Whats your Starting Pack Weight with Food and Water.( in lbs.) Hike your on Hike .

[Kerosene]

My base weight for shoulder season section hikes is 18 pounds. I typically hike with 4-5 days of food, fuel and consummables, plus 2.5 liters of water (I hate running out), which adds another 11 pounds. My worn clothing comes to 5 pounds, which results in a skin-out weight of 34 pounds. Fortunately, I've been able to keep my body weight down, while increasing my lean body mass.

[Wolf - 23000]

The television shows are mostly BS, too. I guess what puzzled me was a guy goin' ultra light while carrying four pounds of uncecessary water. Internet forums are for provoking debate. I started out last year at about 28 lbs with food and water. This year I'm under 18 lbs. The forum works!

swjohnsey,

I travel by what most people consider UL (base weight under 5 pounds), I've hiked under 5 pounds for over 20 years now. My base weight has change very little sense I've started. What I've seen is many hikers here on line seem real quick to jump on anyone who travel UL - under 5 pounds. Well I think it is safe to say enough people have seem me over the years to know, yes I do travel that light.

As for the water question, well I'll say this my own personal experience, sometimes the advice we receive from other hikers is not always the best – even by hikers who claim to be hiker guru. My experience has been using my own noggin has help me the most on what equipment to choice. Everyone here has their own option on what is the best equipment and what is the worst equipment. Do I really need to ask the question on what someone else is carrying? It doesn’t help.

Wolf

[swjohnsey]

Yes it does. Questioning the norm is what leads to change. The first ultralighter asked the question, "Why are you carrying 40 lbs?"

[Wolf - 23000]

Well I think we have a different view of helping. Do you believe there are still hikers who act surprise that someone can backpack under 20 pounds total weight? It has only been done for the last 20+ years, but yet some hikers still act surprise.

Looking at what others carried has never helped me. Anyone who has done the AT will tell you that ever: backpack, sleeping bag, stove, jacket, etc has been used successfully to hike the AT. Everything from a $10 Kmart special to $500 backpacks has been used. I cannot see how that helps anyone. Any good backpacker will buy their gear to cater to their hiking style.

As one of the first ultralighter backpackers, I do not ever remember every asking, "Why are you carrying 40 lbs?" I never care what someone else carried. I am not carrying it. They are the one who physically had to pick up ever item, and place it into their pack.

Wolf

[swjohnsey]

In some ways I agree. I'm not an ultralight backpacker. Hell, I carry a Wisperlite stove. I am influenced by the ultralight crowd and pay attention to what others are carrying.

[Juice]

@ Wolf 23000,

Just for my info, are you talking about hiking in Hawaii or gear that will get you safely over Mt. Washington?

[Wolf - 23000]

Juice,

I'm talking equipment that has gotten me over Mt. Washington, NH and the entire AT, PCT, LT, JMT and more.

Currently I am station here in Hawaii - will be leaving next month after 3 years. And yes, here I have broken the one pound mark, total gear list was under one pound. Some hikers might remember I tried to do the same on the JMT a few years ago but could only get down to 18 oz for 2/3 of the trip and 14 oz for the rest.

My point is hikers have for years been backpacking ultralight-weight. Do I spend my time looking at what others are carrying ... no. Why should I care what they are carrying? They are the one who is carrying it. I think a lot of hikers carry a lot of extra items that I wouldn't carry, but they are carrying it because they want to. And gear is only part of the equation. A gear list doesn't tell you how they are hiking the trail. Someone gear list might be used for example by someone traveling with a partner, a friend or solely. How good are their wilderness skills? There are many hikers, that could not even build a camp fire. Of course these hikers are going to carry more.

Gear list, asking about how much others are carrying ... why? Worry more about what you are carrying than others. It has always served me right.

Wolf

[SGT Rock]

I envy you wolf. I never got to Hawaii. Retiring soon?

[Juice]

Wolf,

Obviously people need to pack according to their ability and level of skills. Please don't take my post as an attempt to insult you, I was curious as to the specific question I asked. It may be that you've never used others experience to make improvements in your own kit or style but I certainly have. Until the last year I've held a 20-25lb base weight and now I can comfortably jump between 6-10 lb base weight depending on many factors.

