Sizing advice for HMG pack

I'd ask HMG directly for their guidance.

FWIW, I normally take a large pack size, but needed a medium for my Porter 4400.

I'd go with a L/tall. If the torso length is even a little bit short, the weight will go to your shoulders & you'll defeat the purpose of havingthe nice hmg suspension. I measured for an L & question if I should have sized up when I'm carrying really heavy loads. If the tall is just a touch too long, you can bend the stays to curve more with your back & over your shoulders.

I'd err on the side of the longer back panel too unless you like the hipbelt to ride up above the iliac crest. I run my hipbelt somewhat lower than other folks and find the HMG pack panel recommendations to be a hair on the short side.

+1

Thanks for the helpful comments. I wonder if there's any chance there's someone who has a 20.5 inch torso by HMG who's bought one of their packs?

I got an email from HMG: "A 20.5 torso would be a Large pack. 21"+ would be a Tall pack."

I'm just paranoid that if the pack doesn't fit right then I'm faced with a hefty return shipping cost + more waiting.

That is a tough call if they're telling you one thing & we're telling you another. I will say if you're already spending a lot of $ on a pack, the extra time & money to get the proper fit is well worth it.

Ideally HMG and/or an owner could give you the actual measurements of a L and a Tall pack, both base-strap length and height of the hipbelt. You can then compare it to a pack you have. How a belt is designed to sit, and how you choose to wear it, can make a significant difference.

That said, I have a 20.5" torso as well. If I were getting an HMG for backpacking, I'd get a tall without hesitation.

My Porter in size Large measures right at 22" from the top of the shoulder straps to the bottom of the hipbelt. When I had a Medium, it was right at 20".

Originally, I went with a Medium (I have a ~19" torso length), but I also found that their hipbelt rides about an inch lower than ones I have previously worn due to its shape, shortening the effective torso length of the pack (not a knock on the hipbelt, it's very effective at weight transfer). Now, the size Large fits very well.

I've seen it somewhere recently on the forums, but I can't find it now after searching, that HMG said that the Tall was two inches taller than the Large.