[pct-l] Body weight vs pack weight

[Reinhold Metzger]

JPL,
I have a problem with your "application".
You say for two guys of the same height, one weighing 160 lb, the other
170 lb, the max. pack weight for the 160 lb guy would be 40 lb (160x25%)
while the max. pack weight for the 170 lb guy, since he already carries
10 lb excess body weight would be 30 lb.

I have a problem with that.
What if the 160 lb guy is a soft flabby out of shape weakling who never
hiked a mile and the 170 lb guy is a hunk of muscles marathon runner and
hard core backpacker?

According to your argument the 160 lb weakling should be carrying a
heavier pack than the 170 lb hunk of muscles.

Seems to me it should be the other way around.

Extra body weight does not need to be fat and a liability...it can be
muscles and a advantage.

JMT Reinhold
..........................

JPL wrote:
I agree, it's not, or shouldn't be, a strict rule.  My application is this:
Take your height, and find the "normal" weight for that gender, height and
age.  The 25% should be based on that weight.  Say that weight for you is
160 pounds, then your max pack weight is 25% x 160 or 40 pounds.  But say
that you actually weigh 170 pounds.  Then you're already carrying 10 pounds
of "excess" weight, so I would subtract that from your max pack weight to
get 30 pounds.
...........................

-----Original Message-----
From: Reinhold Metzger
Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2016 1:45 PM
To: PCT
Subject: [pct-l] Body weight vs pack weight

This body weight vs pack weight needs to be treated with a grain of salt.
Physical condition, age and gender also play a big role.

For example....a 170 lb male marathon runner & hardcore backpacker, in
superb
condition, probably would struggle less and expend less energy skip hopping
down the trail with a 30 lb than a 175 lb grossly overweight and out of
shape
housewife who has never hiked, struggling down the trail with a 25 lb pack.

In my prime, at 165 lb, I usually hauled 55-65 lb  even 75-85 lb packs
without
a problem while some bigger guys were struggling, and probably expending
more energy, with much lighter packs.

JMT Reinhold



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