The hip belt is a broad piece of fabric worn low on the hips.

Dan opened his hip belt and shrugged out of the pack.

I also found the cut of the shoulder harness particularly comfortable - important when there's no hip belt to take the strain.

The hip belt too was impressively firm and comfortable.

I needed all the possible length to be able to wear the fixed-position hip belt correctly.

He tried again to buckle the padded hip belt, but it would not go.

Essential for backpacking rucksacks, the hip belt takes most of the load off the shoulders.

Often found on good daysacks, the waist strap doesn't take weight like a hip belt but it does provide extra stability.

On top of that, the hip belt on her pack had snapped apart.

A hip belt would have made carrying it easier.