Padded Hip Belt

To give some background, I am just getting into outdoor activities. I don't have much experience in backpacking, camping, or hiking. I recently used Eberlestock's equipment on a church mission trip, and I am very pleased with the quality they put into their packs.

I purchased Eberlestock's Little Brother mission pack 2 months ago, and as I was doing research on other modular parts to add to the pack, I stumbled upon this padded hip belt, along with the Gossamer G-Type Frame. I was debating which one to buy, or whether to buy both due to my inexperience in the field. I asked a friend who has been in the military which one he preferred and he said that a hip belt is a "must have" when it comes to having a lot of weight on your back (which aligned with what people were saying online). I purchased it within the last couple weeks and I tested it out on a short hike. I'm pleased to report that it works very well. I immediately experienced how the belt puts most of the weight onto my hips, taking the strain off of my shoulders. Even though it was just a test with not a lot of weight in the pack, I wouldn't be surprised in the future if this piece helps me on future backpacking, camping, and hiking adventures.

When it comes to the features of the belt, it was very easy and straight forward to install. I was a little bit confused as to why there were 2 sewn on straps near the center of the belt, but after some research I figured out that those are meant for the Battleship pack. The MOLLE webbing is fantastic, and I was easily able to thread on a large padded accessory pouch and double threaded pouch that I had purchased along with the belt. I will say that the excess portion of the large straps used to tighten the belt around my waste, tend to come out of their loops pretty easily, but it's not to big of a deal.

To anyone reading this on the fence as to wether to start with the Standard Hip Belt or this Padded Hip Belt, I'd say go with the Padded one. I was debating this myself, and I decided to just go with the best solution for my future adventures. And, it's a $5 difference, so a good investment in my eyes.

This was a worthwhile upgrade to the original hip belt on my J34 pack. In addition to much thicker padding on this belt it was also wider than the original belt with an additional row of Molle webbing in width. In addition to the increased comfort, this belt provided a more stable grip on my hips making the pack more stable and secure overall. Maybe Eberlestock will include this belt right out of the box mind you the original belt might fit some users well enough as it is. Highly recommended upgrade over original.

Although it added a bit of bulk, that elk quarter should ride a little nicer now.

Very good upgrade. I wish they would give you an option when ordering the main frame for these upgrades now I have a belt with no use and extra cost 💲

The Eberlestock padded hip belt adds tremendous value to a pack. I put one on the Operator and couldn't believe the difference. It places a significant amount of pack weight on the hips, thereby relieving weight on the shoulders. My only complaint is that the padded hip belt should be an upgrade option for each pack. What to do with the hip belt which I initially paid for and have now discarded?

If you have a larger than average frame the padded belt will fit more comfortably and correctly on your hips enabling you to carry heavy loads. When you combine the padded hip belt with the extra padded shoulder harness you have a true heavy pack system. For anything over 45 pounds the standard waist belt and shoulder straps are woefully inadequate.

Great hip belt