Backpacking Calorie Calculator

Whether you are preparing for a mountain hike, long-distance trekking, or just a short multi-day trip, backpacking usually means you will carry a load along the way. While wearing a backpack and walking for miles through the mountains, uneven terrain, and steep paths, one question naturally comes to mind:

"How many calories does this hiking or walking burn while carrying a backpack?"

We have prepared a backpacking calorie calculator to help you understand how many calories you burn while carrying a backpack and to better prepare for your journey.

What Are Backpacking Calories?

It simply means how much energy your body burns while hiking or walking with a backpack.

You burn a lot of energy because:

• You are carrying extra weight and covering long distances.
• Inclines and uneven surfaces make your leg muscles work harder.
• Your body weight and intensity also affect how much energy you burn.

How to Use the Backpacking Calorie Calculator?

We make backpacking calorie calculation easier with our calculator; you just need to enter the required values in the input fields:

• Body Weight: Enter your body weight, and you can switch units between kg and pounds.
• Duration: How long you are hiking or walking while carrying a backpack.
• Pack & Terrain: Choose the pack and terrain option that determines the MET value.
• Backpacking MET (optional): This input is auto‑filled by the pack & terrain selection option, but you can enter any desired MET value. One MET represents resting or sitting quietly, while higher METs values indicate that you are performing intense physical activity. See the table below for reference.

How to calculate calories for backpacking

No matter whether you are running, walking, or hiking with a backpack, calories burned are estimated using METs (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) and stndard a MET-based formula. Here is what it mean:

• MET: A MET is a scientific unit used to measure physical activity intensity. For example, resting or sitting quietly equals 1 MET, while slow walking can reach about 3 METs.

Backpacking calories calculation formula

Here is the MET-based formula:

Calories Burned = MET × Body Weight (kg) × Duration (hours)

Where:

• MET — depending on the backpack weight and intensity.
• Body Weight — your body mass in kg
• Duration — how long you walk or hike while carrying backpack

Take an real-world example into consideration to understand it clearly.

1. Determine your body weight e.g., 78 kg, hiking with backpack duration e.g., 4 hours, and pack load intensity e.g., Overnight (7.5 MET).
2. Next, let's apply the formula to obtain the calories burned:
   • Calories Burned = MET × Body Weight (kg) × Duration (hours)
   • Calories = 7.5 × 78 × 4 = 2,340 kcal

This means that the person burned around 2,340 calories in one hiking session.

How Many Calories Should You Eat While Backpacking?

You should eat more calories than usual because backpacking burns a significant amount of energy. On average, you should eat around 3,000 to 6,000 calories per day, depending on your body weight, pace, intensity, and pack weight.

Look at the table as a rough estimate:

Don't miss food planning becuase your body demands a high calories intake during a backpacking trip, otherwise it, can affect your performance and wellness.