Overview
- Low Carb / High Fat Diet: Why go Keto?
- Keto Backpacking Fundamentals: What is a Ketogenic Diet?
- Seven Steps to Becoming a Keto Backpacker
Low Carb / High Fat Diet: Why go Keto?
Make no mistake, food is the final frontier in the evolution of ultralight backpacking and hiking. While experienced ultralight backpackers struggle against diminishing returns to save ounces with gear and technique, a ketogenic or low carb / high fat diet will save many pounds in food weight (high fat foods are more calorie dense, requiring less overall food carried) while significantly improving on trail performance and eliminating sugar crashes. In my experience, keto hiking is nothing short of amazing. Ultralight Keto Backpacking (UL Keto / Keto UL / Keto Ultra ?) a new era for ultralight backpacking, the “hype” is real and the science is solid.
Ketogenic diets are uniquely suited for endurance sports like backpacking, hiking and thru-hiking! Increased and sustained energy, less crashes, better overall health, increased mental clarity and less food weight to carry (more calories per ounce in high fat foods) are only some of the benefits of a keto diet.
Ever hike all day fasted from the day prior, forget to eat on trail or come off trail into town after a backpacking trip and not have an appetite? Me neither until keto.
Keto Backpacking Fundamentals: What is a Ketogenic Diet?
A ketogenic diet is low carb, high fat way of eating, sometimes referred to as a LC/HF diet. After an initial period (4 to 8 weeks) of fat adaptation where carb intake is greatly reduced, your body will learn how to derive most of its energy from ketones (fat) in a state called ketosis, instead of from glucose that your body derives from carbs / sugar. The result is that you have access to your body’s fat reserves for energy, which results in more sustainable energy and performance, increased mental clarity, faster recovery times and less inflammation and soreness after big days. Ketogenic diets are also great for weight loss, enable easier intermittent fasting and are successfully reversing Type 2 Diabetes for many as we speak!
Seven Steps to Becoming a Keto Backpacker
1. Determine Your Body Fat % and Body Weight
The gold standard for finding your body fat % is via a DEXA scan, but you can also use this guide as an alternative or use the Navy Method. Do NOT use your scale to gauge body fat, my scale was telling me I was 10.5% when a DEXA scan showed I was actually at 24.5% body fat.
2. Determine Your Macros (Fat, Protein and Carbs)
Use the Ketogains Calculator to input your body weight and body fat % and choose your “Daily Calories” goal. Be sure to leave the “Activity Level” as sedentary per the Ketogains admins. You now have your daily macros of (x) grams of fat, (x) grams of protein and (x) grams of carbs.
Carbohydrates
Less than 25 gram of net carbs is a standard macro used in most ketogenic diets. For backpacking and other endurance sports, 50 grams of carbs once you are fat adapted is a widely used rule of thumb as you have more leeway when you are active. Net carbs equals carbs – fiber, so 10 grams of carbs with 5 grams of fiber would result in 5 net carbs.
Protein
Your protein macro is static and you need to hit it every day. Too little protein can lead to loss of lean body mass. I used to worry that too much protein would lead to production of glycogen via a process called gluconeogenesis (this is a controversial topic), but now no longer have this concern based on newer studies and anecdotal information I’ve read and heard on various podcasts. If you are concerned about staying in ketosis (I’m not), this is also why you may consider consuming your protein evenly throughout the day as consuming more than 30 or 40 grams of protein (as little as a single chicken breast) in one sitting may kick some out of ketosis (everyone has different sensitivities to protein).
Keep in mind that being kicked out of ketosis isn’t necessarily a bad thing, some say you should chase results, not ketones, it just depends on what your goals are. I personally can’t tell any difference between when I’m in or out of ketosis anymore when I do occasionally break the rules and splurge in carbs or have a higher than usual protein intake in a single meal. You’ll also be able to move in and out of ketosis faster as your body’s overall adaptation increases over months and years.
Fat
Finally, fat is your lever. Eat more fat if you want to gain muscle if you’re lifting weights or putting in high mileage days on trail and eat less if you want to lose weight in a caloric deficit. If you’ve hit your protein macro when meal planning for a trip and you need more calories, you derive those calories from more fat. Remember, fat is good for you, and more or less fat is the lever that enables you to control your overall caloric intake up or down.
3. Track Your Macros
Now that you know your macros, it’s time to track them! Do not use percentages, use grams when tracking. Tracking is how you get to become intimately familiar with what you’re putting in your body. It is very easy once you get going and this is a critical part of the journey. Seriously, track your food! Bonus: You’ll quickly find that going keto has cut most processed foods out of your diet!
Cronometer is free and MyFitnessPal is $50 (to enable gram counting) but has a better food database. Be sure to use this script with MyFitnessPal to enable net carbs.
