Does anyone know the sort of weight to expect for a packed rucksack that a teenager could carry?
My daughter is off on her Duke of Edinburgh expedition tomorrow and I've helped her get rid of as much excess weight as possible (excess packaging, less clothes etc). But her rucksack still seems very heavy to me, probably because I'm a bit of a weakling! She is telling me not to worry and her rucksack is a proper one with the hip straps etc.
I've looked on the internet for guidance but I can't see any. If anyone does know the weight range that is acceptable, I'd be grateful (and reassured!)
Check the weight of the rucksack first lol. You may find the weight is in the rucksack before the packing. Will look at this topic closely, as Daughter is doing DOE gold now...
Thanks very much for posting. The total weight is about 29 pounds so hopefully OK. Short of ditching the tent poles, there is nothing that will make a big difference at this stage............
Make sure that the straps are properly adjusted to fit her. I know it ever I have to take over carry a rucksack when Ricard's been carring it, and its adjusted for him, the weight seems worse that when the thing is set for me. He is a foot taller than me, and the way thye straps are set makes a heck of a differnce to the way the weight lies on your shuolders and back.
I also think these rucksacks are so heavy empty but I suppose they have to be sturdy. Maybe for her next trip you could google lightweight rucksacks - I think they would be expensive though. Hope all goes well for her, I think it's going to be very hot.
Hope it goes well, shame it is going to be quite as hot as it is today. Makes backpacking hard work, in the hot sun, especially if you are walking across chalkie ground as in the South Downs Way, as the sun reflects back off of it. You long to be walking through a leafie woodland glade. If she drinks lots of water and has got some compeeds with her I'm sure she will be fine. She will look back on it in years to come with fond memories.
You can carry a lot in a properly adjusted rucksack with a hip belt. When the children were small we invested in a good back carrier and carried them till they were about 3 without difficulty. Actually lifting the carrier to get it on you realised how heavy it was, but these things are made to distribute the load properly, and we were really quite impressed by how good it was. Good luck to your daughter!
I think (going back a bit) I was told to put the heavy stuff at the bottom? Otherwise the weight pulls on your back more. Also think you want the straps 'quite' tight so that the rucksack hugs you. again stops the wieght pulling so much.
I check out some hiking type sites, I'm sure theres a 'method' for packing the weight correctly! (Thought the DoE would have some info?)
its a lot of years since I did mine, but it was a 3rd of your body weight, them days it that was 2 1/2 stone. I'd be no good now as that would be about41/2 now. But that was the guide lines we were given then by our leaders. oh those were the days. Mind you the tents are a lot lighter now. I'm assuming that everything is being split up by the group ie, tent cooking equipment food etc. we used to share a tube of toothpaste and the soap etc. as for packing it was the ground mat at the bottom and im sure the heavier stuff towards the top like i say it was a lot of years ago
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Windy jo
Best keep off the baked beans