View Full Version : Heaviest unnecessary item you've carried on a long hike?
Pepper Beard
06-24-2008, 20:18
I've read people carrying water paddles, guitars, laptops etc... What's the most heaviest item you guys have taken on a long multi-week hike? Just curious to see what comes up.
Lone Wolf
06-24-2008, 20:20
i've never carried anything unnecessary
taildragger
06-24-2008, 20:42
a large rock that became part of a yard after it made it to the truck
Frolicking Dinosaurs
06-24-2008, 20:48
A toddler once - never again on a long hike.
I carried the new hard cover 2-pound Harry Potter book on a section hike in 2005.
Appalachian Tater
06-24-2008, 20:58
Belly fat.
I met an ULer that picked up a feather once. Gave him a hernia. (just kidding) :D
I carried a horseshoe for 13 days on the JMT. It's hanging in my office.
Bearpaw88
06-24-2008, 21:15
alcohol, but some would argue if thats necessary or not.
On my first winter backpack, I carried a can of beenie weenies and a can of sardines. Doh! Winter hike and they were good, but I had to carry out the cans.
Patchfoot
06-24-2008, 21:33
I sometimes carried multiple hardback books in my pack on my thru. There's not many book stores near the trail so it's hard finding good books to replace them so I'd carry enough books for a week or two. I also had bad luck with bounce boxes.
Everyone says they never read on the trail, but I liked taking zeros in the woods next to pretty places once it warmed up.
Jim Adams
06-24-2008, 21:46
alcohol, but some would argue if thats necessary or not.
my big 4 weight about 6 1/2 lbs. .....gin, vermouth, olives and a shaker.
these are all necessary items. carried a tent once....couldn't justify the weight.:D
geek
sheepdog
06-24-2008, 22:01
About 3 pounds of gorp. I had about two handfulls and that was it.
I carried one of thse USELESS toaster things on first At hike and a cosmo... the guys lOVED the cosmo not so much the dumb toaster
sheepdog
06-24-2008, 22:06
How long was the extension cord on that toaster?:):D
mmmmm geek, great martini's at springer this past new years....thank's:)
Jack Tarlin
06-24-2008, 22:10
Well, there are folks out there who maintain that I pretty much "carried" Bfitz and Mountain Dew when we were hiking together, but calling these guys "unnecessary" might be overly harsh. Lemme think about it. :D
LOl.. hey, you teasing me ??...:)) I actually tried the thing to no avail but got alot of ribbing about it...Sheepdog, I saw an amazing sheepdog on the Colorado trail. MAN, that dog was impressive !
sheepdog
06-24-2008, 22:22
Sheepdog, I saw an amazing sheepdog on the Colorado trail. MAN, that dog was impressive !
Most of us are.:sun
Odd Thomas
06-24-2008, 22:25
On my first winter backpack, I carried a can of beenie weenies and a can of sardines. Doh! Winter hike and they were good, but I had to carry out the cans.
God I love sardines! I wish they'd sell them in pouches.
I imagine the smell of sardines wafting through the woods is as much of a siren song to a bear as it is for me :p
OutdoorsMan
06-24-2008, 22:32
My Blackberry because my wife insisted that I call her on my section hike North of Damascus. Because it is an expensive item, I had to keep it bubblewrapped in one of those hard "pelican" type cases. This was a useless item as there is NO cell reception anywhere on this section but the worst part was stopping, unpacking it and attempting to make a call - waste of time/effort/caused me to stress that she would think something was wrong. I will not carry any type of electronics on the trail again.
Lol Sheep. that dog had to have come up to my chin !..ok, ok, my waist but still....
About how often is there computer (w/ internet) in the towns along the trail? Every other week? Less?
Oops. I was trying to start a new thread, not reply.
fiddlehead
06-25-2008, 00:16
I've read people carrying water paddles, guitars, laptops etc... What's the most heaviest item you guys have taken on a long multi-week hike? Just curious to see what comes up.
Who says a guitar would be unnecessary. I wouldn't hike without one.
Now a knife? I won't say it's useless, but unnecessary. (a razor blade will do)
Odd Thomas
06-25-2008, 00:17
Who says a guitar would be unnecessary. I wouldn't hike without one.
I carry the ultralight Air Guitar.
i've never carried anything unnecessary
that mouth and big head of yours?
