How Much Should A Hiking Backpack Weigh?
When taking a short trip, or hiking for multiple days, the weight of your backpack significantly affects how tough the trip feels. A heavy pack makes you tired much quicker. You feel how your posture changes with the weight on and off. But people do go out hiking with heavy bags. So, how much should your hiking backpack weigh?
As a general rule, your backpack should weigh no more than 20% of your body weight with a maximum of 30 lbs. How heavy your backpack may be depends on your level of fitness, the nature of the trail, and the time of year.
How much weight you should carry changes with the type of hiking trip you’re going on, the difficulty level of the trip, your fitness level, and more. In this post, we’ll dive deeper into the topic, so you can make sure your pack isn’t too heavy for you.
Hiking backpack weight
If you’ve ever taken a hike with a really heavy backpack, you know how difficult the trip becomes. If your pack is too heavy, you’re also risking injuries((Anderson Jr, L. S., Rebholz, C. M., White, L. F., Mitchell, P., Curcio III, E. P., Feldman, J. A., & Kahn, J. H. (2009). The impact of footwear and packweight on injury and illness among long-distance hikers. Wilderness & environmental medicine, 20(3), 250-256.)).
A few research papers have been published on the subject of hiking backpack weight. The general rule of thumb was that for most people the weight of the backpack should be under 20% of their body mass, with a maximum of 30 lbs((Thomas, A. T. (2013). Effects of Pack Weight on Endurance of Long-distance Hikers.)). This increases the chances that the hiker will complete the trail, and reduces the risk of injuries.
This rough figure includes the backpack and everything in it, including food and water. Your backpack weight usually changes over time, and the recommended maximum limits the peak weight of the pack.
The table below describes the recommended maximum backpack weight for hikers by their total body weight:
| Hiker Total Body Weight (lbs) | Maximum Backpack Weight (lbs) |
|---|---|
| 110 | 22 |
| 120 | 24 |
| 130 | 26 |
| 140 | 28 |
| 150 and more | 30 |
On one trip, I trekked with a really heavy backpack, which was easily over 20% of my body weight. The hike was really difficult, and I definitely attribute that to the weight of my backpack, since the hike because easier over time, as I ate the food I carried. I did have some other trips with more than 20% weight which went fine, though.
Of course, the 20% rule is just a general rule of thumb. In the military, soldiers often carry 30% to 45% of their body weight in gear and equipment. Of course, hikers don’t have such heavy mission-critical gear, and carrying so much weight wouldn’t make a fun recreational trip.
If acclimated, then, people with high levels of fitness can carry more weight than the general recommendation. That makes sense since obviously, a very fit person that weighs 150 lbs will have a much easier time carrying a heavy backpack than an unfit person.
Day trip vs. multi-day hike backpack weight
The amount of gear you need changes dramatically with the duration of your trip. When considering the difference between a short day trip and a multi-day trip, the equipment you need is really different, and the weight of your bag goes with it.
On a day trip, you only need the bare basics: a bag, water, some food, and toiletries. Other items are generally up to personal preferences, and you don’t really need anything more. This means that your bag will be much lighter on a day trip.
On a multi-day trip, you also need a sleeping bag, a tent, a stove, clothes, and more. This adds up to a lot of weight, so on multi-day treks you’ll generally try to minimize the items you take and avoid bringing non-essential things.
For longer multi-day trips, you’ll generally only need more food and clothes. There isn’t a lot of difference between the gear you need for a three-day trip and a seven-day trip.
Backpack weight by difficulty level
A heavy backpack weighs you down whether you’re hiking on a comfortable trail or a really rough trail. But you do need to consider weight more seriously if you’re planning to go on a difficult hike.
A heavy backpack just adds to the difficulty of the trail. So if you’re walking on rough terrain, the bag might just add to how hard the trail is to complete.
Consider the length of the trail as well. Carrying a heavy backpack for two days is nothing like doing it for an entire week. If you’ll be hiking for a long time, you might want to get specialized lightweight equipment.
Backpack weight by season
When hiking in winter, you’ll generally need more equipment and clothing, meaning your backpack will probably be heavier.
You’ll need more clothes to stay warm, and the clothes themself will probably be thick and heavy. Sometimes you’ll also need some winter hiking gear, which adds quite a bit of weight.
On warm-weather hikes, your backpack is typically much lighter, since you don’t need all the specialized equipment and clothing.
Backpack weight by the type of backpacker
Different hikers consider the weight of their backpacks differently. Some work to minimize the total weight of the backpack, and others allow some leisure items.
Most hikers categorize their hiking style based on the base weight of their backpacks, which is the weight of the pack without consumables like food and water. This is because food and water weight usually depends on the trip, while other items usually don’t.
The different types of hikers are commonly split into 3 categories:
- Traditional hikers: Most beginner hikers are considered traditional hikers, they overpack and bring things they might not need. These can also be hikers who prefer comfort and feel they can carry a heavy pack and still enjoy the hike. Typically hikers are considered “traditional” if they carry more than 15 lbs base weight (typically between 15 and 30 lbs)((Wikipedia contributors. Ultralight backpacking. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.)).
