Outdoor life / Packing plan
Hiking food: calculate food, water and total pack weight
Lightweight powder is only part of the packing. Choose actual meals and also count the water, packaging and equipment you carry.
Read the guide
Count the whole food solution. Dry weight is one item; carried water, packaging, containers and equipment are others. Choose food you can use under the trip's actual conditions and make your own backup quantities clear.
Start with the trip before calculating
Write down days, planned meals and what is available on the route. Hot food, how much you want to carry and which format you enjoy are different parts of the choice. Decide which packages you use, not just a general word such as “freeze-dried”.
Water points, weather and local rules need checking close to the trip. A point on a map does not show that water is available or drinkable when you arrive.
Four food formats with different requirements
| Format | Food basis | Resources | What remains to measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powder | Original Chocolate: catalogue value of 100 g powder, 400 kcal. | Clean water and container according to the current bag. | Packaging, actual equipment and water instructions for the same version. |
| Prepared food / canned food | Your own named product; net weight and energy basis on the label. | Opener, utensils and storage after opening. | Packaging and actual quantity; water in the contents is included in the food. |
| Dry dish | Your own named product and declared serving. | Water and any heat according to the instructions. | Preparation water, package and equipment. |
| Hot dish | Your own named dish and instructions. | Heat, any liquid, utensils and fuel. | All parts actually carried and used. |
Different energy in different servings must not become a nutritional ranking based on dry weight. The catalogue value above is not our own field trial or physical package weighing. Krismat has different serving weights and instructions; do not borrow its water quantity for Original.
Weigh food, packaging and utensils separately
Weigh the packaging you take and everything included for the whole plan. Enter packaging weight once for each item row, not per serving if several servings share the same container. Count a shared shaker or saucepan once in the equipment field.
The formula is food net weight + packaging + carried water + shared equipment. Water is counted as approximately 1 kg per litre. If water in canned food is already in its net weight, do not add it again as mixing water.
Two water scenarios with the same food
| Scenario | Food | Preparation water carried from the start | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| All known water carried | The same personally chosen servings. | Example: 1 l weighs about 1 kg. | The water mass is added once. |
| Your own planned refill | The same servings and their contents. | Example: 0.25 l carried; the rest planned separately. | 0.75 kg less carried water in the example; the refill must be checked. |
Check every water source and the route's conditions before planning a refill. Allow for both preparation water and other drinking water. Record unknown information as missing, not zero.
Your meal and backup list
| Product / version | Your own servings | Your own backup | Water according to the label | Utensils |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ________________ | ________________ | ________________ | ________________ | ________________ |
| ________________ | ________________ | ________________ | ________________ | ________________ |
| ________________ | ________________ | ________________ | ________________ | ________________ |
The backup count is your choice and is only included in the mass. It does not say how many backup days are safe or how much food the trip needs.
Try the equipment at home
A home trial can show whether lids, containers and cleaning work with your chosen food. Document product, grams, water, temperature and equipment. If you use heat, include fuel and a safe cooking method too.
We have not weighed or field-tested the four formats ourselves. A home trial would also not be a safety test in mountain conditions. We therefore state no invented package weights, times or guaranteed trip results.
Check the current route and local conditions
- SMHI for current weather information.
- The County Administrative Board for the area's rules and current notices.
- Check trails, huts, water points and other local information with those responsible for your chosen route.
- Confirm preparation, equipment and your own backup before departure.
Questions about pack weight
Why is known partial weight shown?
An active item row is missing weight or water information. The total needs completing before it can be assessed.
Is a shared shaker counted several times?
No. Enter it once in the equipment field.
Does choosing a refill mean the water is safe?
No. A planned location needs checking for water availability and quality.
Sources and supporting information
- ComFoo's product pages – local catalogue information retrieved on 22 September 2026, with each flavour's declaration per 100 g.
Rewritten on 30 September 2026. Precise weighing of our own, other named packages and documented home trials are still outstanding. Route and weather must be checked for the actual trip.