Another pack weight question

[pawlinghiker]

I finally got all my components for my sleep system and pack modified.

I just packed everything I would be taking for a 3 night trip.

Im confused as to what base weight means exactly.

My pack weighs 19.5 pounds with all my gear and clothes. the only things not weighed are my meals and whatever water I pack in. Is this base weight ?

I know I probably have to many clothes packed. I have 2 pairs of socks, beanie, sleep wear ( cap 2 ) top and bottom, rain jacket ( marmot precip ) nylon shorts, fleece pants and a bandana.

I can list all my gear but I just wanted to know if this seemed light, average or heavy ?

Psyched to get out and use my new gear.

[MuddyWaters]

Base weight is everything in your pack starting at the trailhead, except consumables that you expect to use during the trip.
Thats water containers, but no water. Food bag, bear line, but not food. Gas cannister, but not fuel inside. Lip balm container, but not lip balm. Etc.
Get it?


To some its light, to some its heavy.

What it is to you is all that matters.

Its not that bad. Pretty good for starting I would say. It is what would be called "light weight" <20.

[bigcranky]

Base weight is everything in your pack except food, water, and fuel (but includes containers for those things, like water bottles and food bags.) The only reason hikers talk about base weight is that it allows an accurate comparison without worrying about how many days of food one is carrying, etc.

However, when you are actually hiking, your base weight is less important than how much that ^&$% pack weighs on your back :). So it's useful to look at everything all together including food and water.

19.5 pounds is a pretty light base weight for a starting hiker. Doesn't sound like you have too many clothes at this point -- that's a decision to make when you get back from your hike. I like to keep a post-hike journal, with an entry for each hike that talks about what gear and clothing I took, how it performed, what the hike was like, etc. That helps me plan future hikes.

Hope you have a great hike.

[bfayer]

Fuel would also be excluded from base weight. I would say 19.5 is in the average range.

Add 4 pounds of water, 4 days of food @ two pounds a day = 8 pounds, and half a pound for a stove canister and you are at 32 pounds. Very normal weight.

[pawlinghiker]

that weight included 2 small jet boil canisters, should be enough for 3 days.

not looking for the lightest set up but dont want to carry a 60 lb set up like I did in the 80's.

[Astro]

that weight included 2 small jet boil canisters, should be enough for 3 days.

not looking for the lightest set up but dont want to carry a 60 lb set up like I did in the 80's.

More like 3 weeks than 3 days, unless you are boiling a lot of water.

[bfayer]

that weight included 2 small jet boil canisters, should be enough for 3 days.

not looking for the lightest set up but dont want to carry a 60 lb set up like I did in the 80's.

3 days? What are you cooking?

I can go for 5 days on one 110 gm canister with my jetboil. Are you cooking for more than one person?

[pawlinghiker]

nope just me.

I have a hang up about bringing only one canister. Thats weight well carried to me. I know other have their opinions

[Shonryu]

Lots to consider like how many miles you plan to do a day, what is comfortable to you, weather conditions, experience and your physical condition when determining if a pack weight is to heavy.

Anything over a base weight of 10lbs I consider to personally be excessive but thats just me. That and what I consider comfortable most people would disagree with. In the end all that matters is that your happy and comfortable with your load. HYOH ;)

[Slo-go'en]

If its a spring or fall hike, 20 pounds is about right. I'd say average. Mid summer you should be able to get down below 15 pounds without too much trouble or expense. Sqeezing it down to 10, that's a bit more difficult and definately more expensive.

Every so often I'll get to lift other hikers packs, like helping to load a van to the trail head or a slack pack pack shuffle. Man, some are lugging some serious weight around.

[Leanthree]

Where most people are able to make their biggest weight savings is on their tent, sleeping bag, pad, and pack. Your clothing is a reasonably standard list. I don't normally carry fleece pants but it depends on the weather.

[rocketsocks]

Fuel would also be excluded from base weight. I would say 19.5 is in the average range.

Add 4 pounds of water, 4 days of food @ two pounds a day = 8 pounds, and half a pound for a stove canister and you are at 32 pounds. Very normal weight.this is almost to the oz. me...way ta figure bfayer :)

[saltysack]

that weight included 2 small jet boil canisters, should be enough for 3 days.

not looking for the lightest set up but dont want to carry a 60 lb set up like I did in the 80's.