- Lightweight hikers: Many experienced hikers go lightweight, knowing which items they need and which they don’t. These hikers generally only bring the bare essentials but have an easier time hiking with a lighter pack. Typically hikers are considered “light” if they carry less than 15 lbs base weight((ref:3)).
- Ultralight hikers: Some experienced hiking lovers deliberately try to reduce their backpack’s weight to be as light as possible. They do that mainly by investing in ultralight equipment and reducing unnecessary items to a minimum. Many actually weigh each item they carry independently, to see what items they can benefit most from replacing. Typically hikers are considered “ultralight” if they carry less than 10 lbs base weight((ref:3)).
Of course, these are just rough numbers, describing different styles of hiking. Every hiker is a bit different, so some enjoy hiking with a light bag, and others prefer being more comfortable.
What is base weight in hiking?
Base weight is the total weight of all gear that a hiker is carrying, excluding consumables such as food, water, and fuel. This includes all of the essential and non-essential items that the hiker is carrying in the pack, such as clothing, shelter, cooking equipment, and personal items.
The concept of base weight is important for hikers who are trying to minimize the weight of their gear in order to make their hikes more comfortable and efficient. By keeping their base weight as low as possible, hikers can reduce the strain on their bodies and increase their speed and endurance on the trail.
Base weight is often measured in pounds or kilograms, and can be calculated by adding up the weight of all of a hiker’s gear, including clothing, shelter, sleeping system, cooking equipment, and other essentials. Some hikers go as far as carefully considering the weight of each item in their kit.
A common rule of thumb for many hikers is to aim for a base weight of 10-15 pounds or less. Others may carry a heavier load depending on the length and difficulty of the hike, as well as personal preferences and needs.
How to weigh your hiking backpack
The best way to weigh your hiking backpack is by using a luggage scale. Put all your gear inside the bag, hang your bag by the dedicated loop, and take the reading.
I tried using both digital and analog luggage scales. While analog scales don’t require batteries, the one I tried didn’t give a very reliable reading. I recommend getting a cheap digital luggage scale. It’s useful for hiking and for traveling abroad.
How to reduce the weight of your hiking backpack
Reducing the weight of your backpack can feel quite challenging since you don’t want to give up on items you might later need. Every item is pretty light by itself, but together they stack up to a significant weight.
Here are a few tips on how to reduce the weight of your hiking backpack:
- Don’t take things you don’t need: While it’s an obvious tip, eliminating items you don’t really need is the more efficient way to reduce your pack’s weight. Consider which items you actually use and need, and what items you can live without. You can have some non-essentials, but keep in mind they add weight.
A nice trick is to take a look at your items after a hike, and for each item consider whether you’ve used it or not. Of course, some items you do use rarely but really need anyways. But if there are some non-essential items you didn’t really use, you might want to consider leaving them at home on your next hike.
Some items actually come in big packages, while you only need a small amount for the hike. For example, you might have a big tube of toothpaste, and you might want to get a small one. You don’t have to bring the entire big bag of rice – you can repackage and get just what you need. - Replace heavy gear with lighter alternatives: Some of the essential items you have in your backpack have much lighter alternatives. For example, you can replace a heavy 5 lbs tent with a light 2 lbs alternative, reducing the total weight of your bag. Focus on the biggest heaviest items first, like your tent, backpack, and sleeping bag. Light gear usually does cost more, so it’s a balance.
- Plan your food and water: By planning your meals ahead, you’ll know roughly how much food to bring with you. You can repackage food if you bought too much out of some items. Consider what you’re going to eat in every meal, and bring a little extra. You do eat more when hiking because you exert a lot of energy during the trip, so keep that in mind. If you’re going to pass through places where you can purchase additional food on the way, you might not need to bring as much.
With water, there are general rules of thumb regarding how much you need to bring, based on the trail condition and weather. Also, consider how much you generally drink – some people just need more water than others. Bring a little extra. If there are water sources along the trail and you have a water filter, you might not need to bring as much. - Share the weight among multiple hikers: If you’re hiking as a group, you can share the weight of common items and reduce the weight every group member carries. For example, two people can share a tent, and only one of them has to carry it. Additional common items can be the camping stove, cooking utensils, water filters, and more.
Your backpack weight does change over time when you’re hiking – water and food are consumed, and your pack becomes lighter. The weight you measure before the trip is generally a peak weight, which is the heaviest the backpack will be.
It’s really useful to also know the backpack’s base weight, which is the weight without consumables. This is the minimal weight of your backpack. You generally want to try to reduce the base weight of your backpack. It’s also how people usually measure how heavy their pack is, and how they categorize themselves.
Final thoughts
In this post, I’ve detailed the general 20% rule of thumb for how heavy your backpack should be. This is just a rule of thumb, though. Many people can hike with heavier backpacks, while others prefer leaving some items out and traveling light. It’s all a matter of fitness and preference.
If you do want to travel light, the best tips are to leave out items you don’t need and focus on replacing the heaviest items you have with light alternatives. You don’t have to go overboard to reduce your pack weight significantly.
People decide to go ultralight for a reason. For most people, a heavy backpack makes hiking less enjoyable. It’s rewarding to know you’re carrying all your things with you, but it’s hard. If you’re just starting out hiking, you’re probably overpacking – try to avoid bringing items you don’t need, and you’ll be just fine.
