View Full Version : 45 lb pack.
So i'm getting ready to fly to atlanta on tuesday. my pack weighs in at around 45 pounds with food + water. I realize that this is considerably more than most of the other gear lists that i have seen here. Most of my heavier gear (pack, sleeping bag/pad, stove, etc) are at least a few years old and i dont really have the funds to replace that kind of stuff right now. It's been a while since i've done any real backpacking, but when i was a scout i feel like my pack weighed around this much, if not more. I'm obviously not really into the whole UL movement and i guess i'm being pretty naive assuming that i will just deal with this weight. my question is, do you think that i am going to want to kill myself after a few days on the trail? are there any other hikers who carry this kind of weight that can reassure me?
taildragger
02-28-2008, 22:02
45lbs isn't bad, I imagine that most of the people on the trail will have around a 40lbs pack with food and water. You might be able to shave some weight off as you go, just don't push yourself too hard and you should be fine
Go slow...enjoy the walk...listen to the folks at Mountain Crossings when you get to Nell's Gap....and...if you're going to do the Approach Trail....get a ride to the top of the falls!!!!! Have fun and cheers...p
dessertrat
02-28-2008, 22:26
That's not so bad for a winter weight. It's not real light either. Have you posted a list to see if we can suggest some stuff to leave behind? I assume it will get lighter as the weather gets warmer?
Wolf - 23000
02-28-2008, 22:37
So i'm getting ready to fly to atlanta on tuesday. my pack weighs in at around 45 pounds with food + water. I realize that this is considerably more than most of the other gear lists that i have seen here. Most of my heavier gear (pack, sleeping bag/pad, stove, etc) are at least a few years old and i dont really have the funds to replace that kind of stuff right now. It's been a while since i've done any real backpacking, but when i was a scout i feel like my pack weighed around this much, if not more. I'm obviously not really into the whole UL movement and i guess i'm being pretty naive assuming that i will just deal with this weight. my question is, do you think that i am going to want to kill myself after a few days on the trail? are there any other hikers who carry this kind of weight that can reassure me?
The real question is what type of pack you have. Some packs are design to handy 45 pounds without any problems; while others are going to make your pack feel extremely heavy.
No one can tell you what backpack is going to work for you because a lot of it has to deal with personal preference and how you wear the pack. You can have the best pack in the world but if it on wrong it won’t do you any good. It is normal a good idea to loosen up all the straps prior to placing the pack on. After your pack is on tighten up your straps and adjust your straps as you move up and down the mountains.
I find loosing up the hip belt; while tighten up your should straps helps going up hill. When going down hill, tighten up your hip belt and loosing up your shoulders straps.
Just simple tib-bits Hopes this helps.
Wolf
yeah i have some cold weather stuff, heavier fleece/shell that i will likely send home. i also have a few luxury items that i want to start with, and then decide whether i want to keep them (digital camera, cell phone, notebook, paperback, etc.). i feel much better hearing the support here, after reading about people being nervous over much less weight.
my pack is an rei cima 80. i think they only made it for a couple of years in the late 90's-early 00's. its similar to most of their internal frames, at least in terms of how it wears.
Skidsteer
02-28-2008, 22:47
my pack is an rei cima 80. i think they only made it for a couple of years in the late 90's-early 00's. its similar to most of their internal frames, at least in terms of how it wears.
Does it hurt to carry it?
That's the big question. You may decide that some of your gear isn't needed and you prefer a lighter load but that's OK. You can mail extra stuff home at Woody Gap or Neel's Gap. All it takes is money for postage.
taildragger
02-28-2008, 22:47
The real question is what type of pack you have. Some packs are design to handy 45 pounds without any problems; while others are going to make your pack feel extremely heavy.
No one can tell you what backpack is going to work for you because a lot of it has to deal with personal preference and how you wear the pack. You can have the best pack in the world but if it on wrong it won’t do you any good. It is normal a good idea to loosen up all the straps prior to placing the pack on. After your pack is on tighten up your straps and adjust your straps as you move up and down the mountains.
I find loosing up the hip belt; while tighten up your should straps helps going up hill. When going down hill, tighten up your hip belt and loosing up your shoulders straps.