I'd seriously reconsider 2 heavy fuel cans...worst case u run out use camp fire to cook or boil. I've never got less than 4-5 days out of a small jb fuel can. That's boiling 4 cups of water a day.


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[pawlinghiker]

I was waiting to hear about 10 lb base weight. this baffles me. I cannot really understand how that is possible. Can someone tell me how that is possible ?

I have pretty nice gear and Im double that weight. Again this is not important to me I dont want a 10 lb pack I just want to know how it is done..

Here is what is in my pack. I dont think there is much I can eliminate .

UGQ top quilt

Mountain hardware Direkt 2 tent

Nemo air pad

NF Prophet 52 Pack ( could shave a pound or so here but I like the functionality of this bag )

Clothes listed above

B.D mini light for tent

Headlamp

Jet Boil w/ ti spoon, cozy ,GSI cup and bowl

20 ft of para cord

small first aid kit, lighter, matches

toilet paper and a few zip locks

pack cover

2 32 oz water bottles and a camel bak UV filter

19.6 lbs

Dont really know how you can shave 10 lbs off this I would love to hear..

Thanks

[Deacon]

Looks like you are at the point of replacing rather than eliminate gear. I know I'm spending your money for you but here goes.

First thing, if you don't already own one, is to purchase a scale with a 0 - 15 lb range with precision to one gram. Then weigh every single piece of gear. I know this sounds like I'm a gram weenie but this is how you reduce weight.

Once you know individual weights, keep your eye out for replacements. For example, how much does your headlamp weigh? 2-3 ounces? You could replace it with a Petzl e-lite at 1 ounce. That's half the weight.

Do this for each item and you'll cut your total base weight in half. It's all additive.

[Happy44]

after doing a few 100 miles, you will be able to carry any weight! when you start 10 pounds will be rough , half way thru , 50 pounds feel like nothing!

[Emerson Bigills]

Like Muddy says, what is right is up to you. If you are going out in the next few months, 19.5 is not too bad. Winter hiking requires a little variation on your equipment and for me that usually means as much as 4-5 pounds more weight (heavier bag, down jacket, full baselayer, gloves, stocking cap, etc. You don't ever want to be caught short of what is necessary to survive, but you really don't want to be "stupid light" in the winter.

Four days will go by quickly and is a great way to fine tune your gear list. Enjoy.

[bfayer]

nope just me.

I have a hang up about bringing only one canister. Thats weight well carried to me. I know other have their opinions

Its up to you and you should always carry what your comfortable with. I just want to point out that running out of fuel on the AT is not a show stopper in any way.

Almost all the food you take can be eaten cold and if you can't buy a replacement canister when you hit town, it takes about 20 minutes to turn 2 pop cans into an alcohol stove.

You can also carry a small tea light candle, remove the cozy from your jet boil and heat water by setting the cup over the candle. Just pointing out lighter options.

The easiest and cheapest way to lighten your pack is to carry less. However, If you have an item you must have, look at that item and see if you can find an alternative that weighs half as much. This includes little things. It all adds up.

You can replace your water bottles with smatwater bottles. You can get rid of the tent light since you have a headlight. You can get rid of your bowl and cup since you have the jetboil cup. If you don't want to do any of those things, it just means you carry the extra weight and live with it.

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[Leanthree]

I was waiting to hear about 10 lb base weight. this baffles me. I cannot really understand how that is possible. Can someone tell me how that is possible ?

I have pretty nice gear and Im double that weight. Again this is not important to me I dont want a 10 lb pack I just want to know how it is done..

19.6 lbs

Dont really know how you can shave 10 lbs off this I would love to hear..

Thanks

Not a lot of people out there get that low and some sacrifice a lot of money or a lot of comfort to do it. Assuming you want to know how some people get there, here are some ideas based on your list. Something to think about. Your current setup is pretty good.

Your tent weighs 2 lbs 15 oz. The ZPacks Hexamid with bugnet, groundsheet, and stakes (no beak) weighs 14.4 oz. There is 2 lbs right there for $390.

Your pack weighs 3 lbs 6 oz. You seem to like a lot of the bells and whistles in your current pack so rather than suggesting something ultralight in the 1-1.5 lb range, I'll suggest the Osprey Exos 46 which should be able to fit all your gear once you downsize a bit. 2lbs 5 oz saves you 1 lb 1 oz for $129 from REI (on sale). Note that this is about 20% of the final weight which is why many go for a much lighter pack.

