TK:
Here's some general guidelines from 40 years of personal backpacking experience.
A safe maximum guideline is about 1/3 your body weight. For me that would be about 70 pounds. That's safe but no way near comfortable. I've carried that much and been miserable.
On a weekend backpack trip my backpack will weigh less than 35 pounds and I often forget it's there.
For a trip lasting a week, my pack will weigh about 50 pounds and that's tolerable. Fortunately it gets better as the week progresses and I eat food and burn fuel.
It's very important to get a backpack that fits your torso. A pack that is too short (not tall enough to fit your torso) will be miserable because you can never get the weight off you shoulders and onto your hips. When the hip belt is properly in place, the shoulder straps should be horizontal at the top where they go over your shoulders. This will allow you to adjust which muscles of your body carry the weight. So as you go along you can carry the weight on your hips for a while, then carry it mostly on you shoulders, then half and half, etc. So you rest some muscles while working others.
Also pack the heavy stuff at the top of the pack and close to your back. This moves the center of gravity of the pack towards your body's normal center of gravity and allows you to avoid constantly leaning forward.
Pack everything inside the pack. Avoid stuff hanging on the outside. That just catches on branches and throws your balance off.
Most novice backpackers carry a bunch of stuff that they don't need and won't use which just makes the pack heavier. So after you have completel packed your pack put it on the living room floor and take out everything one at a time and honestly ask your self "Am I really going to use this?" If the answer is no, then don't take it.
Also think ultra-lightweight, spartan, multi-purpose.
Enjoy
KC