[Malto]

If I were leaving Springer tomorrow I would have 13lbs.

Base Weight - 8lb
Food - 3lb (1.5 days)
Water - 2lb (1L)

When I left Campo on the PCT my pack weight was 24 lb.
Base Weight - 8lb.
Food - 8lb (4 days)
Water 8lb. (4L)

In reality I had 8lbs too much. If I would have paid attention to the water report I would have known that there was plentiful water in the first section. Also, I did higher miles than I had expected and arrived in Warner Springs in a bit over 3 days, I could have saved an extra day of food. Bottom line, as I got more experienced I was able to keep the food and water weight as optimized as I had gotten my gear. I saw many hikers arrive at a resupply with lbs of food left over. That is a crime!

[Wolf - 23000]

gg - man,

I did the same thing my first time leaving Campo. I made the mistake because of a "guru on lightweight backpacking" who said he left Campo with 17 pounds. My pack wasn't even close to that. The only thing I could think he was carrying extra water. So I carried an extra gallon of water that I didn't need. I was new to desert hiking.

Wolf

[Wolf - 23000]

I envy you wolf. I never got to Hawaii. Retiring soon?

This is my second tour to Hawaii and yet I never once requested coming here. I've always let the Army figure out where they need me.

As for Retiring soon, I wish. I have another 7 more years before hiting the magic 20 year mark. Then I can go live the good life like you do.

Wolf

[SGT Rock]

It is nice. I'm heading up to the Smokys tomorrow. 7 years out flies fast.

FWIW I think my base tomorrow is 11.5 as if it matters. The hammock ups the weight a bit LOL.

[Wolf - 23000]

Wolf,

Obviously people need to pack according to their ability and level of skills. Please don't take my post as an attempt to insult you, I was curious as to the specific question I asked. It may be that you've never used others experience to make improvements in your own kit or style but I certainly have. Until the last year I've held a 20-25lb base weight and now I can comfortably jump between 6-10 lb base weight depending on many factors.

Juice,

I did not take your comment as an insult. It was simple a question. From my own experience, I started my AT listening to everyone who offered advice: I end up carrying about 100 pounds on my back. When I started listening to myself, I got my pack leaving town with 10 - 15 pounds - that was back in 1989 when the gear was not as light as it is now.

The PCT was similar. When I listen to others who had done the trail, including by the guru of lightweight backpacking again I carried extra weight that I didn't need. What I found is everyone has their own hiking style. That hiking style and the hiker skill level is what effect their pack weight more than anything. Is someone really going to spend several hundren of dollars because someone like one sleeping bag over another, one backpack over another, one stove over another, etc?

Wolf

[LeeAllure]

Yes, I'm heading south. I'm sure there will be times I don't need to carry that much.

I also don't want to spend a lot of time in towns, so if I can carry more food and
skip going into one, I'll be happy.

Don't you think 6 days food is a bit extreme. are you a Sobo?
Why is everyone taking so much food ?

[Maddog]

I just got back from a 4 day drip in the Cohutta Wilderness...my starting pack weight was 17lbs!

[Edie]

Probably a stupid question, but how do you weigh your pack? Just now getting mine stocked

[LDog]

Probably a stupid question, but how do you weigh your pack? Just now getting mine stocked

Put it on, get on a bathroom scale, take it off and get back on, subtract the second weight from the first.

[Wolf - 23000]

Probably a stupid question, but how do you weigh your pack? Just now getting mine stocked

I just ask the Post Office to weigh my pack. Before leaving town with everything included or without the food. If they are not to swamp they are more than willing to do it. Not all the time of course but every so often. Normal there is little differents through-out my hikes.

Wolf

[q-tip]

Final Colorado Trail Kit at 16.1 lbs. This is everything-food is about 1.5/day + water. I figure 25-27 lbs the heaviest. I am training with a 35 lb. pack. I think this is it-six months in the planning and buying of lighter gear. I save a total of 4.1 lbs from my AT pack.