4. Keto Fat Adaptation
Primary / Initial Fat Adaptation
Your body has been using glucose as its primary fuel source and you’ve been sugar addicted for your entire life so it makes sense that there is going to be a small adaptation phase as it adjusts to using ketones as fuel. This is the hard part, but you’ve got this! Once your cut your carbs down to < 25 grams per day, your body is going to adjust and start deriving energy from ketones / fat.
Fatigue, headaches and sometimes even heart arrhythmia are common during the first days and weeks and is referred to as “The Keto Flu”. Supplementing electrolytes and rest can help but the reality is that this adaptation period sucks in varying degrees from person to person. Embrace the suck! Imagine your life and health in its current trajectory and the pain that may bring vs how good you’ll feel when you have less inflammation, more energy and less weight if losing weight is one of your goals.
The initial fat adaptation phase is generally complete after 4 to 8 weeks and can vary from person to person. Once this phase is over, your body will continue to adapt to athletic exertion over time as your body becomes more efficient using ketones as its new fuel source. It also goes without saying, if you want to be successful, rid your house of all carb laden foods or put them out of sight where there will be less temptation. Do whatever it takes, no excuses.
Secondary / Athletic Fat Adaptation
The second phase of fat adaptation is training once you have completed the initial fat adaptation outlined above. Your body has learned to use ketones as energy in your day to day life, but now it needs to learn how to meet your energy needs while exerting and exercising.
The goal when you begin to train in your first keto based athletic activities is to train as slow as possible at the lowest intensity possible. Low intensity equals low heart rate, which translates into aerobic activity where your body uses ketones / fat for fuel. The more practice your body has at accessing your fat reserves for energy, the more efficient it will become in doing so. Think slow hike at very very moderate pace, as slow as you can go. The process is explained well in this article where Adrian Ballinger discusses his training regiment for climbing Everest without oxygen.
What to avoid at first: High intensity training equals high heart rate, which translates into anaerobic activity where our body is no longer accessing fat reserves for energy but will be attempting to access glycogen reserves, of which you will have few when you’re fat adapted. Think sprinting or charging up a mountain. In time these activities will become easier, but work into them and allow your body to become fat adapted before charging hard. Expect to crash hard and fast if you go anaerobic too early.
First Training Hikes
Experiment by going on an AM hike fasted, but bring food “just in case”. You’ll quickly find that you no longer need food before, during or after exercise, something that wasn’t possible for many of us on a Standard American Diet (SAD). It’s really nice to have a lower appetite and not have hanger issues while having overall higher energy!
Fast Track Fat Adaptation With A Three Day Fast
1. Stop eating on Thursday night.
2. Walk for a few hours on Friday to help deplete glycogen stores while making sure to stay hydrated with electrolytes as detailed below. Take MCT Oil or Coconut Oil two or three times as necessary throughout the day.
3. Repeat step 2 on Saturday and Sunday and begin eating on Sunday night.
*Keep in mind that even with electrolytes and bed rest, this can be an intense and miserable period, you need to be committed and ready for some pain. I was basically in bed with a headache for most of day two and three, which is why timing this event into a three day weekend is ideal.
5. Electrolyte Supplementation is Necessary
Hydration and electrolyte supplementation (potassium, sodium and magnesium) is critical on a ketogenic diet as you will urinate more frequently once you reduce carb intake, even more when you’re hiking all day. If you are experiencing lethargy, headaches or heart arrythmia once you have completed the initial fat adaptation period, electrolytes are usually the culprit.
Electrolyte Requirements for Backpackers and Thru-Hikers
I suggest making ketorade using the recipe below to get your sodium and potassium and taking magnesium in a pill form. I drink a liter of ketorade daily off trail and two liters daily when backpacking.
Sodium (Na): 5000 – 7000 mg / day or 13 – 18 g of salt / day (there are 388 mg of Na in 1 gram of salt).
Potassium (K): 1000 – 3500 mg / day, available as No Salt.
Magnesium (Mg): 300 – 500 mg / day. Magnesium glycinate as a daily supplement is easy and affordable.
Electrolyte Tracking
Electrolytes need to be tracked, just like food, do not guess your intake or assume your “electrolyte supplement” will meet your needs, for example, Nuun Electrolyte tablets only have 172.5 mg of sodium (only 4% of need or 4800 mg short), 48.5 mg of potassium (only 5% or need or 950 mg short) and 12.5 mg of magnesium (only 4% of need or 290 mg short). Most electrolytes supplements follow this pattern of falling short of actual needs.
Ketorade / Ketoaid Recipe
Add 1 teaspoon of salt (sodium) + 1 teaspoon of No Salt (potassium) + 1 teaspoon of water flavoring to 1 liter of water.
6. Keto Backpacking Foods
Ideal keto friendly backpacking foods including breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks are meals that are stable without refrigeration while being high in fat, moderate in protein and low in carbs. It’s a good idea to create your daily meal plans in your food tracking app pre-trip so you can visualize your macros and make adjustments as necessary.
Your daily goal is to hit your protein macro requirement while staying below your daily carb limit. Fat is your lever, raise or lower your fat as necessary to hit your daily caloric goal.
