Carrying bag or cart: Which is more physically demanding?

[gammaxgoblin]

Cant find poll option anymore, maybe removed or its me....What in your opinion or experience is more physically demanding, carrying a backpack or cart?

 

[BillFleming]

Carrying a backpack. Although if your question is read grammatically....then carrying a cart would be more physically demanding

I'm 63 with a bad back.....the putting down and picking up of a backpack starts to wear on me. I carry Aleve and Deep Blue (similar to Ben-Gay) for when it starts getting too bad. With a cart, I never have to be concerned about my back aching. Depending on the cart, you may not have to bend over at all; but you definitely don't have to constantly put it down and pick it up. Unfortunately, not all disc golf courses are cart friendly. There are days I choose to use my sling bag instead of my full bag, just because I need to give my back a break. Happens more frequently when I have to play two rounds in a single day...I'll start with my full bag and switch to my sling bag for the second round

 

[Countchunkula]

Depends on the course. Relatively flat with short grass, cart is way easier. Lots of hills, steps, and narrow paths, cart stays in the car.

I played Justin Trails last month with some fine folks from this site. Pictures looked like it might be cart friendly, but I'm glad I listened to the people who had played there before. Dragging the cart up those hills (and stopping it from taking off on the downhills) would have kicked my ass.

 

[gammaxgoblin]

I found a few studies from adjacent activities.

Golfing carrying clubs V cart
Breakdown of Calories Burned Golfing - energy used about even
Calories Burned Playing Golf | Calculator & Formula – Captain Calculator - pulling clubs 20-25% more energy


Pulling hiking pack on wheels V on back
Will a hiking trailer save you energy? | Trekker's Friend hiking trailer | backpacker trailer | hikers trailer
Pulling on cart is load dependent but 2-15% less energy to pull

FWIW: Had some problems getting my squatch legend to sit without rolling/falling on a steep rocky fairway this weekend....not a cart only issue.

 

[BrotherDave]

It takes much more effort to throw a cart than a bag. Don't ask me how I know this.

 

[gammaxgoblin]

It takes much more effort to throw a cart than a bag. Don't ask me how I know this.

But which one flew further?

 

[da Crippler]

I watched a well-known Wisconsin discer throw a cart during tournament play. It didn't go far.

 

[biscoe]

I think for most people it varies based on the course. I, however, have a crap lower back from an injury long ago and carrying even my light bag with 10 discs puts a hurting on me so i opt for cart in almost all cases.

 

[sisyphus]

I watched a well-known Wisconsin discer throw a cart during tournament play. It didn't go far.

...probably knew the penalty rule for that many discs thrown more than 5 meters...

 

[DiscJunkie]

For me, it depends on temperature.
I carry a DM Sky bag (20-25 discs) most of the time. It actually helps exercise my back and keeps me loose.
When it gets too hot, and the bag gets my back wet, I'll roll a MVP Rover cart (one of the smaller, lighter carts).

 

[TheOtherBill]

I'm a bad back and hip cart user. I can do a 6-8 disc round but can't carry much water if I do. I had to adapt a bolf cart to keep the bag set up high as bending over was the issue and a zuca won't solve that problem. I had been using bag and stool for about a decade but it eventually became too much to swing it on and off my shoulders.

 

[sidewinder22]

I've found that towing my cart actually hurts my back, so I'm now backpack only.

 

[TheOtherBill]

Mine is a four-wheel push Cliqgear - pulling one caused all kinds of problems.

 

[TomM]

First if you are going to get a cart take a look at a golf cart they are lighter, cheaper, and better designed.

The primary factor is weight. A light pack is far easier. But if you have a large pack loaded with extras such as drinks, disc retriever, umbrella, extra towels, lunch, range finder, etc cart is easier.

Lasts dependant on course and conditions. Pack is better in roots and uneven terrain, especially tree roots and loose sand (beach) /gravel, as well as wet such as mud and snow. Elevation gain / loss is a wash (up is harder with a cart but down is easier).

 

[BrotherDave]

Bag by far. You can also drop kick a bag. With the cart you're fairly limited to an Olympic hammer throw technique. Also it bends the heck out of the handle.

 

[HyooMac]

Agree with those comments about the cart being more work on hilly courses.

But, other advantages of carts are keeping the everything off the ground when it's wet, and (depending on cart design) giving easy access to your discs without bending over so far. And also (again, depending on the cart) a seat!

I saw an interesting solution by Big Jerm on a practice round video earlier this year. He carried a lightweight camp stool and put his bag on it instead of on the ground. I immediately tried it with my tripod stool, and it didn't work. The seat is too small for the base of the bag, and the three legs don't give study enough a base. Ski either the bag would fall off, or the entire thing would topple over (once during my reachback).

That got me searching for inexpensive four-legged camp stools like I saw Jerm use. Almost everything I could find was too low: 18" - 20" high, so I was still bending way over.

I ended up buying a camp stool for about $20, and bought some PVC pipe to extend the legs, and some black spray paint to make the extensions blend in.

Works great! I carry the backpack as I normally would, and the stool folded, over one shoulder. Lots of the convenience of a cart without the weight. And no harder than just a backpack to carry on hilly courses. And I still get a seat!

 

[uncle pennybags]

My cart was mainly about tournament play. Having the seat and not bending over so much was a huge improvement in my QOL at tournaments. In casual rounds on low traffic courses....I could go either way, but usually use the cart because it's loaded and ready.

 

[foxdawg10]

On flat courses, I use a baby stroller. Pushing is much easier on my body. I have used several disc golf specific carts and the pulling position hurts my shoulder.

On hillier courses, I carry a smaller bag with between 10-12 discs. I still carry the older tournament style bags that sit lower on my back. Backpack style bags are no good for my shoulder trying to get in and out of the them.

 

[gammaxgoblin]

I've been having a hard time with tennis elbow recently and it occurred to me (after many rounds) that the extra gripping and pulling of the cart with throwing arm was causing more wear on my elbow. I then went to my pack for the last 3 rounds with mixed success. I thought it was all good but a whole 48 hours after last round I either slept very wrong and got a kink in my neck or the back was again causing upper back / neck problems. Back to the cart, even on hilly courses...just pulling with off arm now =) Though the idea of being able to hook the cart handle to something around my waist for no handed pulling is intriguing but probably not really applicable to disc golf.

 

[txmxer]

I played league with a guy that would set his bag on a 3 legged stool. Seemed to work for him, but maybe a smaller bag?

My lower back has been flaring a lot lately, so definitely a concern. Been thinking about a cart, but I wouldn't use it very often.

The times I'm most envious of a cart have been tournament rounds. No place to sit and the back is tightening up. Even on less than cart friendly courses, the slow pace kind of gives you time to maneuver. Being stuck waiting without a place to take a load off is pretty miserable when your back hurts.

I've considered something like a nutsack that you wear and don't take off. Maybe eliminates a few up a down reps. Every little bit counts.

But, there are things to consider not related to bags and carts.

Lose weight.

Strengthen core.

Improve flexibility.

Although I'm in my worst shape and most overweight today, those fundamental things have helped me in the past. But they are "hard" and require dedication. I'm guilty of letting myself go and not sticking with those efforts.

I got frustrated that my workouts only seemed to be slowing my decline rather than improving performance.

While there may be better gear solutions for each individual, IF you can get out and play a round of disc golf, I'm betting you know you could do a little more body care off the course that would help as well. I know I can and I'm trying to today.