How to walk with a heavy rucksack ?

[Dafool]

Hi, I know I should be posting this on a hikers forum, but I don't have enough time. Tomorrow I'm going on a 55 km long walk across a mountain with a 30kg rucksack.

I know that carrying a heavy thing on your back for such a distance can damage your back. So my question is: how are you supposed to walk with a heavy rucksack on your back ?

 

any other tips on how to adjust it and such will be greatly appreciated, since this is my first hike.

[mcnuggets]

1.) Obviously boots for a pack that big

2.) If you can, get some trekking poles, if not use some sort of walking stick.

3.) Do what you can to get rid of as much weight as possible. Why are you carrying so much? How many days are you going to be out there?

 

Honestly a big problem with people new to hiking is that they carry too much because they think they'll need everything they use. Go through your pack (or post your gearlist here) and see if you're really going to need this or if it'll just be dead weight. Just a few rules of thumb here. Everyday that you're out there you need ~ 2 lbs (or ~1 kg) of food. You should really only be carrying dried food. So no canned baked beans, canned soups or anything of that nature. Things like Ramen soup, trail mix, and Snicker's bars (aka the poor man's energy bar) you should be carrying. Also, unless you're hiking in desert conditions, you really only need to carry 1 L of water. Water is heavy. 1 L = 1 kg so it adds up. When you do get to your next water source you should "camel up". As in down a L or water and then fill it up again. On that note always remember to stay hydrated. Force yourself to drink water. Being dehydrated is no fun (take it from me). You can replace your water pump (if you have one) with a small contacts dispenser with bleach. Cleans water just as well and it doesn't weigh more than 1 oz. You really only need 1 extra pair of clothes, at most. You're going to be wearing the same clothes everyday (unless they become wet) and you're going to stink so no real sanitary products are needed (aside from TP of course and a small bit of alcohol based hand soap to clean up after you've done your business. Must be done everytime and before you eat. This is the main source of transmission of Giardia). Ditch the deodorant. I'll keep them coming.

[RSM]

Baby wipes are always good for keeping bacteria at bay so you don't reek that bad.

 

Something I remember from DoE is to pack you light bulky items into the bottom of your pack (ie sleeping bag and spare clothes) and small heavy stuff toward the top of your pack, its something to do with the load being more manageable with the heavy part of the pack high than low...reminds me, on adjustment I prefer to have my packs done so the thing sits a bit high on my back by tightening the straps up, you don't want them loose anyway otherwise its gonna either ride down your back and around to give you bergen burns or simply lean away from you can cause strain

 

I personally don't see anything wrong with carrying tinned food as people have been doing it for years but there are lighter alternatives, but the key thing is to eat something with complex carbs before and during the trek oats and bananas are meant to be good for this sort of thing

 

One tip not related to the pack but trekking in general is to try and keep your feet dry, any rubbing inside your boots with water soaked skin will start to strip it off painfully, but theres a difference between them being a bit damp and soaked through. The only other thing I can think of is to go at a pace you can maintain otherwise you can probably see what happens if you try to rush.

[mcnuggets]

Oh yeah, avoid cotton. Only wear synthetics and wool. Cotton holds onto water too much where as synthetics moves the water away from your skin.

[amateurstuntman]

35 miles over mountain terrain with 66 lbs on your back and no walking experience.

 

You are going to die.

 

Are you going to do it in one go?

I am 6'2'' 100kilos and I was in the army, I am currently a postie and carrying things is my bread and butter and I would balk at the tab you have lined up.

 

Are you camping over night?

That makes the walk easier but makes your admin harder.

Don't use the alcohol based soap if you can avoid it, it dries out your skin and when you are in the field for a length of time your skin will crack and dirt will penetrate your skin and cause you some pain.

 

Swarfega wipes if you contact oil or make up removal wipes if you don't are better.

 

Wear pants like cycle pants without the chamois to prevent chafing.

Wear comfortable boots but take plenty of granuflex or compeed patches for the blisters you will get.

 

Don't wear jeans, anything but jeans.

 

If you are camping get the others to share the weight of the tent.

They will be happier with you being honest than holding them up later.

 

 

All that said, if you have little enough experience to be asking for advice on an airsoft forum the day before you leave you are going to suffer.

 

If you can get them, buy some pantyliners, put one in each boot and use them to cover the parts of your back that your bergen rubs on.

[Curious]

The ruck sack you are using is vital - get as much of the load onto your hips as possible, before you leave, make sure your bag is set up - straps etc done to perfect comfortability, as they will make a hell of a difference.

 

Dom

[Desolation mkII]

Yeah, post us a kitlist.