If your Quilt is 700 down then it is ~3 oz overweight depending on the temp rating. Otherwise it is fine. I am also not much of a fan of overstuff but some like it.

Not sure which Nemo pad you have but switching to a 3/4 length z-rest could save between 6 and 24 oz depending on your current pad--using the new pack for your feet while sleeping. I wouldn't recommend this for sleeping in shelters as the hard floor would get to me. They also require better site selection, avoiding rocks, etc.

No extra shorts. like 5oz or so. Sleep in long underware to let the shorts air out overnight.

I wear one pair of socks and have one clean in my pack unless I am out for more than 6 days or expecting a lot of rain. a couple oz here.

Lose the fleece pants at all but the lowest temps. fleece is shockingly heavy. Could be up to a pound here.

Some people like UV but I prefer iodine for short trips and aquamira for long trips (repackaged into smaller dropper bottles). Especially because you will likely carry extra batteries for the UV. This could be 4-12 oz of savings depending on your UV system and whether or not you have extra batteries.

Also Switch to 32 oz gatorade bottles vs whatever you have now. If they are nalgenes then this saves you 4 oz.

Replace jetboil with super cat alcohol stove and 0.6 liter titanium pot and learn Freezer Bag Cooking (using your winter hat as a cozy). no need for a cup and bowl. Depending on which jetboil this saves 8-16 oz much of it on canister weight. Keep the denatured alcohol or yellow HEET in a small soda bottle or similar (marking as poison)

Pick one light, you only need one. Some use just a single LED keychain style light if not night hiking.

Replace pack cover with trash bag liner. saves a couple oz.

This gets us to the 11-14 lb region. with an easy lb to lose in your pack, replacing the rain jacket with dri ducks for half a pound, likely carrying less first aid, less TP, a less insulating quilt for warmer weather, and we are suddenly in the sub 10 lb range.

[Malto]

I was waiting to hear about 10 lb base weight. this baffles me. I cannot really understand how that is possible. Can someone tell me how that is possible ?

I have pretty nice gear and Im double that weight. Again this is not important to me I dont want a 10 lb pack I just want to know how it is done.

I have about an eight lb base. Here is an approximate breakdown depending on season.

shelter - 18oz. Either mid shaped cuben tarp with bug net in warmer weather or with bivy in cold, same weight either way.
quilt - 20 oz. - 20deg Golite down.
pad - 9-14oz. Short x-lite in warm, x-therm in cold.
pack 12 oz - MLD Modified burn.
so big four comes in at under 4 lbs even in winter.

other gear cook set - about 5 oz including stove and bottle for alcohol when I take a stove.
Other clothes about 2 lbs including rain gear.
misc other stuff - couple of pounds.

Overall I probably have as comfortable of sleep system as most. The cost is minimized as I made my most expensive component, my shelter. But it took me a while to get to the place where I had enough experience to make this setup work. I can also say that as you reduce the weight and bulk of your gear some magical things happen with pack size etc. that act as a compounding effect.

[George]

my opinion of those who concentrate on base weight, is they are trying to BS themselves others or both - everything you are transporting is what matters, potentially including wet/ dirty gear (yeah thats right, the weight of the dirt can add up)

I gauge by everything I will have starting the trip/ leaving town after resupply - for winter that includes a food buffer that is not needed in summer

in Summer a water buffer is often prudent that is not needed in winter

so my skin out max for AT is as high as 45, low as 20

[Tipi Walter]

Its up to you and you should always carry what your comfortable with.
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That about sums it up. It's up to you.

You're only 42 so you should be able to carry 3 times your listed weight with no problem. (60 lbs).

[pawlinghiker]

I love this forum. Thanks for the input.

I have to spend time with my gear to really figure out what works best.

Ill be doing a quick overnight at a shelter somewhere near the CT/NY border this month.

This might sound like a dumb question but can I set my tent up inside a shelter ? I assume there will not be any campers in February so space will not be an issue.

[Slo-go'en]

This might sound like a dumb question but can I set my tent up inside a shelter ? I assume there will not be any campers in February so space will not be an issue.

Typcially, setting up a tent inside a shelter is frowned apon, but is not too likey to be a problem in Febuary. Unless someone else shows up with the same plan. Of course, you need a self supporting tent to do that with out a lot of trouble. I'm not sure setting up inside a shelter buys you much in the way of extra warmth or conveniance. It might actually make it harder to get in and out of.

