Help with weight

[Bulldawg]

Since the hike is over, now try this:

With all the gear you took, make 3 piles.
1. Stuff you used daily
2. Stuff you used, but rarely
3. Stuff you never used. (if your 1st aid kit, rain gear etc are here, Congrats! and move them to pile #1.)

Analyze whats in 2 & 3, see what can be left home next trip.

I sort of did that already. The biggest thing I saw was the food. I brought entirely too much food. I though with as many ups as there were, I'd be much more hungry than I really was. I carried entirely too much food. The rest of the stuff was all used to some extent. Plus I was planning on pretty cold temps and I'm glad I did.

[gungho]

I sort of did that already. The biggest thing I saw was the food. I brought entirely too much food. I though with as many ups as there were, I'd be much more hungry than I really was. I carried entirely too much food. The rest of the stuff was all used to some extent. Plus I was planning on pretty cold temps and I'm glad I did.

The only way we can learn is by trial and error. Taking to much food was my issue on my first overnight backpacking trip also.You will find out what works for you.

[bigcranky]

A lot of people take too much food -- the body takes some tome to adapt to trail conditions, and sometimes it's tough to actually eat when you're totally wiped out.

That said, the opposite problem -- not having enough food -- is far worse. Done that twice, once on family hike in April at Standing Indian in 2000, and the first half of my section last March. In 2000 we actually ran out of food the morning of the final day, after eating very short rations the night before. That Burger King in Franklin never looked so good. Last March I was just starving when we got to Hot Springs, and ended up buying a lot of extra food for the second half of the section.