Women with large breasts: what backpack do you use?

I'm not fully qualified to answer this one, but note that ULA offers S curve straps as an option.

My wife likes Osprey packs in general and she is "qualified" in this category. She uses an Ariel 55 for multi-day and a Sirrus 24 for day hikes.

This is dangerous ground, so buy from a local source with a liberal return policy. My wife went through every pack at the REI Flagship store plus another well stocked backpacking store in Seattle and settled on the Ariel. I convinced her to take all the time she needed and walk around with weights in the pack. Fit easily over-ruled pack weight for her. Sleeping gear is another non-negotiable category. The rest of her gear is good UL stuff.

Just in to make sure you are not comparing apples to oranges…

You guys/gals should specify whether you talking natural or 'enhanced'…

could make a difference…

just sayin'….

Billy

I've found S-shaped pack straps the best fit – most recently on an excellent ULA Circuit. In the past I've been happy with the older GoLite gender specific women's models.

My wife tried on every pack at REI and several UL packs I mail ordered. The Deuter was the winner for her. The granite gear blaze and osprey Ariel were close runners up. The others were intolerably uncomfortable.

The shoulder straps were a big problem – although finding one that fit her neck and shoulders was a bigger problem than finding one with no breast discomfort. Most of the packs with S straps and a high sternum strap were OK in that regard.

She was also very sensitive to hip belt comfort (she has a narrow waist and hourglass hips).

Even the "heavy" Dueter is only pound and a half heavier than the UL packs. If she's comfortable, that's weight that's well spent :)

Another vote for the Osprey Ariel. Wife loves the fit, not to mention being a fairly lightweight and bulletproof pack

My girlfriend knows well the woes of large breasts and backpacks. She loves her ULA Circuit with the S-straps. She also said that she thinks an adjustable sternum strap is important for a comfortable fit.

Thanks for the insight, everyone. I was checking out the ULA Ohm 2.0, but their packs are pretty heavy.

After emailing zpacks and MLD, Zpacks told me that their Arc Blast comes with "s" curve straps anyway, and that they have had many women with larger busts fit fine in their packs. MLD says their women packs come with the "s" curves as well. As of now I am leaning to an Arc Blast, after consulting/measuring her, because it is as light as MLD's packs of similar size, but it has a frame!

Just looked at the ULA website and noticed that they are advertising the Ohm 2.0 at 32 oz. I'll have to re-weigh mine later but that seems to be heavier than I remembered and mine is a large. If you're trying to go SUL then I understand why you aren't considering this pack but I will say that it's comfortable to wear and does a great job of transferring weight to the hips. This is a good all-arounder ruck as I've used it as a day pack and have never come close to filling it to capacity during the three seasons, even when I had to carry my then injured daughter's sleeping bag and some of her gear.

I for one am very disappointed with the mature responses to this question. Just sayin'.

Doug I. In 3…2…1…

"Doug I. In 3…2…1…"

Yes but it'll be about how my man boobs make me a SME on the Ohm. Seriously. Just wait.

My boobage is soooo not UL. Anyhow, when the good lord decreed I needed to haul these things around, I thankfully found Deuter women's packs after too many years of pain.

Anyhow, yes, Deuter packs are not UL. They are though good fitting and fit around the twins. They also are great if a woman has lower back injuries – again, the only packs I can wear pain-free.

If the OP thinks that the ULA Ohm is "way too heavy", then I don't think anything from Deuter or Osprey will be in the running…

How about going a "custom" route? Zimmerbuilt or something similar — get whatever you want in materials/features, plus a custom fit for her anatomy!

The key is he thinks it is too heavy. Not her. It cannot be about him. It is all about HER. ;-)

I lug around a pair of DDs so I understand your girlfriend's problem. I found the ULA catalyst with the s curve straps fit me very well. Keep in mind that a good sports bra with side support panels and cool max fabric can help keep the girls comfortable and out of the way. Look for the max support styles for impact sports like running and riding. My Gregory day pack is very uncomfortable with an everyday bra but I have no problems when I wear a Moving Comfort max support bra.

but, man, i so wouldn't want a sports bra for my birthday present!

more seriously, i think women, with somewhat lower centers of gravity, are more likely to really need a frame.