3 Day Keto Backpacking, Hiking and Camping Meal Plan
This is my food for a 3 day trip on the Timberline Trail. I leave the trailhead with a liter of electrolyte water, liter of water in my water filter bottle and a 2/3 liter of my breakfast coffee shake. In my waist belt pouch I have 3 separate cheese snacks and 3 ounces of keto trail mix I eat throughout the day. I also snack on nut butter that I can eat out of its pouch daily. For dinner and lunch I make a salami and cheese wrap with ranch dressing. Before bed I slam protein powder and then make my breakfast coffee protein shake so it’s ready to go in the AM. I will also add in some chocolate for snacks and always have a clif bar or some sweet tarts / sucrose if I need a pick me up for a targeted keto (TKD) style approach.
Another 3 Day Keto Backpacking, Hiking and Camping Meal Plan
Fat is the lever that will raise or lower your daily calorie intake, protein will help with maintaining muscle mass and repair processes and minimizing carbs is important to stay in ketosis.
- Hard cheeses: Classic hard cheeses like asiago, romano and parmesan keep the best without refrigeration, but tend to be dry and salty, too much so for some. My preference leans towards aged alpine style cheeses and goudas with Rembrandt and Beemster being two favorites. Every time I shop I buy a new cheese I haven’t tried, lots of fun! Softer cheeses can be ok for a few days but end up a greasy mess on hot days.
- Nut Butters: Peanut butter and almond butter are amazing, the recipe below helps lower carbs per serving.
- Meats & Cured meats: Spicy cured chorizo, summer sausage, pork rinds, pepperoni, salami, beef and salmon jerky and other hard, cured meats are keto friendly staples. Spam, chicken and tuna packets are also game.
- Nuts: Macadamias, peanuts, pecans and almonds are favorites with lower amounts of carbs.
- Powders: Powders are incredibly efficient at delivering calories due to their low weight, simply mix with water and go. MCT oil, coconut oil, heavy cream, butter and cream cheese and protein powders are my go tos as seen below in my breakfast shake.
- Low carb tortillas: All are not created equal, experiment to see which ones taste best to you, bad ones tend to be cardboardy. Great for lunch wraps to mix things up.
- Trail Mix: Traditional trail mixes are too high in sugar but you can make your own. One simple recipe: macadamia nuts, almonds, pecans, shaved coconut and sugar-free chocolate.
- Electrolytes: Supplement electrolytes with ketorade daily.
- Condiments: Spice and flavor variety is critical on longer trips with mayo, mustard, ranch and siracha being great options.
Fast and Easy Keto Backpacking Recipes
Breakfast Coffee Protein Shake
Before bed I fill my 1 liter smart water / coffee bottle with the following so I’m out of camp quick in the AM: 1 scoop protein powder (20 or 30 grams of protein) + instant coffee + Quest powdered coconut oil (trying to replicate 1 tablespoon of MCT oil / 14 grams of fat) + Anthony’s heavy cream powder (5 tsp for around 14 grams of fat) + fill with water. Whether you want to do one or two servings or more of fat is up to you. You can double up on MCT oil / powder and leave out heavy cream powder, do all three or experiment with other powders as well. I’m currently adding cream cheese powder and peanut butter protein powder in as well for taste and fat boost!
Fat Bombs
Fat bombs are a great way to take in calories with ease on the go. A simple bomb formula: One part cheese + one part meat + the condiment of your choice for a tasty and simple snack.
Nut Butter Supreme
You’re one spoonful away from quick and easy energy! Remove half the peanut butter or almond butter from a 16 oz jar and replace with two sticks of butter (a stick is 4 oz) and mix! The butter adds calories while diluting carbs. Bonus: the plastic jars like the ones Trader Joe’s uses for it’s peanut and almond butters are lightweight and perfect for backpacking.
7. Keto Backpacking Food Prep and Management on Trail
Pre Trail Food and Meal Prep
Preparation and management of potentially messy foods for efficient on trail consumption is where our keto food prep and food management and storage systems come into play. This part is especially important when dealing with oily foods that can spill or are hard to consume on trail in the backcountry without pre-hike prep. When thru-hiking, resources may be limited to what you can find in the parking lot of the store you just purchased your food in, so it’s important to have the tools you need on hand while keeping weight down and focusing on simplicity. Keto camping excursions and day hikes are more forgiving.
In addition to repackaging foods so we have less bulk and trash, we want to to cut large items like meats and cheese up into bite sizes before arriving on trail so we don’t have to stop stop and cut on trail, which is messy and time consuming. Pre-cutting and cleanup is also easier when you’re in town and have access to water and soap for clean up and solid surfaces like tables and counters to work on. Pre-measuring and organizing foods and powders by meal can also save time.
