The pack weight stat that completely changed my gear setup

I always thought my 35 pound base weight was fine since I'm not a hardcore ultralight hiker. Then last month I saw a post breaking down how every extra pound on your back adds roughly 8 pounds of force on your knees per mile. I did the math for a 10 mile day and realized I was putting an extra 2,400 pounds of shock through my joints every single hike. That number from a biomechanics study linked in the comments made me swap out my old tent and sleeping bag within a week. Has anyone else found one random stat that made them totally redo their pack?

2 comments

2 Comments

brooke_murray1d ago

Wait did you actually feel the difference in your knees after swapping that gear out, or was it more about the peace of mind? Cause I feel like the mental weight of knowing that stat would mess with my head every time I hit a climb. Also what did you end up switching to for the tent and bag, just curious if you went full cuben fiber or found a middle ground that didn't break the bank?

robin8961d ago

My old tent was 6 pounds and I swapped to a trekking pole style that cut it down to 2.8, plus a quilt instead of a bag saved another 2 pounds. The next 10 mile day I did, my knees felt noticeably less achy on the downhills, and even my pace picked up on the climbs. That stat made me realize I was carrying a whole extra gallon of water in gear weight for no reason, so now I weigh everything before it goes in the pack.