View Full Version : Pack Weight
Ive been gathering various equipment and have managed to get a weight of about 32.06 pounds including food and water. Any suggestions for trying to get it down to less than that besides sacrificing my tent or something? My goal is 30 and under.
Wandering Deer
08-03-2014, 09:13
30 would be my ideal weight limit at the extreme. I would prefer to keep it closer to 20.
garlic08
08-03-2014, 09:50
Welcome to the forum. Pack weight is a common topic. It sounds like your pack is in the average range for the AT.
You don't have to "sacrifice" anything to lose weight. Some say, "You pack your insecurities." The typical pack list contains 60 or more items and many of those are to deal with a fear of something--extra clothing, a bomb-proof tent, tools for "just in case," too much water and food, an extra light and batteries. Some carry entertainment stuff, like cameras, internet equipment, solar chargers and books, things that are not strictly necessary for a hiking trip.
Some good advice I heard is to pack for the trip you want. If you're on a camping trip, pack for that. If you're on a hiking trip, your pack should support the hiking and nothing else. There's nothing wrong with either way, they're just different. And I pay little attention to others' pack lists. You can get some general ideas of what others do, but I would never take off on a hike with someone else's pack and I hope nobody would try that with mine.
Over the years I've stopped carrying many of the "extra" things, and have gotten comfortable with a base load of bare necessities. My pack list has 25 items, down from 60 a decade ago. I've gotten pretty good at figuring out the minimum of food and water I need, and no longer get to a resupply with extras. One major step I made years ago was deciding to leave the stove behind, since I'm a lousy camp cook anyway, prefer easy no-cook meals, and my hiking got better overall without worrying about fuel resupply. I tried it both ways for a couple of years before making that decision for good. I dropped pack weight and simplified my hiking experience without "sacrificing" anything.
Many will say it's expensive to lose pack weight. It can be if you start purchasing high-tech cottage-manufactured gear like $450 tents and $500 sleeping bags and $120 air mattresses. It doesn't have to be--I use a $200 Tarptent, found an excellent Marmot bag on sale for $260, a $30 closed-cell foam pad works fine for me, and my Gossamer Gear pack cost $80 on sale. (And I spent nothing on cooking equipment.) Sometimes you'll see good used stuff for sale on this forum and others. My entire AT kit, including all clothing and shoes, cost me $850. There's an article somewhere by Sgt Rock about an ultra-light hiking kit for $300.
Good luck in your journey.
bigcranky
08-03-2014, 10:22
Oh, gah, don't sacrifice your tent - you'll need that. 32 pounds with food and water is pretty darn good - I still see hikers with well over that, and I remember the joy I felt when I got my own pack below 50, then below 40 pounds.
The only way to get the weight down is to go out there and hike, and figure out what you don't need the next time. Then there are two strategies, and you'll end up using both: (1) replace gear that you need with lighter versions, which can be as expensive as you can afford, and (2) leave stuff at home, which is cheap and results in a 100% reduction for that item :) Both of these strategies work well over a long period of time, as you hike, take notes, replace a couple of items, and hike again.
Good luck and happy trails.
Thanks for your advice! I just got a new stove yesterday and for the oddest reason it has the words "Coca-Cola" on the side...
.....Took me 10min. to make not including the youtube video! My pack list has 26 things on it I did include a small thing of pepper spray because I am female but beyond that its pretty standard.
Slo-go'en
08-03-2014, 11:41
Don't worry so much about how much your pack weighs with food and water. That is important, but is a variable weight. If you can get your "base" weight (gear only) in the 20 pound range, your doing pretty good.
Most people tend to carry too much water. Of course, there are sections where you do have to carry a lot of water, but for the most part you come across water often enough not to have to lug 3L out of camp each morning. I typically carry no more then 40 oz of water at a time (2, 20 oz soda bottles).
My base weight is around 16 pounds. I made my own stove and the big stuff is (tent and sleep system) is most of that weight. I didn't count my wallet, phone, and kindle though so maybe 17 :)
Don't worry so much about how much your pack weighs with food and water. That is important, but is a variable weight. If you can get your "base" weight (gear only) in the 20 pound range, your doing pretty good.