On Trail Food Consumption and Management
Solid Foods: I snack as I hike, some snacks are stored in my hip belt pocket, the food I need for the day is stored the back pocket of my pack in a dry bag to prevent spillage and the rest of my food is in a my main waterproof dry food bag inside my pack. The smaller dry bag in my back pocket prevents me from having to open my pack up to reach my main food bag throughout the day or when eating bigger meals like lunch or dinner.
The key is preventing oily spillage, if this happens, it’s game over. I strongly suggest using a waterproof food bag in addition to using screw top plastic containers and double bagging as necessary when dealing with meats, oils and condiments that can spill.
Powders: In addition to lots of yummy whole foods, I supplement with healthy fats and proteins by using powders. Using a smart water bottle in lieu of a traditional titanium mug is key. In addition to saving 3 ounces, a smart water bottle enables me to use the bottle as it’s own shaker instead of stirring powders in a mug, drink on the go since it has a screw top (mug requires slamming drinks quickly before resuming hiking) and unlike a mug, there is no clean up.
My Keto Food Prep and Management Gear List
Keto Food System | Grams | Ounces | Pounds | Cost | |
Large Food Dry Bag | Zpacks Dyneema Bag | 44.8 | 1.58 | 0.10 | $39.00 |
*Small Food Dry Bag | Sea To Summit Evac 5 l | 55.7 | 1.93 | 0.12 | $19.90 |
Coffee / Shake Bottle | Smart Water 23 fl oz | 27.9 | 1.23 | .081 | $2.50 |
Container (for items below) | Sistema | 54.9 | 1.94 | 0.12 | $6.62 |
Spork | Titanium Spork | 19.3 | 0.68 | 0.04 | $12.89 |
Knife | Higonokami | 36.4 | 1.28 | 0.08 | $12.62 |
Funnel | Collapsible Silicone | 14.3 | 0.50 | 0.03 | $5.99 |
Tablespoon | Cheapo | 4.60 | .016 | 0.01 | $5.00 |
Total | 254.3 | 8.97 | 0.56 | $126.90 |
*The small food bag goes in my pack’s back pocket for easy access. The goal is to prevent having to unbuckle and open my main pack compartment to access my main food bag when I need a snack that isn’t in my smallish hip belt pocket. Time will tell if carrying a second food bag makes sense or not.
FULL GEAR LISTCore Food Prep Kit + Water Storage & Filtration + Miscellaneous Food Containers
Final Note: Go Keto, Tell Nobody
Going keto is exciting, the health benefits are amazing and you have reason to be excited about the changes you see in your performance and body. That being said, most people aren’t going to care about your “special diet” and you’re just going to annoy them by telling them about it ….. so unless they ask, don’t! Since the general public is greatly misinformed about fats and the critical role they play in our health, it’s easy for keto conversations to devolve into debates, so like with politics and religion, the best bet is to avoid the conversation altogether.
Even in online keto communities you will see conflicting ideas, people parroting ideas and concepts they don’t understand and naysayers that will tell you are “ketoing wrong”. Fuck those people and don’t be one of them. Do your due diligence, read up, think critically, form your own opinions and crush that shit!
If this post has helped you and you want to donate, you can do so here!
Trace
#Love, backpacking, bass music, burning man, animal protein and dogs. <3
thank you for all this info. We are 61 years old, my husband and I, and have been tracking and keeping at 20 nc for 4 and 5 weeks respectively. Still lower endurance and strength for our occasional day hikes (3-4 hours) in the Smoky mountains and gym workouts. wanted to find easier food to pack in backpack for day hikes since my husband complained about bulky tupper ware containers of mixed canned salmon with my homemade mayo……
Awesome! Have fun with it and experiment, there’s lots of fun experiments waiting for you :)
Man.. can’t wait to implement. I have been keto for months (lost 115 lbs) and embarking in April. Thank you!
What are the measurements you use for your breakfast coffee protein shake?
I was nervous about packing multiple days with my family due to this diet, but your website is giving me confidence that I can do it after all. Thank you!
I’ve updated the post to give specifics here … don’t be scared, you’ve got this! https://alpine.science/keto-backpacking/#breakfast-coffee-protein-shake
Thank you so much for this information! So excited to be able to do a 3 day hike on the AT with my hubby and stay Keto! I don’t drink coffee (religious reasons) any other shake recipes that you can recommend?
At home I drink herbal teas with added fat. My favorite is heavy cream, but other fats also work well. Very satisfying and delicious. Might be a reasonable substitute for you.
Thank you! this is very helpful! I broke keto a few days ago and I’m trying to get back on track, lets see how I do on the trail this weekend.
Do you use hot water for your breakfast coffee protein shake?
I drink my coffee cold in real life, so I don’t heat it on trail. The only thing I used to carry a stove for was boiling water for noodles but don’t do that anymore, so no stove on trail unless it’s winter and need hot drinks or something :)
Hit my like a brick! Why do I bother drinking hot coffee and lugging my jet boil around? Bahahhaa. Thanks!