Odd Thomas
06-25-2008, 01:14
that mouth and big head of yours?
In my case hot air don't weigh much :p
I carried a Indian artifact, a stone adz, that I found off the trail in Pennsylvania for about a 100 miles before I turned it over to a rep out of the archeology department of a college........
NorthCountryWoods
06-25-2008, 07:54
Volunteered to carry a bag of cement for a LT shelter maintenance crew that was short a helper one morning at the trail head. Was told to leave it inside the shelter and kept going. On the way back the crew was working on it (not hard judging by the smell of the smoke) and had moved the bag outside and pulled it out of garbage bag it was in. They thanked me and I mentioned that it was about to rain and they should cover the bag.
A few weeks later passing the shelter I noticed the bag still sitting there, solid as a rock.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
06-25-2008, 08:01
Who says a guitar would be unnecessary. I wouldn't hike without one.
Now a knife? I won't say it's useless, but unnecessary. (a razor blade will do)What is necessary varies from person to person.
Homer&Marje
06-25-2008, 08:25
I don't know what kind of knife you have, but mine is completely necessary, i've been through this on my thread about sheeth knives
http://www.buysellcommunity.com/sale/JXEFUCPY/
What was unnecessary on my latest trip to VA in March, 2 lb hatchet, turns out i didn't use it, my knife worked fine. I also brought a 2 lb bag of rice and about the same in pinto beans and pasta, linguine i think. I left the non perishable food at rock springs hut on my last day with a note inside the bag that it be used for a thru hiker out of food, anyone get it? It was on the bear pole in a black trash bag... 5 lbs of useless food and a 2 lb hatchet to wack over my head for being dumb enough to carry 7lbs extra in an already heavy winter pack
Homer&Marje
06-25-2008, 08:28
that mouth and big head of yours?
Heads are the heaviest things on the AT, they are the human equivalent of a backpack with many unnecessary straps trying to contain our egos:D. ( not the waffle people) ego not eggo
Odd Thomas
06-25-2008, 08:31
Heads are the heaviest things on the AT, they are the human equivalent of a backpack with many unnecessary straps trying to contain our egos:D. ( not the waffle people) ego not eggo
Some of the lucky ones have titanium plates replacing parts of their heavy skull. Wonder if I could have this done as an elective surgery?
[QUOTE=Homer&Marje;652541]Heads are the heaviest things on the AT, they are the human equivalent of a backpack with many unnecessary straps trying to contain our egos. :D
All the more reason to seek out other - lesser traveled trails. :sun
A 1 lb bag of grits lasts a lot longer than one would guess
Frolicking Dinosaurs
06-25-2008, 08:53
::: Dino considers two elective surgeries - one to replace stainless steel in leg and hip with titanium and second to have ego removed :::
Odd Thomas
06-25-2008, 08:56
A 1 lb bag of grits lasts a lot longer than one would guess
I imagine cause it doesn't get eaten? :p
I imagine cause it doesn't get eaten? :p
no! i ate them EVERY morning for a week until I was sick to death of grits and there were still SO MANY!! i think they were having babies in my pack during the day.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
06-25-2008, 09:05
Considering that it takes 1/4 of a cup of real grits (not the instant crap many of you carry) to make 1 cup of cooked grits, it has one of the best weight / uncooked bulk to cooked bulk / nutrition values of any food - and it provides gobs of the complex carbs needed to keep going. I have always carried some of this on long hikes and cooked it when a campfire was available (it must boil 20 minutes - and cozying just won't get this cooked). Add some salt/pepper, cut-up bacon pieces and cheese and you've got a tasty breakfast that will keep you satisfied all morning.
A 1 lb bag of grits lasts a lot longer than one would guess
It would last me a lifetime. Unless the grain moths got to it. ;)
I hiked with a guy named Papa Bob in 2000. He headed into the Smokies with OVER ONE POUND OF SUGAR in his pack. I would slyly inform people and ask them to ask Papa Bob if he had any extra sugar. He didn't find it as amusing as I did. :D
Considering that it takes 1/4 of a cup of real grits (not the instant crap many of you carry) to make 1 cup of cooked grits, it has one of the best weight / uncooked bulk to cooked bulk / nutrition values of any food - and it provides gobs of the complex carbs needed to keep going. I have always carried some of this on long hikes and cooked it when a campfire was available (it must boil 20 minutes - and cozying just won't get this cooked). Add some salt/pepper, cut-up bacon pieces and cheese and you've got a tasty breakfast that will keep you satisfied all morning.
they were real grits. i can't stand the instant poo, either. did you see the resealable package of real bacon over by the chicken and tuna pouches. yum-my!
