View Full Version : Weight for a weekend
Is a pack weight of 20lbs good for a two night trip good? This is minus food/water.
Oh and does anyone know where I could weigh some of my gear on a scale? I'm thinking I could do it at the UPS store, but I don't know if they'll let me.
Just Jeff
10-06-2005, 19:52
Depends on what you mean by "good". If you can carry it comfortably and it contains everything you need to be comfortable in camp, then it's good. If not, then it's not.
But you can get it lower, if that's what you're asking. Mine is right at 13 lbs before food and water, and there are several others here that are lighter.
Just depends on what you want to spend (or make) and how you hike. As long as you're enjoying yourself, it's all good!
MoBeach42
10-06-2005, 21:18
Is a pack weight of 20lbs good for a two night trip good? This is minus food/water.
This, I don't think, is unreasonable. If you're out for three days and two nights, and you use the rule of thumb of two lbs/day of food then add some water, everything will be under thirty lbs. Not bad. But you can get much lighter, depending on what base gear you have, the time of year, and what is extrainious in your pack.
The key with all this is to think about your motivation. Why are you going out there? Ask 10 people and you'll probably get 10 answers. I would reccomend thinking about why you're going out and then see if the things you have match with that motivation. If you going out to be in the woods for two days doing very small miles kicking back and reading a book and building fires (LNT!) then maybe a heavier pack for in-camp comfort. If you're going out to cover some ground you'll probably want more comfort while hiking. It's all a trade off.
Good luck! And have fun, whatever your motivation!
Whistler
10-06-2005, 22:40
If it's a comfortable load for what you're doing, no big deal. But if you think it's too much, it probably is. My hunch says your load will total at about 25-27 pounds, which isn't the end of the world for a 2-night trip. For the little it's worth, my base weight for a trip in north Georgia this time of year would be about 10lbs before food and water, but I'm near end of the bell curve.
-Mark
Is a pack weight of 20lbs good for a two night trip good? This is minus food/water.
Oh and does anyone know where I could weigh some of my gear on a scale? I'm thinking I could do it at the UPS store, but I don't know if they'll let me.
As others have said... there are people who carry lighter loads [My normal base weight is 8-11lbs, when I am in "extra-light" mode it drops below 6lb]. But the really important question is are you comfortable with this weight. If you are, I wouldn't worry about it. Enjoy your trip and avoid becoming a gearaholic like some of us.
As to weighting stuff. I don't know about UPS, but the USPS is a great place to weight you things, or you could check your school or workplace admin office because they will likely have a postage scale.
i'm comfortable at 13lbs here in LA, but 'need' 15-17lbs when in upstate new york fishing and bushwacking... different setup, different weather, etc... like jeff said, if YOU are comfortable, it's good.
USPS is a great place to weigh your gear... wear your scrungiest clothes, hat, and shoes, and don't shave... then go... you will get some of the strangest looks from customers, learn a little about what it feels like to be homeless (from a treatment by other people standpoint), and might even run into a fellow hiker, who will understand what you're doing and come over and ask about your 'stuff'...
Just Jeff
10-06-2005, 23:44
If you go to the Post Office, you might want to print out your list beforehand to save some time at the counter. And don't go at a peak time like right when everyone gets off of work. They'll be more willing to help you if you're not interfering with paying customers. Or you might not...just a suggestion!
An analog scale at Walmart is about $5 and accurate to an ounce or so...might be worth the money so you can sit around in your underwear and weigh your stuff. Digital scales are around $30 and accurate to .125oz and 2g.
The Solemates
10-07-2005, 09:18
For weighing your entire pack, just use a regular bathroom scale. That will get it to the nearest 1-2lbs. For weighing separate items in your pack, we have a digital postal scale that is accurate to 0.1 ounce and has a 5-lb load limit. I think we got it at Office Depot and it was around $75. Its also great for weighing maildrop boxes and other postal packages so that you can know how much shipping will cost, and thus just print it out online and not deal with the hour lines at post offices.
hmm... maybe they're not all like this, but at my post office, the scale is out in the public area, not the service counter... you just walk in and start working... yes, it helped to have my list printed out, blank...
The best weight is what will make *YOUR* hike comfortable and safe. That combo is different for everyone; only you can decided what that combo may be.
If your baseweight is 20 lbs, that is still not too bad. As you gain experience and confidence in your outdoor skills, your packweight will more than likely drop. (Or not, you may prefer more comfort in camp. Nothing wrong that approach if you like it).
FWIW. I started backpacking with ~30lbs base pack weight. Ouch! Almost 10 yrs and X amount of mile laters, down to sub-10 lbs. Took much tinkering and hiking to get to that point. Of course, there weren't all these handy online resources as there are now. How much things change in 10 yrs! :)
Well I made some estimates and my pack weight is around 16lbs. This is everything minus food and water, and I'm didn't have to leave any comforts behind. I was surprised, being new to backpacking, that I got it so low. Of course my z-pack and hennessy helped out a bit. But thanks for the advice everyone, I'm going to the post office soon to get an exact weight, and I'll be sure not to shave.:cool:
Oh and Verber, I think I'm already on the path to gearaholic. Are there support groups for that?
Just Jeff
10-07-2005, 21:16
I think I'm already on the path to gearaholic. Are there support groups for that?
Yep. You joined on 8-13-05, according to your profile...
I think I'm already on the path to gearaholic. Are there support groups for that?
No... you will only get enablers around here. My best suggest would be get married (if you aren't), and the hand the credit cards and check book to your wife.
I actually did something a bit like this. We seeded my paypal account (which as a credit card attached to it) is a small sum of money. If I do my chores, a bit of money is added. If I want to make a big change, I've got to sell some old stuff to fill the paypal account up. It's worked pretty well.. I think :rolleyes: