Best Hiking Backpack for Petite Women: Fit by Torso
Petite means a torso under about 16 inches, not a height. Osprey, Gregory and Deuter each make a women's size that starts at 13.5 to 14 inches; here is what fits.
The best hiking backpack for a petite woman is whichever one lists a torso range that starts at or below your torso length, and that number has little to do with your height. Osprey’s women’s XS/S size runs 13.5 to 17 in, Gregory’s Jade XS/S runs 36 to 43 cm (about 14 to 17 in), and Deuter’s SL packs adjust down to fit a back of roughly 40 cm (16 in) and shorter. If your torso measures 15 in, all three fit; if it measures 13 in, only the Osprey XS/S reaches you and you will want it set at the bottom of its range. A woman who is 5 ft 8 in with a long-legged build can have a 15 in torso and need the same XS/S as someone 5 ft 1 in, which is why the size charts never mention height.
What petite means to a pack
Pack makers size by torso length because the frame has to span from the shoulder straps to the hip belt, and that span is the back, not the whole person. Most unisex daypacks are built for a 17 to 21 in torso. Women’s packs drop that by three or four inches, and the XS/S size drops it again. A pack that is too long for your torso does one of two things: either the hip belt sits correctly and the shoulder straps float above your shoulders, or the straps sit correctly and the belt rides on your stomach. Neither carries weight on your hips, which is the whole point of a frame.
Measure your torso before you shop
Tip your head forward and find the C7 vertebra, the bump at the base of your neck. Put your hands on your hips with thumbs pointing back; the line between your thumbs crosses your iliac crest. Have someone run a soft tape down your spine from the C7 bump to that line. That is your torso length. One inch of error moves you across a size boundary on most charts, so measure twice. While the tape is out, measure around your hips at the iliac crest, because small frames have the opposite hip belt problem from large ones: the padding overlaps itself at the front and the belt cannot be made tight enough. Osprey’s fit rule is 1 to 3 in of webbing left between the buckle and the padding when the belt is tightened.
XS packs hold less than the name says
Check the volume for your size, not the number on the pack. Osprey’s manual lists the Eja 58 at 55 L in WXS/S and 58 L in WM/L; the Aura AG 65 is 62 L in WXS/S. The Mom Goes Camping guide makes the same point about the Lumina 60, which is 54 L in XS. The missing liters come out of the main bag’s height, so a petite hiker planning a five-day trip should either accept the shorter pack and pack lighter, or buy the next capacity up and expect it to be the same height as the regular size below it.
Packs that fit a short torso
Osprey Tempest 20 (WXS/S)
The standard women’s daypack, in its small size: 20 L, women’s harness with a 13.5 to 17 in torso range, and an adjustable harness so you can tune within that range. Nothing exotic, which is the point; it is widely stocked and easy to return if the size is wrong. Check price on Amazon
Osprey Eja 58 (WXS/S)
Osprey’s lightweight multi-day pack in women’s XS/S: 55 L, 2.81 lb, a 30 to 35 lb load range, and a ladder-style torso adjustment that gives 4 in of travel inside the 13.5 to 17 in range. The hip belt has zippered pockets and an ErgoPull closure that lets you cinch a small waist without the padding bunching. The hydration sleeve fits a 3 L reservoir, not included. Check price on Amazon
Gregory Jade 53 (XS/S)
53 L, 1.76 kg (3 lb 14 oz), a torso range of 36 to 43 cm (14 to 17 in) with 3.5 in of adjustment, and Gregory’s FreeFloat hip belt, which pivots with your hips so the belt stays flat on a short frame. Gregory lists a 22.7 kg (50 lb) recommended max load, more than most petite hikers will ever carry. Check price on Amazon
Deuter Aircontact Core 45+10 SL
Deuter’s SL (Slim Line) packs are the women’s cut, built around a nominal back length of about 42 cm (16.5 in) and a five-stage VariClick adjustment that goes shorter. Deuter lists the 45+10 SL for body heights of 158 to 178 cm (5 ft 2 in to 5 ft 10 in). It is heavier than the Osprey, with a stiffer frame that suits heavier loads. Check price on Amazon
Shoulder straps and hip belts on small frames
Narrow shoulders need straps that are set close together at the top and curve outward around the bust rather than running straight down. Women’s harnesses from all three brands do this; the unisex versions of the same packs do not, which is why a unisex S/M with a 17 in minimum torso is a worse choice than a women’s XS/S even for a woman with a 17 in torso. The sternum strap should sit about 2 in below the collarbone and should still have adjustment left when you move it to its highest position. If it bottoms out, the harness is too long for you regardless of what the torso chart says.
Setting the pack up at home
Load the pack with 10 to 20 lb. Loosen everything. Put the hip belt padding halfway above and halfway below the hip bone and tighten it. Tighten the shoulder straps, then the load lifters; they should angle up at 30 to 60 degrees from the top of the straps. On an adjustable harness, the yoke should sit 1 to 2 in below the C7 bump. If the lifters are flat or the yoke is above C7, shorten the torso one notch and repeat. If you are also carrying a child, the child carrier guide covers carriers with short torso ranges. For the full picture of women’s pack sizing, including belt ranges, see how hiking backpacks fit women, and if your issue is hip circumference rather than torso, the plus-size pack guide has the belt numbers.