Ergonomic Comfort of Trekking Backpacks: Measurements of Pressure Exerted by Shoulder Straps and Hip Belt in Female Users

The pressure exerted by trekking backpacks (BPs) of different volumes and construction designs was measured in six female users using a pneumatic sensor. The aim was to investigate the effects of gender-specific design on ergonomic comfort. Although no difference was found in terms of pressure in the female BP models, a correlation was found between pressure and biometric characteristics (BMI, chest and waist circumference). The results suggest that the ergonomic comfort of BP depends on the size of the user, with slim users more likely to experience uncomfortably high pressure from shoulder straps and hip belt.