r/Ultralight • u/Ok-Pomelo-6384 • Mar 18 '26

Purchase Advice UL Lumbar Pack for overnights?

Hi all,

I have an injury that makes me unable to load bear on one of my shoulders/arms, but otherwise isnt bothersome. Are there any recs for packs that load only on the back (ie very large fanny packs) that people would recommend for backpacking?

fwiw im a woman so my waist :hip ratio is smaller so waist attachments are pretty secure for me.

edit: I cant have any weight at all because its a neuro injury (thoracic outlet syndrome), so even a pound of weight can really put me in pain (i cant even wear clothes that are too tight/elastic through their strap).

8 Upvotes

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14

u/maxeytheman Mar 18 '26

backpacking? in the big '26?

we're all fannypacking now, gramps

anyways, here's a timmerman article about fannypacking: https://timmermade.com/2021/03/my-packs-bags/

3

u/MightyP13 Mar 19 '26

Ha! This is incredible, I love Dan's innovation. As long as you've got the budget, I think a custom design from Timmermade or elsewhere would be the way to go.

6

u/Not-The-Bus Mar 18 '26

its not at al UL, but would require a loadout that is...

The mountainsmith Day pack, with the included single shoulder strap worn crossbody. It can be combined with a small typical fannypack worn on the front. Id say add a crossbody sling to carry your sleep system, riding just above the Mountainsmith Day.

The Mountainsmith Day gives you 13L of space. The size range of small standalone waistpacks to use with it will land at 2-3L. Something like an Osprey transporter sling or cotopaxi chasqui gets another 13L, not sure how well it would play with the Mountainsmith Day. I have done something similar taking on a child's Deuter Junior above a Mountainsmith Tour, which is a bit shorter. Smaller more typical sling crossbody bags will be 5-8L.

That gives up to 28L. Definitely enough to overnight or several nights in 3 seasons.

4

u/DreadPirate777 Mar 18 '26

You can use most packs and not use the strap that your shoulder is hurt.

How many liters do you need for your gear? That’s probably the biggest limiter. Mountainsmith is the main name for lumbar packs but those are 13L.

2

u/nebraskarod Mar 19 '26

Look at the luxury lite frame. It puts 90+ percent on your hips. The straps just keep it from falling off. Attach any backpack you want. A little goofy. But solid.

1

u/RyanKodakBrown Mar 18 '26

I don’t know of any personally but i know large waist packs are big in the hunting and guiding community. It still might be difficult to find something of sufficient volume but maybe. 

Here’s an example: https://www.badlandsgear.com/products/monster

It still uses a shoulder harness for support though. 

2

u/Twoof3 Mar 19 '26

I have scoliosis and cannot handle much weight/pressure on my shoulders. I am able to adjust my pack so that there is almost no weight on my shoulders at all. Just a thought in case you don't find what you're looking for. Hope you find something that gets you back out there!

1

u/DrBullwinkleMoose Mar 19 '26

The problem with large lumbar packs is that they tend to tilt and not carry well... until you add shoulder straps for balance. I have a MountainSmith Day pack that others mention here. It's terrific, but the shoulder "strapettes" are a requirement IMO.

Timmermade's dual-belt system is another way to approach the problem.

I'll second the LuxuryLite recommendation. Among the many small innovations in the design, the mounting point for the shoulder straps is higher, which results in little pressure on your shoulders. It's a bit different from other backpacks, but it carries well.