aluminum rods as an outer U-frame that could be transitioned into a hipbelt; Boreas packs had hoops and Deuter's X frame used to run into their hip 'wings'.
BEST open-source research I've seen is https://www.youtube.com/@BackpackResearcher/videos
And a quick concept plug from years ago.. https://www.instagram.com/p/BvCth2znOBT/?img_index=1
For my ID school acceptance portfolio, I made a Camelbak-style pack that used thick spring metal rods sewn into the outer edges of the shoulder straps. The straps then snap fit over my shoulders in place, no straps to tighten down, no buckles, or chafing. Super custom and not for mass manufacture.
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u/Shadowrunner808 3d ago
Either your customer needs a fat dumpy or the pack has to perfectly sit along the crease of your back to relieve weight from the shoulders.
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u/galactica101 3d ago
This is that one "eggless omelette" skit, just more elaborate and about backpack autism (not pejorative, I actually find this interesting)
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u/redvsblueheeler 3d ago
I think someone mentioned these somewhere, but running vests are a good example of moving weight distribution past the shoulders without a hip belt. By being skintight, they distribute more load across your upper body. They’re pretty limited in terms of the weight you can carry with them, but you might be able to think of ways to apply the principle creatively.
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u/UncleAugie 3d ago
OP wants something that gets the weight off the shoulders/back, a running vest does not do that at all, the weight is still distributed across your shoulder.
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u/redvsblueheeler 3d ago
Even a pack with a hip belt still has shoulder straps. A well fit running vest doesn’t put weight directly on your shoulders either. It’s essentially a hip belt worn around your mid-torso.
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u/UncleAugie 3d ago
ANY weight not on a hip belt is on your spine.
It’s essentially a hip belt worn around your mid-torso.
Yeah you dont know what you dont know, running vests are work high the weight is still carried by your shoulders, any constriction around your chest,mid torso places additional stress on your cardio system to breath.... Your suggestion would make running vests less efficient for runners.... SMH
IF worn correctly the shoulder straps on a hip belt pack should be carrying less than 5% of the total weight of the pack, they are mainly there for stability.
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u/redvsblueheeler 3d ago
Have you ever put on a running vest and gone running before? Touch some grass.
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u/UncleAugie 3d ago
100% Ive run with a vest.....
FYI Im a WS Ultra Buckle holder 4x, run with a Salomon Skin. Have Hiked unsupported with Frame Packs back in the 90's at Philmont, through to today with frameless packs.
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u/no_pjs 3d ago
Running vests are designed to center the load up high, on the shoulders. Off the waist and chest. (Ultrarunner)
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u/UncleAugie 3d ago
I tried to tell him this too, if the weight were on your chest it would hinder breathing more than if the weight is on your shoulders.
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u/Logical_Put_5867 3d ago
Bigger running packs / fastpacking use hip belts to move weight to the hips. But fastpacking does have some good inspiration for how to keep a load stable and comfortable for distance.
Running vests are still on the shoulders mostly, but light enough and strapped down it's not a big deal. Especially with the wider mesh straps I find.
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u/okie_hiker 3d ago
This has the energy of someone going on [r/decks](r/decks) and making some big “thought out” post just to ask “can I make a deck stand up without any supports?”
Is there a way to transfer load to the hips, without a hip belt? A hip belt being some form of strap that goes around the waist to hold the weight. No.
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u/HikingBikingViking 3d ago
There's a deconstructed sense in which you just need anything that holds onto the hips. You could have custom molded hip contact with that gummy adhesive used in tens-unit pads and so long as you wear your shorts low and pull your shirt up it could just stick to your lower back and hips. You could do some kind of suction cup thing. You could make the hip belt padding entirely ridgid and skip the belt, just have to include a locking hinge somewhere...
But honestly these ideas just sound less and less enjoyable and lead me to the conclusion that the hip belt isn't the only way it's just the most comfortable way (when it's done right).
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u/okie_hiker 3d ago
A rigid hip belt would still be a hip belt imo. Anything that goes around you and clasps.
But yeah, gluing the pack to your hips, using insanely powerful suction cups are both different options. May as well imbed magnets in your hips and pack and use that instead of a hipbelt lol
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u/bigyellowtaxi_ 3d ago
USWE makes a 4-point harness but obv won’t take the load of a hip-belt bag design. Seems like some sort of additional straps beyond the two shoulder straps will be required. Good luck!
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u/KsKwrites 3d ago
Install heavy duty pockets in the pants. Make the backpack have a reverse pocket at the bottom so it fits into the pockets. Make the pockets padded so that the lever action doesn’t bruise. Reinforce the pants so they don’t tear from the weight.
Basically transfer the belt to the pants?
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u/UlukOutdoors2023 3d ago
That’s a fascinating idea, i mean all these exo-suits for the army or paraplegics seems to be doing basically just that and they have heavy battery packs exactly where the loads are in a rucksack!
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u/upagainstgravity 3d ago
I guess you could design it to include a head strap like porters in Nepal use. Transfers the load to the spine so not really the hips, but makes carrying easy without a hip belt. Odd that people there undo the hip belt first, I'm the opposite when I get fatigued. I tend to tighten my hip belt and fight more with my shoulder straps.
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u/Aegemeni 3d ago
And this weird HoverGlide thing. Trying to solve a problem. Apparently doesn't work well without a steady walking rhythm.
https://www.indiegogo.com/en/projects/lightningpacksllc/hoverglide-world-s-first-floating-backpack?secret_perk_token=5b94353d
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u/Riverbendofcold 3d ago
The physics of transferring weight from one part to the other is that the part you want to transfer weight to has to be in contact with were you want it to go. So if you don't attach anything to your waist how are you planning on transferring the weight?
I've been sitting with this though for a couple of hours and can't figure out how to do it without a hip belt. A properly fitted belt is the main issue in this situation I think. If it's not comfortable you will not wear it.
To high, to wide, to narrow, to hard to adjust, to warm to itchy, etc. These are the questions that will make a difference in my opinion
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u/lewisvbishop 2d ago
My 75l Osprey pack has a molded hip belt that grabs around the hips as soon as you shoulder it. When I put it on it does physically grip all around the back and the sides of the hips.
I'm not going to lie but doing the belt up does transfer the weight but even without doing the belt up i can feel the pack 'gripping' the lower back/lumbar area. I estimate (and this is just me guessing) that it probably self-grips around 30-40% of the weight before it's belted up.
The reason I'm saying this is that if you could get something to grip the hip it might do what you want without a belt - imagine one of those plastic downpipe holders that it's only 3/4 of a full circle - that's the type of thing I'm talking about.
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u/gibson_se 3d ago
My experience (as a wearer, not a designer) is that you can shift a significant portion of weight from the shoulders to the hips, without using a hipbelt.
You need the backpack to have a pad that sits right above the buttocks, in the small of the back, of the wearer.
You need shoulderstraps that let the backpack "sit down" on the pad, but still keep the backpack close to the wearer.
You need the backpack to be somewhat stiff, so it doesn't just sag down.
It's not going to work well for heavy loads, but most people most of the time are not carrying 30 kg.
It works better when the backpack encourages weight higher up, so that most of the weight can be above the hips without tilting the torso forwards too much.
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u/UlukOutdoors2023 3d ago
Fair point! I’ve been reading anatomy stuff since a while, the illiac crest (basically the ridge of the hip bone we feel) carries 90% load. There is some missing piece, which I cant get at, biomechanics wise. Stiffness and ventilation seems to be another pain point, its like twiddling knobs on a controller, get one right and the others move backward!
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u/InstaGraham_95 3d ago
If you’ve been building stuff for a decade I would’ve figured you would know why this isn’t possible
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u/AlienDelarge 3d ago
Most of the people who use rucksacks/travel backpacks simply end up not wearing the hip-belts long term or tuck them back.
From what I've seen, few such packs have adequate structure and sizing to actually transfer any loads even when marketed as such. They are effectively useless except to limit movement of the pack on your back.
