Get the Monkey Off Your Back: Birken Backpack Weight Reduced for 2027

 

Pack your Birken backpack with the required essentials - and Prince Håkon too!

One of the world’s most popular ski marathons has made a significant change for this coming winter’s race. Beginning in 2027, the Birkebeinerrennet in Norway – better known as the Birken – will now require participants to carry a 2 kg (4.4 pounds) backpack, rather than the previous 3.5 kg (7.7 pounds) weight. This change will make a big difference for skiers who dream of tackling the legendary 53 km route from Rena to Lillehammer.

What’s a Birken Backpack?

Every skier participating in the Birken events must carry a backpack symbolizing the young Prince Håkon Håkonsson, who was rescued by the Birkebeiner warriors on skis in 1205. Narrowly escaping the Baglers during Norway’s civil war, the rescue skiers, wearing birch bark leggings through the deep snow, traversed the mountains between Lillehammer and Rena to deliver the 18-month-old boy to safety and ensure the Birkebeiner faction would live on. This turning point in Norwegian history was commemorated with the first Birkebeinerrennet in 1932, a tradition that continues to this day as skiers challenge themselves to follow in the tracks of the original Birkebeiners. 

Every Birken skier is required to have a backpack with safety gear in case of inclement weather

Today, skiers participating in any of the three primary Birken events, including the 53 km SkøyteBirken freestyle, the 28 km HalvBirken or the full 53 km classic Birken event, are required to carry a bag with them containing critical safety gear in case inclement weather impacts the race. The weather along the course can change quickly and white-outs, high winds and dense fog have all occurred in recent memory. All Birken skiers must have the following items with them in a backpack during the entirety of the race:

  • Windproof jacket and pants

  • Dry long underwear

  • Warm hat

  • Buff or balaclava

  • Warm gloves or mittens

Snacks, hydration, ski wax, additional insulated layers, spare batteries to charge your phone and other necessities are also recommended but not required. There are aid stations along the course as well, serving popular snacks like Norwegian lefse, fruits, energy drinks and water.

Ski the Birken in Norway with Lumi next winter

Modern Materials Lead to Changes

This is not the first time the Birken’s required backpack weight has changed. The original backpack weight requirement was set at 5.5 kg (12.1 pounds) from 1932 through 1993, when the weight was reduced to 3.5 kg. This reflected the improvements made over the subsequent 60 years to create lighter materials for outdoor clothing and equipment. In further reducing the required weight to 2 kg, race organizers recognize that the newest generation of gear is even lighter and that higher weight requirements were no longer justified. As gear weights came down, skiers had to bulk up their packs with magazines or other dead weight to meet the requirement, even if this weight did nothing to support their safety. Reducing the weight requirement helps make the event more welcoming to skiers who may not be able to carry a heavier pack over long distances.

4 Take part in the 53 km classic Birken, 53km SkøyteBirken or the 28 km HalvBirken

Skiers are welcome to carry more than 2 kg if they so desire; there is no penalty for carrying extra. Is the bag weight checked? Absolutely. There are scales at the start of the race for skiers to double-check the bag weight and volunteers at the finish line check to make sure each backpack meets the requirements. Lumi’s host hotel in Lillehammer even puts out a scale the night before the events for people to check their bags. Figuring out what to pack and testing the weight is a rite of passage for many skiers. In addition, skiers often adorn their backpacks with flags, messages of encouragement or even baby dolls dressed up as Prince Håkon. The Birken bag may be a necessary piece of safety equipment, but it’s also a chance to make the event more than simply a long day of skiing. It’s a chance to connect with history and with skiers from around the world.

Don't be surprised if spectators offer you a Kvikk Lunsj as you ski past

Do you want to follow in the tracks of the Birkebeiner warriors next winter? Lumi still has limited space on our Norway Birken trip, which spends several days skiing the Holmenkollen and Nordmarka trails outside of Oslo before heading north towards Lillehammer and the skier’s paradise of Sjusjøen. Not interested in racing? We also have two departures on our Norway Sight-Skiing trip available next February, both of which are eligible for a $200/person discount through July 31.

Enjoy Norway's sunny skies as you explore its 1000+ km of groomed trails

Visit the Holmenkollen ski jump overlooking Oslo

Which other Worldloppet events also require participants to carry a backpack? At this point, the Fossavatn Ski Marathon in Iceland is the only other event to require a backpack, also due to the scenic, yet very exposed, course overlooking the Isafjordur Fjord. Reach out to reservations@lumiexperiences.com to receive a detailed trip itinerary or to sign up.

See you on the trail,

Garrott Kuzzy
garrott@lumiexperiences.com 
Founder, Lumi Experiences

 
NorwayNathan MillerWorldloppet, Culture