Going out in Febuary this year might require some extra warm clothes and sleeping bag!

[rocketsocks]

Lets see, last weekend there was about 13-16 white blazers, one scout troop with axes an flannel Pj's, 2 dogs and 5 Asian hikers sharing the woods, few inches of snow on the ground 18 degrees...I wouldn't count on not seein folks, many love to hike this time of year, there's no people.:D

[MuddyWaters]

my opinion of those who concentrate on base weight, is they are trying to BS themselves others or both - everything you are transporting is what matters, potentially including wet/ dirty gear (yeah thats right, the weight of the dirt can add up)

I gauge by everything I will have starting the trip/ leaving town after resupply - for winter that includes a food buffer that is not needed in summer

in Summer a water buffer is often prudent that is not needed in winter

so my skin out max for AT is as high as 45, low as 20

You cant eliminate food or water. You can be smarter about them.
You can eliminate unnecessary weight from your gear, and many successfully do.

Only matters if you like to cover more miles per day, more comfortably. Some do, some dont.

[Malto]

my opinion of those who concentrate on base weight, is they are trying to BS themselves others or both - everything you are transporting is what matters, potentially including wet/ dirty gear (yeah thats right, the weight of the dirt can add up)

I gauge by everything I will have starting the trip/ leaving town after resupply - for winter that includes a food buffer that is not needed in summer

in Summer a water buffer is often prudent that is not needed in winter

so my skin out max for AT is as high as 45, low as 20

George,
your opinion is very narrow and you are obviously so closed-minded that it would be a waste of time trying to explain to you why some choose base weight and not total pack weight to talk gear.

I will go back to BS'ing myself. Have a great day.

[Tipi Walter]

my opinion of those who concentrate on base weight, is they are trying to BS themselves others or both - everything you are transporting is what matters, potentially including wet/ dirty gear (yeah thats right, the weight of the dirt can add up)



Ha ha this reminds me of a great quote I saw on BushcraftUSA one day---



QUOTE OF THE DAY
This is a good one and comes from Mr. Black on BushcraftUSA in a thread called "Backpacking Pet Peeves . . ." and here's his peeve---


"Anyone that goes trailside or (talks) anywhere about how light their load is while sporting 30 pounds of dreadlocks, two pounds of dirt and patchouli oil."

[rocketsocks]

Ha ha ha eeeh ...that's funny!

I'd imagine anyone with locks need take extra special care around camp fires...lest they...Pooof

..up in smoke, donderesta esta somethin...they're are no signs..feleecea nooo fumar.

[Conure]

A good general, rational measurement for weight carrying capacity is to never exceed more than one-third of your body weight. That being said, anything less than that is going to burden your body less and allow you to move and react easier. As George stated in his post, weight is going to fluctuate; and, as Happy44 stated, your body will adapt to the weight, as long as you stay within the one-third guideline (beyond that your body can more easily be damaged and may never be able to adjust in a healthy way to the weight...meaning anything from uncomfortable to agony, all the time).

Hiking for a limited time (say 10-12 days) may be doable with a very heavy pack because each day the pack will weigh less, but when hiking requires a constant re-supply for weeks or months on end, a heavy pack can easily bring one's adventure to an abrupt end (or cost a small fortune to re-gear). So knowing your base weight will help maintain your maximum load within a range that your body can carry without risking damage to itself. Always remember, your mind is able to tell your body to anything it wants (and if you're strong willed enough, your body will do it), but that doesn't mean there won't be consequences after doing so.

On the other side of the coin, I've met some folks who go ultra-light and also place their bodies in danger, though obviously not for reasons related to weight.

The bottom line, as others have stated, is that you have to determine what's important to you, what you're willing to sacrifice for comfort and/or safety, and make your decisions accordingly.

[blackwater slim]

My 2 cents. The proportion of people who talk about ultralight seems to be way above those who actually do. I have section hiked the AT and Pinhoti and Thru-hike the Black Creek Trail in MS twice--over 480 miles in the last 3 years. I have scoured the internet and whiteblaze especially in that time as well. My pack weight since starting backpacking 3 years ago has gone from about 45 lbs to now with 6 days of food and a couple liters of water at 32 or 33 lbs.
Most people I see asnd the vast majority of pictures you see on here are not much lighter and I would dare say heavier. I'm not sure why but I just don't think MOST people concern themselves with it a whole lot. I have seen a few thru hikers on the AT that were ultra-light but I just don't think it is as many as the "talk" would lead you to believe.
Just an observation. Not knocking anybody. HYOH!!!