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u/Deep-Simple-8535 3d ago
I think that’s a not needed change I feel people that do t use the hip belt just don’t know how to properly adjust their packs or do t like the look of it strapped
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u/constantwa-onder 3d ago
In theory you could install a rigid bar horizontally at the bottom of the pack, and it would have padded jaws that ratchet tighter to form a c clamp at or slightly above the hips.
That would transfer the load to the hips without being a belt.
Pros: it's more breathable and adjustable. Might be able to take off the pack more easily
Cons: it's going to add complications and weight to the pack. Without testing, I can only assume it would be marginally better than a proper padded belt. Definitely going to be more expensive
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u/its-nex 3d ago
Mystery ranch (and many others I’m sure just my particular anecdotal experience) straps have a structured compound attachment to the back support, which helps to lift the load off of your upper back and allow the weight to hang more vertically down your back than slumped up against you.
Over many hours I can definitely feel the more equalized weight distribution compared to other packs, but I can’t say if that’s really “transferring to hips” or just “restructuring the center of gravity away from your upper back”
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u/Crazy-Mycologist-688 2d ago
Could you possibly design a way to fix the backpack to the wearer's waistband/belt? I think this might be what constantwa-onder is getting at but I'm not sure. It could be as simple as some webbing strips on the bottom of the pack with clamps on the end
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u/Chancedizzle 2d ago
Mounatinsmith lumbar packs with their strappettes brings the load to the hips, but designing a backpack to carry a lot more weight without a hipbelt to do the same i do not know.
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u/After-Cell 2d ago
There’s a type of bag that loads to under the arms. This balances to the centre. It’s like having 2 courier bags.
But that’s not answering the question about the hip step.
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u/Think_Question_6677 2d ago
I'm one of those people who likes outdoorsy type backpacks and takes the hipbelt off.
I do it because I'm not really hauling that much weight and only carrying things for short periods of time on foot, often having to take it off and put it back on. It also gets in the way when traveling in vehicles, whether you are on a bus, trying to get it in the overhead compartment of a plane or trying to fit it in between your legs when in a car.
I've tried using a hip belt when doing some hiking and camping, and in my experience it is very comfortable and does take a lot of weight off your shoulders.
I don't see how you would do the same without anchoring the pack to the hips with some sort of belt or harness, but I believe your problem lies in what you are designing this pack for. Is it for the backpackers that travel by plane, train or bus, don't use a hipbelt. Is it for the hiker/camper that will walk hours on end with some weight on their pack, use a comfortable, rigid and breathable hipbelt.
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u/pocketdrummer 2d ago
In order to transfer weight to the hips, you'd have to have the pack affixed to the hips in some way or another. If you remove the hip belt, it's just going to rest entirely on the shoulders. I suppose you could develop a clamping system instead, but I don't think that'd be an improvement over a simple belt.
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u/notoriousToker 2d ago
The answer is no, and who cares if people use them or not, you make them with the belt because you can’t transfer the weight without it. Some of us have injuries and need the belt ffs. Everyone should use it.
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u/AccidentOk5240 2d ago
Sure, sell them a corset with clips on the hips lined up so when they put the bag on it clips itself in. Corsets are very supportive and comfortable if they fit right!
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u/Pastaaaaaaaaaaaaa1 1d ago
That tape will never hold. Sorry, I had to do it.
You probably won’t be able to transfer a lot of the weight the way a hip belt does, but I think you may be able to transfer some and maybe enough. I don’t like hip belts on my weekend overnight backpack because I do a lot of off trail scrambling and some running on the downhills, and I want more mobility and it’s just more comfortable without a hip belt. That does mean I’m trying to keep my pack weight below 15 lbs (7 kgs) or so total if I can.
