Training for backpacking

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2

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  • mhcoss
    mhcoss Posts: 220
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    I go backpacking every summer!

    My suggestion to you is this:

    Load up your pack so its approximately the same weight it will be during your trip. Now go get on a stair climber or treadmill and stay there for an hour.. do this for several weeks..

    The big issue with packing is getting your body used to the heavy pack resting on your shoulders and hips. The only way to do that is to wear the damn thing a lot until your body grows accustomed to it.
  • mhcoss
    mhcoss Posts: 220
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    Also,

    I disagree completely with the posters saying your pack should not cause discomfort.

    When you go on a long trip your pack will inevitably be heavy. Even with a perfect fit its still applying significant pressure to the points it contacts your body, there is no way around that its simple physics. This will lead to bruising and discomfort. You have to get those contact points accustomed to the pressure and that takes repeated exposure over a period of time.
  • amberlykay1014
    amberlykay1014 Posts: 608 Member
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    Definitely get fitted for a pack. Have them put weight in it in the store and carry it around. Also, invest in a good set of trekking poles. They aleviate lots of pressure in your knees and other joints when ascending and descending. They'll take a lot of the weight off, allowing you to go farther, faster.

    If you want to do some hiking with weight for training, use water, not bricks. Make your pack heavy and power up some of the steepest hills you can find. When you are at the top, dump the water and walk back down. You're really not getting a lot of benefits carrying weight downhill.

    I run a backpacking shop, so if you need some advice, PM and and I can help you as best I can.
  • amberlykay1014
    amberlykay1014 Posts: 608 Member
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    Also,

    I disagree completely with the posters saying your pack should not cause discomfort.

    When you go on a long trip your pack will inevitably be heavy. Even with a perfect fit its still applying significant pressure to the points it contacts your body, there is no way around that its simple physics. This will lead to bruising and discomfort. You have to get those contact points accustomed to the pressure and that takes repeated exposure over a period of time.


    This person has never had a proper-fitted pack. Bruising is NOT normal.
  • Melo1966
    Melo1966 Posts: 881 Member
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    A 10 day trip is a lot different than 3 you will lose weight with the mileage you will be doing there will not be anyway for you to consume 4,000 plus cals a day in order not to. Definately need a really good pack. And will need more calorie dense food like nuts, butters, dried fruit, jerky, protein powder, etc. To train get the pack by May or June and get fitted for a new pair of hiking boots by then too. Do on a few short trips so you will know what you will need and how it carrys on you.
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
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    Put the pack in and go up and down stairs! As far as the energy, you could probably just add sugar/electrolyte tablets to your water.
    Alternatively, you could bring a mule.
  • algebravoodoo
    algebravoodoo Posts: 776 Member
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    I go backpacking every summer!

    My suggestion to you is this:

    Load up your pack so its approximately the same weight it will be during your trip. Now go get on a stair climber or treadmill and stay there for an hour.. do this for several weeks..

    The big issue with packing is getting your body used to the heavy pack resting on your shoulders and hips. The only way to do that is to wear the damn thing a lot until your body grows accustomed to it.

    Excellent suggestion! I do this when walking nature trails, but never thought about using a stair stepper.
  • mhcoss
    mhcoss Posts: 220
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    Also,

    I disagree completely with the posters saying your pack should not cause discomfort.

    When you go on a long trip your pack will inevitably be heavy. Even with a perfect fit its still applying significant pressure to the points it contacts your body, there is no way around that its simple physics. This will lead to bruising and discomfort. You have to get those contact points accustomed to the pressure and that takes repeated exposure over a period of time.


    This person has never had a proper-fitted pack. Bruising is NOT normal.


    Or you have never been on a ten day trek with an 80 lb pack. Seriously, with a super heavy pack your going to get bruising and discomfort at the contact points. to claim otherwise is pure ignorance, or your having someone else carry your weight for you.
  • scorpio516
    scorpio516 Posts: 955 Member
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    Also,

    I disagree completely with the posters saying your pack should not cause discomfort.

