Hip Belt
Made to Order
This item is made to order. Please allow up to two weeks for the item to ship. If ordered with other items, the order will ship when all items are ready.
- Description
- Specifications
- Size Info
- Availability
- Shipping
The Hip Belt
We highly recommend the use of a hip belt with your Sassafras Fastpack if you're carrying more substantial loads on your trips. The primary purpose of the hip belt is to improve stability, but it also helps carry some of the load if the pack contents provide enough structure.
For even more adjustment, we also offer hip stabilizers (available separately). Hip stabilizers connect your hip belt to the bottom of the rearmost panel on your pack. Tightening them helps suck in the base of the pack to your back, resulting in a more locked-in fit and increased load transfer.
A daisy chain runs along the hip belt's centerline and works with our hip belt accessories to let you customize your belt the way you like it. Currently, we offer the following accessories and plan to add more. If there's something you'd like to see, please let us know!
- Feed bag
- Bear spray holster
- Hip stabilizers
- Smart phone sleeve (in development)
As far as space goes, a safe bet is one accessory per side, though you may be able to squeeze in more on the medium and large sizes. Not using the hip stabilizers will provide more real estate as well.
Installation
To install, slip your hip belt through the hip belt sleeve on your pack and align the hook & loop strips. If using hip stabilizers, slip the non-adjustable side through your pack's side pocket and clip the g-hook to the receiving end on your pack. Then clip the adjustable g-hook to the daisy chain at an equivalent location on each side.
Height: ~2.75" | ~7 cm
Foam thickness: 0.5" | 1.27 cm
Size & Weight:
| Size | Waist measurement | Weight - EPX70RS | Weight - EPX200 | Weight - Ultra 200 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 28" - 34" (71 - 86cm) | 69g | 2.44 oz | 78g| 2.75 oz | TBD |
| Medium | 32" - 38" (82 - 97cm) | 78.0g | 2.75 oz | 84g | 2.96 oz | TBD |
| Large | 36" - 41" (92-104cm) | 86.8g | 3.06 oz | 93g | 3.28 oz | TBD |
EPX70RS Colors:
EPX70RS Colors:
Sizing Information
To size your hip belt, measure your natural waist:
The distance around your torso at its narrowest point.
- Bend side-to-side to see where your body creases. This should be above the hips but below the ribcage.
- Measure the distance around your body at this level to determine your natural waist.
We offer three sizes as outlined below.
| Size |
Natural Waist measurement (inches) |
Natural Waist measurement (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Small | 28" - 34" | 71 - 86 cm |
| Medium | 32" - 38" | 82 - 97 cm |
| Large | 36" - 41" | 92 - 104 cm |
Product Availability
In most cases, items that are available to add to your cart are in-stock and ready to ship. Please refer to the shipping tab or page for expected fulfillment times.
Some items may be marked as "Avalable to backorder," "Made to order," and/or show a lead time. In these cases refer to the information on the product page for expected fulfillment times.
For items that are sold out, please refer to the production calendar and the FAQ below for more information.
Q: What is the "Inactive Product" Category?
A: Products in the "Inactive Product" category are not expected to be available any time soon. While I intend to offer them again, they are 'on-hold' indefinitely so that we can focus attention on other products.
Q: Why is so much stuff sold out?!
A: Our capacity is very limited, and we can't make products nearly quickly enough to meet demand. We only sell what I have in-stock, and don't typically take backorders. I know this can make it hard for you to plan, but in the longer term, it should help us to grow and to serve you better in the long term. See the last question for more info about this.
Q: When can I expect the item I'm interested in to become available?
A: For most items, please refer to the production calendar at the bottom of this page. This calendar shows when I expect to work on more substantial products. For some accessory products, production may not always be scheduled in advance and availability may be unpredictable.
FYI: If you do not see the item that you are interested in, then I do not know when it may become available (I don't have a private schedule beyond what's shown!).
Q: Can I pre-order, back-order, or reserve an item?
