float 30 on smaller framed person...wtf?

[backcountryislife]

Abby just got her pack & in putting it on, we noticed that the chunk of the pack that sticks up above the straps is rather tall. When she puts it as low as possible on her hips, the top of the pack is still RIGHT behind her helmet, so she can't look up AT ALL.

We bought this sight unseen because BCA can't get their head out of their asses, but now we have a pack that doesn't fit AT ALL.
I'm 5'8" & it doesn't even work on me, my helmet hits it well before where I would normally have my head in a steep climb.

BTW, I'm not complaining about snowbigdeal at all, those guys got this to us 2 days after they got it, not bad at all!! GREAT company to deal with, but if you're a shorter person, take a very serious look at buying one of the other packs.


I'm talking about the space above where the straps hit the pack, pretty obvious in this pic, this section of the pack is HARD AS A ROCK, and won't move when your helmet hits it.

now look at the abs, notice the straps hit the pack at the top of the compartment

and the same for the snowpulse

I would assume that anyone 5'10" or better would be fine, and the general build of the pack is great (MUCH more space is dedicated to the airbag system than in the ABS pack though) so I'm not saying it's junk, but this is a very big issue for us, and I know we're not the only sledders that are less than 5'10" out there.
Really disappointed to to have to say this, we were SO excited to get the new pack, now we don't know what to do with it.

 

[bushy]

I'm shorter than you and have no issues of my helmet touching the back-board at all, even if I try. I don't think it's torso length so much as girth, as in how deep you are front to back though. Maybe my knuckle dragging posture helps too!

Sorry to hear your trouble though.

 

[backcountryislife]

I don't get how this doesn't happen on you. I could see where your hunchback body style might keep that part of the pack further away from your melon... but I just don't get how on a non-Neanderthal this would not happen

Honestly though, as far as girth goes if the waist strap is at the top of your hips, then the pack will sit where it needs to, the only real factor I could see making a difference is if you wear the pack loose enough where the helmet doesn't hit it.

 

[snowww1]

I have been riding with the Float 30 for over a month and have had no problem with it. I think the pack fits great. I can see how it could be a problem with Abby since she has a shorter torso. Mike Duffy

 

[bushy]

Looked in a mirror with helmet on and the top of the pack is a good 3" below my helmet when the pack is sitting on my hips. Also sits about 3" behind my helmet. Maybe try loading it up and see if it hangs different on her.

 

[backcountryislife]

wow, that's a HUGE difference.

With it as low as it could possible go on her hips, it is a solid 2" above the bottom line of her helmet, and when she looks up, it hits before she gets to 45 deg upwards.

I know I'm short torso'd, but it's not much better for me at all.

I don't see how we're the only ones with this problem. In order to get it to not hit my helmet I have to put it down on my butt.


Btw, we both wear DH mountain biking helmets that are a decent ways smaller than a normal moto helmet that most folks wear, esp. right at the bottom..

 

[newmy1]

Not to steal your thunder but I personally don't like the waist strap...I typically have no problem reaching across my belly but the left strap on this pack is really short and the right is really long.

By the time I get my tekvest and all of my stuff on I have a hell of a time getting that thing buckled. Don't understand why it does not have a strap like most backpacks....connects under your belly button vs on your left hip.

Let the "lose some weight fat azz" remarks fly

 

[newmy1]

Can't you return it and try an ABS or Snowpulse?

 

[bushy]

 

[bushy]

Not to steal your thunder but I personally don't like the waist strap...I typically have no problem reaching across my belly but the left strap on this pack is really short and the right is really long.

By the time I get my tekvest and all of my stuff on I have a hell of a time getting that thing buckled. Don't understand why it does not have a strap like most backpacks....connects under your belly button vs on your left hip.

Let the "lose some weight fat azz" remarks fly

I agree it's a stretch and hard to open without adjusting the belt out. If you loosen the belt you can get it with one hand though. Could be a design benefit, safety wise. I like the idea of a metal buckle.

Could probably sell it pretty quick, Kaleb, maybe make a profit even! Too bad you had to go through the baloney to find this out now.

