# How heavy is a thing that is heavy? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 25, 2013, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-heavy-is-a-thing-that-is-heavy/669631 "2013-09-25T06:59:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-heavy-is-a-thing-that-is-heavy/669631/41 "2013-09-27T03:49:35Z")
64 year old male, 5’7" 190#. I recently retired, the last few years I worked I could no longer muscle the 180# clutches into the big trucks. The 120# clutches were about the most I could handle and no longer comfortable with them. 2 weeks ago I carried about 6 I think 96# bags of concrete into my backyard from my truck and it liked to killed me. So from now on maybe 80#. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-heavy-is-a-thing-that-is-heavy/669631/42 "2013-09-27T04:24:45Z")
I think many times its more about the size of the item + the wieght - a 40# box of lead (about 4x6x8 inches) is a whole lot harder to manage than a 40# box thats 12x12x12 inches. Similarly - a 40# box thats the size of a car might be even more complicated to pick up and move. Grip strength will also come into play. So, its a combination of things. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-heavy-is-a-thing-that-is-heavy/669631/43 "2013-09-27T05:15:04Z")
I can lift well over 200 lbs, but it really depends on how unwieldy it is to handle. If it’s not something with a very secure handhold or well balanced I’m not screwing with it alone past 100 lbs for a lift and place, and would probably stop well before that for assistance if is was awkward to handle. Being a hero with heavy objects that can hurt you is very stupid. ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-heavy-is-a-thing-that-is-heavy/669631/44 "2013-09-27T05:48:54Z")
I regularly lift two school desks bundled together and weighing 50 - 60lbs depending on size. I also lift boxes of rivits and chair glides at around 40lbs. I’m a slightly overweight 53 year old woman. I think I could pretty easily carry more if it was something easy to lift, especially over my shoulder. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-heavy-is-a-thing-that-is-heavy/669631/45 "2013-09-27T22:42:41Z")
> [@cougar58](#): > > Can God create an object so heavy he couldn’t lift it? Can God make a Babe so Hot He can’t pick her up? ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2013, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-heavy-is-a-thing-that-is-heavy/669631/46 "2013-09-28T03:47:38Z")
Female, mid-30s, almost 5’4" and about 155lbs with a fair amount of that muscle. 70 pounds. I cart around 50lb bags of stuff for a reasonable distance fairly often, and you’re only asking me to put this on a cart. I figure some people are underestimating themselves, or overestimating how heavy 25lbs is. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2013, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-heavy-is-a-thing-that-is-heavy/669631/47 "2013-09-28T05:39:52Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > Artillery rounds… \ … with a 96-pound round on each shoulder. 96 pounds - sounds like 155mm standard weight of an HE projectile to me. Were they? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-heavy-is-a-thing-that-is-heavy/669631.md?page=2)