When was the last time you humped a heavy load.....if ever....???

[jake abraham]

six years ago hiked in about three miles with a 75# pack wouldn't want to that now

[farmerjane]

I have actually thought about this recently after reading a book "Lights Out". While I am pretty strong from working on the farm, I am use to alot of heavy lifting. But should a situation arise in a "bug out" type senero, I worry what my endurance would be. No problem lifting and tugging around on heavy items for a short period of time, but wonder if I could handle it for a long journey on foot. Looking seriously into some type of endurence workout.....in my spare time, which it seems like I never have any "spare".

[h3nchm3n81]

I haven't humped a pack since my Marine Corps days. Recently, however, I have started to exercise again. I was quickly starting to resemble the Pillsbury doughboy and my last annual checkup with the doc he poked me in the stomach and said "Well, I'm too polite to call you a 'fatboy' but.....". So I took the hint and started walking, then running and now I'm throwing muscle training/workouts into the mix.

For you people who are talking about not being as surefooted as once you were. One of the things that I've noticed recently is that my balance, coordination, flexibility and mobility have all increased. I'm not saying that I'm as spry as I was in my early 20's but the exercise has most definitely helped.

Not to mention, I feel good! I have more energy, normal tasks don't tire me out and I've been roughhousing with my kids again. I figure I'm about 2 weeks from passing a Marine Corps PFT again (the running I can do, its those pesky sit-ups and pull-ups that hurt so much more than they used to). After that I'm ramping up training and going to go for a Tough Mudder competition.

Anyway, for those of you who aren't spring chickens anymore and are worried about your ability to "bug out" or deal with the stresses of emergency situations I recommend making the time to exercise. Don't expect to be he-man overnight. I started out walking a mile or two and gradually increased it. I'm now running 3 miles cross country (350ft elevation) every day.

[Old GI]

My heavy ruck years were a long time ago. Normal was 30-60 but on two occasions it was a lot heavier - first was a static line jump into the Uwharrie National Forest (125-135 pounds) and the other was a military freefall for testing at Yuma (rigged out at 350 pounds suspended weight; that makes the ruck about about 170). Neither of these went well (but not the place for jump stories).

Nowadays, my bride does the heavy lifting.

[Winnie]

This morning I carried 30lbs+ (3 loads) wet washing 1/4 mile to my nieces, to hang on her washing line. (I don't have outside space for one) does that count? It weighed about 10lbs on the journey home this afternoon

[wildWoman]

Apart from carrying water to the cabin every day (2 buckets @ 20l = 80lbs) and assorted chores of getting stuff from A to B (sheets of OSB, a roll of roofing, a few logs), there's the much-hated Unloading Of The Boat about 4x/summer - carrying all that stuff (like triple-paned windows, 80lbs bags of soil for the garden, Rubbermaid totes filled with canned milk and fruit, bags of dog food, boxes of nails new deep-cycle batteries etc etc etc). Oh, and in September the moose quarters...
If it's calm and we can pull in in front of the cabin, it's just a 150 yards uphill to the cabin, if we have to unload in the bay, it's about 400 yards up and down and all around. I'm sure our arms have lengthen an average of 2" per year out here.

[kyratshooter]

And there are those of us that, no matter how guilty for being out of shape or unmanly for lack of upper body strength, are allowed to be concerned over our lack of pack mule ability.

Yes I once carried 70 pound packs on a regular basis, lifted 100 pounds easily and installed window AC units alone just to show off. Due to that stupidity I have suffered three back surgeries. I have been under orders not to show such stupidness since 1988. I have ignored that advice at least twice, hince surgeries number two and three!

There will be no surgery number 4! I am inoperable and presently untreatable except for application of pain meds.

If you guys persist in these follies you will be too.

"Back in the day" the old time Voyagers were famous for the loads they portaged to earn their paycheck. No one speaks about their most common cause of death being strangulated hernias!

Can we get a little help over here, this 12 pack is over my limit!

[hunter63]

...........
Can we get a little help over here, this 12 pack is over my limit!