Most people tend to carry too much water. Of course, there are sections where you do have to carry a lot of water, but for the most part you come across water often enough not to have to lug 3L out of camp each morning. I typically carry no more then 40 oz of water at a time (2, 20 oz soda bottles). Ive got a 2 liter platypus hoser I think thats like 4.41 lbs full or something. I probably could get away with filling it half full at the start of the trail right?
Welcome to the forum. Pack weight is a common topic. It sounds like your pack is in the average range for the AT.
You don't have to "sacrifice" anything to lose weight. Some say, "You pack your insecurities." The typical pack list contains 60 or more items and many of those are to deal with a fear of something--extra clothing, a bomb-proof tent, tools for "just in case," too much water and food, an extra light and batteries. Some carry entertainment stuff, like cameras, internet equipment, solar chargers and books, things that are not strictly necessary for a hiking trip.
Some good advice I heard is to pack for the trip you want. If you're on a camping trip, pack for that. If you're on a hiking trip, your pack should support the hiking and nothing else. There's nothing wrong with either way, they're just different. And I pay little attention to others' pack lists. You can get some general ideas of what others do, but I would never take off on a hike with someone else's pack and I hope nobody would try that with mine.
Over the years I've stopped carrying many of the "extra" things, and have gotten comfortable with a base load of bare necessities. My pack list has 25 items, down from 60 a decade ago. I've gotten pretty good at figuring out the minimum of food and water I need, and no longer get to a resupply with extras. One major step I made years ago was deciding to leave the stove behind, since I'm a lousy camp cook anyway, prefer easy no-cook meals, and my hiking got better overall without worrying about fuel resupply. I tried it both ways for a couple of years before making that decision for good. I dropped pack weight and simplified my hiking experience without "sacrificing" anything.
Many will say it's expensive to lose pack weight. It can be if you start purchasing high-tech cottage-manufactured gear like $450 tents and $500 sleeping bags and $120 air mattresses. It doesn't have to be--I use a $200 Tarptent, found an excellent Marmot bag on sale for $260, a $30 closed-cell foam pad works fine for me, and my Gossamer Gear pack cost $80 on sale. (And I spent nothing on cooking equipment.) Sometimes you'll see good used stuff for sale on this forum and others. My entire AT kit, including all clothing and shoes, cost me $850. There's an article somewhere by Sgt Rock about an ultra-light hiking kit for $300.
Good luck in your journey. All of my gear is around the same as yours in total cost. My family got a kick out of me grumbling "I aint payin no 200 some odd dollars for a bloody backpack". Ive actually got this 70liter monstrosity that I nick named The Devil because it doesn't fit and fits too much stuff! Im getting a Kelty Womens Pack its half the weight and way shorter than The Devil.
bigcranky
08-03-2014, 13:25
A 16 pound base weight is pretty darn light. Seriously.
I have some extensive gear lists with weights and costs, I got 15 lbs out of my kit. Send me an PM with your email and I will forward.
A 16 pound base weight is pretty darn light. Seriously. Lol, yeah. You say that people pack their insecurities wheelp' Im packing my lazines. The OCD ounce counting comes in handy when I'll be skipping on by all the other noobs who thought that surgical steel scalpels and snake bite kits would come in handy.
Lol, yeah. You say that people pack their insecurities wheelp' Im packing my lazines. The OCD ounce counting comes in handy when I'll be skipping on by all the other noobs who thought that surgical steel scalpels and snake bite kits would come in handy.
By lazy I mean refusing to drag more crap up a mountain than nessary!
32 pounds with how much food and how much water? Define food and water first. Then give us the whole list and time of year you plan to use your stuff.
Wayne
bankgeek
08-03-2014, 16:02
Add Content
Start Date: Around March 15th (Im hitching a ride on a family members big rig)
Food: 11 pounds
Couse Couse 1lb
Rice 1 lb
Pasta 1lb
Home Made Beef Jerky 1 lbd
Nuts .5 lb
Olive oil 8 oz
Dried Fruit 2 lbds
Tuna packs x4
Oat Meal Packs x 4
Flat Bread x 4
Crackers .5
Mayo packets
Peanut Butter packets
Seasons 5 ounces
Equpment:
Tent 4.10 lbs
Buffalo Park Sleeping Bag 3.21lbs
Kelty Womens Pack 2.21 lb
Micro Head lamp 1.5 oz
Stuff Sacks 2.6 oz
Pad 2.5 lb
Gold Bond in a zip lock baggie 8 oz
Stove fuel 3 oz
Can Stove 1.5 oz
Platypus Hoser 3.8 oz
Sun Screen 4oz (Half in extra light bottle other half in bump box)
Portable Aqua 1oz
Matches .5 oz
Charger 5.6 oz
Bug Spray 4oz
Rope .5 lb
Trowel 2 oz
Toilet Paper 3 oz?