I don't understand what the problem is. Can someone please post a photo that will help explain what the problem is?

sorry….couldn't resist!

"Just looked at the ULA website and noticed that they are advertising the Ohm 2.0 at 32 oz. I'll have to re-weigh mine later but that seems to be heavier than I remembered and mine is a large."

Mine weighs 22 ounces, stripped. Something funny here, maybe a misprint. Were I you, I'd call Chris and find out for sure before giving up on the OHM 2.0 It's a great pack.

"Mine weighs 22 ounces, stripped."

Close to that for mine as well.

I don't know what's better about this thread….The mature replies, or the lack of response to those with less than mature replies………

That being said, mine aren't huge, so I don't know what to say. I have pretty wide shoulders though, so maybe that makes the S-curve thing less important? I do have to make sure the sternum strap is high enough, but my Zpacks Arc Blast feels plenty comfortable in both regards. Ladies, since sports bras came up, I LOVE the Ex Officio Give-N-Go Crossover. Just enough support, but not "put 'em in a vice" squish. Lightweight, and they don't have a super-heavy bra-band that soaks up and holds sweat for hours and hours. Just my $.02.

Thomas: Most of them have been ok… Appreciating more of the women's feedback.

Sarah and Valerie: She already hikes with an Osprey, I was looking to get her something lighter, as I feel bad that my baseweight is lower than hers right now… but she would keep her Osprey for hikes with her photography gear, etc. Custom route sounds like a hassle, but I will definitely look into it.
And yes, Sarah, it does come down to what she wants. I just want to have some options to show her before I just pick one without consulting her. If she'd rather stay with her Osprey, fine by me.

Kate: She has spent a lot of time trying out different sports bras, so she knows the importance of a good fit. Sounds like a lot of women here like ULA's fit, so I will definitely show her their packs, regardless of the weight.

I won't get her a sports bar for her birthday, don't worry!! I am going to show her packs with frames and frameless options to see what she wants, but I am leaning towards a frame, potentially the Arc Blast.

Michael: Kinda creepy, dude.

Tom: Good to know. It does look like a well built pack, and a lot of the women responding to this seem to like ULA in general.

Heather: Good to hear about the Arc Blast and the ex officio bra. Your response and Zpacks own response gives me hope. It just seems like such a nice pack.

Since evil Ian is being rude and skipping over some of the helpful suggestions some of you made here without offering so much as a thank you, saintly Ian will step in and mop up.

Katherine, thanks for suggesting S curve straps. Chris explained to me that they were designed for women so that may help here.

Dale, thanks for explaining how important fit is over weight. Truer words never spoken.

Billy, thanks for reminding me to pick up some apples and oranges the next time I go grocery shopping.

Karen, thanks for +1ing the S straps. Learning tons today.

(This is exhausting….)

John… Deuter… Oorah!

Ozzy, it'd be really cool if you had "Ozzy" tattooed across your knuckles but I suspect you're tired of that joke already. Rock on man. Porcupines are indeed scary.

Travis, Good point on the adjustable strap.

(Ok this is really starting to suck. This is what it must be like to work for Hallmark)

Bradford, yeah Doug is a real character. Thanks.

Michael, Go Cougs!

(This is the last damn time I try to be inclusive here at BPL)

Sorry Saintly Ian!!!

I read all the replies, but I guess I didn't have a good response for some of them. I thought I replied to yours, but maybe I subconsciously didn't want to acknowledge a fellow Ian. Thanks for the insight into the Ohm. We're not SUL, I'm actually fairly new to lightweight gear in general, but if an Ohm 2.0 and the Zpacks Arc Blast have similar carrying capabilities, and both have "S" shaped straps, then why not go with the Arc Blast at half the weight? It's good to know the Ohm transfers weight well, as that is something she has complained about with her Osprey in the past