Bang down a couple right out of the truck....makes it lighter.....Doesn't weigh as much...and you care less about the weight.

[finallyME]

At 16, I did a 50 mile backpack with my scout troop. I didn't go under 65. We kept taking stuff from our old leaders so they would walk faster. In the military, I carried some heavy stuff, but it was only from the tent to the truck, or a few times, less than mile. Even in training we didn't go over 50. I wasn't infantry. As a dad, I have had two kids on my back, each around 30 lbs, so I know what 60 lbs feels like with one in a backpack, and another on your shoulders (not comfortable). This coming weekend, I am taking 4 of my kids backpacking. Two of them will only be carrying a small bag with a few snack, water, whistle, etc. The other two will carry their sleeping bags and clothes only. I will have to carry everything else. I will be sure to weigh the pack before I leave.

[Winter]

Heaviest pack I've carried since military games was 50 lbs or thereabouts.

You have to train your shoulders and back to carry heavy loads by, you guessed it, carrying heavy loads.

[Wildthang]

My backpack weighs around 35 pounds, and that is all I would want to carry for hiking. I have a good back but one knee bothers me sometimes.

[Rick]

Get that weight down on your hips, off your shoulders and back, and it will haul much easier. Use the shoulders to balance the load rather than carry it. If I had to rely on shoulders to carry weight I'd have to stay in the Lazy Boy....which reminds me.....

Ky speaks the gospel on abusing your back. Just because you are young, tough and stupid there is a price to pay for the abuse...and you will pay it. If you herniate a disk you'll get to find out what sciatica is like, what numb toes feel like and what it's like to no longer be able to lift your foot. It ain't for the faint of heart. And it can be permanent even if you have the disc repaired.

[wholsomback]

Well when I was in the USMC I could go for days with my heavy packs,but that was twenty years ago.Two bad knees,back injuries,and surgery for lung cancer has put a hamper on most of that but I can still drag a deer or hog to a 4 wheeler.Years of abuse make things harder so don't work harder work smarter.

Sleds,and 4 wheelers and horses are better than humpin it in.Call me lazy,but you work what you have.Improvise,overcome and adapt.

[kyratshooter]

I have decided to pull the empty 55 Gallon drums into the wilderness with my small sled.

Sourdough, don't you think it's time to consider a new snow machiene?

I would not even consider operating the homeplace without my Wheel Horse or its equil. That rig and it's trailer save my butt on a daily basis. Without it there are simply a lot of necessary tasks that I would never get done, from moving firewood around, to mowing, towing downed brush, moving lumber and concrete and dozens of other simple tasks my back can no longer tolerate.

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In addition, as a 1973 model, it is my EMP proof vehicle. After the apocolipse I will put a lawn chair in the trailer and hire out as taxi service.

[wholsomback]

Or use it as a generator

[Kamel]

Bang down a couple right out of the truck....makes it lighter.....Doesn't weigh as much...and you care less about the weight.

haha, so true

[wareagle69]

yesterday,carried 50 lbs of water and 50 lbs of hose up the side of a mountain to fight a bush fire, getting old tho,was out of breath by the time i got up there

[Rick]

"Dispatch, this is 21. I need a check on a Kentucky plate. It's a red '73 Wheelhorse. I clocked him at 8 mph in a 5 mph zone."

[1stimestar]

The last time I had a load too heavy for me was on a multi day back packing trip. Going up and then going down mountains with a load puts pressure wear and tear on different places then normal. Here is what I got from that trip. I ended up covering it with duct tape to make it back out. I also had blisters on the ends of my big toes, one going under the nail even. That sucked.
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[Rick]

Part of your problem, IMHO, is how you tied your boots. I'm sure the added weight chimed in but changing the tie between uphill and downhill will pay dividends on where pressure is applied to your foot. It also has the added benefit of accommodating the feet as they swell. I'm surprised your toes weren't bruised as well as blistered. That's a nasty one on your heal. I'm sure that was a miserable hike.

See if either of these will help:

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ght=feet+swell

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ght=feet+swell