Just simple tib-bits Hopes this helps.
Wolf
Good advice, all of this. None of us really knows what will work for YOU, we only know what works for us. You'll figure out if 45lbs is where its at, or if you need to ditch some weight. The main thing is that only YOU can figure this one out.
I'd really suggest some shakedown runs though, take a notepad and note the items that you use, how often you use them, if you could have done with a doubly duty item instead, etc... This is really the best way to hone your pack
Happy trails
unfortunately i am a master procrastinator so my first shakedown hike will have to be up springer. i appreciate all the advice though.
Footslogger
02-28-2008, 23:27
[quote=shwn354;554550]So i'm getting ready to fly to atlanta on tuesday. my pack weighs in at around 45 pounds with food + water.
========================================
That's right about where I started in 2003. I carried the Gregory Reality pack. Your age/condition my prove otherwise but that load damn near ran me into the ground. Little by little I sent home or gave away things I wasn't using or excess quantities of things. By the time I got to Pearisburg, VA I had quite a bit of unused space in my pack and decided to downsize. I hitched into Blacksburg and bought the Granite Gear Vapor Trail. Probably one of the smartest things I did throughout my hike. I cut my bare backpack weight in half and with my lighter weight clothing/gear I ended up hiking out of Pearisburg with about 26lbs on my back ...and that was with food and water.
Only you can make the call as to whether the load is too much. But from personal experience I would say that you will cover miles with much less wear and tear if you can lighted your load.
'Slogger
Appalachian Tater
02-28-2008, 23:31
Post a gear list if you want suggestions.
You will be happier the lighter your pack is but I have carried that much weight out of town and up the mountain with an especially big resupply and a full load of water. It sucks but you do eat a lot of food every day so the weight goes down quickly. 45 pounds is heavy but not insane. Skidsteer asks a good question, "Does it hurt to carry it?" If it does, you will lighten it up on the trail. Better to try now.
thanks, i guess that no matter how much i read here, this is the kind of thing that will all come down to figuring out on my own through trial and error.
Appalachian Tater
02-28-2008, 23:34
Why don't you post a list? You can always ignore any suggestions but you might save a couple of pounds.
it doesn't hurt to carry it at all. i haven't gone up any mountains with it, and i know that's where you start to feel it, but walking on level ground doesn't bother me at all. i also feel as though i am probably carrying too much food, something which will obviously get lighter as i go. i will post a gear list tomorrow or this weekend but i am laying in bed right now and am too comfortable to change that.
unfortunately i am a master procrastinator so my first shakedown hike will have to be up springer. i appreciate all the advice though.
I have friends in Atlanta and I'll be staying there a few days and then doing the approach trail to shake down all my gear and get things in order. It's kind of hard to seam-seal your tent, for instance, when there's two feet of snow and ice on the ground and drifts as high as your head.
(Of course, I might have been procrastinating just a little bit, too...)
Footslogger
02-28-2008, 23:39
[quote=shwn354;554665]it doesn't hurt to carry it at all.
=================================
Ironically, I felt the same way ...AT FIRST. I think it in Hiawasse when I handed a guy his pack off a truck. All I could think about was how much more pleasant it would be to pull that sucker on instead of mine. As you can tell from my earlier post - - it took a while to settle in but eventually I saw the light ...so to speak !!
I'll never carry those types of loads again in my life !!
'Slogger
taildragger
02-28-2008, 23:56
[quote=shwn354;554665]it doesn't hurt to carry it at all.
=================================
Ironically, I felt the same way ...AT FIRST. I think it in Hiawasse when I handed a guy his pack off a truck. All I could think about was how much more pleasant it would be to pull that sucker on instead of mine. As you can tell from my earlier post - - it took a while to settle in but eventually I saw the light ...so to speak !!
I'll never carry those types of loads again in my life !!
'Slogger
This for me depends on my pack.
My external hurts to carry more than 40 (rated for 80)
My whitney was definitely a poor purchase (based off of size) but I carry extra weight to train and have had no problems. If I've been carrying 45-50, I just tend to eat and drink a lot more. With 30 lbs I move a little quicker, but not too much, and so far I've felt the same every morning. That being said I've been trying to figure out ways to cut weight everywhere except my pack (I could shave 5lbs there...but that might cost me $ and I don't have $)
Wolf - 23000
02-29-2008, 00:03
unfortunately i am a master procrastinator so my first shakedown hike will have to be up springer. i appreciate all the advice though.
Well if it makes you feel any better, when I started my first thru-hike my backpacks (yes I added an "s" at the end) total weight was over twice what you are starting off. I started off going southbound with close to 100 pounds. Now I travel much, much lighter.
Wolf
taildragger
02-29-2008, 00:06
Well if it makes you feel any better, when I started my first thru-hike my backpacks (yes I added an "s" at the end) total weight was over twice what you are starting off. I started off going southbound with close to 100 pounds. Now I travel much, much lighter.
Wolf
Only 100 lbs, you gram weenie :D
hammock engineer
02-29-2008, 00:32
Enjoy, your'll figure it out.
Most of the southbounders I met last year, the AT was their first real overnight.
It's fun going with it and figuring it out as you go.
It's fun going with it and figuring it out as you go.
That works better when you're young. Fortunately, most thru-hikers are... ;)
The higher the weight, the more wear and tear on your body. I converted from 40-45 to 20-25 in Harper's Ferry (yeah, stubborn) and it felt light as a feather. Also, 90% of my foot/leg pain vanished. It really was an amazing difference.
The real kicker is that my beloved vapor trail was half the cost of my original pack...
unfortunately i am a master procrastinator so my first shakedown hike will have to be up springer. i appreciate all the advice though.
You've never done a "test" spin on your gear????
The Approach Trail should be as good a shakedown as any, be sure to try to work the kinks out there. At least until you can get to Woody Gap or Neel's Gap.
HighlanderII
02-29-2008, 07:36
When I first hiked the trail I averaged 50-55lbs in my pack and maxed at 65+lbs. I was your age at the time and did about 1800 miles before I regeared (with state of the art stuff) to max out at about 45lbs.
At that time, "lightweight" hiking was carrying less than 35lbs, most carried in the 45-55lb range. Carrying a lighter load makes the hiking easier, more pleasant, and usually faster but hiking with a heavier load is completely doable. 45lbs is not that heavy especially if that's close to your max weight.
Good luck!
Take you and your 45 lb. pack to the local high school stadium. walk up and down the grandstand 10 times.
You will then know if it is "too" heavy.
Miles of Smiles
Tom
FallGirl
02-29-2008, 09:28
Take you and your 45 lb. pack to the local high school stadium. walk up and down the grandstand 10 times.
You will then know if it is "too" heavy.
Miles of Smiles
Tom
Just thinking about doing this--without a pack--is making my legs hurt. :D
Just thinking about doing this--without a pack--is making my legs hurt. :D
Use 2 packs one at the bottom and one at the top. Touch them everytime you get to them.
what would that be called....a "slack-down" :-?:sun :D
gold bond
02-29-2008, 09:42
Hey Katz where's the coffee filters? Flung 'em!
Time To Fly 97
02-29-2008, 09:55
45 pounds is totally doable, but muchheavier than normal. You will be challenged on the hills. I would recommend absolutely getting hiking poles and when you walk, take shorter, faster strides. You should be paying close attention to how your quads and achilles feel at the end of the day when you are tired. It will be easy to push too hard and end up pulling a muscle.
After you successfully make your "forced march" to Walasi Yi in Neels Gap I'll bet you a theoretical cup of coffee you dump 10 pounds. I did. I listened to advice and got my tarp and leki hiking poles there. I also let some of my fellow hikers go through my stuff and tell me what I really needed...and sent a bunch home. The biggest weight I saved was trading out a heavy tent with the tarp, I had way too many clothes, and going with very small quantities of things in tubes (medical, toothpaste). Tons of small impulse buys (I love gear) went home too.
Even after you have been out for awhile, you will continue to jetison stuff you really aren't using. This is part of the learning curve everyone goes through and a good opportunity to get advice early.
Analogy: You can choose to show up at basic training with a buzz cut or you can show up with that long pretty hair. The end result will be the same, but you can bet that you will be abused by your new Training Instructor with the long hair.
Happy hiking!