I mean, if you can lower your standards and drink cold coffee than it works well! I actually prefer cold coffee in real life now. I make two pots and fill of three nalgenes and put them in a fridge and it lasts me three or four days! Old, cold and black tastes best to me. Sometimes lowering standards is a good thing!
I’m heading out for a four night solo backcountry hike next week. This is a great resource.
“Fuck thise people” Love it!
Thank you and yes, the keto cult extremists can suck it :)
This is perfect! I am alpine climbing next week and the guide is going to be preparing our meals which I am assuming will be the basic dehydrated, full of sugar stuff. I really wanted to make at least my lunch and snacks keto and trying to figure out how to pack my snacks. Thank you for this!
Yasssss! Enjoy your trip!
this is sweet and exactly what i needed.. queston is what is the calorie count. using all the links above and calculating im 2900 resting bmr… so off piste ,not trail, what is the add# 500cal?
The ketogains macro calc takes into account athletic activity, but bring more just in case and see if you need it or not. I follow my hunger, bring more food and then adjust as needed on future trips based on how I do so that I bring some extra but not too much extra food.
I just returned from a 6-day trip, first time on low carb high fat diet. Your Breakfast Coffee Protein Shake was amazing! It kept me going for hours on the trail. I found that I needed to eat less than my carb-consuming hiking companions. What I most gravitated to were the high fat items in my bear can, like the Nut Butter Supreme (I went with 1/3 butter; wish I’d brought the whole jar!)
Nice! Breakfasts shakes just make everything more easy peasy in the morning, which helps because I’m LAZY! The nut butter and for me, even cream cheese, are weird things I can eat a ridiculous and gross amount of on the trail …. and again, no prep / cooking / clean up, just scoop and eat …… yasssssssssss! Glad your first trip went well, it gets easier over time understanding what to bring and what you need but it’s definitely a process!
Curious how cream cheese does without refrigeration. I love cream cheese!
No issues in cooler temps / shoulder season or winter, wouldn’t try during summer. :)
EDIT: I consistently brought cream cheese on my Colorado Trail thru hike this summer with no issues, it would last three days, four was pushing it!
Hey bud! Thanks so much for this and your other posts. About to do a 4-day, 3-night hike on the Rae Lakes Loop in the Sierras. Had a general understanding of what I could eat on the hike but your post with the visuals made it so much easier! Got all the supplies, just working on making it all fit in a way that makes sense. The added confidence is crucial lol Thanks again brotha!
No problemo, glad this helped a bit …. I know it’s hard getting started so hope to make it at least a little bit easier! Hope your trip was fawesome!!!
Hey really good post, thanks a lot for sharing the information with us. This is the information I have been looking for to begin consider keto hiking.
There might not be any big thought about it, but is there a reason for you using Quest Nutrition Coconut Powder instead off Quest Nutrition MTC Powder, or du you use both? And is there an advantage in using both powders instead off just MCT?
Happy backpacking, regards Aske
Thanks! MCT powder is twice as expensive …. Coconut oil powder has about 60% MCT oil in it, vs 100% in MCT. I’m just not concerned with my fat being 100% MCT due to the cost difference. Not sure I would be able to tell the difference anyways as that is just one component of what I’m taking in on trail.
Thanks alot, it all makes sense now.
This is probably the best article of it’s kind that I’ve ever read. Extremely well laid out.
Just got back from my first ultralight keto backpack mission…. holy shit! So much energy! Found myself thinking, “I should probably stop and eat even though it’s been over 4 hours and I’m not hungry”….I brought plenty of butter and olive oil. My dog offered to carry some tuna packets and cabbage leaves in his pack. Plenty of jerky. And my pack was so light, I brought eggs and had scrambled eggs for dinner…. Also brought some MCT oil and exogenous ketones. Cool site, I’m with ya!
Awesome, glad things went well and your dog was amenable to carrying his weight. Most dogs these days don’t even have jobs or help with bills, so it’s nice when they can pick up the slack on trail!
Great article, I’ve been keto for 2 years and I’m starting a thru hike in April 2019….I was looking for food I can get at gas stations or Wal-Mart if it’s close….I was debating about the stove and ill dump it ….I love what you said about not talking about it….old people talk about their age and vegans talk about their diet. I don’t want to be that person
I’m a 68 year old old fart getting ready to go kept for 1000 k walk on the Bibbulmun Track in Western Australia in June 2019(our mild winter) thinking 50 days should do it. Keto is looking the best way to cover dietary needs. Thanks for this info. I’ll dispense with my camp stove and go cold. Coffe included.I make my own jerky and trail mix.
Wowsa, this sounds like an adventure! Going cold is a weird thing …. I prefer my coffee “black, cold and days old” …. it is what it is, but not for everyone. Hope you have an amazing trip, be sure to your protein macro is on point and then you just need as much fat as required to hit your needed calories. Godspeed!
