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View Full Version : Accuracy of scale at Mountain Crossings? (see pic)



Grumpy5280
03-13-2008, 11:19
Went by Mountain Crossings at Walasa-Yi the other day on my way to Blood Mtn.

Weighed my pack, without water, but with food (2 lunches, 1 dinner, 1 brkfst). See attached picture.

Scale read 65 pounds!! Or, just under 30 kilograms (Which is the number I misread, thinking it was pounds). No way!

So I got home and replaced the same foodstuffs I had eaten in my food bag, pulled everything out and weighed them on my digital scale. Guess what? 15.1 pounds. Am I misreading this scale, or is this a 4X factor in measurement error?
3585

Gray Blazer
03-13-2008, 11:21
Something's wrong.

Appalachian Tater
03-13-2008, 11:30
Seems like the needle is missing from the scale. If you look at how far down the spring is and try to figure where the needle should be, 15 pounds more or less looks like it could be correct--maybe 16 or 17.

http://www.amazon.com/Taylor-33114104TJ-110LB-INDUSTRIAL-Scale/dp/B0009KO5KW

gearfreak
03-13-2008, 11:31
I used that scale back in September and my recollection is that because the pointer arrow is missing, the top piece it attaches to lines up with the correct weight. :cool:

Alligator
03-13-2008, 11:34
65 lbs is a lot of weight to be carrying in a Vapor Trail. If you post your gear list we can help you out;).

oops56
03-13-2008, 11:36
Its a fish scale for the fish men that lie on the big one;)

Allen66
03-13-2008, 11:37
Went by Mountain Crossings at Walasa-Yi the other day on my way to Blood Mtn.

Weighed my pack, without water, but with food (2 lunches, 1 dinner, 1 brkfst). See attached picture.

Scale read 65 pounds!! Or, just under 30 kilograms (Which is the number I misread, thinking it was pounds). No way!

So I got home and replaced the same foodstuffs I had eaten in my food bag, pulled everything out and weighed them on my digital scale. Guess what? 15.1 pounds. Am I misreading this scale, or is this a 4X factor in measurement error?
3585

I would say that their scale is broken. I looked at your pic and it seems that your pack only move the scale roughly 1 inch (judgeing by the amount of slide protruding from the bottom) but the pointer appears to have moved 4-5 inches. Did it even go back to zero when you removed your pack? Sure looks broken to me. :D

Appalachian Tater
03-13-2008, 11:39
I would say that their scale is broken. I looked at your pic and it seems that your pack only move the scale roughly 1 inch (judgeing by the amount of slide protruding from the bottom) but the pointer appears to have moved 4-5 inches. Did it even go back to zero when you removed your pack? Sure looks broken to me. :DThe pointer appears to be missing and the slide is rusty.

Allen66
03-13-2008, 11:42
Or on the other hand your scale is broken and you're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for. Now is a good time for the stupid banana.:banana:banana

max patch
03-13-2008, 11:45
That’s the “before” scale. After you weigh your pack they ask if you want them to go thru your pack and suggest ways to lighten it. Bring your credit card. :)

Allen66
03-13-2008, 11:59
Are you saying they may have an after scale with a stopper welded in it.:banana:D

mudhead
03-13-2008, 12:39
Its a fish scale for the fish men that lie on the big one;)

No guys that fish do stuff like that.

BigCat
03-13-2008, 12:50
That's not as bad as the doctor scale outside at Uncle Johnny's. I watched about ten hikers hoop and holler about how light their bodies and packs had gotten until I pointed out that the balance bar was snagged on the deck railing. (It was kind of like that 'Simpsons' episode where Homer is surprised to see he lost weight when in actuality his gut was resting on the towel rack.)

oops56
03-13-2008, 13:36
No guys that fish do stuff like that.
Then you should see the one that got away its was that big------------------;)

Tipi Walter
03-13-2008, 14:05
Scales are like thermometers, you just don't need a number to qualify the experience. And scales are like mirrors, you don't need to look at yourself to know how you're feeling.

However, I do guesstimate my pack weight just to dazzle my own self, and in the winter I like to guess the temps by hearing a weather report and going from there. If Knoxville says it's 15 degrees and I'm at 5400 feet in a tent, I can come up with some pretty neat numbers.

Frolicking Dinosaurs
03-13-2008, 14:14
S....If Knoxville says it's 15 degrees and I'm at 5400 feet in a tent, I can come up with some pretty neat numbers.:eek: Those would be negative numbers :eek:

Grumpy5280
03-13-2008, 14:33
I just called mountain Crossings, and Ryan said "Yea, it's broken. The needle's missing, so you have to look at it just right to get the weight."

The way I "look at it," my pack is as light as a cloud!

Skuter
03-13-2008, 15:23
I used the same scale two weeks ago. Although rusty and hard to see the scale is accurate. The very top of the sliding piece is what you need to look at. If you look closely at your pic, around 14 and 15 lbs, you can see the top of the metal piece. but like i said "hard to see".

Sly
03-13-2008, 15:37
If my pack weighed 65 lbs, I'd be Grumpy II

Grumpy5280
03-13-2008, 16:10
If my pack weighed 65 lbs, I'd be Grumpy II

Right on! LOL!:D

barefoot
03-14-2008, 09:55
I just got a new Vapor Trail pack that I need to pickup at REI tonight. I'm glad to hear that it can hold 65lbs of stuff. I was a little worried about the capacity.

weary
03-14-2008, 10:32
My pack went to 55 pounds once after stopping at a supermarket without eating first. The weight produced a flash back to August two years earlier when I met a guy carrying 100 pounds on Wyman Mountain. I asked how come. Among other things he was carrying a 12 pound sleeping bag. "They told me Maine would be cold."

He was also carrying 10 pounds of sugar "because it was almost as cheap as a two pound box."

Weary

mudhead
03-14-2008, 11:56
Sweet Hey-zoos.

Appalachian Tater
03-14-2008, 12:00
I just got a new Vapor Trail pack that I need to pickup at REI tonight. I'm glad to hear that it can hold 65lbs of stuff. I was a little worried about the capacity.Even if you filled it completely up with water, it would only be twice that weight.


Sweet Hey-zoos. Chuy is not available right now. May I please take a message?

Survivor Dave
03-14-2008, 12:28
If you want an accurate weight, ask them to weigh it inside on the floor postal scale. I saw a pack of about 50# weighed there. Not sure of it's Max. capacity, but I think it's 110#. That's what they've been using.:sun

Bare Bear
03-14-2008, 13:32
Weighing each item BEFORE starting out on a grocer scale (5 lb max and gives reading in oz.) lets you decide what is important enough to take and what to leave out. I 'gave up' filter for bleach drops; bought a new rain jacket with zip out liner; etc. and lightened my pack by 3.5 pounds before the AT thru.

hammock engineer
03-14-2008, 13:38
Pack scales are evil. Something I try to stay away from at all costs. Somehow no matter if it was 25 or 35, it always seems to feel heavier after I know how much it weighs.

Grumpy5280
03-14-2008, 21:21
I just got a new Vapor Trail pack that I need to pickup at REI tonight. I'm glad to hear that it can hold 65lbs of stuff. I was a little worried about the capacity.

For those who did not read the original post, and aren't just being funny, my pack actually weighed only 15.1 pounds.

I think the only way the Vapor Trail would carry 65 lbs is if you are carrying cement.

I find that weighing items individually allows me to really control total weight: "Take care of the ounces and the pounds will take care of themselves."

My normal pack weight is under 11 pounds. I was carrying extra food to give away, and extra clothes that were unnecessary.