Calories Burned Hiking Calculator: METs & Pack Weight

How many calories does hiking burn?

On the defaults — a 180 lb hiker, 3 hours, a moderate trail, a day pack — the weight is 81.65 kg, the MET is 6.5 (moderate 6.0 + day pack 0.5), and the burn is 1,592 kcal, 530.70 kcal an hour, about 0.45 lb of body fat. The same hike with no pack burns only 1,470 kcal, and with a heavy pack 1,715 kcal; terrain moves the number more than the pack does — an easy trail burns 1,421 kcal and a strenuous one 1,837 kcal.

Five things about the model are worth stating plainly. First, the weight in kilograms is the weight in pounds times 0.45359237 — 180 × 0.45359237 = 81.65 kg. Second, the MET is the terrain MET plus the pack bonus — 6.0 + 0.5 = 6.5. Third, the calories are MET × weight in kilograms × hours — 6.5 × 81.65 × 3 = 1,592 kcal, rounded to the nearest whole kcal. Fourth, the calories per hour are MET × weight in kilograms — 6.5 × 81.65 = 530.70 kcal. And fifth, the fat equivalent is the calories divided by 3,500 — 1,592 ÷ 3,500 = 0.45 lb; all listed in Accuracy & limitations.

The worked example, line by line

Setup: 180 lb, 3 hours, moderate terrain (6.0 METs), day pack (+0.5 MET).

Line 1 — the weight in kilograms. The weight in kilograms is 180 × 0.45359237 = 81.65 kg.

Line 2 — the MET. The MET is 6.0 + 0.5 = 6.5.

Line 3 — the calories. The calories are 6.5 × 81.65 × 3 = 1,592 kcal, and the calories per hour are 6.5 × 81.65 = 530.70 kcal.

Line 4 — the fat equivalent. The fat equivalent is 1,592 ÷ 3,500 = 0.45 lb of body fat.

Every branch, checked

Easy terrain, day pack: 1,421 kcal in 3 hours; 473.55 kcal/hour; 81.65 kg; MET 5.8; about 0.41 lb of body fat — On an easy trail the MET is 5.8, so the same hiker burns 1,421 kcal in 3 hours — 473.55 kcal an hour.

Strenuous terrain, day pack: 1,837 kcal in 3 hours; 612.35 kcal/hour; 81.65 kg; MET 7.5; about 0.52 lb of body fat — On a strenuous trail the MET is 7.5, so the same hiker burns 1,837 kcal in 3 hours — 612.35 kcal an hour.

5 hours: 2,654 kcal in 5 hours; 530.70 kcal/hour; 81.65 kg; MET 6.5; about 0.76 lb of body fat — In 5 hours the burn is 2,654 kcal — the same 530.70 kcal an hour, for longer.

220 lb: 1,946 kcal in 3 hours; 648.64 kcal/hour; 99.79 kg; MET 6.5; about 0.56 lb of body fat — At 220 lb the weight is 99.79 kg, so the burn is 1,946 kcal in 3 hours — 648.64 kcal an hour.

No pack: 1,470 kcal in 3 hours; 489.88 kcal/hour; 81.65 kg; MET 6; about 0.42 lb of body fat — With no pack the MET is 6.0, so the burn is only 1,470 kcal in 3 hours — 489.88 kcal an hour.

Heavy pack: 1,715 kcal in 3 hours; 571.53 kcal/hour; 81.65 kg; MET 7; about 0.49 lb of body fat — With a heavy pack the MET is 7.0, so the burn is 1,715 kcal in 3 hours — 571.53 kcal an hour.

1 hour: 531 kcal in 1 hours; 530.70 kcal/hour; 81.65 kg; MET 6.5; about 0.15 lb of body fat — In 1 hour the burn is 531 kcal — 530.70 kcal an hour, rounded to the nearest whole kcal.

The reverses, worked backwards

Smallest 2-decimal hours whose displayed calories reach 2,000: The smallest 2-decimal hours whose displayed calories reach 2,000 is 3.77 hours — the exact value is 3.7676. At the displayed 3.77 hours the figures are 2,001 kcal in 3.77 hours; 530.70 kcal/hour; 81.65 kg; MET 6.5; about 0.57 lb of body fat. The exact root is 3.7676 hours; at 3.77 hours the burn is 2,001 kcal, and at 3.76 hours it is 1,995 kcal — below 2,000.

Weight that burns exactly 1,500 kcal in 3 hours: The weight that burns exactly 1,500 kcal in 3 hours is 169.59 lb — the exact value is 169.5864. At the displayed 169.59 lb the figures are 1,500 kcal in 3 hours; 500.01 kcal/hour; 76.92 kg; MET 6.5; about 0.43 lb of body fat. The exact root is 169.5864 lb. At the displayed 169.59 lb the unrounded burn is 1,500.03 kcal, which displays as 1,500 kcal; at 169.58 lb the unrounded burn is 1,499.94 kcal, which also displays as 1,500 kcal — the rounding band. The first weight that displays 1,500 kcal is 169.53 lb.

Smallest 2-decimal hours whose displayed calories reach 2,500: The smallest 2-decimal hours whose displayed calories reach 2,500 is 4.71 hours — the exact value is 4.7098. At the displayed 4.71 hours the figures are 2,500 kcal in 4.71 hours; 530.70 kcal/hour; 81.65 kg; MET 6.5; about 0.71 lb of body fat. The exact root is 4.7098 hours; at 4.71 hours the burn is 2,500 kcal, and at 4.70 hours it is 2,494 kcal — below 2,500.

