Is a 40lb pack too heavy?

The answer is: not more than 20% of your body weight, and ideally, it'll be about 10% of your body weight. If you weigh 200 lbs, you'd be fine with carrying 40 lbs for a day hike. If you're 160 lbs, you'd be okay with a ~30 lbs pack.



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A loaded backpacking pack should not weigh more than about 20 percent of your body weight. (If you weigh 150 pounds, your pack should not exceed 30 pounds for backpacking.) A loaded day hiking pack should not weigh more than about 10 percent of your body weight.

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This is perfectly fine for weekend trips or a few miles of hiking to a nearby campsite. However, base weights that exceed twenty or thirty pounds does not work well for long distance hiking. The typical conventional backpacker has a base weight around 25 to 30 pounds.

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No matter how well-designed the backpack, less weight is always better. Use the bathroom scale to check that a pack isn't over 10% to 20% of your body weight (for example, if you weigh 120 pounds you shouldn't carry a backpack that weighs more than 12 to 24 pounds).

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By putting a heavy weight on your shoulders in the wrong way, the weight's force can pull you backward. So people who carry heavy backpacks sometimes lean forward. Because of the heavy weight and this unnatural position, they can develop shoulder, neck, and back pain.

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10 Ways to Lighten Your Backpacking Pack Weight
  1. Repackage food and personal care items. ...
  2. Sleep System: Maximize a minimal amount of insulation. ...
  3. Opt for a tent that pitches with trekking or ski poles. ...
  4. Plan ahead and ration your water carrying. ...
  5. Swap out heavy water bottles for a collapsible bottle. ...
  6. Eat out of your pot.


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No matter how well-designed the backpack, less weight is always better. Use the bathroom scale to check that a pack isn't over 10% to 20% of your body weight (for example, if you weigh 120 pounds you shouldn't carry a backpack that weighs more than 12 to 24 pounds).

MORE DETAILS

By putting a heavy weight on your shoulders in the wrong way, the weight's force can pull you backward. So people who carry heavy backpacks sometimes lean forward. Because of the heavy weight and this unnatural position, they can develop shoulder, neck, and back pain.

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Walking, hiking or running with a weighted backpack is known as rucking. It's a tough workout that can help you build endurance while also gaining muscle, said Michael O'Dowd, tactical expert for the fitness brand Ten Thousand with nine years of experience as a SEAL.

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A loaded backpacking pack should not weigh more than about 20 percent of your body weight. (If you weigh 150 pounds, your pack should not exceed 30 pounds for backpacking.) A loaded day hiking pack should not weigh more than about 10 percent of your body weight.

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Textbooks and school supplies, plus gym gear, electronic devices, lunches and more contribute to overloaded backpacks. In fact, about 70 percent of kids carry heavier-than-recommended backpacks, researchers reported a few years ago in the journal Applied Ergonomics.

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They can weigh anywhere from 30 to 90 lbs. Standard load in the rucksack is around 50 pounds, but it also depends on how much and what you cram in there. In the field, I also carried an ammo box and a bandelero with speedloaders.

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A Service Member's ruck sack weighs about 45 pounds without water!!!! If you're joining us in person or virtually, and want to get some tips on how to pack your ruck properly, and/or what typically goes into a ruck sack, here's a tutorial to help you out!

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In addition to body weight, Loughney says, the following factors play a big part in the overall weight of your pack: Trip duration: The longer your trip, the more food, water and fuel you'll need to carry, which, of course, adds weight to your pack.

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For more years than my back or knees care to remember, I lugged around a big tent, a huge backpack and a bulky sleeping bag. Altogether the three items weighed in at over seven kilograms (15.4 lbs – see chart below).

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