Just can't go there

[Just Jeff]

18 lbs is lightweight, if you ask me. Not ultralight or anything, but who cares?

I can barely tell the difference between 15 lbs and 25 lbs on my back, so why bother leaving the amenities behind? I usually have a luxury or two in my pack.

[safn1949]

I went out recently after not hiking for almost 15 years and learned a big lesson.I'm not 30 anymore,man what I carried at 30 is heavy as hell now at 54,whew.

So I have changed packs,sleeping bags,tent and cut down on the amount of food I carried.I like my comfort but I got rid of about 15 lbs.Man what a difference.I haven't weighed my new pack and gear yet as I am waiting for the sleeping bag but my guess is I went from 26 lbs minus food to about 19-20 lbs.I need to work on the food weight.

I found that out on the trail some of my menu was simply too heavy and too much food.I would like to keep the whole thing at less the 30 lbs with 4 days of food.

Pack 6 lbs down to 3.5 lbs
Sleeping bag 3 lbs down to 1.5 lbs
Cooking gear 15.9 oz down to 6 oz (just the pot and lid)
Tent 4 lbs 7 oz down to 2 lbs 6 oz

[stranger]

18 lbs base weight is better than most people. It's all about what makes you comfortable in the woods, it's not all about weight.

I've always loved how many (not all) ultralighters will brag about their 12 ounce tarp, then watch the great lengths they go to to avoid ever sleeping under it, very amusing indeed. Like they will die if they don't get shelter space or something haha. Or they go..."but it's gonna rain", like that's the first time the thought came into their mind!

I ended up going fairly light but it had nothing to do with a desire to go light, it came with experience, and finding what I liked versus what I didn't like. I have good gear, but there is certainly better out there, and if I spent more time at camp I might carry more than I do. I got rid of stuff I didn't use, and I lightened up what I could, within reason.

Going light isn't about having the lightest 40 items, it's about only carrying 15-20 items, but if you find you need to carry 50 items to be happy, well you need to carry those 50 items then.

Low 30's all up is a fine weight, and it sounds like you know what you are doing, and know what you need, so no worries!

[Bear Cables]

I went out recently after not hiking for almost 15 years and learned a big lesson.I'm not 30 anymore,man what I carried at 30 is heavy as hell now at 54,whew.

So I have changed packs,sleeping bags,tent and cut down on the amount of food I carried.I like my comfort but I got rid of about 15 lbs.Man what a difference.I haven't weighed my new pack and gear yet as I am waiting for the sleeping bag but my guess is I went from 26 lbs minus food to about 19-20 lbs.I need to work on the food weight.

I found that out on the trail some of my menu was simply too heavy and too much food.I would like to keep the whole thing at less the 30 lbs with 4 days of food.

Pack 6 lbs down to 3.5 lbs
Sleeping bag 3 lbs down to 1.5 lbs
Cooking gear 15.9 oz down to 6 oz (just the pot and lid)
Tent 4 lbs 7 oz down to 2 lbs 6 oz

I totally agree about the difference between 30 and 54. I started hiking at 40 with 48 lbs.I am now pushing 56 but with the new gear available now it's easier to drop the weight of the Big 3.
My tent wt went from 8 lb Eureka to a 3 lb spitfire to a 27 oz Contrail
Bag went from a 3 lbs synthetic to a 22 oz down and Pack from a huge Kelty at about 5 lbs to a Golite Quest at 2lb14 oz.

[safn1949]

I was just so used to carrying 40+ lbs (not knowing any better) that when I tried to do that a month ago (at 54) I almost killed myself.Holy cow,did I ditch some weight and fast.

As it is I injured my right knee and had to call it a day.Lesson learned,who said the old dog can't learn a new trick.