Snubbie, my wife takes it to an extreme, but YES, load lifters should lift the shoulder straps up and off the top of your shoulders (that's why the angle is important... below 30* the lifters aren't lifting the shoulder straps UP, but rather backwards, or in some cases downwards, like the pack in the pictures I pointed out).
When load lifters are being used correctly, essentially what the shoulder straps are doing is keeping the pack against your back and at your center of gravity, NOT carrying any weight.
That's why they're called load LIFTERS, and again, that's why the "angle of attack" is important.
Thanks, I need to load my packs and stand in front of a mirror.