MET needed for 1,800 kcal in 3 hours: The MET needed for 1,800 kcal in 3 hours is 7.3487 MET — the exact value is 7.3487. At the displayed 7.3487 MET the figures are 1,715 kcal in 3 hours; 571.53 kcal/hour; 81.65 kg; MET 7; about 0.49 lb of body fat. The MET needed for 1,800 kcal in 3 hours is 7.3487 — above the moderate trail even with a heavy pack (MET 7.0, 1,715 kcal). Switch to a strenuous trail with a heavy pack (MET 8.0) and the burn reaches 1,960 kcal.

Weight that burns exactly 2,000 kcal in 3 hours: The weight that burns exactly 2,000 kcal in 3 hours is 226.12 lb — the exact value is 226.1151. At the displayed 226.12 lb the figures are 2,000 kcal in 3 hours; 666.68 kcal/hour; 102.57 kg; MET 6.5; about 0.57 lb of body fat. The exact root is 226.1151 lb. At the displayed 226.12 lb the unrounded burn is 2,000.04 kcal, which displays as 2,000 kcal; at 226.11 lb the unrounded burn is 1,999.95 kcal — it also displays as 2,000 kcal.

Smallest 2-decimal hours whose displayed calories reach 1,000: The smallest 2-decimal hours whose displayed calories reach 1,000 is 1.89 hours — the exact value is 1.8834. At the displayed 1.89 hours the figures are 1,003 kcal in 1.89 hours; 530.70 kcal/hour; 81.65 kg; MET 6.5; about 0.29 lb of body fat. The exact root is 1.8834 hours; at 1.89 hours the burn is 1,003 kcal, and at 1.88 hours it is 998 kcal — below 1,000.

What the defaults assume

The defaults are 180 lb, 3 hours, a moderate trail (6.0 METs) and a day pack (+0.5 MET) — 1,592 kcal in 3 hours; 530.70 kcal/hour; 81.65 kg; MET 6.5; about 0.45 lb of body fat. With an easy trail, day pack, 1,421 kcal in 3 hours; 473.55 kcal/hour; 81.65 kg; MET 5.8; about 0.41 lb of body fat — With a strenuous trail, day pack, 1,837 kcal in 3 hours; 612.35 kcal/hour; 81.65 kg; MET 7.5; about 0.52 lb of body fat — With 5 hours, 2,654 kcal in 5 hours; 530.70 kcal/hour; 81.65 kg; MET 6.5; about 0.76 lb of body fat — At 220 lb, 1,946 kcal in 3 hours; 648.64 kcal/hour; 99.79 kg; MET 6.5; about 0.56 lb of body fat — With no pack, 1,470 kcal in 3 hours; 489.88 kcal/hour; 81.65 kg; MET 6; about 0.42 lb of body fat — With a heavy pack, 1,715 kcal in 3 hours; 571.53 kcal/hour; 81.65 kg; MET 7; about 0.49 lb of body fat — In 1 hour, 531 kcal in 1 hours; 530.70 kcal/hour; 81.65 kg; MET 6.5; about 0.15 lb of body fat — In 0 hours, 0 kcal in 0 hours; 530.70 kcal/hour; 81.65 kg; MET 6.5; about 0.00 lb of body fat — At 100 lb, 885 kcal in 3 hours; 294.84 kcal/hour; 45.36 kg; MET 6.5; about 0.25 lb of body fat — In 8 hours, 4,246 kcal in 8 hours; 530.70 kcal/hour; 81.65 kg; MET 6.5; about 1.21 lb of body fat — On an easy trail with no pack, 1,298 kcal in 3 hours; 432.73 kcal/hour; 81.65 kg; MET 5.3; about 0.37 lb of body fat — On a strenuous trail with a heavy pack, 1,960 kcal in 3 hours; 653.17 kcal/hour; 81.65 kg; MET 8; about 0.56 lb of body fat — At 300 lb, 2,654 kcal in 3 hours; 884.51 kcal/hour; 136.08 kg; MET 6.5; about 0.76 lb of body fat — In 0.5 hours, 265 kcal in 0.5 hours; 530.70 kcal/hour; 81.65 kg; MET 6.5; about 0.08 lb of body fat.

Output · formula · meaning

Who uses this

• The hiker planning a day out: they learn a 180 lb hiker burns 1,592 kcal in 3 hours on a moderate trail with a day pack — and they check the 5-hour branch to see the burn reach 2,654 kcal.
• The hiker choosing a trail: they learn an easy trail burns 1,421 kcal and a strenuous one 1,837 kcal — and they check the 7.3487 MET reverse to see what it takes to burn 1,800 kcal.
• The backpacker with a heavy pack: they learn a heavy pack burns 1,715 kcal against 1,470 kcal with no pack — and they check the strenuous-plus-heavy edge to see the burn reach 1,960 kcal.
• The hiker counting the burn against a meal: they learn 1,592 kcal is about 0.45 lb of body fat — and they check the 3.77-hour reverse to see how long it takes to burn 2,000 kcal.

Accuracy & limitations

The math is first-principles: the weight in kilograms is the weight in pounds times 0.45359237, the MET is the terrain MET plus the pack bonus, the calories are MET times weight in kilograms times hours, rounded to the nearest whole kcal, the calories per hour are MET times weight in kilograms to 2 decimal places, and the fat equivalent is the calories divided by 3,500. What the model cannot do is measure your body: the MET values come from the Compendium of Physical Activities, which averages across people — your age, fitness, and pace move the real burn, and the pack bonus (0.5 MET for a day pack, 1.0 MET for a heavy pack) is a stated simplification, not a Compendium value. Downhill burns less than uphill at the same speed, and the 3,500 kcal per pound of body fat is a rule of thumb, not a law. Use it to plan the hike and the snacks — then eat and drink for the trail you actually walk.

Frequently asked questions