Frolicking Dinosaurs
06-25-2008, 09:11
:::: Dino makes note to teach Mowgli the delicate southern art of preparing grits to be edible. He is a Yankee transplant and cannot be held responsible for his lack of knowledge in this area :D :::
It would last me a lifetime. Unless the grain moths got to it. ;)
the weird thing was, i calculated the amount of dry grits i would need to eat for a week and it all seemed to be even when i packed it. it should have been all gone. then again, i never did well at math back in school.
I hiked with a guy named Papa Bob in 2000. He headed into the Smokies with OVER ONE POUND OF SUGAR in his pack. I would slyly inform people and ask them to ask Papa Bob if he had any extra sugar. He didn't find it as amusing as I did. :D
that's hilarious!
Frolicking Dinosaurs
06-25-2008, 09:14
they were real grits. i can't stand the instant poo, either. did you see the resealable package of real bacon over by the chicken and tuna pouches. yum-my!They are selling those now with the precooked bacon as well - I was making my own precooked bacon bits for backpacking trips long before there was precooked bacon available in stores. It makes many, many meals better and adds needed calories.
They are selling those now with the precooked bacon as well - I was making my own precooked bacon bits for backpacking trips long before there was precooked bacon available in stores. It makes many, many meals better and adds needed calories.
i cannot live without bacon. my cholesterols up and my doc told me to lay off and i told her to find something else for me to give up. i've always taken bacon bits too. people made fun of me for spending so much time on my camping meals but some things are just necessary.
Homer&Marje
06-25-2008, 09:19
I think i have just converted to cooked bacon bits on the trail, i dont know i havnt tried it and dont want to go through pepperoni stick withdrawls, it goes better with my block cheese... big guy need lot protein ugh ugh.
:::: Dino makes note to teach Mowgli the delicate southern art of preparing grits to be edible. He is a Yankee transplant and cannot be held responsible for his lack of knowledge in theis area :D :::
You'd sooner teach me to knit & crochet. ;) And don't even start with that sausage gravy slop. :eek:
Kerosene
06-25-2008, 09:23
A Sweetwater water filter weighing 14 oz.
I think i have just converted to cooked bacon bits on the trail, i dont know i havnt tried it and dont want to go through pepperoni stick withdrawls, it goes better with my block cheese... big guy need lot protein ugh ugh.
oh, you just don't know. i got tired of liptons last trip in the graysons so i took a pasta salad mix thingie and put the bb in there. HEAVEN!!!
and just soes you knoes, you do not have to give up pepperoni sticks!! bacon in the morning, pepperoni and cheese on tortillas in the afternoon, bacon at suppertime!!!
You'd sooner teach me to knit & crochet. ;) And don't even start with that sausage gravy slop. :eek:
oh law. just stop. yur makin me sick.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
06-25-2008, 09:24
You'd sooner teach me to knit & crochet. ;) And don't even start with that sausage gravy slop. :eek:::: Dino gets together knitting needles, crochet hooks, cast iron skillet (a necessity for making sausage gravy) and grits for next trip to Choo-Choo town :D :::
and here i thought that i'd get you one of those bumper stickers that says, "i wasn't born in the south, but i got here as fast as i could."....
DesertMTB
06-25-2008, 09:27
12 pack of beer. Would've taken a bottle of booze, but of course buying liquor in the South is a pain in the arse.
On the other hand, if I could make a good biscuit on the trail, I'd prolly never break camp. :)
Considering that it takes 1/4 of a cup of real grits (not the instant crap many of you carry) to make 1 cup of cooked grits, it has one of the best weight / uncooked bulk to cooked bulk / nutrition values of any food - and it provides gobs of the complex carbs needed to keep going. I have always carried some of this on long hikes and cooked it when a campfire was available (it must boil 20 minutes - and cozying just won't get this cooked). Add some salt/pepper, cut-up bacon pieces and cheese and you've got a tasty breakfast that will keep you satisfied all morning.
