Need Advice on Wearing Super Ego

[wyldrose]

I recently purchased a Super Ego and I'm having some trouble figuring out how to wear it comfortably.

The first problem is tightening the shoulder strap. I need to let the shoulder strap out to get in on over my head and then I have to tighten it nearly all the way (I'm a slender 5'6"). If the pull strap is up by my shoulder, it's impossible. I can't even grab it much less pull. Moving it down under the other arm makes it reachable, but if the weight of the bag is pulling on the strap, I can't apply enough force to move the strap. I have to find some way to support the weight of the bag with one arm while pulling on the strap with the other. And every time I need to get something out of the bag, I have to repeat this process.

Even with the bag snugged up all the way against my back, the weight on my shoulder was a bit much. I expected that (it's a big bag), so I just buckled on the waist straps. Except then I discovered that with the waist straps around my waist, the shoulder strap rides up so much that it pushes against my throat.

It's a beautiful bag (black & steel!) and I've always admired the quality of Tom Bihn bags, so these problems are making me a little sad. Is it just a size issue? Am I just too small to wear a bag this big?

[Twitchy]

This might sound like a silly question ... but which shouder strap have you got fitted? Q-AM? Absolute or Standard?

I myself am 5'6" and have had to fiddle with my absolute strap on my SE until i got it right.

[wyldrose]

Q-AM. I was using the Q-AM buckle at first, but it can't be combined with the waist strap. Is the padded section of the Absolute shorter than the Q-AM? Having the adjustment buckle in front rather than over my shoulder or down by my hip would definitely help.

[Twitchy]

I've never used a Q-AM strap so I couldn't really tell you. But the padded section is about 30cm long, which from the pics on the TB website I would say its much shorter than the padded section of the Q-AM.

I'm wondering if you suffered the same problem I did with my SE. To wear it comfortably I had to adjust my Absolute strap so that the padded section was closer to bag at one end (ie the padded section wasn't central between both attachmen points ...)

Don't kow if that will help you

[wyldrose]

Yeah, the end over my right shoulder (the non-quick pull end) is cinched up as tight as it'll go, the padded section right up against the slider.

Also, I really appreciate the questions. Even if they don't help directly, it's one more piece of the puzzle. Plus, sometimes you suggest something that seems really obvious and the other person smacks their forehead and exclaims "Of course!".