A: I'm afraid not. Out of fairness to everyone, I don't make special arrangements to reserve products. On rare occasions, I may open a product up for back-ordering to everyone (or a new product for pre-ordering). When this happens, it's made available to order on the website. If you are signed up for the stock notification, you will receive a notice that the item is available to order.
Q: Can you let me know when the item becomes available?
A: Yes. On the product page, enter your email address in the space provided to be automatically notified when inventory becomes available. If you don't see where you can do this, please let me know; sometimes there's a fluke in the settings and the field doesn't show. Please note that the email notification could get filtered out as spam. You can try to 'whitelist' info@yamamountaingear.com to make sure the email comes through.
Q: Why do you do things this way, and what are you doing to improve the situation?
A: For years I followed the more common back-order model, basically making everything to order. This approach made it challenging to increase production, limited time available to design new products or refine existing ones, impacted my personal/outdoor time, and meant long waits to get your gear delivered. I changed my approach when I moved to Montana in 2019. Offering only what's already made allows me to work and plan more efficiently, and opens up hiring opportunities.
NOTES ON USING THE CALENDAR
- For products shown on the calendar, you can typically expect the item to be made available towards the end, or soon after the period shown on the calendar. Sometimes, however, some items may be listed earlier in the period. For example, if the calendar shows that I'm working on tapered tarps, certain sizes may become available earlier within the period with other sizes coming later.
- Items that specify "ongoing production" mean that we are continually working on these items and doing our best to maintain inventory. If the item or a particular size is sold out, you can expect it to likely become available soon.
- Please note that you can change the month shown on the calendar using the arrows at the top.
Shipping Information
While most orders ship out within 1 - 3 business days, please allow up to one week for us to ship your order. This gives us some scheduling flexibility for getting out on the trail!*
*If you select seam sealing services with your purchase, please allow a few extra days for us to seal the item(s) and ship your order.
Domestic
We use USPS for domestic shipping.
| First Class Package | Priority | Letter (Free) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | 0 to 1 lb | Any weight | Stickers & DCF Patches only |
| Expected transit time (business days) |
2 - 5** | 1 - 3** | 1 - 5** |
| Tracking? (check your spam folder) |
Yes | Yes | No |
Notes:
- **Transit time does not include the time it takes us to prepare your order for shipment (see the top of the page) or any posted lead times.
- In isolated cases, 1st Class Package service may be upgraded to Priority mail at our expence.
- Effective for orders over $100 in value placed after 1:00 PM MST on 1/21/23: Domestic shipping via USPS First Class package service is sent via FOB Bonner, Montana terms. This means that for orders over $100 in value, YAMA Mountain Gear is not responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen packages mailed via USPS First Class Mail service. If you run into a problem with your shipment, please let us know and we'll try to help. Ultimately, however, the customer bears the risk should something go wrong with shipments meeting the specified criteria.
International
We offer shipping via USPS to the following locations:
- Canada
- Hong Kong
- Japan
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Europe (excluding Belarus)
| First-Class Package | Priority Mail | First Class Mail (letter) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restrictions | up to $400 value | -- | Stickers & DCF Patches only |
| Expected transit time (business days) |
varies by destination | 6 - 10** | varies by destination |
| Tracking? (check your spam folder) |
possibly limited*** | possibly limited*** | No |
Notes:
- In rare cases when the calculated shipping rate significantly differs from the actual rate, we may revise the shipping rate and refund or bill you (with your approval) accordingly.
- **Transit time does not include the time it takes us to prepare your order for shipment (see the top of the page) or any posted lead times.
- ***Shipments made by USPS will hand over to your country's postal system at Customs; tracking may be limited after the handoff.
- International shipping fees do not include import duties and fees which may be due upon delivery. We will not mismark values on customs forms.
- Effective for orders placed after 11:00 AM MST on 1/21/23: International shipping is via FOB Bonner, Montana terms. This means that, YAMA Mountain Gear is not responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen packages. If you run into a problem with your shipment, please let us know and we'll try to help. Ultimately, however, the customer bears the risk should something go wrong with shipping.
