Weighted Pack Recommendations

[joedawjes]

I'm looking to start training with a weighted pack, mainly climbing stairs and hills. I think ~55lbs is enough to make the ascent difficult but not wear out my knees on the downhill.

What has worked well for other people (realizing that not everyone has the same body type)?

 

[bsnedeker]

What pack do you hunt with? Do you have an external frame pack?

 

[joedawjes]

I currently use an internal frame backpacking backpack - 80L. I'm going to upgrade to an external frame this year...hoping to purchase one from the Classifieds section.

 

[bayangler]

I actually just got an Atlas Trainer from Outdoorsman. Prior to that, I just stuffed weights in my Kuiu pack. Haven't used the Outdoorsman but a few times but found the frame carried the weight well during a 5 mile trail loop with some hills and 60lbs. I've loaded up to 90lb walking around the house a bit to test and it seemed heavy but OK. So far so good for me.

 

[Cameron.25]

Since you're gonna buy a hunting pack, you could make some cheap sand bags with cheapo dry bags off amazon and pavers sand from home depot. Or just get some big sand bags from home depot and put them in a trashbag and wrap it with a bunch of duct tape. Its what i did. Way better than metal weights IMO and you'll wanna be sure you can pack heavy loads with your hunting pack anyway

Edit: if you're asking how much weight to put in it i dont think you need to do more than 30-50 depending on your fitness level to start out and you can go up from there if you want to

 

[*zap*]

If your asking about how much weight to carry the answer depends on many things that you have not mentioned (fitness level, durations, intensity, volume, etc.) For simplicity I would say start with 10% of your bodyweight and see how that goes..

I use plates for weight and/or carry a light kettlebell...depending on what I am currently doing for my training.

 

[huck]

I use a sand bag in the bottom and flat sided 1 gl. water jugs on up from there , if i really run out of gas I can dump some water .

 

[Lelder]

Don’t be to proud to start with light weight and see how you feel the next day. It’s easy to overdue it and not realize it til the day after. But your on the right track for training

 

[Mighty Mouse]

If you've never carried a weighted pack before, 55 lbs might be a bit much to start with. I fill cheap poly sand bags (like these) with sand or gravel to make training bags of various weights. I use a 50 lb bag as a baseline for training throughout the year and add 5 lb bags as needed when I want to go heavier. In the 2-3 months leading up to a backpack elk hunt, I'll add 5 lbs every other week up to a max weight of 80 lbs.

Also, I've found deficit lunges (with less weight) to be a good complement to hiking/step-ups with a heavy pack.

 

[RichC64]

Start in the 30-35 lb range for a couple weeks and let your body adjust to carrying the loaded pack.

Shoulders and back take a bit of time to temper. After the initial aches disappear increase in 10 lb increments.

I use milk jugs full of water taped together in groups to get the distribution right.


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[joedawjes]

Perfect! Thanks for the suggestions

 

[4rcgoat]

Roll top compression sacks for me with sand,adjust as necessary.

 

[TheGreek]

I use a 50 lb bag of rock salt inside a large contractor bag on the meat shelf of my exo K3. Works great and kicks my a** on inclines in the summer heat.

 

[OOSWLC]

i try to get out with my pack every couple days... i have an exo bag that i load with my backpacking gear, then i add weights to the frame. i rotate between 3 different weighted options...

1 - full pack, no added weight - sometimes i won't do this... this is really if i'm feeling tired and just want to take the dog out for a while.
2 - full pack + 45# - minimum 3 miles at a quick pace
3 - full pack + 80-100# - walk for ~ 1 hour. staying safe but making it feel like a workout.

i live in boise ID and have 3-4 trail networks within a mile from my house, so it's pretty ideal for making frequent and quick weighted hikes.

i don't mean to make a suggestion for you as to weight because that should be based on your ability and background. my only suggestion there is like everyone else said - start slow and light. you can always add weight and do it again tomorrow.

more than anything i'd suggest doing some sort of periodization - alternating between long and light, heavy and short, in the middle and in the middle... that way you're as well rounded as you can be.

 

[bozeman]

Start @ 20lbs....go to your local High School stadium and walk bleachers for 30 mins....add weight and time on the bleachers as your body adjusts......I rarely go over #55, but have tried #75 just to see how it feels. No matter what pack you use, >#75 sucks.

 

[mtwarden]

I'm definitely in the camp of not training with a 100 lbs because you think may be hauling out 100 lbs.

I backpack year round so that constitutes the majority of my weighted carry.

But about 8 weeks out from hunting season I make it a point to get out with weighted pack twice a week (still hiking 2-3 days a week w/o a pack). I start with 30-ish lbs for two weeks, 40-ish lbs for two weeks, 50-ish lbs for two weeks and 60-ish for the final two weeks. Again only two days/week- usually one day is 3-5 miles, the other shorter but steeper.

I've never felt under trained hauling out loads during hunting season, even with loads in the 100 lb range.

 

[DavePwns]

Looks like you got a lot of good advice, for me - 30-50 lbs for prep. Then a month or two before season,almost always 50-80 lbs. Use trekking poles for weights over 60lbs. Never had any knee or back problems doing this, and when season starts, my pack is delightful to put on compared to my training.

 

[Marbles]

This is more for once you have been training for a bit (and not needed).

I like doing a couple 120 pound rucks, it gets you use to taking small steps to keep your feet under you and how to move with a heavy load. It also resets your perception of wieght and a 50 pound pack starts to feel realy comfortable.

For big loads, small steps are important. Likewise, learning the rest step is helpful in steep country. I also recommend trekking poles to help keep your balance. Moving with a heavy load is not hard on your knees (running generates more impact forces). However, if you slip or move poorly a heavy load will certainly result in more damage. As that load both alters your balance and requires more stabilization, the odds of slipping or moving poorly are increased.

 

[mahonsr]

I'm in the water camp. Plus the bags always break and end up being a mess.

 

[poboy2214]

The vast majority of my training was with a 40 pound bag of Quikcrete wrapped in a couple trash bags. Every now and then I would grab an 80 pound bag for short distances, I never had any issues. Was able to go all day long during the season up and down the mountain at 10,000 feet, averaging 3000 foot of elevation change and 5 to 10 miles a day. Pack out is going to be a bitch no matter what, kind of feel like as long as you have a little bit of that strength training so it’s not first time you put that much weight on your back you’ll be fine.