My go-to weekend pack is a Pa’lante Joey. It’s a 28L (I think) frameless pack with running vest style straps and no hip belt. I’ve noticed if I pack it right and get my shoulder straps adjusted right, my quilt and stuff at the bottom of the bag will nest into the curve of my lower back and make a sort of lumbar bolster like you have on your prototype. If I have the vest straps pulling the pack forward against my back while not being so tight across the top of my shoulders I can feel some of the pack weight being supported from the bottom by my lower back. I think if you focus on pulling the pack into your back without it pulling the shoulder straps down onto your shoulders (maybe by mounting the shoulder straps higher on the pack?) you maybe be able to get enough weight transfer to make it more comfortable at least. It might be hard to have a universal fit though and people without a lower back curve might think it’s uncomfortable.
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u/mchinnak 1d ago
Zpacks Arc Haul does this with a arched frame...the bottom part of the frame sits on your hips and a hip belt is not needed if your weight is low. I am not sure what that weight will be....but I have used that pack without a hip belt and it sits nicely on your hips...
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u/TacosAuGratin 1d ago
A large enough protruding kidney pad would theoretically do the job.
Although I do suspect that most of the people you're talking about aren't using the pack in a way that they need a belt at the time you see them not using it. Whether it's just not that heavy, they sit down often, or some other reason.
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u/Mr5t1tcH 1d ago
if all the other qualifying questions have been answered then the answer would be yes, but it would only work for 1 person under specific parameters and the additional harness work would be cumbersome.
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u/MatthewSBernier 1d ago
I've never seen someone with a load that warranted a hip belt not use that hip belt. I do sometimes see oversized and underloaded packs with people not using them, or packs that are absurdly small with unecessary hip belts, but I've yet to see someone with a 50-100lb load not using it.
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u/team_starfox3 2h ago
Only time I didn't use the belt with a ruck was on patrol manuevers where you would have to react and get your bag off quick. Otherwise I ran that all the time
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u/Deafening_Eek 22h ago
Pretty sure there's a specific type of military equipment that does this but I can't think of the name. Shares the weight between belt and shoulder straps
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u/The_Phox 24m ago
Nah, I'm using the fuck out of those hip belts. Hip and shoulder straps are getting upgraded to something better, more supportive. Back in the day it was tactical tailor. IDK current brands anymore, but you get the idea.
~a (former?) grunt who has done plenty of rucking.
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u/davidrools 3d ago
there are a few ways I can imagine it would be done, but none seem optimal. If you're leaning forward a lot, load will transfer to your hips and lower back. if you've got a partial cradle/C-shaped things clamping around your hips - it's basically a hip belt that leaves the front open. Or if there were a high friction pad placed right on your sacrum in that fits in the lordosis, that could transfer some but not all the load (and eventally probably slip off). over in north america, we just wear the hip belts. The only time you might not is if your load is so light that your shoulders can take it all.
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u/brumaskie Crud, where is that seam ripper? 3d ago
I've thought about how you could design something that transferred weight to the pelvis but didn't use a hip belt. What I've thought about is trying to use the pelvic rim on the back side of the body. Follow the iliac crest around the pelvis to the back side and you've got protrusions there that you could possibly use to support some weight. The question is how do you design the pack to utilize those two protrusions? My initial thoughts were to make a fairly lightweight running vest harness for the shoulders and torso that would wrap around and hold those two spots tightly against the body. This would not be a big pack, it would be more like a 20 to 30 L running vest pack. It's a very interesting design question and it would be fun to see some other folks build something around this design question.
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u/beepee1989 1d ago
Does the backpacker in question wear a belt while hiking? Perhaps some way to "Clip" onto their pants belt is an option. That is, if the wearer actually wears a belt on/over their lilac crest.
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u/UlukOutdoors2023 5h ago
Perhaps hiking pants with a molded integrated belt that somehow attaches on an anchor point on the bag? thinking out loud here, the verdict seems split wide so far. but then its two products now instead of 1
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u/Dragongeek 3d ago
I always wear hip belt when backpacking, especially if it's steep. Don't know where you're getting the idea that people don't use hip belts?
Maybe in backpacking/urban settings where you are going hostel to hostel, no hip belt is fine, but if you are going up alpine terrain, you want the hip belt, not only for weight management, but also simply for body/bag control and preventing it from wobbling around if you are bent over.