you can carry what, 2 stacks of wood and 2 stacks of tar, at least, with the belt? more?
Being able to 'run home' from a swamp is a luxury... most load up a longship or karve + boxes and take a lot of iron back all at once via waterway.

ever lifted a bucket of tar? Its heavy. I think they are going for a semblance of realism here and there, though the choices are odd at times.