Description
The Hip Belt
We highly recommend the use of a hip belt with your Sassafras Fastpack if you're carrying more substantial loads on your trips. The primary purpose of the hip belt is to improve stability, but it also helps carry some of the load if the pack contents provide enough structure.
For even more adjustment, we also offer hip stabilizers (available separately). Hip stabilizers connect your hip belt to the bottom of the rearmost panel on your pack. Tightening them helps suck in the base of the pack to your back, resulting in a more locked-in fit and increased load transfer.
A daisy chain runs along the hip belt's centerline and works with our hip belt accessories to let you customize your belt the way you like it. Currently, we offer the following accessories and plan to add more. If there's something you'd like to see, please let us know!
- Feed bag
- Bear spray holster
- Hip stabilizers
- Smart phone sleeve (in development)
As far as space goes, a safe bet is one accessory per side, though you may be able to squeeze in more on the medium and large sizes. Not using the hip stabilizers will provide more real estate as well.
Installation
To install, slip your hip belt through the hip belt sleeve on your pack and align the hook & loop strips. If using hip stabilizers, slip the non-adjustable side through your pack's side pocket and clip the g-hook to the receiving end on your pack. Then clip the adjustable g-hook to the daisy chain at an equivalent location on each side.
Specifications
Height: ~2.75" | ~7 cm
Foam thickness: 0.5" | 1.27 cm
Size & Weight:
| Size | Waist measurement | Weight - EPX70RS | Weight - EPX200 | Weight - Ultra 200 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 28" - 34" (71 - 86cm) | 69g | 2.44 oz | 78g| 2.75 oz | TBD |
| Medium | 32" - 38" (82 - 97cm) | 78.0g | 2.75 oz | 84g | 2.96 oz | TBD |
| Large | 36" - 41" (92-104cm) | 86.8g | 3.06 oz | 93g | 3.28 oz | TBD |
EPX70RS Colors:
EPX70RS Colors:
Size Info
Sizing Information
To size your hip belt, measure your natural waist:
The distance around your torso at its narrowest point.
- Bend side-to-side to see where your body creases. This should be above the hips but below the ribcage.
- Measure the distance around your body at this level to determine your natural waist.
We offer three sizes as outlined below.
| Size |
Natural Waist measurement (inches) |
Natural Waist measurement (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Small | 28" - 34" | 71 - 86 cm |
| Medium | 32" - 38" | 82 - 97 cm |
| Large | 36" - 41" | 92 - 104 cm |
Availability
Product Availability
In most cases, items that are available to add to your cart are in-stock and ready to ship. Please refer to the shipping tab or page for expected fulfillment times.
Some items may be marked as "Avalable to backorder," "Made to order," and/or show a lead time. In these cases refer to the information on the product page for expected fulfillment times.
For items that are sold out, please refer to the production calendar and the FAQ below for more information.
Q: What is the "Inactive Product" Category?
A: Products in the "Inactive Product" category are not expected to be available any time soon. While I intend to offer them again, they are 'on-hold' indefinitely so that we can focus attention on other products.
Q: Why is so much stuff sold out?!
A: Our capacity is very limited, and we can't make products nearly quickly enough to meet demand. We only sell what I have in-stock, and don't typically take backorders. I know this can make it hard for you to plan, but in the longer term, it should help us to grow and to serve you better in the long term. See the last question for more info about this.
Q: When can I expect the item I'm interested in to become available?
A: For most items, please refer to the production calendar at the bottom of this page. This calendar shows when I expect to work on more substantial products. For some accessory products, production may not always be scheduled in advance and availability may be unpredictable.
FYI: If you do not see the item that you are interested in, then I do not know when it may become available (I don't have a private schedule beyond what's shown!).
Q: Can I pre-order, back-order, or reserve an item?
