Unprepared Hikers Rescued on Mount Moosilauke in Warren

[Rhody Seth]

Or they just have the nearly limitless energy not to have to care. When I think back to Boy Scout winter campouts, plowing through feet of snow with my Academy Broadway external frame pack hauling a huge Coleman/Browning sleeping bag, old GI “rubber B” as the Scoutmaster called it, gallon jug of water, pounds of hamburger, potatoes, onions, peppers, etc, wearing jeans, cotton longjohns, and snowmobile pants over them, etc, it would explain why snowshoes probably aren’t a thing with many young people.

This is probably closer to the truth. Hell, when I was coming out from Ethan Pond a couple years ago some bros were starting their hike up there. Once guy had two 1 gallon jugs of water slung over him. People make strange choices.

 

[maineguy]

There’s a video about this. It’s basically untrue.

From Backpacker magazine...

https://www.backpacker.com/skills/5-military-rucking-rules-every-backpacker-should-know/

 

[NH2112]

From Backpacker magazine...

https://www.backpacker.com/skills/5-military-rucking-rules-every-backpacker-should-know/

Did you watch the video, or just read the thumbnail?

 

[maineguy]

Did you watch the video, or just read the thumbnail?

I watched the video. He just nitpicks the Army study. Most of the discussion deals with walking with different weight boots/shoes. I think that the claim that boot weight doesn't matter strains credulity. Why do you think hiking boot manufacturers tout their lightweight boots? I used to hike in leather Limmers but eventually switched to lightweight Gortex boots. The difference was stark.

As to the axiom of 1 lb = 5lb, try this: Put 2.5 lb ankle weights on each foot and go work out on a stairmaster ( I used to do this ). Now, don a small pack that weighs 5 lbs and do the same workout. I don't know what the ratio is, but it sure feels like more work with the ankle weights.

As @Lone Stranger points out "the added benefit of giving you legs of steel in preparation for backpacking season is something I guess those folks will never know"

There's a reason you build up those legs of steel, and it's not because they are easier to hike in.

 

[NH2112]

I watched the video. He just nitpicks the Army study. Most of the discussion deals with walking with different weight boots/shoes. I think that the claim that boot weight doesn't matter strains credulity. Why do you think hiking boot manufacturers tout their lightweight boots? I used to hike in leather Limmers but eventually switched to lightweight Gortex boots. The difference was stark.

As to the axiom of 1 lb = 5lb, try this: Put 2.5 lb ankle weights on each foot and go work out on a stairmaster ( I used to do this ). Now, don a small pack that weighs 5 lbs and do the same workout. I don't know what the ratio is, but it sure feels like more work with the ankle weights.

As @Lone Stranger points out "the added benefit of giving you legs of steel in preparation for backpacking season is something I guess those folks will never know"

There's a reason you build up those legs of steel, and it's not because they are easier to hike in.

But the army study clearly demonstrated that a pound on your feet is not 5 on your back, at least not at hiking speeds. Unless you hike at 6+ mph (which I’ve done more than a few times in the army, with anywhere from 50-75lb on my back and often in ankle-deep sand. But 20km in just under 2 hours on asphalt wearing jungle boots was the worst. I could hardly walk for 2 days, and on day 2 we had a ruck march in the Korean mountains for PT.) He’s not saying there’s no difference, just that it’s not 5:1. Why do manufacturers make lightweight footwear now? Because it’s what people want, possibly due to having this “fact” treated as stone tablets from Mt. Sinai. Or because there IS a difference.

To me personally there is no difference, at least not for a lot of miles or when I’m terribly out of shape. I’m 56 now and for the past 39 years I’ve worn combat boots or 8” steel toes at least 5 days a week, plus snowshoes on my heavier winter boots 3-4 times a week. Even with my bad, reduced ROM knees the difference between something like my Oboz Sawtooth shoes and Lowa Camino GTX boots is about as significant as the weight of a pair of liner socks.

 

[Lone Stranger]

I watched the video. He just nitpicks the Army study. Most of the discussion deals with walking with different weight boots/shoes. I think that the claim that boot weight doesn't matter strains credulity. Why do you think hiking boot manufacturers tout their lightweight boots? I used to hike in leather Limmers but eventually switched to lightweight Gortex boots. The difference was stark.

As to the axiom of 1 lb = 5lb, try this: Put 2.5 lb ankle weights on each foot and go work out on a stairmaster ( I used to do this ). Now, don a small pack that weighs 5 lbs and do the same workout. I don't know what the ratio is, but it sure feels like more work with the ankle weights.

As @Lone Stranger points out "the added benefit of giving you legs of steel in preparation for backpacking season is something I guess those folks will never know"

There's a reason you build up those legs of steel, and it's not because they are easier to hike in.

Only a small fraction of the training comes from the weight of the snowshoes. In my experience, the majority of the benefit is from fighting for traction on vertical surfaces. That little slide backwards as you dig in to step up on a climb works all sorts of muscle bits in all sorts of directions on every step. This leads to quads that bounce up mountains under a full pack once the snow is gone.

Totally agree with you about heavy boots though. I stopped wearing my Limmer Standards for backpacking because they weigh too much. Now I have three pairs of Limmer Lightweights that I cycle through and the difference is amazing!