Cheap, easy setup for training with a heavy pack.

[bodywhomper]

Need helmet on head and skis strapped to the bag for indoor training

[RShea]

I think the only concern for me about stair-master, or high-rise stairs is RSI injury. Stairs and stairmasters are going to have the *exact* same gait/depth/height for every single step. Hiking is going to have lots of variation and IMO [without a lot of scientific evidence] will be a lot more likely to cause tendinitis and like issues.

Many years ago, I blew up [tendinitis] my patellar tendon going out way too heavy on a climb [and likely over-training prior.] It's no fun. In my case, it took several years or more before I felt my knee was back in business again. It wasn't horrible, but I could blow it up again in really short order. So, I'd be quite cautious about lots of weight and uniform routines like stairs.

YMMV.

-Greg

I do 2 steps at a time to switch up the stair machines at the fitness center. Longer legs help and it may not be an option for everyone out there.

[RShea]

Kettlebells, free weights, sand in jugs or bags- many different ways to do weight in a pack in addition to water. Each has advantages and my be better or harder to match real gear feel if that is an issue.

[land]

I tried to find cheap bladders that would fit better in a pack than a cube, but I haven't had much success. Amazon had some water storage bags that sprung a leak pretty quick. Honestly, the ideal solution would be like MSR Dromedary bags, but they sure aren't cheap.


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[GeezerSteve]

Two ultrarunning friends packed up several thousand pounds of rocks from the Highpoint TH to West Tiger 2 (2,000'+ vert gain) over the course of several years

[gregorys]

Rocks vs. water is a reasonable choice - and you could sew some cordura bags to hold the rocks so they wouldn't tear up your pack. That would be pretty cheap. Density of rocks is a lot higher than water too, so smaller volume.

Why does the water need to be near the trail-head? Multiple trips up? [It's the only reason I could come up with.]

If we're talking multiple trips up, then I do think rocks are likely the answer. Any trail maintenance needed? You could offer to haul gravel [or other things] if the FS would provide it. [My go-to spot, Angel's Rest (east of PDX, and now, ravaged by fire) often needed maintenance - being steep, lots of rain, etc - so I'm pretty sure they'd be glad for help. I'd guess you could find something similar.]

[PNWbrit]

Density of rocks is a lot higher than water too, so smaller volume.

Apart from small rocks.

Ducks... how about a backpack full of ducks.

[gregorys]

Ducks... how about a backpack full of ducks.

The noise though. And pooping ducks!?
But you might be on to something. Ducklings are just super cute. They'd be worth the noise and poop, IMO. So, yeah a pack of ducklings!

[Monoteleskier]

A drybag full of ice and beer is my go-to golfbag/backpack cooler, never thought to use it for training purposes though.

[land]

A drybag full of ice and beer is my go-to golfbag/backpack cooler, never thought to use it for training purposes though.

For some reason, I ruled out dry bags because I thought they all had a one way purge valve that would prevent them from holding water in.

But if it doesn't have the valve, seems like it would be the perfect solution. I like the idea of one big sack for water because it would fit better in a pack and be quick and easy to dump out.

So do dry bags hold water in? Maybe someone could experiment?


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[Monoteleskier]

My bags don't have valves, condensation is a bigger issue than leakage when using a drybag as a cooler, pack accordingly. I've never tried using them as a bladder though.

[Stikki]

sew some cordura bags to hold the rocks so they wouldn't tear up your pack.

This is the simple solution. A local Army surplus store should have some heavy canvas materials for this and/or old sacks/duffels that could be easily modified.

[PNWbrit]

So do dry bags hold water in? Maybe someone could experiment?

They might. Might also blow the seams open. Holding water very different than keeping water out.

[snoqpass]

I saw a gal at Hyak running uphill with a bag of Quick-crete on her shoulders, man up

[auvgeek]

Rocks vs. water is a reasonable choice - and you could sew some cordura bags to hold the rocks so they wouldn't tear up your pack. That would be pretty cheap. Density of rocks is a lot higher than water too, so smaller volume.

Why does the water need to be near the trail-head? Multiple trips up? [It's the only reason I could come up with.]

If we're talking multiple trips up, then I do think rocks are likely the answer. Any trail maintenance needed? You could offer to haul gravel [or other things] if the FS would provide it. [My go-to spot, Angel's Rest (east of PDX, and now, ravaged by fire) often needed maintenance - being steep, lots of rain, etc - so I'm pretty sure they'd be glad for help. I'd guess you could find something similar.]

Yes, multiple trips up is the reason for wanting water near the trailhead.

Will look into cordura to keep the rocks from tearing up the pack. That's been my beef with rocks in the past. Plus, depending on the trail, it's not always easy to find 40# of rock at the trailhead repeatedly and large rocks carry weird. But I'm a JONG at this; just do my best to find somewhere reasonable when I fly into Denver for a weekend and want/need to train. In the winter, I just carry water up and ski down with it.

[sethschmautz]

Apart from small rocks.

Ducks... how about a backpack full of ducks.

I'm trying to remember... Do witches weigh more or less than small rocks?

[flyman683]

$5 for 50lb of playsand at lowes, HD, whatever. Add extra garbage bag or nylon sac to prevent leakage.

All done.

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[I've seen black diamonds!]

$5 for 50lb of playsand at lowes, HD, whatever. Add extra garbage bag or nylon sac to prevent leakage.

All done.

Not if you want to run downhill without the weight.

Another reason I won't use rocks around here is that if every wannabe mountain hero like me in Boulder started carrying rocks up the hills, within a few days there would be no more rocks to be found anywhere in town, and the summits would be buried underneath the pebbles of our collective inane ambition.

[PNWbrit]

Do like they did in the Rocky movies.

Use sides of beef.

Or chase chickens. (ducks aren't usually nimble enough for this)

[muted]

I usually carry a big cheese wheel. On top, I roll it down and then race it to the bottom. Good times.

[Bronco]

I don't know how many laps you're trying to do but if it's more than one, you could get a few of those cheap 5 gallon jugs and fill them all at home and leave them in the trunk of your car. Empty them out on top and pick up another one at the trailhead.

[PNWbrit]

I usually carry a big cheese wheel. On top, I roll it down and then race it to the bottom. Good times.

at 51 seconds... is that a mountain lion?

Don't see them in Gloucestershire very often.

[land]

Looks like there're dry bags that are designed (marketed?) for holding water (or sand or whatever), for exercise use. They are pretty cheap, look up "drybell" on amazon.


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[XavierD]

1. Take drybag, turn it inside out,
2. put in pack,
3. put rocks in.
4. Walk up,
5. take rocks out,
6. walk back down
7. Repeat steps 3-6 as necessary

Rocks/Sand are easier to resource and refil at bottom. Negatives are they are really dense, won't take up much space in your pack, and will settle quickly.

Water, while not as ideal from a logistics standpoint, is less dense, and can slosh around in a partially filled container, generating more core stabilization recruitment.

[flyman683]

Missed the "don't want to carry down part"... I'm typically doing this as training for backpacking or hunting trips in mountains, so it wouldn't be all that realistic for me to leave the weight on top.

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