A: I'm afraid not. Out of fairness to everyone, I don't make special arrangements to reserve products. On rare occasions, I may open a product up for back-ordering to everyone (or a new product for pre-ordering). When this happens, it's made available to order on the website. If you are signed up for the stock notification, you will receive a notice that the item is available to order.
Q: Can you let me know when the item becomes available?
A: Yes. On the product page, enter your email address in the space provided to be automatically notified when inventory becomes available. If you don't see where you can do this, please let me know; sometimes there's a fluke in the settings and the field doesn't show. Please note that the email notification could get filtered out as spam. You can try to 'whitelist' info@yamamountaingear.com to make sure the email comes through.
Q: Why do you do things this way, and what are you doing to improve the situation?
A: For years I followed the more common back-order model, basically making everything to order. This approach made it challenging to increase production, limited time available to design new products or refine existing ones, impacted my personal/outdoor time, and meant long waits to get your gear delivered. I changed my approach when I moved to Montana in 2019. Offering only what's already made allows me to work and plan more efficiently, and opens up hiring opportunities.
NOTES ON USING THE CALENDAR
- For products shown on the calendar, you can typically expect the item to be made available towards the end, or soon after the period shown on the calendar. Sometimes, however, some items may be listed earlier in the period. For example, if the calendar shows that I'm working on tapered tarps, certain sizes may become available earlier within the period with other sizes coming later.
- Items that specify "ongoing production" mean that we are continually working on these items and doing our best to maintain inventory. If the item or a particular size is sold out, you can expect it to likely become available soon.
- Please note that you can change the month shown on the calendar using the arrows at the top.
Shipping
Shipping Information
While most orders ship out within 1 - 3 business days, please allow up to one week for us to ship your order. This gives us some scheduling flexibility for getting out on the trail!*
*If you select seam sealing services with your purchase, please allow a few extra days for us to seal the item(s) and ship your order.
Domestic
We use USPS for domestic shipping.
| First Class Package | Priority | Letter (Free) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | 0 to 1 lb | Any weight | Stickers & DCF Patches only |
| Expected transit time (business days) |
2 - 5** | 1 - 3** | 1 - 5** |
| Tracking? (check your spam folder) |
Yes | Yes | No |
Notes:
- **Transit time does not include the time it takes us to prepare your order for shipment (see the top of the page) or any posted lead times.
- In isolated cases, 1st Class Package service may be upgraded to Priority mail at our expence.
- Effective for orders over $100 in value placed after 1:00 PM MST on 1/21/23: Domestic shipping via USPS First Class package service is sent via FOB Bonner, Montana terms. This means that for orders over $100 in value, YAMA Mountain Gear is not responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen packages mailed via USPS First Class Mail service. If you run into a problem with your shipment, please let us know and we'll try to help. Ultimately, however, the customer bears the risk should something go wrong with shipments meeting the specified criteria.
International
We offer shipping via USPS to the following locations:
- Canada
- Hong Kong
- Japan
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Europe (excluding Belarus)
| First-Class Package | Priority Mail | First Class Mail (letter) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restrictions | up to $400 value | -- | Stickers & DCF Patches only |
| Expected transit time (business days) |
varies by destination | 6 - 10** | varies by destination |
| Tracking? (check your spam folder) |
possibly limited*** | possibly limited*** | No |
Notes:
- In rare cases when the calculated shipping rate significantly differs from the actual rate, we may revise the shipping rate and refund or bill you (with your approval) accordingly.
- **Transit time does not include the time it takes us to prepare your order for shipment (see the top of the page) or any posted lead times.
- ***Shipments made by USPS will hand over to your country's postal system at Customs; tracking may be limited after the handoff.
- International shipping fees do not include import duties and fees which may be due upon delivery. We will not mismark values on customs forms.
- Effective for orders placed after 11:00 AM MST on 1/21/23: International shipping is via FOB Bonner, Montana terms. This means that, YAMA Mountain Gear is not responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen packages. If you run into a problem with your shipment, please let us know and we'll try to help. Ultimately, however, the customer bears the risk should something go wrong with shipping.