Wash Cloth 3 oz
Bump Box:
Trail Guide
Bug Treatment for clothes
Town clothes
Hair and Body Soap
Luko Tape 2oz
First aid 3 oz
A few band aids
Immodium
Vitamin I
Neosporin
oh and a lighter
and water is about 4 pounds when its full
Start Date: Around March 15th (Im hitching a ride on a family members big rig)
Food: 11 pounds
Couse Couse 1lb
Rice 1 lb
Pasta 1lb
Home Made Beef Jerky 1 lbd
Nuts .5 lb
Olive oil 8 oz
Dried Fruit 2 lbds
Tuna packs x4
Oat Meal Packs x 4
Flat Bread x 4
Crackers .5
Mayo packets
Peanut Butter packets
Seasons 5 ounces
Equpment:
Tent 4.10 lbs
Buffalo Park Sleeping Bag 3.21lbs
Kelty Womens Pack 2.21 lb
Micro Head lamp 1.5 oz
Stuff Sacks 2.6 oz
Pad 2.5 lb
Gold Bond in a zip lock baggie 8 oz
Stove fuel 3 oz
Can Stove 1.5 oz
Platypus Hoser 3.8 oz
Sun Screen 4oz (Half in extra light bottle other half in bump box)
Portable Aqua 1oz
Matches .5 oz
Charger 5.6 oz
Bug Spray 4oz
Rope .5 lb
Trowel 2 oz
Toilet Paper 3 oz?
Wash Cloth 3 oz
Bump Box:
Trail Guide
Bug Treatment for clothes
Town clothes
Hair and Body Soap
Luko Tape 2oz
First aid 3 oz
A few band aids
Immodium
Vitamin I
Neosporin (I hate typing on a kindle) This is part of my pack list:
Luko Tape 2oz
First aid 3 oz
A few band aids
Immodium
Vitamin I
Neosporin
12trysomething
08-03-2014, 16:54
I will offer this video I took as I prepare for a shoulder season trip. Good luck!
http://youtu.be/L-w4pjjXUnE
Any suggestions for trying to get it down to less than that besides sacrificing my tent or something? My goal is 30 and under. I threw my tent poles away, first dumpster I came to. Kept the tent body and tied it to a tree. Worked great. No sacrifice at all! :)
Other things I threw away: extra underpants, Body Glide (which didn't work for ME), spool of thread (thought maybe I'd do some hand sewing????), Cliff bars, which made me gag when I ate them. I also got rid of mosquito repellent and extra flashlight. (In addition to packing my own fears, I carried my husbands fears (mosquitoes and the dark...), too.)
Have you taken your 16/30 lbs out for a few days? You might throw stuff away mid trip or decide that you don't need/want some stuff after you carry it for a few days. Other stuff... you will happily carry to the ends of the Earth... but your list is most likely different than mine. Many people initially bring too much food and water.
Forgot camp socks. Im not taking a ton of clothes just a spare dry wool shirt and under shorts
I threw my tent poles away, first dumpster I came to. Kept the tent body and tied it to a tree. Worked great. No sacrifice at all! :)
Other things I threw away: extra underpants, Body Glide (which didn't work for ME), spool of thread (thought maybe I'd do some hand sewing????), Cliff bars, which made me gag when I ate them. I also got rid of mosquito repellent and extra flashlight. (In addition to packing my own fears, I carried my husbands fears (mosquitoes and the dark...), too.)
Have you taken your 16/30 lbs out for a few days? You might throw stuff away mid trip or decide that you don't need/want some stuff after you carry it for a few days. Other stuff... you will happily carry to the ends of the Earth... but your list is most likely different than mine. Many people initially bring too much food and water.
I haven't been hiking in a year or so since I moved to the midwest and when I lived in california it was mostly day hikes so I havent be able to REALLY take my pack out. Did walk ten miles the other day to the grocery store lol.
Mid March... I really think you need warm clothes! It might be snowing out there. You at least need a set of dry clothes to change into.
