UL 12lb packs? What are these guys eating

[shaughnessey34]

OK so I see many posts on ul and sul hiking packs weighing 8 to 12 pound. I'm looking to save weight I'll be headed nobo march 1st so my pack is heavy 55 pounds. What are theses guys eating I have a big appetite so alot of weight is food any suggestions and also how many days should you plan for be resupply

[Feral Bill]

8-12 Lbs does not include food, water, fuel, or, I expect, clothes normally worn. 55 Lbs, however, is more than we used to carry in the Whites in mid-winter, all up. Take a look at the various gear list threads here and do some real pruning away at that load.

[12trysomething]

Base weight refers to everything other than consumables (food, fuel, water) - I will offer this to give you an idea of what my base weight was for a shoulder season trip in the Adirondacks in May.

http://youtu.be/L-w4pjjXUnE

As far as food goes, you will need to determine it for yourself, but here is what carried for the same 4.5 day trip. Your food needs will increase the longer you are on the trail.

http://youtu.be/7uRB_J2xc_Y

Good luck!

[bigcranky]

Those are "base weight," which is all the gear but not food and water. That makes it easier to compare, since total pack weight varies so much depending on how long you'll be out.

Knowing your pack is 55 pounds doesn't tell me anything about the gear you are carrying, so I can't make any suggestions. How many days of food are included in that 55 pounds?


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[RED-DOG]

I agree with all the posters above not knowing what's in your pack that makes it hard to tell you what to cut, for as resupply goes it varies from resupply to the next resupply, what I mean is one resupply might be 5 days long but your next resupply might only be 3 days, what you need to do is get an AT companion or Awol's Guide, then all you really need to do is figure out how many miles per day you plan to do ( this is hard to do before you start hiking ), what I do is when I get to a resupply I will look in my guide, "lets say I am doing 15 MPD", I will start at the resupply I am at, then I will look at the book doing 15mpd increments until my next designated town stop, most resupplies along the AT are 3-5 days in length, Resupplies are hard as heck to figure out until you start hiking, then it becomes pretty simple, DO NOT start at springer MT with more than 3 days of food, your first resupply will be Neel's Gap if you plan to do the approach trail add 1 day of food.

[lonehiker]

OK so I see many posts on ul and sul hiking packs weighing 8 to 12 pound. I'm looking to save weight I'll be headed nobo march 1st so my pack is heavy 55 pounds. What are theses guys eating I have a big appetite so alot of weight is food any suggestions and also how many days should you plan for be resupply

Read Mr. Tarlin's resupply articles. It is that simple.

[shaughnessey34]

Thanks those videos were very helpful i was able to loose 22 pounds by removing food items I haven't hiked much of the trail other than Maine ans nh I didn't realize I'd be able to resupply that much I was thinking I needed food for 2 weeks

[Busky2]

What are they eating, that's easy......YOUR FOOD!!! I have had the pleasure of supplying a sub twelve pound pack weight thur-hiker with a days food do to his lack of forethought and his growing appetite while at Rousch Gap Shelter this year. He was very proud of his pack weight but having to play that against an empty food bag I would not have been so puffed up about the "sub 12". That being said I am sure that most UL hikers would have the presents of mind to have the food needed to get from A to B without a handout being required.

[July]

Speaking with a Ranger at Amicalola station, he said they recommend keeping thru hike packs to under 30 pounds. A base of 15-20 rides pretty dang good. (10-14 even better)

[MuddyWaters]

What are they eating, that's easy......YOUR FOOD!!! I have had the pleasure of supplying a sub twelve pound pack weight thur-hiker with a days food do to his lack of forethought and his growing appetite while at Rousch Gap Shelter this year. He was very proud of his pack weight but having to play that against an empty food bag I would not have been so puffed up about the "sub 12". That being said I am sure that most UL hikers would have the presents of mind to have the food needed to get from A to B without a handout being required.

Food wt has nothing to do with base weight, at all.

Someone not carrying enough food, is simply stupid, or encountered unforseen circumstances.

If anything, low base weight frees you up to carry MORE food, not less. If you have a pack that can carry it, that is.

In the summer, I'm typically carrying 6 -7 lb base weight, and way more food than folks with heavier packs. I can, because it doesn't matter as much. I can easily do 100 -150 miles between resupply, not 40. I expect I actually could push it as far as 250 mi between resupply if wanted without much trouble,

[Starchild]

Also just to day 'base weight is nothing but bragging rights' it is what you carry on your back that matters. There are some items/systems that UL's love because it reduces their base weight and they can claim that but increases their carry weight, which they never mention.

[July]

Speaking with a Ranger at Amicalola station, he said they recommend keeping thru hike packs to under 30 pounds. A base of 15-20 rides pretty dang good. (10-14 even better)

Even though running the steps to Springer a few times over the years, when 'weighing in' found I was hauling 17lbs including 3 days food and a litre of H2O. Not bad, plus got to talk to the rattlesnake inside

[atmilkman]

Food wt has nothing to do with base weight, at all.

Someone not carrying enough food, is simply stupid, or encountered unforseen circumstances.

If anything, low base weight frees you up to carry MORE food, not less. If you have a pack that can carry it, that is.

In the summer, I'm typically carrying 6 -7 lb base weight, and way more food than folks with heavier packs. I can, because it doesn't matter as much. I can easily do 100 -150 miles between resupply, not 40. I expect I actually could push it as far as 250 mi between resupply if wanted without much trouble,

I think it would be way cool if someone could do a thru-hike in 8 resupplies.

[July]

I think it would be way cool if someone could do a thru-hike in 8 resupplies.

Any statement that begins with 'way cool' is questionable. As to resupply, every day on the AT is LIFE, why rush it? Are you being compensated?

[atmilkman]

Any statement that begins with 'way cool' is questionable. As to resupply, every day on the AT is LIFE, why rush it? Are you being compensated?

I'm not talking about rushing it, I'm talking about staying out 250 miles a pop without resupply.

[July]

I'm not talking about rushing it, I'm talking about staying out 250 miles a pop without resupply.

I understand where you are coming from. After years in the Military and having 'grown up' on the AT (literally) your desire to staying out for 250 miles I respect. I have found thru the years, it is not the miles you do, but the friends you make along the walk.

[atmilkman]

I understand where you are coming from. After years in the Military and having 'grown up' on the AT (literally) your desire to staying out for 250 miles I respect. I have found thru the years, it is not the miles you do, but the friends you make along the walk.

Ain't no way I could stay out 250 miles. MuddyWaters just got me thinking.

[atmilkman]

Ain't no way I could stay out 250 miles. MuddyWaters just got me thinking.

Heck, I'd have to carry 20 days worth of food.

[July]

Heck, I'd have to carry 20 days worth of food.

Plus your conscience...

[atmilkman]

Plus your conscience...

Ain't that the truth. I definitely feel guilty eating that much bacon and spam.