    When you go on a long trip your pack will inevitably be heavy. Even with a perfect fit its still applying significant pressure to the points it contacts your body, there is no way around that its simple physics. This will lead to bruising and discomfort. You have to get those contact points accustomed to the pressure and that takes repeated exposure over a period of time.


    This person has never had a proper-fitted pack. Bruising is NOT normal.


    Or you have never been on a ten day trek with an 80 lb pack. Seriously, with a super heavy pack your going to get bruising and discomfort at the contact points. to claim otherwise is pure ignorance, or your having someone else carry your weight for you.

    Are you sure theres not an extra zero in there? 80lbs! Did you carry a complete kitchen in there?
    My base weight for 2.5 seasons is about 10 lbs. Obviously when its colder, I need heavier stuff. Food weighs about 2 lbs/day. 10 days without resupply you could do skin-out at less than 40 lbs. 30 lbs with a lighter sleeping system than I use...
  • kenhelms17720
    kenhelms17720 Posts: 62
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    Are you sure theres not an extra zero in there? 80lbs! Did you carry a complete kitchen in there?
    My base weight for 2.5 seasons is about 10 lbs. Obviously when its colder, I need heavier stuff. Food weighs about 2 lbs/day. 10 days without resupply you could do skin-out at less than 40 lbs. 30 lbs with a lighter sleeping system than I use...


    Holy herniated disk batman.

    Ive done a 14 day without resupply(50% water, rest local sourced) + climbing gear and was able to keep it at 52.6 pounds off the start. 80 pounds is insane. The back might be able to carry it upright walking.... but the various movements needed on a rough trail is asking for a back issue.

    If you are mountaineering, bring another person and pack equally... no need for that heavy of gear.
    if it's a field work thing... hire a porter if it's not "combat" work...
  • RobynLB
    RobynLB Posts: 617 Member
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    I go backpacking every summer!

    My suggestion to you is this:

    Load up your pack so its approximately the same weight it will be during your trip. Now go get on a stair climber or treadmill and stay there for an hour.. do this for several weeks..

    The big issue with packing is getting your body used to the heavy pack resting on your shoulders and hips. The only way to do that is to wear the damn thing a lot until your body grows accustomed to it.

    That's what I thought. Guess there's no way around practicing being a pack mule :P
  • RobynLB
    RobynLB Posts: 617 Member
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    Also,

    I disagree completely with the posters saying your pack should not cause discomfort.

    When you go on a long trip your pack will inevitably be heavy. Even with a perfect fit its still applying significant pressure to the points it contacts your body, there is no way around that its simple physics. This will lead to bruising and discomfort. You have to get those contact points accustomed to the pressure and that takes repeated exposure over a period of time.


    This person has never had a proper-fitted pack. Bruising is NOT normal.


    Or you have never been on a ten day trek with an 80 lb pack. Seriously, with a super heavy pack your going to get bruising and discomfort at the contact points. to claim otherwise is pure ignorance, or your having someone else carry your weight for you.


    I wonder if the bruising issue is different for women vs. men. My hips also bruise very badly from surfing, and I know a few other women who have experienced this, but no men. Plus, I put most of the weight on my hips because my shoulders just couldn't take it.
  • iAMsmiling
    iAMsmiling Posts: 2,394 Member
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    Also,

    I disagree completely with the posters saying your pack should not cause discomfort.

    When you go on a long trip your pack will inevitably be heavy. Even with a perfect fit its still applying significant pressure to the points it contacts your body, there is no way around that its simple physics. This will lead to bruising and discomfort. You have to get those contact points accustomed to the pressure and that takes repeated exposure over a period of time.


    This person has never had a proper-fitted pack. Bruising is NOT normal.


    Or you have never been on a ten day trek with an 80 lb pack. Seriously, with a super heavy pack your going to get bruising and discomfort at the contact points. to claim otherwise is pure ignorance, or your having someone else carry your weight for you.


    I wonder if the bruising issue is different for women vs. men. My hips also bruise very badly from surfing, and I know a few other women who have experienced this, but no men. Plus, I put most of the weight on my hips because my shoulders just couldn't take it.

    As others have said, a well fitted pack should not bruise you. Sell a kidney if you have to, but buy a good pack that a competent person fitted to you.

