Webbing Hip Belt and Loads

David:

Not answering your question directly…

IMO, you don't necessarily need a 1.5" webbing belt. The belt on my frameless pack is just 1-in., with a corresponding 1-in. buckle. For the "normal" pack weight suitable for frameless packs (<25lbs) — it works well.

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We are happy to switch the Exodus Hipbelts to the larger Ark 1.5" size as a custom option at no charge at time of order- just ask in the comments field online.

Peace,
Ron

If some find 1.5" better than 1", wouldn't 2", or padded wings, be even better? Or is there a point of diminishing returns when working with certain loads?

That's a good point Rusty and a natural progression of the original question. If 1.0 or 1.5" appear to be 'workable' for even loads up to 20 ish pounds, why are we seeing more 'wings' on UL packs? Are they even needed? They would add unnecessary weight and potentially limit some hip mobility. Maybe?

If frameless packs are generally accepted to be okay up to approximately 25 pounds assuming a virtual frame is created and sufficiently padded shoulder straps are employed, then is a minimal webbing belt sufficient?

I was perusing the Mchale website (as I often do) and noticed that on Dan's daypack design that one can swap the hipbelt out for 1.5" webbing for lighter loads. I respect Dan as a pack maker and suggest that perhaps he has found that this to be sufficient for lighter weights as well. Perhaps he will chime in here.

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"If frameless packs are generally accepted to be okay up to approximately 25 pounds assuming a virtual frame is created and sufficiently padded shoulder straps are employed, then is a minimal webbing belt sufficient?"

David — to me, a one-inch belt is more than sufficient for a well-packed load of <25 lbs. I've never felt a pinching or any other discomfort. A few years back, I helped convinced Zpacks to reduce the width of their webbing hip belt. After trying it himself, Joe Valesko now offers two hipbelt options: 1" and 1.5".

Whatever the gear, I recommend starting with the simpler/lighter option — and move up to the more complicated/heavier/beefier if things don't work out. More is not always better.