 

[backcountryislife]

for comparison.

On me it would be annoying but doable, but on Abby, she can't even look up at all. if you look at every other backpack on the market (not just avy bags, EVERY bag) there isn't a single one that has a big block above the straps like this one.

Just out of curiosity, what does it do to your head when it blows up, it seems like it would throw your head forward quite a bit.

 

[skibreeze]

Kaleb, the ABS has adjustable straps for the 2 main straps to raise or lower the pack. Does yours not have that at all? Your pic looks like the pack is being pulled up when looking at the waist strap.

Can you post a front pic?

 

[snowww1]

I would suggest putting some gear in it (adding weight) and put some miles on the pack to break it in. The shoulder straps will break in and the pack will not ride as high. Also the weight of gear in the pack will bring the top of the pack down. When it's empty and new, it will ride a lot higher. Pack is designed according to the manual for a 17"-22" torso. I used my pack today and I could not get my head to touch the pack. Hope this helps.

 

[kbm]

Take off your chest protector.

Remove the chest protector!!! that will let the pack drop.
Thor makes a moto chest protector that dosen't have the
goofy shoulder pads, this might not make enough difference
but it seems pretty easy to try??

 

[backcountryislife]

I would suggest putting some gear in it (adding weight) and put some miles on the pack to break it in. The shoulder straps will break in and the pack will not ride as high. Also the weight of gear in the pack will bring the top of the pack down. When it's empty and new, it will ride a lot higher. Pack is designed according to the manual for a 17"-22" torso. I used my pack today and I could not get my head to touch the pack. Hope this helps.

No offense Mike, I do appreciate the input, but I'm not about to use a pack that doesn't even look close to fitting & then find out that it still doesn't fit so I need to sell it for way less than I could right now.

If you look at how it is sitting on me, that's just the way I wear a pack, on my hips, I'm not going to put it down over my butt. It does have adjustable straps, but I've adjusted it as low as I'm willing to put it on me, and on Abby it is actually on her butt to get it even that low. I also like my pack TIGHT to my body, if I drop the back of it, by design it would put the pack on an angle (because the straps would be between the body & pack)

I don't want this pack to use for me, so the issue of how it fits on me is moot, it's a joke compared to my ABS, so we need to make it work for abby if we're to keep it. This fit is without her even having the rest of her gear on, that's just a fleece & armor (which is what she wears, I'm not going to go buy different stuff because of a backpack) the determining factor is where the bottom straps sit on your hips, not the armor anyhow, if you raise the shoulders, you just loosen the straps. She did try it with all her gear, we wer hoping that would pull the back further away from the helmet, but that didn't make much difference.

I don't mean to be pissy to people offering sugggestions, but we've waited over 2 months from when they said they would be delivered through the most avy prone year I've ever experienced & now have a product that doesn't fit worth a crap on either of us.

Btw, it's not just us, the two other people we rode with on wed that had theirs didn't like the way they fit at all either.

Just another reason to not buy stuff without trying it first. The pack will likely be fine on 80% of folks, I'm not saying it's junk, I'm just saying we're not happy at all & have played with it quite a bit now & do not see it working for us.

If anybody is interested in trading for an abs or snowpulse (+ reasonable $$) or buying this one, I'd be interested.

 

[SledsWest]

Can you post a front pic?

Now we're talking, Lets see some full frontal Kaleb! Sexy

 

[SnowBigDeal]

Kaleb,

Let me know if you want to trade it toward anything else or if you just want to return it. We will take it back or whatever you would like to make it easier on you.

 

[bfchiro]

I'm 5'9" and 150 lbs. Fits me no problem, in fact I think it is more comfortable than the ABS pack that I wore the past 2 times. My 2C

 

[snowww1]

Kaleb,
If you want to try my pack for a day to see if it fits while riding, just let me know. Mike

 

[U turn]

Kaleb,

Let me know if you want to trade it toward anything else or if you just want to return it. We will take it back or whatever you would like to make it easier on you.

Now that's a great dealer!!!