Thanks Mate. I’m thinking my beef jerky, peanut butter, nuts, protein shake which I’m yet to source and my own trail mix should do it. I have my photographers jacket which has heaps of pockets where I’ll put the days food. I’ll let you know how I go. Thanks again for your insights.
Mike
My brother and I leave March 15 sobo. This is great we went keto 1 1/2 years ago and haven’t looked back. We feel great and this article was definitely targeted at me and him. I liked the Everest article also. I am about to do a YouTube video on our food and will reference your article.
Porkchop and Applesauce walk to Maine
Awesome! My PCT thru was before I was keto and it was very hard to maintain energy even after months on trail…. just enough carbs and I was good, too many and I’d crash. It was a constant balancing act that was very hard to get right. Can’t wait to do an extended trip or thru now that I’m fat adapted….. you will be so much better for your diet and it will show in your miles, recovery and overall energy! Have fun!!!
Thank you thank you thank you for this list! I have been keto for a while, but the last time I went backpacking I was not. I’ve been trying to reconcile not having hot freeze-dried foods on the trail because the keto freeze-dried foods are so expensive. This is a great resource!
No problemo! I’ve found that a nice cross between keeping it simple, being lazy and being happy with really simple food on trail works best for me :)
Cut a small hole in the corner of your shake mix bag and you won’t need the funnel.
I used to do this with all my bags but my protein powder is super fluffy and doesn’t work well with this … actually it still doesn’t even work well with the funnel it’s so flour like. The funnel makes it a tiny bit easier but could do without as well :)
All I see is plastic single use, please tell me this is not what you’re promoting. As a hiker can’t you have a way of using reusable pots, and share that image instead?
Hiya. I don’t know what a reusable pot is, sorry. If we ignore that backpacking has a low carbon footprint and we also ignore the multitude of much higher impact sports that many of us might choose to instead of walking on trail, than there’s probably room for improvement regarding single use plastics …. if that is the priority. On these trips, however, convenience of use on trail and the ability to segment food based on a daily basis while planning are the priority and the result is a small amount of plastic waste.
Chistie,
Kudos to you for caring. I am very green and a middle school science teacher and work really hard to teach my students about the impact of all of our plastic waste. That being said, it has taken me a long time to have the budget for replacing my ‘zip loc’ bags (that I reuse many, many times until they are almost in shreds) with the fancy “rezip” (https://rezip.com/) bags that last hopefully until I can’t even crawl on the trail. Even then, I know that this summer I will be using many snack size zip locs to organize my food just as Trace has done. I content myself for now that at least the rest of the time I am making different/better choices.
Hey Trace, great article. Thanks so much for going into such awesome detail.
Quick question about adding 50:50 nut butter:butter mix. Do you use ghee, or just normal butter? Does normal butter go rancid? Sounds delish, but just wanted to check how it worked for you before potentially wrecking some butter o nuts and going hungry.
Regular butter actually has an out-of-fridge shelf life of about 2 weeks, so if your trip is shorter than that, I don’t really see it being an issue! If you are worried about it though, you could definitely clarify your butter first!
Thank you for taking the time to write this. I’m heading out on my first keto camping trip and all I could find were articles of folks cooking steaks at camp. So not the camping I’m doing. I’m curious though since writing this article have you discovered any new favorites that i might want to look into?
I’m glad I found this article. Thanks.
I’m planning to do the Appalachian trail next year. I’m learning to use my new dehydrator with different foods.
The mixing nut butters with butter idea was epic.
The really important part was the electrolyte section. Thank you.
So my idea is to dehydrate what I can and send it ahead to my result points.
Could you expand more on the best way to transport fats in your pack?
Thanks in advance. I am already fat adapted for about a year now. So missies there. I read The Primal Blueprint.
Hello! Thank you so much for such a comprehensive backpacking guide! I am plant-based keto and will be doing a part of the PCT in a few weeks. I haven’t had any keto experience on the trails yet and I am beginning to see how it may be a little challenging to keep my macros in check (LOT of planning I guess). Oh and HELLL YEAHH for coffee, hiking, bass music and BM! That’s my style ;)
Get it!!! <3
Would simple olive oil and liquid mct oil be okay, or would that go bad after a few days?
Olive oil and mct oil are shelf stable for extended periods at home, nothing changes with that on the trail :) Perhaps if you are in extreme heat you would need to pay more attention to them…. but I wouldn’t sweat it for a few days.
I’ve been keto adapted for a couple years now and have had a large and continuing loss but still have a reasonable amount of body fat left to work with as fuel. I appreciate being able to hike lighter and thus, if I can avoid packing food at all, I will. What do you suppose is the bare minimum I could get away with bringing for say 3 days of camping with 2 10-15mi day hikes during? How do I calculate this to cope for the extra water/electrolyte needs. I already know I can go three days without eating no problem and I have a rough idea that I get thirsty to the tune of about 1.5 gallons water rather than the .75-1gal (+coffee) with just normal activity. On a 7-10 mile hike I tend to have 1-2 liters of water in warm weather and then eat a ton of salted pumpkin seeds at the end. I’m thinking on a trip so short I might not need food at all, but I’m not sure what kind of electrolyte planning would be appropriate for only water intake. Thoughts?