[Another Kevin]

Lets see, last weekend there was about 13-16 white blazers, one scout troop with axes an flannel Pj's, 2 dogs and 5 Asian hikers sharing the woods, few inches of snow on the ground 18 degrees...I wouldn't count on not seein folks, many love to hike this time of year, there's no people.:D

That was 18 degrees inside my tent. I didn't take the snivel meter outside to see what it might say.

[Another Kevin]

I finally got all my components for my sleep system and pack modified.

I just packed everything I would be taking for a 3 night trip.

Im confused as to what base weight means exactly.

My pack weighs 19.5 pounds with all my gear and clothes. the only things not weighed are my meals and whatever water I pack in. Is this base weight ?

I know I probably have to many clothes packed. I have 2 pairs of socks, beanie, sleep wear ( cap 2 ) top and bottom, rain jacket ( marmot precip ) nylon shorts, fleece pants and a bandana.

I can list all my gear but I just wanted to know if this seemed light, average or heavy ?

Psyched to get out and use my new gear.

Base weight means everything but consumables - a lot of people think it means everything "from skin out."

By all means get out and use it. You seem pretty midddle of the road. I think on my last trip (the Harriman trip that gathered 14 or so WhiteBlazers) I packed heavier than you. My opinion is that in winter, UL goes right out the window. That's particularly true if I expect any sort of nasty snow conditions. My snowshoes and spikes outweigh my summer sleep system!

I don't think you have too many clothes packed at all. Wet or sweaty clothes are totally banned from the sleeping bag in winter, so I wind up packing one pair of socks (and wearing another), packing one pair of sock liners (and wearing another), packing one baselayer (and wearing another). Last week I toted both balaclava and beanie, and was glad of them. I didn't bother with nylon shorts, it never got that warm. The least I was hiking in was nylon convertible hiking pants and Frogg Toggs jacket over my baselayer and a fleece. And for temperature regulation, I needed both fleece and a down sweater.

I was also carrying quite a heavy Big Four. I need a 65 litre pack in the winter, because my winter stuff is bulky. I carry two sleeping pads because I get cold otherwise - my ProLite and a blue foam from K-Mart lashed outside my pack. Since I'm a big guy, I need a big sleeping bag, and that means heavy - my 0 degree bag is just shy of four pounds, but I would surely have been cold in the 20 degree bag. And in winter I use a tent - no tarp for me - and even my TarpTent Notch is 1.75 pounds.

Miscellaneous stuff also adds up. Microspikes are another heavy item. I didn't actually need them, but it wouldn't have taken much change in the weather to make them essential, so I didn't dare leave them behind. I boil a lot more water in the winter, so I started out with a half-litre of alcohol for 4 days, 3 nights. And so on.

Just about everyone who was along on the trip was similarly geared. The exceptions were 1azarus and Malto, who are EXTREMELY experienced AND use some specialized tricks. For instance, 1azarus doesn't bring a puffy layer, just a pair of down sleeves. Instead, when he needs a puffy, he stuffs his rain jacket with his sleeping bag and puts on the down sleeves. Not every hiker would be comfortable with that approach. I also don't know whether he brings a separate baselayer for sleeping. If he doesn't, then I would surely not be comfortable with his style - get condensation in the down and that's all she wrote. Some of his gear, he's paid a lot to get the lightest possible version. I can't justify plunking down that kind of money on a hobby.

In short, among 14 hikers, we had two ultralighters, about 11 middle-of-the-road types, and one traditionalist. (Coach Lou was carrying HEAVY - but he was carrying CHEESECAKE so I won't comment!) That's pretty typical of what I see on the trail. The UL'ers make a lot of noise on the hiking web sites, but they're not as numerous on the trail as the noise would indicate.

For me, from-skin-in base weight has been more important the last 2-3 years. Yeah, I've pruned some pack weight in that time, but my entire pack for a 4-day, 3-night trip weighs less than the amount of body weight I've lost in that time. Admittedly, the body weight was easier to carry (it's better balanced) - but I have surely noticed that I hike more strongly without it! And for me, the only way to get there was ... get out and hike, and not worry about the weight, of either pack or Kevin. If I don't pack a lot of stupid heavy stuff, I can carry my pack. And I'm not a fast hiker even with a lightweight day pack, so I don't worry about the miles. Either the speed will come, or it won't, and either way I get out there.