Time To Fly 97
jersey joe
02-29-2008, 10:11
I hit the approach trail with 65lbs. and rarely saw my pack weight fall below 45lbs mostly because I hiked with the gear I had. You are 21 years old and unless you are a weenie, this is totally doable.
I hit the approach trail with 65lbs. and rarely saw my pack weight fall below 45lbs mostly because I hiked with the gear I had. You are 21 years old and unless you are a weenie, this is totally doable.
Doable, yes... fun is a whole 'nother question. And in the long term, it's critically important for a thru-hike to be fun. The good news is that you can make adjustments along the way.
ofthearth
02-29-2008, 10:21
So i'm getting ready to fly to atlanta on tuesday. my pack weighs in at around 45 pounds with food + water. I realize that this is considerably more than most of the other gear lists that i have seen here. Most of my heavier gear (pack, sleeping bag/pad, stove, etc) are at least a few years old and i dont really have the funds to replace that kind of stuff right now. It's been a while since i've done any real backpacking, but when i was a scout i feel like my pack weighed around this much, if not more. I'm obviously not really into the whole UL movement and i guess i'm being pretty naive assuming that i will just deal with this weight. my question is, do you think that i am going to want to kill myself after a few days on the trail? are there any other hikers who carry this kind of weight that can reassure me?
It makes me feel better (hope it does the same foryou) to know someone else is in the same boat. :eek:
I'm just counting on what a lot of people here have said: the weight will come down as time and trail goes on.
jersey joe
02-29-2008, 10:22
Doable, yes... fun is a whole 'nother question. And in the long term, it's critically important for a thru-hike to be fun. The good news is that you can make adjustments along the way.
Fun is relative. Backpacking ultra light might be more fun than hiking with a 45lb pack but hiking with a 45lb pack is more fun than working 9-5.
mountain squid
02-29-2008, 10:23
45# is heavy, manageable I'm sure, but also heavy. Put your gear into three piles:
absolutely must have (for survival - not comfort or sentiment)
stuff I want (comfort or sentiment)
what was I thinking? (camp stool, rambo knife, climbing rope, 12 oz dishwashing soap, heavy books, extra pr of shoes, extra light source, bowling ball, etc, etc, etc)
Before placing into pile, scrutinize each piece of gear and remember that ounces add up to pounds real quickly - is there a lighter alternative within budget? do I really need this? how many/much do I need of this? (2 prs of pants is one pr too many, a first aid kit that would put a Corpsman to shame)
I bet you could lighten your load some without compromising safety with a little bit of comfort thrown in.
At any rate, don't worry about it - just Have Fun.
See you on the trail,
mt squid
PS. Check this thread (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=20121) out.
max patch
02-29-2008, 10:28
You'll be fine.
I started off with a 50 lb pack, and eventually whittled it down to 45 lbs with a 5 day supply of food.
Because I wanted to spend time in the 100 mile wilderness I left Monson with 62 pounds.
Lighter is better than heavier, but people have carried "heavy" packs for years.
After you successfully make your "forced march" to Walasi Yi in Neels Gap I'll bet you a theoretical cup of coffee you dump 10 pounds.
Why not go to Neel Gap first. Lighten the load, leave everything you don't need there. You will only have to carry 3-4 days of food. When you arrive back at Neel Gap, you can decide what you want to carry the rest of the way
I hit the approach trail with 65lbs. and rarely saw my pack weight fall below 45lbs mostly because I hiked with the gear I had. You are 21 years old and unless you are a weenie, this is totally doable.
guess I'm a weenie, cause I'm 22 and I'll be darned if I'll ever carry 40 lbs again! Maybe since I'm female I get a free pass ... my delicate constitution can't handle it ;)
my boyfriend's pack is in the 35-40 range, it's like a handicap so I can keep up with him :sun
Fun is relative. Backpacking ultra light might be more fun than hiking with a 45lb pack but hiking with a 45lb pack is more fun than working 9-5.
It's fun for a while, anyway. I can't speak for anyone else, but in the "real world" my work is mostly sedentary. Switching from that life to one where I'm schlepping up mountains for 10+ hours and 15+ miles per day can be a shock to the system. The novelty and adrenaline will carry you for a while.... but when that wears off, watch out... ;)