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Pack weight percent

Pack divided by body weight

Pack weight as a percent of body weight is a comparison hikers use when they talk about a load. This page divides the pack by the body weight and multiplies by 100. Both numbers have to be in the same unit. Pounds with pounds, or kilograms with kilograms. There is no conversion, and there is no recommended percent.

Inputs

Result

Fill in the fields and press Calculate.

Disclaimer: A percent of two weights. It is not a packing recommendation.

How to use

  1. Weigh the pack the way you will carry it, including water and food if those are part of the load you care about.
  2. Enter body weight in that same unit.
  3. Press Calculate. The hero is the percent.
  4. The pack-weight page on this site splits base weight, consumables, and worn gear. This page only does the percent.

How it's calculated

Percent = pack ÷ body × 100.

No unit conversion is applied. Mixing pounds and kilograms will look precise and be wrong.

Worked example

A 25-pound pack on a 180-pound hiker is 25 ÷ 180 × 100, about 13.9 percent. The same numbers in kilograms are the same percent. A 30-pound pack on the same hiker is about 16.7 percent.

Assumptions

One pack weight and one body weight, same unit. The page does not say what percent you should carry. Comfort, distance, and terrain are not inputs.

FAQ

What percent should I carry?

This page will not pick one. It only divides the two weights you typed.

Should food and water be in the pack number?

Include them if you want the percent of the load on your back. Leave them out if you want a base-weight comparison. The pack-weight page is where those piles are separated.

Can I enter kilograms?

Yes, for both fields. Do not mix units.

Is worn clothing part of the pack?

Only if you included it in the pack weight. The form cannot see what you put on the scale.

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