If you weigh 150 pounds, your backpack should not exceed 15 pounds for hiking. An oft-repeated rule of thumb in the hiking community is that your backpack should not exceed around 20% of your body weight. At 115 pounds (52 kg), that means my backpack shouldn’t weigh more than 23 pounds (10 kg), which means I need to be very careful when considering whether to bring along the camping coffee maker, the extra base layer, or the Snickers bar (I’d opt for the latter, of course). My girlfriend Kelly is four inches taller than me and weighs 170 pounds, the average weight of a US woman, according to
the CDC.
So she would be able to carry 34 pounds or 77 extra Snickers bars under this rule if she had a big enough backpack. According to the survey, you should keep to 16 to 25% of your total body weight when backpacking. Any backpack over 35 pounds was generally considered too heavy for both men and women backpacking long distances. The reason is that when hiking, your load includes the weight of your backpack, everything in it, and your body
.
However, there were some hikers who insisted that between 50 and 60 pounds is doable for shorter hikes or if you’re in shape. In most cases, moisture-wicking materials are the better garments for hiking and backpacking. Of course, it is important that the backpack is properly packed and adapted to your body. You want to get fit for the hike before you go on a long hike with a heavy backpack, but you also don’t need to panic if your backpack is a few pounds heavier than planned, especially if you’re going on a shorter hike. You need to figure out what works for you — but if you’re inexperienced, take on 16-25% of your body weight and you should be okay
in the end.
Of course, you can always prepare yourself for your backpacking trip by taking on smaller hikes with your full backpack.