What is your pack weight?

[jakedatc]

Also I’ve been backpacking lightweight for a long time and can spot many things that most hikers starting off normal would not.

As for your references, I'm going to leave alone only to say many of them leave out a lot.

Wolf

yes yes you've said you are quite amazing.

are you saying the books are lacking or the people writing them... i didn't say they were a manual but a good source of information. Having met and talked with Andrew, the guy is a wealth of information. i have not read all of his book (my dad has our copy) but I have read most of his website and he explains the "why" and "how" quite well.

anyway i'm out, this is going nowhere.

[jakedatc]

But to be fair if you notice Jamie has a bivy so a small tarp does not mean he will be wet even if it gets nasty. he could also pitch it lower in "storm mode". You will also note that he has sewn or built almost everything he uses.. he knows what he is doing.

[Wolf - 23000]

I never suggest they were a manual but many hikers take them as just that. If you go down to the southern part of the AT for example, there are a lot of Northbounders that are freezing because they follow someone else list – a list made up for warmer weather. Ray Jardine’s book for another, was written as a manual – make your own gear to save weight. What he left out is a hiker knowing what he/she is doing can backpack lighter then Ray himself for the same amount of money (during the same years). The other two, I can’t comment on because I haven’t heard them speak or their philosophies I’ll leave it as that.

Wolf

[MuddyWaters]

you could just post a sample list instead of being snarky. Even today sub 5lb baseweight is quite an achievement and usually involves small tarps, daypack size bags, and an array of cuben fiber.
Jamie Shortt's visual pack list of his sub5lb baseweight (which has been made even lighter.. guy has awesome gear, mostly homemade)
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...hread_id=13855

Sub 5 lb isnt that hard in warm weather (no insulation layer), and if you dont mind a light frameless sack with no support, and a thin , short, minimal foam sleeping pad, and no stove, and no rain pants. People out there doing it every day in the summer.

If they tell you they are comfortable, they are stretching the truth a bit if they are carrying 15-20 lbs with food and water.

The 2 items MOST worth their wt, are a light framed pack that transfer wt to hips , and a comfortable sleeping pad.

[swjohnsey]

I never carried more than 20 lbs with four days of food and a quart of water. I didn't carry a frameless pack (ULA Ohm 2.0) had a good pad (Neoair) nice bag and even rain pants and a stove. Oh yeah, and a tent (BA Fly Creek 1)

[jakedatc]

Sub 5 lb isnt that hard in warm weather (no insulation layer), and if you dont mind a light frameless sack with no support, and a thin , short, minimal foam sleeping pad, and no stove, and no rain pants. People out there doing it every day in the summer.

If they tell you they are comfortable, they are stretching the truth a bit if they are carrying 15-20 lbs with food and water.

The 2 items MOST worth their wt, are a light framed pack that transfer wt to hips , and a comfortable sleeping pad.

sorry to burst your bubble. but it can be done, in the cold, in wet weather. It does involve some $ and knowledge of *** you are doing. Well made down insulation, cuben shelter, cuben pack, esbit stove, small 500-700ml pot, cuben rain skirt, etc. no it's not 15-20lb of food. but i don't know anyone who carries that much food at once. Also there are other hikes other than a AT thru hike so judging everything by a thru-hike is pretty narrow. 40mi in 2.5 days is a pretty solid weekend.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...hread_id=55270

I guess it has to do with some ignorance of what is out there on this site but if you expand your head a bit and look else where people are doing very light baseweights with minimal but complete gear. you don't NEED a framed pack if you are light enough to not need it. you don't NEED a thick pad if your site selection or personal tolerance allows you to use a thin foam pad. I have a framed pack and a air pad because I still need a frame and have bony hips that don't allow me to use a thin pad. but i applaud the folks who can

not believing it can be done is how 30lb packs show up and THAT is unnecessary.

[SouthMark]

Sub 5 lb or SUL is just a matter of skill, knowledge and experience.

[MuddyWaters]

sorry to burst your bubble. but it can be done, in the cold, in wet weather. It does involve some $ and knowledge of *** you are doing. Well made down insulation, cuben shelter, cuben pack, esbit stove, small 500-700ml pot, cuben rain skirt, etc. no it's not 15-20lb of food. but i don't know anyone who carries that much food at once. Also there are other hikes other than a AT thru hike so judging everything by a thru-hike is pretty narrow. 40mi in 2.5 days is a pretty solid weekend.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...hread_id=55270

I guess it has to do with some ignorance of what is out there on this site but if you expand your head a bit and look else where people are doing very light baseweights with minimal but complete gear. you don't NEED a framed pack if you are light enough to not need it. you don't NEED a thick pad if your site selection or personal tolerance allows you to use a thin foam pad. I have a framed pack and a air pad because I still need a frame and have bony hips that don't allow me to use a thin pad. but i applaud the folks who can

not believing it can be done is how 30lb packs show up and THAT is unnecessary.

