Aeronaut 45 doesn't lie flat

[kgm]

I have both the A30 (non-Halcyon) and the A45 (Halcyon). I love both bags, but tend to not use the A45 because it pulls way from my back when I wear it. The A30, however, lies very nicely against my back. Does anyone else have this problem and if so, do you have a solution? I vaguely remember someone posting a similar issue, but can't find that post. I'm on the shorter side (5'3"), if that makes a difference. Thanks in advance for any tips.

[moriond]

I have both the A30 (non-Halcyon) and the A45 (Halcyon). I love both bags, but tend to not use the A45 because it pulls way from my back when I wear it. The A30, however, lies very nicely against my back. Does anyone else have this problem and if so, do you have a solution? I vaguely remember someone posting a similar issue, but can't find that post. I'm on the shorter side (5'3"), if that makes a difference. Thanks in advance for any tips.

@kgm,

The only post I remember seeing that might be related to your issue is in the Bulge on lower back of Aeronaut in Backpack Mode thread from last August. In that instance the poster supplied a picture of his Black Halcyon 400d Aeronaut 45, which showed what everyone agreed on was a defect in the backpad foam on that bag. Do you see something similar? It looked like this:



Darcy had the person get in touch with Customer Support for replacement.


HTH

moriond

[kgm]

@moriond

Thanks for your reply. I'm going to look at mine and see if it looks similar to the one in the post you mentioned.
I found the thread I remembered (luckily I bookmarked it). It's this one: Help! What am I doing wrong? Aeronaut rolls at the bottom in backpack mode.

[moriond]

@kgm, I do remember that discussion (and I edited the link URL of your post so that it will work when you click on it), but I thought that it was a question of loading. My Aeronaut (45) dates from the original production batch, when they were all Ballistic Nylon, so I can't check this. I haven't noticed a problem with the (Original Halcyon/Island) Aeronaut 30. (I'm about your height).

moriond

[sarah_atx]

This happens to me with the A45. Besides not packing the bottom area tightly enough, I think it's also partly caused by shortening the shoulder straps to make it sit higher on your back. If I let it hang lower it seems to lay a bit flatter.

[1holegrouper]

Could be a defect as posted above. Could be tweaking how you pack it. Could be just that it feels different to you due to the size difference from the A30 (which you may just be more used to and may fit your back better).

Could you show us pictures both on and off your back? That would help us to guess what is going on. One should not have to resort to walking in a crouched position like a Ninja just to have their A45 lay flat on their back. Then again the Aeronaut in either size is not meant to be a backpacker's backpack but instead be convenient to carry in a lot of different travel situations.

[kgm]

Thank you for your suggestions, @moriond, @sarah_atx and @1holegrouper
I'll try to get a photo. I think that even when I pack it tightly at the bottom, it still rolls a bit. I looked at the padding closely and the back panel of the A45 doesn't seem to be as rigid as the panel in my ballistic A30, but I'm guessing that's due to the ballistic material adding some structure on its own. I do cinch the shoulder straps to ride high since I'm relatively short and I find anything on my back to be more comfortable when it's not hanging too low. I guess the A45 is just a tad too long for me and I shouldn't be so concerned about how it looks when I use it. I have successfully used it on longer trips and managed just fine. It was however, heavy.
I think that if I pack it very full, it wouldn't roll as much, or at all, but then it would be... heavy. I was trying to use the 'underpack on your outbound segment to allow room for souvenirs on your return' strategy. I probably need something between an A30 and an A45