[LIhikers]

I love this forum. Thanks for the input.

I have to spend time with my gear to really figure out what works best.

Ill be doing a quick overnight at a shelter somewhere near the CT/NY border this month.

This might sound like a dumb question but can I set my tent up inside a shelter ? I assume there will not be any campers in February so space will not be an issue.


Not a good assumption to make. My wife and I spent a night at Telephone Pioneer Shelter during January, it was 13F that night, and we weren't the only ones there.

[Shonryu]

I was waiting to hear about 10 lb base weight. this baffles me. I cannot really understand how that is possible. Can someone tell me how that is possible ?

I have pretty nice gear and Im double that weight. Again this is not important to me I dont want a 10 lb pack I just want to know how it is done..

Here is what is in my pack. I dont think there is much I can eliminate .

UGQ top quilt

Mountain hardware Direkt 2 tent

Nemo air pad

NF Prophet 52 Pack ( could shave a pound or so here but I like the functionality of this bag )

Clothes listed above

B.D mini light for tent

Headlamp

Jet Boil w/ ti spoon, cozy ,GSI cup and bowl

20 ft of para cord

small first aid kit, lighter, matches

toilet paper and a few zip locks

pack cover

2 32 oz water bottles and a camel bak UV filter

19.6 lbs

Dont really know how you can shave 10 lbs off this I would love to hear..

Thanks



I was waiting to hear about 10 lb base weight. this baffles me. I cannot really understand how that is possible. Can someone tell me how that is possible ?

I have pretty nice gear and Im double that weight. Again this is not important to me I dont want a 10 lb pack I just want to know how it is done..

Here is what is in my pack. I dont think there is much I can eliminate .

UGQ top quilt

Mountain hardware Direkt 2 tent

Nemo air pad

NF Prophet 52 Pack ( could shave a pound or so here but I like the functionality of this bag )

Clothes listed above

B.D mini light for tent

Headlamp

Jet Boil w/ ti spoon, cozy ,GSI cup and bowl

20 ft of para cord

small first aid kit, lighter, matches

toilet paper and a few zip locks

pack cover

2 32 oz water bottles and a camel bak UV filter

19.6 lbs

Dont really know how you can shave 10 lbs off this I would love to hear..

Thanks

In response to your questions I'll break down my gear list below. I have several shelters but the ones I tend to use the most are my Dream Hammock Darien UL 13oz with a Hammock Gear Cuban Hex Fly with TI Whoopie Hooks 5.5oz. Total shelter weight is 18.5oz. That or if want to go lighter I will use my Cuban Tarp 4.5oz and Borah Bivy with Cuban bathtub floor at 5.1oz total weight is 9.6oz.


Standard 3 season set-up

Pack
ULA CDT - Modified - 17.6oz

Shelter
Borah Bivy -5.1oz
Cuban Tarp - 4.5oz
Vargo TI stakes - 1.8oz
Gossamer Gear Poly Groundsheet - 1.6oz

Bedding
Hammock Gear Burro 20 TQ with 2 extra ounces of down to bring it to a 15 degree rating 19.3oz
Gossamer Gear pad 4.7oz
Zpacks Cuban Pillow stuff sack 3oz - Also used to store my sleeping clothes in.

Food + Water
x2 Smart Water bottles 3oz
Platypus 2 Liter 1.5oz
Platypus 1 Liter 1oz - Dirty Bag
Sawyer Squeeze Mini 2oz - Colder temps I will use Aquamira
Zpacks Bear Bag/ food bag kit - 3oz
Opsak - 0.8oz

Cooking
Snow Peak TI Trek 600 with custom TI lid 3.8oz
Qi wiz TI windscreen 0.8oz
Esbit TI fuel/pot stand 0.4oz
Vargo TI long spoon 0.4oz
Foil, Mini Bic, Flint + Steel 1.5oz

Clothing
Darn Tuff Vermont Socks X1 2oz
Darn Tuff sock liners 1.1oz - I use these incase I need another pair of socks
Patagonia Cap 3 Top 6oz or for warmer weather I'll go with a silk weight 3oz
Patagonia Cap 3 Bottoms 6oz for warmer weather I'll go with a silk weight 3oz
Mont Bell UL Down Jacket 7.5oz or warmer weather I'll take my Patagonia Down shirt 5.7oz
Gloves Mountain Hardwear 2oz or warmer weather Golite liners 0.9oz
Blackrock Down Hat - 0.9oz and if I need more warmth Mountain Hardwear Micro Dome 1oz