Mid March... don't think you need bug spray or 2 oz of sun screen. I can make a 1/2 oz of sun screen last 7 days in summer in Tahoe with long sleeves/pants and good hat.
You probably don't need 11 lbs of food. I'm also guessing that you don't have enough fuel to actually cook 3 lbs of pasta/rice/couscous in March.
Best wishes! Let us know how your list evolves and changes!
Mid March... I really think you need warm clothes! It might be snowing out there. You at least need a set of dry clothes to change into.
Mid March... don't think you need bug spray or 2 oz of sun screen. I can make a 1/2 oz of sun screen last 7 days in summer in Tahoe with long sleeves/pants and good hat.
You probably don't need 11 lbs of food. I'm also guessing that you don't have enough fuel to actually cook 3 lbs of pasta/rice/couscous in March.
Best wishes! Let us know how your list evolves and changes! Ive always cooked over fires so my fuel estimation is probably off lol.
Looking at your list... I don't see a cooking pot. Or a lighter. Or spoon. :) Matches are ok backup... lighter is usually better in rain/wind.
I suppose it is ok to keep bandaids in a bump box. Somebody else will fear getting hurt and will have 150 bandaids in 14 different sizes. LOL :D But you might want to take a couple with you... just in case.
But you got a lot of months to figure stuff out. :)
EDIT: Never mind... saw your clarification post that you are actually going to take tape and bandaids. My bad.
I will offer this video I took as I prepare for a shoulder season trip. Good luck!
http://youtu.be/L-w4pjjXUnE Liked it. :)
Looking at your list... I don't see a cooking pot. Or a lighter. Or spoon. :) Matches are ok backup... lighter is usually better in rain/wind.
I forgot to put it on here but its on my list Ive got a really light cooking pot and plastic spoon same with lighter.
First thing i see you could lighten up on is your tent. If you are hiking by yourself or for that matter you could save 3 lbs just on your tent.
FWIIW, 11 pounds ought to be enough food for a week, so you may want to consider reducing that, especially at the beginning with lots of resupply options and trying to stay lighter starting out.
I would leave the sun screen at home, you are starting in March and there is a reason they call it the green tunnel. Every summer when I do sections I loose my tan, so you certainly should not need it in March.
The bounce box sounds like a hassle to me. I would want the trail guide with me. I would try to eliminate the bounce box if you can. I would not worry about town clothes and would treat my clothes with permethin before I left.
Of course at some point past Mt Rogers you may want to send a box of winter clothes/gear home and receive your summer stuff. And based upon the calendar the reverse somewhere in New England.
Finally you do not list clothing and rain gear. In the summer you can by with just extra socks and another pair of shorts and shirt to sleep in, and a rain jacket. But in March you probably need a lot more (gloves, stocking cap, layers, etc..).
CarlZ993
08-03-2014, 19:27
I wouldn't worry too much about food & water weight right now. That weight is variable. You will probably carry too much food and/or water when you start. Most do. I know I did.
Concentrate on your Base Pack Weight (BPW): everything in your pack except food, fuel, or water. I'd recommend buying a digital scale (5 lb max or so; nothing should weight more than 5 lbs). You can create a BPW spreadsheet or use an online tool at www.geargrams.com.
March can be cold on the AT. Don't skimp on your sleeping bag/pad or warm clothing in the beginning. I shared a shelter w/ some guys that had 30 deg-rated bags one night @ Tray Mountain Shelter. I wore everything I had on in my 15 deg sleeping bag & I was cool. They shivered all night in their bags & only managed to cat-nap off and on all night long. Pretty miserable for them.
Good luck in with your gear selections. When gear choices are similar, choose the lighter option. Happy trails!
YouTube of last year's thru hikers in March and April. It's cold! Hard to find a lot of video of rain and people being wet, since people put their cameras away. I can't imagine being cold and wet and having no clothes to change into. Get a lighter tent and bring a rain coat and change of clothes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8isYu9ul-no&list=UUeO8nUtgGOruQn6vztLWssQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6-I0is7iEU&list=UUgOzPcZE-EQzBWn75CAm8wA
I'll probably get a hog park bag instead if it gets that cold. My clothes consist of Polyester running t-shirt merino wool thermals, zip off pants, wool hat, gloves, water proof hiking shoes, merino wool socks, fleece zip up turtle kneck and a rain jacket with hood. I'll have extra thermals and socks in my pack.