There are a lot of threads about "whats the best pack?" and there are a lot of good packs out there. But.... im not a big fan of out laying 500 bucks to try one and then not liking it. almost everyone on here says they have tried five or six and now have the one they like. I am also challenged by being short and
don't have the confidence any old pack will fit. What would be really cool is if you could demo or rent one for a week and go on a backpacking trip. Most places i go in to talk to someone about packs, i have serious doubts about the guy knowing anything about fit or what i should look for. Any suggestions finding the right pack?

Call Tim at Seekoutside.com
They have Paradox Packs they make in house. Most comfortable pack I have ever carried. Light weight with the ability to haul weight. He may be able to help you.

I plan to order all 3 packs I'm thinking of buying at the same time. Have them all here and try them on with weight to see which one feels/fits the best.

Pilgs,
That is a great idea. Compare all three side by side to your own fit.
You won't be second guessing yourself on if you should have tried the others.

And what will you do with the two you don't like?

I'll be sending 2 back for sure. Hopefully I find one that fits me well. I've checked into it and I can return the packs to each company. It will cost a little for shipping, but I think it's worth it to find the right fit.

seek outside is in Grand Junction right? Wish they were closer!

Yes GJ. Capitol Sports in Montana has some items, but probably are not close enough either

Elkliver:

There's an REI store in Bend. You can rent different packs from them and give them a try before buying.

Take a look at Ospre packs. They come in different sizes to match your torso. I have the opposite problem from you. I have a long torso and most packs don't fit properly. But the Osprey Aether XL does fit properly. You might want to try a small Aether to fit your short torso.

BTW since you can rent them, I suggest that you do more than just walk around the store with some weight in the pack. Take it out for a weekend and see what your back feels like after a couple of days.

KC

not always sold on the clerks knowing what they are doing at our REI . There's a local climbing store that does better. and none of them have a clue about hunting.

or buy at REI and return what does not work...

I agree that the store clerks at REI are often clueless. But since you can rent from them, you can do your own on-the-trail assessment. Yeah the local climbing store clerks will probably know more about how to fit a pack properly. But they don't rent gear, do they?

KC

Op does not mention if pack will be used for hunting/game carrying or just backpacking/hiking.

If the later, I second KC's recommendation for Osprey (or Gregory) for pure comfort and utility.