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Backpacking Calorie Calculator

Last Updated: Dec 12, 2025

MET

kcal

Created by
Saqib Hanif
Saqib Hanif

Saqib Hanif is the CEO and founder of Calculator Value. He builds calculators and educational content across sports, math, and science, and supports a limited set of construction-related calculators. Read full profile

Backpacking Calories Burned uses a simple, research-based MET approach similar to the Hiking and Rucking calculators. It focuses on being easy to use while staying in line with published backpacking energy ranges.

Core Formula

  • Calories: Calories ≈ MET × weight(kg) × time(hours)

Backpacking MET Levels

  • Day hike – light pack, mostly gentle trail: ~6.0 MET
  • Overnight – typical pack, rolling terrain: ~7.5 MET
  • Multi-day – heavy pack on steeper terrain: ~9.0 MET

By default, the calculator uses these preset MET levels based on your pack & terrain choice. Advanced users can optionally enter their own backpacking MET value to override the preset.

Example Calculation

Body weight 180 lb (≈ 81.6 kg), 6 hours, “Overnight – typical pack, rolling terrain” (~7.5 MET):

Calories ≈ 7.5 × 81.6 × 6 ≈ 3,672 kcal

Interpretation and Limitations

  • Results are mid-range estimates; individual burn can vary (~±20%) with pace, elevation profile, temperature, fitness, and how heavy the actual pack is.
  • Use this as a planning tool for trail nutrition and energy needs, not as a medical or clinical device.
  • Very technical routes, altitude, or ultra-heavy loads can sit above the “Multi-day” category shown here.
  • Industry-Standard Formulas: The formulas and methods used in this calculator follow widely accepted standards in Sports.
  • Careful Verification: The calculator is tested to ensure it behaves correctly across a range of inputs.
  • Continuous Updates: The calculator is updated as needed to reflect better accuracy and usability.
Sources:

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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.
two person hiking while carrying backpack

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:

Backpacking TypeTypical Duration & LoadEstimated Calories Burned
Light day tripShort hike, light pack2,500 to 3,500 kcal
Normal overnight hike1–2 days, moderate pack3,000 to 4,500 kcal
Multi-day heavy packSeveral days, heavy pack4,000 to 6,000 kcal

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Many Extra Calories Do You Burn Carrying a Backpack?

Carrying a backpack can increase your calorie burn by around 20 to 60 percent, or roughly 50 to 200 extra calories per hour, depending on pace and pack weight.