YEAH BABY! Only thing I would add to that is some Jalapenos. MMMMM
mmmmm MMMMM. GOOD.
On the other hand, if I could make a good biscuit on the trail, I'd prolly never break camp. :)
Shoot, If you could make a good biscuit on the trail then you'd HAVE to have sausage gravy to ladle on it!
MMMMM mmmmm MMMMM. GOOD also.
Homer&Marje
06-25-2008, 09:40
[quote=kanga;652597]oh, you just don't know. i got tired of liptons last trip in the graysons so i took a pasta salad mix thingie and put the bb in there. HEAVEN!!!
and just soes you knoes, you do not have to give up pepperoni sticks!! bacon in the morning, pepperoni and cheese on tortillas in the afternoon, bacon at suppertime!!![/quot
Marje is from El Salvador, so we bring corn flour (Maseca) with us on like week long trips, 1/2 pound of flour usually works and we make big thick, "Real" spanish tortillas, take the raw flour once you have added water, put two slices pepperoni, two slices cheese, and then mold another tortilla on top and cook, it's like a backwoods calzone... tons of cals:clap
Homer&Marje
06-25-2008, 09:44
One time... in a shelter... i ate ramen noodles mixed with instant mashed potato's and a dash of cayenne pepper... i'm not gonna pre judge heaven but i think this took the cake
Frolicking Dinosaurs
06-25-2008, 09:48
On the other hand, if I could make a good biscuit on the trail, I'd prolly never break camp. :)To bake without a bakepacker or similar device:
Rake some hot coals out of a campfire, cover the coals with about 1/2" of soil and place well-greased pan containing biscuit dough on top. Cover tightly and wait 10 to 13 minutes. It won't brown on top, but it will be yummy.
To do this with a stove (requires two pans): place several marble sized pebbles and about 1/4" of water in bigger pan, place well-greased smaller pan containing biscuit dough in larger pan. Put tight lid on larger pan and place over stove for about 7 minutes. Turn off stove and allow pan to remain tightly closed for five to seven additional minutes.
buff_jeff
06-25-2008, 10:04
7" Kabar knife.
I no like the steam baking here one that works on alcohol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMrl2BFIvV4
CherrypieScout
06-25-2008, 11:21
!st need water filter.
Had to back wash it every 3 days
too much gorp - made myself eat it a night, gave zip lock bags away every chance I got
max patch
06-25-2008, 11:38
Someone mailed me a can of root beer in Hot Springs. I don't know why.
I carried it to the next town. I don't know why.
Unnecessary or unused?
Lots of luxury item I take are not needed to hike & camp, my Shortwave radio comes to mind. I don’t need it. But I enjoy listening to far away places with it while relaxing in the evening. To me it makes the trip more enjoyable.
Lots of times I have taken things that I did not use, but were in my opinion potentially useful if the right situation came about. A first aid kit comes to mind, a poncho also goes unused most times as does a compass or GPS & map, a gun and lots of other small things that don’t weigh much by themselves, but add up to a lot when combined.
whitefoot_hp
06-25-2008, 13:17
a tent...
DesertMTB
06-25-2008, 13:25
a tent...
Just don't come crying when the shelter is full and the weather is nasty.
Lone Wolf
06-25-2008, 13:27
Just don't come crying when the shelter is full and the weather is nasty.
he doesn't hike
mister krabs
06-25-2008, 13:28
my Shortwave radio comes to mind. I don’t need it. But I enjoy listening to far away places with it while relaxing in the evening. To me it makes the trip more enjoyable.
Threadjack
I like shortwave also, and want one to bring on the trail. What radio do you pack? I've been considering the eton mini300. Coincidentally my hometown's toledo too.
I've often taken binoculars with me, I've only used them once or twice.
Threadjack
I like shortwave also, and want one to bring on the trail. What radio do you pack? I've been considering the eton mini300. Coincidentally my hometown's toledo too.
I've often taken binoculars with me, I've only used them once or twice.
I have 2 that I take backpacking, a Grundig YB-400 and a Sangean 803-A. The Sangean is bigger & heavier but its performance is much better so it’s the one that I take the most.
The Grundig is ok for international broadcasters, but it doesn’t do well picking up SSB.
The Sangean is much better on sideband.