Rain Gear
Marmot Mica Rain Jacket 7.2oz
Dri Ducks UL Pants 4.3oz - 40+ Weather Zpack Cuban Rain Kilt 1.8oz
Compactor Bag 1.3oz - Used as a pack liner

Hygiene
Archtek Toothpaste Tablets removed from container - 0.5oz
Travel Toothbrush shaved down 0.5oz
Dr. Browners in a 30ML bottle 0.7oz
Bug Spray 1oz
TP 1.3oz
Cuban Dry Bags 1.2oz
Nano Pack Towel 1oz

Misc.
Black diamond Revolt with batteries 3.4oz
Streamlight Nano Backup flashlight 0.4oz
50 Feet of Cordage 0.8oz
Leatherman Style 1.4oz
Button Compass 0.1oz
Ear Plugs 0.1oz
1st Aid Kit/ Repair Kit/ Duct Tape 2.8oz

Total 3 season base weight 121.0oz or 7.52lbs - I go lighter in the summer time. Usually around 6-5lbs base.
Water 2lbs
Food 10lbs
Fuel - Esbit Cubes 4.5oz

Total Weight with consumables 19lbs 10 ounces rounded up - This is usually for a weeks’ worth of supplies for me.

Clothing Warn
Golite Running Top 3oz
Golite Shorts 5oz
Darn Tuff Vermont’s 2oz
Bandanna 1.5oz
Dirty Girl Gaiters 2oz
Salomon Speedcross 3 Trail Runners 25.6oz
Leki Carbonite Trekking Poles 14.25oz

Total weight of items worn 53.35oz or 3lbs 5oz

Total skin out weight 22 lbs 15oz

Hope this answers all questions and addresses those who want everything past base weights.

[pawlinghiker]

thanks very informative. I have learned alot on this freezing day.]

cant wait to get out.

[George]

, 1azarus doesn't bring a puffy layer, just a pair of down sleeves. Instead, when he needs a puffy, he stuffs his rain jacket with his sleeping bag and puts on the down sleeves. .

I thought about that, but did not think anyone would actually do it as a planned strategy instead of only in an emergency

[kayak karl]

I thought about that, but did not think anyone would actually do it as a planned strategy instead of only in an emergency of course they would. i use my wearable quilt (hammock) for camp, but i don't use the sleeves. i do most of my hiking in the winter. just got back from a 3 day hang and day 25 night 10 degrees. most people on here are quick to dismiss something they never tried.

[Astro]

You cant eliminate food or water. You can be smarter about them.
You can eliminate unnecessary weight from your gear, and many successfully do.

Only matters if you like to cover more miles per day, more comfortably. Some do, some dont.

Do you want to be the ultimate hiker, ultimate camper, or something in between? :-?
It is your choice.

[dustinpn]

I don't think I've seen it mentioned in this thread, but does base weight include what you wear?

[dustinpn]

Bah, can't edit it seems. Hit reply too quickly.

For example: my boots. Are those included in my base weight even though they should never leave my feet? What about my 'base' clothing, shirt, underwear, socks, pants.

[4eyedbuzzard]

I don't think I've seen it mentioned in this thread, but does base weight include what you wear?No, that would be "skin out" weight. EVERYTHING that isn't the nekid you.

[bfayer]

I don't think I've seen it mentioned in this thread, but does base weight include what you wear?

No, if you are talking the clothes you hike in. It does include the clothes you put in your pack. Skin out weight includes everything but your birthday suit.

[dustinpn]

Nice. I think my pack weight is going to just edge under 15lbs then. That is good to know

http://www.geargrams.com/list?id=16550

[bfayer]

Nice. I think my pack weight is going to just edge under 15lbs then. That is good to know

http://www.geargrams.com/list?id=16550

Looks like you have zeros next to a bunch of items on your list?

[dustinpn]

Yeah, mostly clothing. I redid it yesterday zeroing anything out that I hadn't verified. I've found that the official weights and actual weights rarely correlate. Most of the rest of my clothing comes in this week so I'll flesh it out more, but for the most part that base weight shouldn't move more than a lb. So more realistically... 15-16 lbs base weight.