 

Even I don't carry that much stuff and I am known for being a bit massochist and carrying much more than is nessecery, as well as camera kit.

 

But good boots and good socks are absolutely vital. Take at least a spare change of socks and go to a camping shop and buy one thick wooly pair and one thin pair (they will know what you mean). Also, buy some zinc tape, it costs F*** all but is fairly good for stopping blisters. You stick it on your feet where they are likely to blister (heels, ancles etc)

 

As Ameteurstuntman said, you are really going to struggle carrying all that wight.

 

*Edited because I remembered how to spell masochist.*

 

Edit 2: Didn't explain what Zinc tape did.

[Cyber Soldier]

put sanitary towels on the area where the straps come in contact with your shoulders. Also lean forward when you walk, particularly when going down hill, if you lean back when on a downward gradient your feet will slip out from under you.

[Desolation mkII]

A tip I was tought in the TA, if you forget padding for your shoulders, chop a square off your sleeping mat and put it where it is rubbing.

 

Also, your sleeping mat doesn't need to goall the way to your feet. It is your torso, *albartroth* and head that loose the most heat, so you can chop a portion (~50Cm) off the bottom of your sleeping mat to make it more compact and easier to carry.

[Dafool]

Here we go,

 

1. Tent.

2. Sleeping bag.

3. sleeping mat

4. one toilet papper roll

5. one towel (light camping towel, weighs next to nothing)

6. Two liters of water

7. 10 packs of noodles

8. camping stove

9. bag of crisps

10.bag of sweets

11. Cake (love cake)

12. Knife

13. Compass

14. Map

15. two tobacco pipes

16. coybow hat

17. Warm hat.

18. jacket

19. Two T-shirts (synthetic material)

20. 6 socks

21. 4 pairs of pants

22. soap, toothbrush, toothpaste

23. helosan, in case the hands go dry

24. Tweecers

25 Toe Nail clipers

26. Matches

27. Two lighters

28. Thermos with hot water

29. two torches, one powerful one and one weak one. (The strong one last for only 30 min, the weak one lasts forever.

30. sewing kit

31. G.I m90 military trousers

32. Leather boots.

 

And that's about it. BTW, the rucksack im using is heavly padded.

 

 

It's going to be a slow walk with alot of breaks and talk, we expect to spend 3 days buggering about in the forest.

[toyboy]

Unless you've got some extremely heavy kit, I'd be very surprised it that lot weighed 30kg. The only major thing that I would take out is the thermos, they're heavy, and if you need hot water, you have a stove.

There are plenty of other things there that you can live without, it's just up to you whether you want luxury or not.

When I did 10 tors last year (45 miles in 2 days), my bag weighed 8kg, plus water, and that was everything I needed to survive comfortably.

 

Graham

[mightyjebus]

looking at the list the 2 heaviest items seem to be the tent and the sleeping bag. it might be worth using a bivvie bag and getting a lightweight sleeping bag. the snugpak range are light and good quality. If you can't get them I would suggest getting most of the weight onto your hips. pack the heavest items at the bottom of the bag and wear the strap around your waist if the rucksack has it.

I wouldn't be too worried about your back to be honest I would be more worried about your feet. wear two pairs of socks. I light pair as inners and one heavy set for outers. This will stop blisters.

Make sure your trousers don't chaff. baggy military types are the best but you really need to consider your underwear. For long tabs i use jockey shorts as i find that i get no chaffing with them.

One last thing make sure your rucksack is tight to your bady and tape off the buckles to stop them coming loose. Any movement of the rucksack will cause chaffing especially on the shoulders so make sure its tight.

[Dafool]

Cool, thanks loads ! I'm sure I'll make it now, I managed to take down some of the weight of it as well. The sleeping bag is Kathmandu, a really really good sleeping bag.

[joeking27]

55k in 3 days isn't too bad, your biggest problem is water. One of the first signs of dehydration is feeling tired. Once that happens, you're stuffed.

 

You also need to keep energy levels up. Mars bars, kendall mint cake. Chew on them as you walk.

 

You've got a lot of stuff on there you won't need, or can do without. I don't think you're quite at the stage of chopping the end off a toothbrush to cut the weight down just yet though.

 

Also, bin liner to line your bag, and everything is in plastic bags. Take spares.

 

edit: if you can, walk a short distance with your kit before you go. Then get rid of a third of it.

