Is my pack too heavy?
Every guideline for carrying weight is a fraction of body weight. These are the absolute numbers for a 75 kg adult.
Full load
12 kg — closest reference: ultralight backpacking at 11 kg.
Reference figures are measurements and are rounded; the unit conversion behind them is exact.
| Reference | Size | Yours ÷ theirs | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| school bag guidance | 7.5 kg | 1.6× | 10% of body weight |
| day hike | 9 kg | 1.33× | |
| ultralight backpacking | 11 kg | 1.09× | |
| multi-day hiking limit | 15 kg | 0.8× | 20% of body weight |
| military fighting load | 22 kg | 0.545× | |
| military approach load | 32 kg | 0.375× |
Worth knowing
- Every kilogram on your back costs roughly 1% more energy per kilometre — and a kilogram on your feet costs about five times that.
- Paediatric guidance puts school bags at no more than 10% of body weight; surveys routinely find children carrying 15–20%.
Frequently asked
How heavy should a hiking pack be?
Under 20% of body weight for multi-day trips including food and water, and under 10% for a day hike. Ultralight hikers target a base weight — everything but food, water and fuel — under 4.5 kg.
Does where the weight sits matter?
Considerably. Weight held high and close to the spine costs far less energy than the same weight low and away from it, which is why pack loading advice is so specific.
How to read this
Guidance percentages are applied to a 75 kg adult. Scale them to your own weight for your own numbers.