I have an Icom R-70 that I use at home and it’s an extremely good radio, it picks up things clearly that the portable radios can’t hear at all, but it requires 110-volts and is 20 pounds. It’s not really suited for portable use.
musicwoman
06-25-2008, 14:06
file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Julie/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg
This:
http://www.faucets-plus.com/Elizabethan%20Classics/English_Turn_toilet.jpg
Odd Thomas
06-25-2008, 14:09
That's not the thermarest chair is it?
The Solemates
06-25-2008, 18:29
I've read people carrying water paddles, guitars, laptops etc... What's the most heaviest item you guys have taken on a long multi-week hike? Just curious to see what comes up.
a few unecessary things Ive taken before:
-6 lbs worth of DSLR gear
-multiple books (at a time)
-bear cannister (never felt the need for it, but they force you to in some areas)
-inflatable mattress
-3 lbs worth of raw meat and vegetables, wrapped in tinfoil to be later cooked over a fire (done this many times)
-crazy creek chair
Wise Old Owl
06-26-2008, 00:35
Yea thats it - the Thermarest mat with the chair - Total waste for the trail. Hated it. 1 week and I almost tossed it several times. LNT values stopped me in my tracks.
Shame this isn't the Humor section, "got tired of carrying my wife....." Just kidding!
Yup I fell for the thermarest chair too. Never again. I also carried a monocular once, borrowed from Rain Man, never used it.
TJ aka Teej
07-02-2008, 23:27
My Dad's 1915 Army .45, a holster and cleaning kit, and about 40 rounds.
For "bears and hippies."
That was the last time I let him help me pack.
A 45 is a great gun, but I don’t know if it’s enough gun for a bear. A 357 Mag would be better.
REBELYELL
07-03-2008, 03:37
Empty beer bottles. Cans only from now on!
Odd Thomas
07-03-2008, 04:07
My Dad's 1915 Army .45, a holster and cleaning kit, and about 40 rounds.
For "bears and hippies."
That was the last time I let him help me pack.
Colt 1911?
hopefulhiker
07-03-2008, 12:23
I carried a chess set for a while.. No players available though, then when I dropped it, there were several people who wanted to play a game....
Tenderheart
07-03-2008, 12:34
In 2000, I met Tuba Man in Glen Cliff, NH. Talk about a large, cumbersome, heavy item to carry on a thru-hike. I guess he thought it was necessary, and he played it very well.
litefoot 2000
I had to carry my wife off a mountain once...
don't tell her I said that...
boarstone
07-04-2008, 09:40
35mm canon camera w/300mm lens:eek:....thank god for digital...:D
Two Speed
07-04-2008, 10:58
Has anyone mentioned a crappy attitude? That can weigh a freakin' ton!
Has anyone mentioned a crappy attitude? That can weigh a freakin' ton!
Was thinking along the same lines. I was gonna say... "a grudge." ;)
doggiebag
07-04-2008, 11:37
A set of “town clothes”, a Spanish phrase book (I thought I’d teach myself another language while on the trail), two bars of Ivory soap and dried fish (I’m lucky the bears didn’t get me within a week) – man I was pretty clueless; but it’s funny to look back.
PS - I forgot I was carrying an extra 32 ounce fuel bottle - duhhhh.
Wolf - 23000
07-04-2008, 12:20
I had to carry my wife off a mountain once...
don't tell her I said that...
Yea, I agree. I had an ex-girl friend that thought I should carry her too. That is why she is my ex.
Wolf
Flush2wice
07-04-2008, 12:25
I carried a water filter once.
4eyedbuzzard
07-04-2008, 13:09
Has anyone mentioned a crappy attitude? That can weigh a freakin' ton!
Was thinking along the same lines. I was gonna say... "a grudge." ;)
Yeah. Along that vein I was thinking of "emotional baggage". Easy to pack - takes up no room - but it'll definitely weight ya down.
The good thing is that crappy attitudes, grudges, and emotional baggage don't have to be packed back out with you. There are some things it's good to throw away in the woods. I always found a nice walk along a stream and a good fire helps to dispose of them. :)
Guilt is another. Debt also, financial or otherwise.
Odd Thomas
07-04-2008, 14:36
Was thinking along the same lines. I was gonna say... "a grudge." ;)
What about the heavy weight of existence. :)
What about the heavy weight of existence. :)Currently? ...about 220 pounds. :)