    For exercise, stairs or a stair stepper machine will do you far more good than a treadmill. You get the cardio and leg strength you need.
  • trelm249
    trelm249 Posts: 777 Member
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    Do both cardio and resistance training. Yes that includes heavy lifting such as deadlifts, squats and power cleans.

    By all means get fitted for a quality backpack. Particularly on an extended trek with that kind of mileage.
    You aren't going to borrow someone's shoes to run a 10K or their bike to do a 60 mile race. Why skimp on your backpack or boots for a backpacking trip?

    Yes several extended shakedowns over long weekends prior to the actual trek are in order. You probably should start those monthly in April.

    50 to 70lbs backpacks are not uncommon on a 7 to 10 day trek.

    Enjoy it. Backpacking is a blast.
  • RobynLB
    RobynLB Posts: 617 Member
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    Just found out it's 14-22 mile days. Ehhhh... I wasn't even considering getting a new pack up till just now. I'm now secretly hoping my friend who is planning this is just being really ambitious and he will actually scale it back a little.
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
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    I would look into the new pack. Probably, it will solve many of your problems. If you do 20 mile days, you probably just will be tired and sore after the first one. It's okay. We all still go.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
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    I have never gone on a backpacking trip like this but I have trained for hunting season by adding sand or flour to my pack and hitting the local trails. With the sand or flour I could really push it and just dump the weight if it got to much or I had to get back in a hurry.

    Stairs would be great but there is just really no substitute for actual trail hiking. All those stabilizer muscles just dont get worked unless you hike on uneven terrain. Start light and work your way up past what you will actually be carrying.
  • RobynLB
    RobynLB Posts: 617 Member
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    Should I put on weight for that kind of trip? I'm 128, and about 16% body fat. I don't want to drop down under 125, and my buddy planning the trip said I should load 6-14 days prior and put on 7.5 lbs of fat. 7.5 seems ridiculous ( I think he gave me this number based on his size and not mine), but I'm thinking 2 or 3 is probably about right. WIll there be an energy advantage to having the extra fat? I have 10 lbs of extra fat for fuel on my body already.
  • iAMsmiling
    iAMsmiling Posts: 2,394 Member
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    Should I put on weight for that kind of trip? I'm 128, and about 16% body fat. I don't want to drop down under 125, and my buddy planning the trip said I should load 6-14 days prior and put on 7.5 lbs of fat. 7.5 seems ridiculous ( I think he gave me this number based on his size and not mine), but I'm thinking 2 or 3 is probably about right. WIll there be an energy advantage to having the extra fat? I have 10 lbs of extra fat for fuel on my body already.

    I wouldn't put on weight. Weight is heavy and you have to carry it. :-)

    Also, be meticulous about planning what will go in your pack. Weigh everything. Ounces count and do add up. I can hump a 45 lb pack a heck of a lot more comfortably than I can hump a 50 lb pack.
  • risak
    risak Posts: 79 Member
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    Also,

    I disagree completely with the posters saying your pack should not cause discomfort.

    When you go on a long trip your pack will inevitably be heavy. Even with a perfect fit its still applying significant pressure to the points it contacts your body, there is no way around that its simple physics. This will lead to bruising and discomfort. You have to get those contact points accustomed to the pressure and that takes repeated exposure over a period of time.


    This person has never had a proper-fitted pack. Bruising is NOT normal.


    Or you have never been on a ten day trek with an 80 lb pack. Seriously, with a super heavy pack your going to get bruising and discomfort at the contact points. to claim otherwise is pure ignorance, or your having someone else carry your weight for you.

    Are you sure theres not an extra zero in there? 80lbs! Did you carry a complete kitchen in there?
    My base weight for 2.5 seasons is about 10 lbs. Obviously when its colder, I need heavier stuff. Food weighs about 2 lbs/day. 10 days without resupply you could do skin-out at less than 40 lbs. 30 lbs with a lighter sleeping system than I use...

    Heavy backpacks cause discomfort. To invest in such a long backpacking trip and then rent a backpack doesn't seem right. You should invest in a good backpack that fits you properly.

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