42 pounds... And counting. (Training ?)

[Sailing_Faith]

Ok, so the title maybe have you thinking something other then what I am asking (but you clicked, so it is all good). No, I do not plan to hike with 42#.

I have been back ashore for about a month now.... I did some hiking in the Virgin Islands, but it is tough to put miles in when you are living aboard a boat.

Since I have been back I have been building back up to my training schedule. I am so busy that I do not know when I will get back to the trail....

Anyway, I walk a standard course every night. I do either 6 miles, 7.5 miles or 9. I carry a pack filled with bladders from box wine... They are 3l, and I can adjust the weight up or down. I started back with something like 30# and am back up to 42# now.

I know I get a better training walk in with the load. It is (of course) more then I carry when I hike. The pack I use / abuse every night hiking is an old Eddie Bauer brand heavy junky internal frame pack. I would like to go up in weight but the pack I have won't bear any more (it is above what I think it will do now).

I have learned to hike in my proper boots to avoid injury... But don't want to "use up" my good pack.

Does anyone else train with weight? How much do you carry? How far?

[tridavis]

I do. I use my old Kelty and add up to 40#. Total around 46#. I go anywhere from 4 miles up to 15+. Just depends on how much time I have.

[Datto]

Does anyone else train with weight? How much do you carry? How far?

Yes, I train with weight in a backpack. Sometimes I carry my full contents as if I was heading to a trail, sometimes i use Gatorade water bottles to simulate the weight.

If I can do actual hikes up and down hills on uneven treadway (not sidewalks) while wearing my backpack, I do that. For people who are new to long-distance hiking, this is by far the preferred approach -- and to do those hikes as overnighters regardless of weather, hiking in rain and snow and mud for instance if training for an AT thru-hike.

If I can't do actual hikes for training purposes (such as when I'm busy at work and have limited time but still know that I have an upcoming long-distance hike approaching) I'll load up my backpack with a starting weight of 20 total pounds and get on a treadmill for a 45 minutes session with starting slope of 2%, put the pace at 3.0 mph mph and gradually (over months for instance if I have that luxury) increase the weight to 30 pounds, the slope of the treadmill to 6% as the day of the start of the long-distance hike approaches. When I can get to hauling a 30 pound backpack for 45 minutes up a 6% treadmill slope at 3.0 mph, I know I'm probably physically ready to start a long-distance hike. Note that the uneven treadway of a real long-distance hike adds much more stress and requires much more aerobic capacity than if a person was walking on a smoothed-treadway treadmill. Reason: the backpack sways back and forth and your mind has to work harder sorting out where to step and that takes more energy and aerobic capacity to maintain the same pace.

Sometimes the opportunity to start a long-distance hike comes more quickly than I have time to get into the physical shape I'd like to have so in that case, I'll do two-a-day sessions for 45 minutes on the treadmill with as much weight and slope as I can take for a session.

Mental preparation for a long-distance hike, particularly a person's first long-distance hike, is an entirely different story.


Datto

[rocketsocks]

I too have been training with weight, I started out slow at first just carrying everything I'd bring less, food, water, and extra clothes, then over a period of about a month started carrying the water, food, and clothes. I'm at about 28-36 depending on water brought and food..an a couple luxury items...and i'm feelin pretty good at that weight...still hate them up-hills though, it's like throwing on the breaks, so I take breaks. Slow and steady wins my race.

[rocketsocks]

I too have been training with weight, I started out slow at first just carrying everything I'd bring less, food, water, and extra clothes, then over a period of about a month started carrying the water, food, and clothes. I'm at about 28-36 depending on water brought and food..an a couple luxury items...and i'm feelin pretty good at that weight...still hate them up-hills though, it's like throwing on the breaks, so I take breaks. Slow and steady wins my race.

Oops..forgot the milage...anywhere from 6-12 with the occasional 15-16 miles with pack, this is where I peeked out an knew I was ready to go..and it went well. On my last trip it was my feet the gave me troubles, the rest of me was raring to go...another time!

[staehpj1]

Does anyone else train with weight?

Not me. I like to keep it as fun as possible. To me that means mostly trail running as training. I do sometimes carry my normal on a day hike before long trips just to be sure everything is set up OK, but keep that to a minimum.

[da fungo]

I do something similar, although with not as much weight - yet.

If you want a relatively cheap pack that will carry more weight with ease, consider looking at various military surplus sites and getting a large sized US Army ALICE pack with frame. You could probably find a used genuine setup, or a new "cloned"one, for in the neighborhood of $50.

Two places that I'm familiar with are sportsmangearguide, and majorsurplus. Billings Army Navy Surplus might do, but tends to be expensive.

[DLP]

...don't want to "use up" my good pack.

I go back and forth about this. Sometimes the squeaking and straps always loosening and other "features"of my old external bother me too much and I use my new pristine pack.

Does anyone else train with weight? How much do you carry? How far?

I carry 18 to 25 lbs, 4 to 12 miles. HOWEVER, I'm 55 years old, female, 135 lbs and 5'1.5" (in the morning, on a good day). That kind of info is sort of important...

Plus, even on a solo trip with 5 days of food and 4 liters of water and a bear can, my stuff has never weighed more than 25 lbs.

But if you are willing and able to carry 42 lbs... good job!

[fredmugs]

Never. I don't put on my pack on until I hit the trail. First 30 to 45 minutes are a little tough but then I don't really notice it.