Wait a minute. The whole point of a waistbelt on a backpack is to shift the weight off the shoulders, onto your hips. But you say to use the strapettes on a mountainsmith lumber pack to move the weight off your hips and onto your back?

Mountainsmith strapettes (cost $25) were orignally designed for the mountainsmith day lumbar pack, although they work on other mountainsmith lumbars, including the tour. I have both the day and the tour. I don't use the day because without the strapettes - which I don't own - the day just is too big and ungainly. 'm sure with the strapettes it would fundciton similarly to a daypack, but I already have several excellent ones.

But the tour is great. I have carried close to three qts of water, as well as other stuff in it on day hikes and it's quite comfortable. I think the point is, the weight is where I want it, on my hips.

Anyone interested in my mountainsmith Day, PM me. It's just about new. I think they retail for $80. i would probably charge $35-40 including shipping.