[RSM]

Something I always do out of habit regardless wether I end up needing em or not, take a medkit with a full pack of ibuprofen, dyralyte (rehydrating powder) and Immodium if you somehow go down the shiz, you're going to want the last two especially to reduce any dehydration through excretion _if_ it happens

 

Boiled sweets (barley sugar or fruity ones) are also good for sugar boosts on the move and they don't make as much a mess as chocolate, just don't get Murray Mints or anything minty in fact as the mint oil has a laxative effect...I learnt that the hard way a few years ago >_<

 

Oh, and be sure your boots are broken in...otherwise thats more unpleasantness

[Chimpy]

Someone mentioned them in passing but trekking poles are brilliant and will make the trip considerably more comfortable.

 

Do a few practice miles to make sure everything is setup right.

[ColDaz]

COMPEED. My god how I love compeed.

[starburst]

Whats compeed?

 

Anyone know of any good hikers guides/websites/forums?

[RSM]

Google tells me compeed is a anti blister treatment thats like these new 'second skin gel' plasters that are coming out here and there

[starburst]

Ahh, thanks, should have checked google but at that time I had just woke up (is that sad that the first thing I did was come on Arnies) and am ill with some throat infection/flu thing that my gfs had.

 

Will have to check out that hydrate powder you mentioned, so far Ive been looking into the hi5/go gells/powder/drinks which you either eat, mix or dilute with water, seem to do the same job whilst giving you an energy boost.

[luap666]

*fruitcage* you could cut that gear by half, and get some hoodia, works for me every time, cuts your food intake.

[billymak]

A late reply really, but I can't help it.

 

I hate to sound completely unhelpful, but here I go:

 

You must have some walking experience before doing anything longer than a day, to be honest. But if anyone going with you is experienced, they have an immediate responsibility in looking after anyone less so. At least that's what I think. We don't go out there to show off and compete...

 

Aside from making sure the packing order, weight of the top and bottom of your pack and the weight balance of the pack are what suits your body's needs, there isn't much else to talk about.

 

One word of advice through my own experience is that you really have to "learn how to take the first few steps" and try and get used to it, because if you struggle and don't adapt when you're fresh, you'll end up doing something really wrong when you're tired.

 

Be aware of how everything feels on your first mile [more like stay awake for the entire journey...]. Expect to find yourself completely knackered and have a pocket that's easy to reach to keep important stuff in... like snack food, small bottle of drink aside your main bottle and even a whistle.

 

You could be a supersoldier and a gold medal boxer, but nothing will prevent accidents from happening completely. You are expected to know about the common injuries out there.

 

=======

 

Nutrition before and during the hike is also an issue, but not "entirely" important. Stay balanced and simple, and if you're really concerned about weight, avoid cans.

 

If you've not tried a fancy sports drink or health food til now, it's too late and it's best to stick with what you've got. You don't want to get the *suitcases* when you're up there. Some modified carb/maltodextrose/protein fancy pants product you've never tried is not going to do that much good if you rush everything.

 

Note I'm being pessimistic simply to bring about awareness.

 

Eat "proper" and traditional food before setting off, like pasta and lots of bread... white meat has more protein than red meat, so try that. You want to keep a lot of slow-release energy inside you the 2-3 days before going.

 

The sleep pattern must be regulated - but that is getting silly now.

 

=======

 

Put simply - get used to everything you're taking with you. That includes any new "toy", food and even walking buddies and the environment. Literally try to look up the area on the web or speak to people that have been through the area you're headed.

 

If you fancy a hard trek to end with some luxury, you can always aim for a fast and tough hike up a mountain for the day and come back down to a village that has a nice Hotel to "heal the wounds" and rally the troops.

 

Some of the guys that done DofE gold a year before my classmates did just that - by planning a route that shoots up snowdon and winds back down into a nearby town that had a pub, swimming pool and a B+B and everything. Even a postie, phonebox and all...

 

Foresight is the closest thing man can come, to being 'invincible'.

[mcnuggets]

15. two tobacco pipes

 

You can make do with one.

 

16. coybow hat

 

Big and bulky. If you like it take it but I think a baseball cap would be better.

 

20. 6 socks

21. 4 pairs of pants

 

Assuming you are using synthetics you'll only need two pairs of each. If you're using rain pants you can get away with one pair of pants.

 

29. two torches, one powerful one and one weak one. (The strong one last for only 30 min, the weak one lasts forever.

 

Like road torches? Or like flashlights? LED headlamps or flashlights are amazingly efficient and light. Something to consider.

 

 

I'd also bring some Snickers bars and also some duct tape (zinc tape?) along. If you blister up you can just throw some of it right on and it helps to reduce friction. Also, as someone said before, get some dress socks and wear them in between your woolen socks, your feet will thank you.

[Desolation mkII]

I wouldn't advise cutting down on pants. If your inner thighs chaff then you don't want to be wearing filthy underwear or you will risk getting a horrible infection.

[starburst]

I think they mean the American word for pants, which in their language means the same thing as trousers in ours