Training with your pack

[COlineman78]

Thanks for the replies. I thought I was the only one who trained with wood pellets. I recently discovered a failure point with my pack, and was wondering what others were experiencing.

Yeah, the laundry bag containing my pellets is showing wear, but didn't expect a lot for $8.

 

[Elkangle]

I train with 85#s of tire chains every other day typically....Really hoping to find any weakness in my kifaru duplex but so far I've came up empty....i could go into detail on why the kuiu didn't last but that's a different thread

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I wear a Trump shirt and a pack cover for my So. Cal. passersby:

 

[KHNC]

I use a GORUCK GR1 with 6 bricks and 3L of water to ruck train usually. Before my TTH event last month I was using my Paradox Unaweep with 75lbs, rucking 2 miles as fast as possible 3 days per week. Typically on hilly terrain. I live at 2300` , so it helped a little I think. I can abuse the GR1 all I want , as I know it will not fail.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I train with my hunting pack, currently a SG, but I only use about 50 lbs max when training. I've always trained with whatever hunting pack I happen to be using at the time and have never seen/had any issues with excessive wear or breakdown. I've been using my current pack for the last 3 years now and so far so good. On a side note, when training, I carry a few essentials then to make up the rest of the wt. I fill up jugs of water then dump them out prior to making my descent.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

BTW...one of the real benefits of working out with the pack you will hunt with is it gives you the opportunity to play with different packing options so you can discern the best, most balanced and comfortable configuration for your gear.

 

[paleraider]

BTW...one of the real benefits of working out with the pack you will hunt with is it gives you the opportunity to play with different packing options so you can discern the best, most balanced and comfortable configuration for your gear.

This is so true! I use a SeekOutside Precipice twice a week at 80lbs and then another 3 times at 40lbs. I am not worried about it getting damaged, I am far more concerned in getting it setup right each time. Some days it seems 80lbs is nothing, then two days later it is a nightmarish beast. It usually comes down to how I have the weight distributed on the pack.

I use a 65lbs sand bag and put that on top of items I would normally carry like tarp, clothes, and sleep pad. How I lash it all together makes all the difference.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I think anyone that has spent time in the backcountry has, at one time or another, rushed to break camp and thrown stuff into their pack without really organizing it well. The net result is pain on the trail. I've learned to slow down, pull everything outta my pack and pack carefully each and every time I move my campsite.

 

[Violent Hippie]

My hunting pack is a Kifaru duplex and I am not worried at all about it failing on training hikes. I use 25 lb sandbags with old sleeping bags to take up space. My usual weight is around 45 lbs for training but I go up to 65-70 lbs at times. As far as winter goes I am usually skiing or snowshoeing with a 20 lb pack around 2 days a week or MTN biking with similar weight in the other seasons so I almost always have some sort of pack on whether it be a kifaru, black diamond or camelback.