I would use a TDEE calculator, ketogains has one … and I wouldn’t bring the bare minimum at first, you don’t want to set yourself up for failure. Maybe you eat it all, maybe almost none… until you have miles under your belt and have trained while fat adapted, you don’t know what to expect or what you’ll need. I would err on side of caution….. you carry a little weight for the sake of safety and not being miserable if you consume more than you think, much better than starving and miserable. Everyone’s body and experience is different because of the many variables! Test, experiment and go from there while giving yourself a safety net as you go.
Thanks for the reply!
Is the Keto coffee a necessary part of the diet or is that just for pleasure? I could still be in Ketosis without it, right? Also thank you for this, I’ve been looking everywhere for a keto meal plan.
Only pleasure. You could be in ketosis without it. You can eat carbs and be in ketosis, it’s the dosage of that matters. :) Many like to add fat to their coffee to make sure they’re hitting their calories and for energy….
Thanks for sharing all this info. In the past I’ve just given up keto while I’m backpacking, because I was finding myself bonking out. Thinking now that electrolytes were the issue (was using nuun), so I’ll be sure to bring supplies for ketorade. Supplementing with powders seems like a really useful approach, too, so I’ve got a funnel and the systema container on the way.
I really can’t thank you enough for these tips! I’m doing a 5-day trip through Yellowstone in August, and I have been stressing out about how to stay keto (1.5 years and going strong!). I thought I would have to take weeks to ease into carbs for the trip, but you have given me confidence that I can do this! Also, the realization that I won’t have to pack a stove is life changing! I broke my back 2 years ago, and I am going as light as possible for this trip. It will be my biggest test so far on my back. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
No problemo, happy to help! I would get out and do some day trips in before your big trip and do them fasted if possible. That will help build confidence and you absolutely DO NOT need to reintegrate carbs! Have fun!!!
My trip is next week, and with the protein shake, nut butter, and tuna packets w/ mayo I plan to take, I think I will be fine with food. I have a quick question, though. I have been hiking with Ketorade, but it tends to make my mouth really, really dry. Like, I feel thirstier after I drink it than I did before. Is this normal?
Thanks again for this article!
I haven’t experienced that issue, so not really sure! Maybe do Ketorade and then water and go back and forth and see if that helps. If I’m thirsty, I drink more…. until not thirsty, so you could also exploring drinking more and seeing if that helps. After I train I’ll slam a liter easy peasy and then I get back on track and am not thirsty. The one thing I don’t do is slam water when not thirsty as that just leads to more urination and loss of electrolytes. Sorry I couldn’t be more help!
How often did you have to resupply with this plan? Can you carry all 6 days or should I send it ahead?
6 days worth of food should be doable for sure!
Hi Trace!
I`ve started hiking for the first time in my life this year and I`ve turned 36 recently and I am stoked about it. In addition I`ve started Keto 6 weeks ago and I` m going to my first “keto-hike” this weekend. I can`t say how thankfull for whta you`re doing and that I`ve found your website with your tips. This is something I was looking for. I am so excited about the trip like a kid in primary school ;)
Anyway, I`ve just wanted to say THANK YOU and greetings from Poland!!! :)
That’s so awesome! And remember to it can be hard your first few hikes, that’s to be expected. Hope it goes well and have fun!!! Greetings from Portland, Oregon / US!
Thank you man! :) Oregon looks awseome. A lot of nice nature to visit. I am going this weekend in Polish mountains called Tatry. When I visit US, I will come to Oregon and give you a shout out ;)
Nice, have never been to Poland but will definitely visit some day!!! Sounds good!
Thanks so much for this. My newborn is 7 weeks old and my husband and I are planning our first backpacking trip postpartum. Aside from the intense level of research I’ve had to do regarding pumping milk while backpacking (fun stuff) – my concern was the quality, and weight of packing keto meals. Being that this is not only our first time on a trip since our new one, but also, since I’ve had to adjust to a keto-adjusted diet, a lot of anxiety. I appreciate the detail and diligence in documenting your suggestions, and experiences, thank you!
This is awesome, excited for your trip with your new little one! On my PCT thru I came across a couple with grown kids and their litte one on trail! https://alpine.science/pct-day-113/
Overall, I find Trace’s site to be the most helpful. In my quest to eat keto during 2020 PCT, Trace’s charts have inspired a spreadsheet listing the majority of keto backpacking foods/meals and compared them by calculating Calories per Ounce and $ per Ounce. There are some big surprises. Also included are some slightly lower carb listings such as the ubiquitous Snickers Bar (but filled with almond butter). From this list I’ll build my daily ration that weighs between 1.5-2 lbs and yields at least 3200 Calories. I think others may find it helpful, so the spread sheet is uploaded to Google Docs at this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zyUt1Fj4oMJ4Uut4g-AQ6XBy81aqTK4_/view?usp=sharing
I hope this is OK with Trace. Regards GK
Glad to hear this article has helped a bit and thanks for the resource you’ve put together!
