This backpacking calculator is a more comprehensive version of the Simple Thru-Hiking Calories Burned Calculator I built for my hiking nutrition and calorie calculator series.
How Does This Backpacking Calculator Work?
Calculating Basal Energy Expenditure
Like my other calculators, it’s based on the basic basal energy equations for men and women found in the nutrition science and medical literature. I found my basal energy equations in the article ‘An Easy Approach to Calculating Estimated Energy Requirements‘ by Shirley Gerrior, PhD, RD, WenYen Juan, PhD, and Basiotis Peter, PhD, published in the CDC’s medical journal, Preventing Chronic Disease, 2006 Oct; 3(4): A129, with a PubMed ID number of PMCID: PMC1784117 and PMID: 16978504. But they are really just standard energy equations you can find anywhere in the literature.
Use of METs in Backpacking Calorie Calculator To Account for Elevation Gain
Also similar to my other calculators, this one is based on the METs published on the Compendium of Physical Activities (CPA) webpage. These METs are numeric metabolism multipliers assigned to different activities. For example, walking less than 2 miles per hour has a MET score of 2, or you are expending twice the amount of energy you would lying perfectly still; while walking walking up a hill with a 6 to 15% grade at a speed of 3 to 3.5mph has a MET score of 8.
Backpack Weight in the Calculator
Because the CPA does publish different METs for given weight loads, while walking up a hill, I was able to define linear relationships between these METs and hiking pack weights, then generalize these to fit multiple hiking conditions. Thus you can enter your pack weight on my calculator to get a more custom calorie burn count for your trail.
Other Related Backpacking Calories Burned Calculators
I’ve also built one other backpacking calculator for thru-hiking that gives you a total daily calorie count, based on your sex, age, height, weight, pack weight, and sleep hours for a particular day.
Men’s Thru-Hiking Calories Calculator
Women’s Thru-Hiking Calories Calculator
Assumptions
Like my other calculators, the assumptions are as follows:
- The hiker is 18 or older
- The hiker is properly dressed for the trail and weather
- The hiker has no inflammatory conditions that affect their basal energy rate
Limitations of the Backpacking Calculator
The calculator assumes you will walk at a pace of around 2 to 2.5 miles per hour (unless otherwise indicated in the options for faster walking times). If you walk at a more leisurely pace of 1 to 1.5 miles per hour then the calculator will over estimate your calories burned. Thus when planning a hike, you should enter number of minutes spent on a particular trail condition as were you going to tackle that condition at 2 to 2.5 miles per hour.
Backpacking Calculator Frequently Asked Questions
How Does Backpack Weight Affect Calories Burned When Hiking?
The heavier the weight of your backpack, the more calories you will burn. For example a 30 year old man that is 5’9″, and weighs 154 pounds will burn 1,500 calories on a 6 hour hike with a variety of terrain, if he carries a backpack with no weight to it. But if he fills his backpack with 30 pounds of gear, that same hike will burn 2,000 calories.
How Many Calories Does a 5 Mile Hike Burn?
A man will burn around 650 calories on a 5 mile hike with a variety of terrain. A woman will burn around 540 calories on a 5 mile hike with a variety of terrain. However if these hikers elect to carry a 25 pound backpack with them, then their calorie counts go up to 810 calories for the man, and 680 calories for the woman.
There is also a range for each hiker, depending on their age, weight, and height. A shorter, lighter, older man will burn 550 calories with no pack, and 690 calories with a pack, while a younger, taller, heavier man will burn 780 calories with no pack, and 985 pounds with one. A shorter, lighter, older woman will burn 440 calories with no pack, and 550 calories with a pack, while a younger, taller, heavier woman will burn 650 calories with no pack, and 810 pounds with one.
How Many Calories Are Burned Hiking Uphill for 1 Hour?
The number of calories burned hiking uphill for 1 hour is 370 calories for a typical man, and 280 calories for the typical woman. However if they were to carry a 25 pound backpack, then those numbers go up to 465 and 355 calories respectively, according to the backpacking calculator.
Further Reading
I also have day hiking calculators using these trail parameters at Day Hiking, Light Pack Calories Burned on the Trail Calculator, and Day Hiking, Light Pack Total Daily Energy Needs Calculator.