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sloopjonboswell
03-14-2007, 05:43
wheres a good place to weigh pre hike packs besides an outfitter? PO? grocery store?? living in a 'nontrail' town.

highway
03-14-2007, 06:23
Take it to someplace where cheap bathroom scales are sold, like Wall Mart, and just plop it down upon a few to get the weight. i weigh each individual item with a better and smaller scale and list them into a simple spreadsheet so as to compare items. Then I just total those items selected for pack weight. Many would prefer the simpler first option. I much prefer the fun of mine.

Cuffs
03-14-2007, 08:25
I too went to WalMart, but came up with a different solution...

I went to the Sporting Goods area and found one of those hanging fish scales (like the one at Mtn X or AFSP). I hung it up in the garage from the rafters and a-weighing we went!

Midway Sam
03-14-2007, 08:40
Take it to someplace where cheap bathroom scales are sold, like Wall Mart, and just plop it down upon a few to get the weight. i weigh each individual item with a better and smaller scale and list them into a simple spreadsheet so as to compare items. Then I just total those items selected for pack weight. Many would prefer the simpler first option. I much prefer the fun of mine.

Here's a link to some pretty good spreadsheets. I particularly like (and use) the one that won first place...

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/2005_trip_planning_spreadsheet_contest_winners.htm l

peanuts
03-14-2007, 10:32
sb, you are not too far from mountain crossing(if you are in athens, ga)
its a nice drive :)

Sly
03-14-2007, 10:50
I've taken mine to the PO before and they were fine with weighing it.

Footslogger
03-14-2007, 11:11
I finally broke down and bought a 50 lb scale at Walmart. But what works just about as well is the digital bathroom scale (unless you're trying to get it to the exact ounce). Just weigh yourself, get off and don the pack and then hop back on.

'Slogger

peanuts
03-14-2007, 11:19
oops never mind, i miss read the thread!!!

jesse
03-14-2007, 12:08
I use a UPS Store near my house. Fedex Kinkos would also work.

Wolf - 23000
03-15-2007, 19:13
I ask the Post Office. I hand them my pack and ask them to weigh it. Normally I do it when I leave town to include food but a few times I've checked with just my pack base weight right before leaving for a hiking trip.

Wolf

icemanat95
03-15-2007, 19:27
I don't get all tied in knots over it. I load up what I think I need, then pull out what I think I can get by without, subtract about half of the extra clothing and crap, then put the pack on and hike. If the pack feels too heavy, I figure I really just need to get a bit stronger.

Getting all wound up over pack weight just doesn't make much sense to me.

stuco
03-15-2007, 19:56
Pick up something like this on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/35-lb-Digital-Postal-Postage-Scale-Shipping-Scales_W0QQitemZ230104662088QQcategoryZ50954QQrdZ1 QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/75-LB-POSTAGE-SCALES-DIGITAL-SHIPPING-POSTAL-SCALE-SLV_W0QQitemZ150102161561QQcategoryZ109753QQrdZ1QQ cmdZViewItem

This is the kind I got and it works fine.

Jack Tarlin
03-15-2007, 20:05
Geez, folks, it's not all that complicated....

Find someone you know with a bathroom scale that they feel is accurate.

Get on the scale with your full pack on. Record the weight.

Step off scale and remove pack.

Get back on, without pack, and record weight.

Subtract Weight Two from Weight One.

Remaining figure is your pack weight.

Pretty simple.

Oh, I notice you live in Athens. I bet if you went to the university gym, went to the weight training room, and told them about your trip, they'd let you use their scales. (All gyms have very accurate scales in them).

stuco
03-15-2007, 20:23
Geez, folks, it's not all that complicated....

Find someone you know with a bathroom scale that they feel is accurate.

Get on the scale with your full pack on. Record the weight.

Step off scale and remove pack.

Get back on, without pack, and record weight.

Subtract Weight Two from Weight One.

Remaining figure is your pack weight.

Pretty simple.

Oh, I notice you live in Athens. I bet if you went to the university gym, went to the weight training room, and told them about your trip, they'd let you use their scales. (All gyms have very accurate scales in them).

Wow, I can't believe nobody thought of that. :banana

This will work fine if you aren't particular about +/- a lb or two. Also, you will not be able to weigh individual items.

Jack Tarlin
03-15-2007, 20:27
No, this won't work for gram weenies, but as other folks have suggested, there are other places with scales where you can weigh small stuff accurately.

I'm fairly sure any Post Office would weigh stuff for you, as long as you're not there at a busy time, and you keep it to a few items at a time, i.e. don't go in there and ask them to weight 34 items or you'll get a funny look.

Also, most Outfitters ship stuff out all the time, so most have good mailing scales, which they'd probably let you use, especially if you were a regular customer or had just bought some stuff from them.

Programbo
03-15-2007, 20:53
Pack scale???...Just put it on and see if it feels ok or not..You`ll either say..Damn that`s heavy!..Or not.....If you just have to know what it weighs do as some suggested and just weigh yourself with and without pack on a bathroom scale..This isn`t bicycle racing so I can`t believe anyone needs a to the ounce weight...That`s what years of hiking experience is for..you pack..you go..you say..that was to much stuff..or..that was to much weight..and you eliminate items or adjust til you get your ideal equipment list and weight for you..Forget the charts and graphs