GEAR REVIEW
6 Steps To Properly
Fit Your Pack
1. Loosen all straps. Place twenty five
pounds of weight in the pack.
Review
Factors
2. Put the pack on and center the waist belt
on the bump at the top of your hip bone.
3. Tighten the waist belt so all the weight
is on your hips and there is no pressure on
your shoulders.
4. Tighten the shoulder straps until you feel
about 30% of the weight on your shoulders
and 70% on your hips.
Sitka®
Bivy 30 $349
CAPACITY: 3,000c.i. WEIGHT: 4lb. 5oz.
Construction VVVV
Configuration VVVV+
Fit/Comfort VVVV
Performance
Up to 40 lbs VVVVV
60 lbs VVVV
80 lbs VVV+
Overall VVVV
5. Tighten load lifter straps until they just
become snug. They should not lift the shoul-
der strap off your shoulders. The angle of the
load lifter straps should be 35 to 45 degrees.
6. Tighten the stabilizer straps at the back
of the waist belt that connect to the bottom
of the pack bag. This will help control lateral
movement, especially on uneven terrain.
LIGHT WEIGHT
MEDIUM WEIGHT
HEAVY WEIGHT
Construction Fabric, Frame, Zippers,
Buckles, Straps.
Configuration How well does storage
volume fit with 1-3 day usage? Are there
adequate pockets or compartments to keep
gear handy and organized? Can pouches
and bags be added or removed?
Fit & Comfort Are there adequate sizing
options to fit a range of wearer sizes. How
well can fit be fine tuned and are adjust-
ments easy to make and stay set? Are there
any comfort issues such as rubbing, pinch-
ing, or trapped heat?
Performance How comfortable and sta-
ble is the pack with loads up to 80lbs.?
38
WESTERN HUNTING JOURNAL
Compact and lightweight, the Sitka ® Bivy 30
can make the jump from high performing day
pack to load hauling work pack when situa-
tions change and you need to pack camp into
the next drainage or pack out an animal.
Fully compacted, the Bivy 30 is a mere 24"
tall and 12" wide, but loosening compression
straps and expanding the top portion of the
main bag quickly produce 3,000c.i. of storage
space that is more than enough for a few days
worth of gear, or a boned out buck. The top
loading main bag also features a full length
side zipper for better access. A sizeable lid
pouch and two external pockets on the main
bag keep frequently used items accessible.
Two smaller pockets on the hip belt are per-
fect for calls, electronics or extra ammo.
A mesh back panel is stretched tight by
the sturdy aluminum frame, and produces a
gap between the panel and the pack body,
greatly increasing airflow and reducing sweat.
Function of the Bivy 30 excels as a day pack,
but is capable of hauling meat. Performance
was best with loads under fifty pounds. The
bag does not separate from the frame, so
meat must be carried in the main compart-
ment.
The Bivy 30 is only available in one frame
size, which was a bit small for my rather long
torso. Because there is only two inches of
separation between the load lifter straps and
the top of the shoulder straps, there isn’t
much range of adjustment. The one inch
waist belt would also benefit from being wid-
ened and paired with a larger buckle.
sitkagear.com