Your off base. I said it was EASY in warm weather, thats when many will do it.
Need to read closer as well, there is a difference between 15-20lbs pack wt with food/water and 15-20 lbs food.

I carry 6-7 lbs most of the time year round. I know exactly what it takes to go lower, and exactly how to be lower. I have the gear to go out with a 4.5 lb pack If I want. Ive done my share of sleeping on a 2.5oz pad on piled up leaves. I can tolerate it , thats what it is, tolerating it.

40 miles in 2.5 days would be about average for me.


When you get below about 6-6.5, there really is no good reason to go lower, other than to say "look at me, woohooo 4lbs 15oz!"
Seriously. You are in the realm of trading comfort and weather protection, for virtually nothing at all.

[Sman]

I think the critical thing is what weight you are happy carrying.
I have been fastidious in replacing heavy items for lighter, particularly in stove, tent, bedding and (lastly) backpack.
But as long as my pack rarely goes over 35-40 lbs (because consumeables do mean total weight always varies) I am happy.
I carry what I want within reason and don't seek to have a 15lb pack. I admire those that do as their searches and efforts in seeking lighter alternatives supply me with the information to change some things from time to time and get a bit lighter.
But at the end of the day we are all different and have different goals.
To me the person with a 15lb pack is the same as a person with a 60lb pack - different from me.
Don't stress how your pack weight compares, just get it within your "comfort" range.

Like your veiw on weight------ My pack has always been over 25lb, guess I like holding on to my old gear..... I did break down and buy a light weight sleeping bag. looking foward to see if it holds in my body heat during a Jan hike......................

[hikedit]

3 day 2 night trip always under 11lbs food and water included

[Dantolz]

I just did a week doing the Sierra High Route. My pack with 7 days of food and a bear canister (berikade weekender) was around 38lbs. My hiking partner came it at 22 lbs with 7 days of food. Cuben Pack, Cubern Shelter, 1lb Sleeping Bag.... I was envious

[Another Kevin]

What's my pack weight? Heavy enough that the ultralightweight crowd call me a fool, and light enough that the traditionalists call me a wimp. I just call myself a clueless weekender, and go on toting it.

[RCBear]

I think the critical thing is what weight you are happy carrying.
I have been fastidious in replacing heavy items for lighter, particularly in stove, tent, bedding and (lastly) backpack.
But as long as my pack rarely goes over 35-40 lbs (because consumeables do mean total weight always varies) I am happy.
I carry what I want within reason and don't seek to have a 15lb pack. I admire those that do as their searches and efforts in seeking lighter alternatives supply me with the information to change some things from time to time and get a bit lighter.
But at the end of the day we are all different and have different goals.
To me the person with a 15lb pack is the same as a person with a 60lb pack - different from me.
Don't stress how your pack weight compares, just get it within your "comfort" range.

This could not be said better. Completely encompasses the proper perspective. Its about the mindset you are comfortable in. if a guy has 60 lbs on his back and smiling, then he is doing it right. When his smile disappears, then its probably time to re-think the set up....or try a new activity. I do think that once you determine what gear is essential TO YOU, it makes sense to find the lightest possible that gives you what you need at a cost that you can live with.

I hear people tell me I should give up coffee on the trail to save weight and hassle...WTH would I want to do that??????? To get in an extra mile or two a day?? Completely useless advice...TO ME of course

[RCBear]

Sub 5 lb or SUL is just a matter of skill, knowledge and experience.

Ummm....I think the word DESIRE is conspicuously absent above. The most necessary ingredient in making that a fully truthful statement. Which is why I will never get there

[Tramp]

Yep....hike your own hike. Weight and money go hand and hand. The gear for a 40 lb pack cost ??? $ the gear for a 20 lb pack cost twice as much. I'm at about 32lbs loaded and that's good for what I carry.

[tds1195]

If I pack luxury items for a weekend trip with food and 2L water I carry 27-32 lbs (depending on dry food vs MRE and which items/bottles I bring). If I skimp a bit I'm still at 19lbs for a weekend.

[mtnkngxt]

Total weight with food for 5 days and water is right at 14.5lbs

[Kerosene]

Total weight with 3 days food and 2 liters of water in early Spring/late Fall comes in at 25-26 pounds.

Total weight for late Spring through early Fall comes in closer to 23 pounds, although I'm looking to swap out my GG Nimbus Ozone for a lighter pack, which would get me down to 21 pounds.

[coach lou]

My base weight changes depending on whether I bring Cheesecake or Mud Pie