I’m an international 2020 PCT hiker. Trace, how would you recommend resupply when almost all keto/protein powder products are bulk items likely ordered via Amazon? Send a bounce box with the extra powders to the next resupply 3 to 7 days ahead? Too costly? Regards, GK
Great question. Hmmmmmm. Bounce boxes are a pain, tbh…. seems like you’re always coming into town on a Saturday and rushing to post office before close so you don’t have to wait till Monday … requiring one extra zero on a sunday that you don’t’ want to take! That was my experience at least, so I ditched mine. I would try to find off the shelf protein powders / fats that are common or consider shipping or bouncing two week supplies or something along those lines depending on what the extra carry weights are. It might work out to the the same as normal food carries since keto will be saving weight or SAD and the difference in carrying for two week might be negligible. …. but would need to do the math. Honestly, I would have to think about this as it’s a great question. I did not do my PCT thru keto, so haven’t tackled this problem yet. Maybe someone else can chime in with more experience!
Thank you for your comment, Trace. I reviewed what a keto hiker might be able to find in trail towns and was pleasantly surprised. The odd Amazon supplied keto powder (eg. heavy cream, eggs)–entire package carried–might be the way to go. Following is a trail-town-resupply-keto-list I came up with. More ideas appreciated! Small containers of olive oil, sausage sticks, real bacon bits? tuna in oil? low carb wraps? hard cheese, almond butter, almonds & other nuts besides peanuts, high % cocoa chocolate bars, avocados, unsweetened shredded coconut, small packages of protein powder? GK
Excellent information, thank you for sharing! On the coffee…how are you cleaning the container each day? My trips are typically multi-day trips sometimes camped in one location and then dayhiking to explore, moving camp each day. I am always hesitant to dirty up anything other than my spoon as I don’t carry dish cleaning supplies or have gray water to deal with. I would very much prefer to carry protein powder instead of bars, just need help figuring out the cleaning aspect.
Put water in it, shake it and drink … good to go! Honestly, why clean it? It’s not going to go bad there just might be some after taste …. my coffee tastes a little sweeter due to protein powder, that’s all.
This approach has been ass-kickingly transformative on my daily trail experience, thank you.
Here’s my dilemma: I successfully used your recipe for ketoade on a recent 47 mile trek through the Sierras, finding it to be a truly delicious game-changer.
Upon returning to the SF Bay Area, I’ve started working as an Enumerator for the US Census — in 90° – 100°+ heat, and, craving the ketoade, I mixed up a batch.
It tasted horrible, with notes of murky lakewater and ass. I thought I’d messed up, so I poured that out and made a fresh batch, double-checking that my measurements were correct — with the same results.
I figure I must be doing something wrong.
Has anyone else had the same experience? Please advise, And thanks again for your incredible work.
Great article – I’m grabbing loads of keto ideas for an upcoming 100miler. Ref the coffee shake, protein powder goes rancid if the container is not washed out. I assume just shaking/rinsing with fresh water is enough to clean out when empty (e.g. later in the morning)?
Yes!
Thanks for all the information. One question I do have regarding keto-backpacking is, when we are backpacking, should we eat a little more than our normal macros since we are being more active?
Great article! Now that it’s 2022, have you done any long trails while keto yet? Or do you otherwise have any suggestions for on-trail resupply (grocery store-based) hot dinners? Pre-making dinners from home is pretty doable, and restocking on keto-friendly snack foods while on-trail should be easy enough, but I’m currently at a loss for how to shop for dinner while on-trail.
I need to do an update but focused on other projects …. since writing this, I’ve done The Colorado Trail, John Muir Trail and Tahoe Rim Trail keto. I don’t cook, so no hot meals and have found that I do well with lots of peanut butter (6 lbs on average per resupply) and some of the other foods I’ve mentioned in the post. I struggle with variety after about 2 weeks on trail and slowly integrate some lower carb foods so I don’t go crazy… usually bars or similar. I have learned that bringing in too many carbs will absolutely destroy my energy levels, so that’s one mistake I will not be making again … I’ve noticed the pattern in my real life and on trail, so not relying on a singular data point. Bottom line: I would eat carnivore / keto on trail if I could, but perishable foods are not an option, so I make it work as best as I can. I usually eat whatever I want for a meal or two in town, but if staying for a few days, have to be disciplined because overconsumption of carbs will result in much lower energy for a day or two when I get back on trail. This is compounded if I’m leaving trail at a higher elevation, moving to town at lower elevation for a few days or more and then coming back to high elevation.
Great info thx. Question: do you bring any vegetables with you on trail?
I don’t actually eat much in the way of plants on or off trail anymore … primarily nose to tail carnivore when possible on and off trail.