Why no separate activities for hiking vs backpacking?

For everyone who wants to play a bit with numbers. I find that this calculator shows well that backpack weight doesn't really affect calorie consumption. Much more important is the question of whether it is going up or down. Also important is the time of year and, above all, the nature of the surface on which you are moving. Street? Sand ? Snow? With the optical HR sensor, this shouldn't be done anyway. In order to notice the LITTLE differences, a chest strap should be used anyway.

caloriesburnedhq.com/.../

Can you point me to an article, please? I can’t find any that rely on heart rate alone as an accurate measure for the extra calories expended for extra carried weight without also accounting for the weight in its calculation somewhere. I’d be happy to read anything provided. 

LoganWest said:

extra calories expended for extra carried weight

Gave you the link already : 

https://caloriesburnedhq.com/calories-burned-hiking/

Well, I read that and it certainly says pack weight affects calories burned, but nothing I could see about how to calculate that based on heart rate alone, or even much about heart rate at all. Did I miss something? 

LoganWest said:

Did I miss something? 

apparently. You probably haven't read the Garmin support page carefully. Resting calories / active calories?

Put in your numbers  into the calculator and notice that it is negligible. If you want scientific results, you should use a medically calibrated measuring device for your activity. If you don't use a chest strap for your backpacking activity, the question doesn't arise at all.

I’ve come to realize that the second best thing about owning this garmin watch is participating in these forum discussions.  Thank you all this is good stuff!

bluefish said:

For everyone who wants to play a bit with numbers. I find that this calculator shows well that backpack weight doesn't really affect calorie consumption.

Ok so I played with the calculator and I am not really sure how you can say that backpack weight doesn’t affect calorie consumption. For short distances maybe but for long one night or car to car summit ascents here in the PNW there are some very long days and many miles / feet elevation traveled.  Every ounce on the back matters.  Plugging in numbers for some of the alpine ascents I’m concerned either I have calorie burn variations of 30% depending on pack weights.  

That said I assume the calculator holds pace/speed constant, which would result in heart rate variation. So tracking heart rate in this case could be substituted for the other factors in the energy expenditure calculation.  

LoganWest said:

Well, I read that and it certainly says pack weight affects calories burned,

Nobody's saying it doesn't. What we're saying is that the extra weight carried is likely to affect heart rate that will in turn affect the energy consumption estimated from the heart rate measured during the activity. There is no need to add the extra weight. It's simple physiology - the harder you work, the more energy you expend. And heart rate is the de facto measure used to estimate energy expenditure. Although nowadays more accurate expenditure can be estimated from a power meter while cycling and to a certain extent from power estimations when running.

LoganWest said:

Can you point me to an article, please?

Why? Can't you use Google Search? Can't you see the links that have already been posted?

LoganWest said:

Did I miss something? 

Yes.

Philipshambrook no need to be condescending.  LoganWest is not wrong and neither are you.  Weight is a factor in addition to heart rate.  See my previous post for the research and regression analysis that backs it up.  If Garmin chooses to use a more simplistic method to calculate energy expenditure then that’s what we consumers have to work with.  What that means to me as someone whose life may depend on whether I bring enough food on my next alpine climb is, I will overpack.  And that’s not all bad.  

First they need to sort out HR problems in hiking mode