What makes it backpacking?

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smirf1972
smirf1972 Posts: 93 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
What changes a walk into backpacking, I walk most days with a rucksack on, I tend to put in backpacking when its full and heavy, if its not I just enter a walk at the appropriate speed.

So what do you guys think makes a walk into backpacking???

Replies

  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
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    There is an option for Walking carrying baby or 15 pound load. Use that. Backpacking is probably talking about a heavy packpack full of camping gear while hiking. Not a walk with a bookbag.
  • smirf1972
    smirf1972 Posts: 93 Member
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    Right thanks, wasn't thinking of camping gear.

    I carry food, drinks and anything I need for the day, hike 3 miles up hill to work so i'd been entering it in as backpacking, might be why I've not been losing anything. :\
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
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    Are you carrying heavy rocks in your rucksack? That might qualify as backpacking.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    edited October 2014
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    Backpacking implies hiking on rough terrain carrying a heavy load to my mind. Definitely different than walking up the road with a small load. I agree to use the less calorie burn. Unless you were getting super high calorie burns from the backpacking option, and eating back every calorie, I don't know if that'd be enough to keep you from losing any weight. You might be losing more slowly, though, than you could.

    Personally, I avoid MFPs calculations for just about everything. While MFP knows my height and weight, it has no idea of my level of exertion doing that activity. The numbers it's giving are a wild guess. You also need to remember to factor in the amount of calories you would have burned just living and breathing for the time it takes you to walk that three miles, too. If you would have burned 50 calories just by being alive and MFP tells you the three mile walk is worth 100 calories, you really only burned an extra 50 calories. This factor is much larger for activities which take longer because the difference will keep getting more and more significant the longer you "double dip" calories.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
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    Backpacking is traveling through rough terrain into a wild area for an extended period of time.

    Hiking is if you don't intend to spend the night.
    Hunting is if you bring home meat while doing it.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
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    smirf1972 wrote: »
    Right thanks, wasn't thinking of camping gear.

    I carry food, drinks and anything I need for the day, hike 3 miles up hill to work so i'd been entering it in as backpacking, might be why I've not been losing anything. :\
    That's just commuting. I wouldn't log that at all, since it's just a part of your normal life.

    Also, that can't be much of a load. My backpacking load is about 30-55# in my bag. 70# if I am going heavy.
  • justlistening
    justlistening Posts: 249 Member
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    When I have gone backpacking I usually carry about 25-35 lbs and hubs 35+. We are usually on uneven rough terrain.
  • Health_Temple
    Health_Temple Posts: 93
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    I think I would just adjust my weight in a calculator to add whatever i am carrying then log as a walk or hike depending on terrain

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