Thru-Hiking gear

[Speer Carrier]

I think everyone's advice on how to cut the weight carried on a thru-hike are valid, and I'm for reducing as much as possible.

I just incorporated a really great way of reducing weight without cutting my toothbrush in half, or anything like that.

I have gone on a diet and dropped 14 pounds.

Back in the 80's when I was running marathons, I weighed 160.

Now 20 years later i got up to 210. I felt pretty comfortable hiking up to 13-15 miles with about 20 pounds of gear, up I believe I'll even be more comfortable if I can get back to a more reasonable weight.

While I haven't seen too many grossly overweight people while hiking, I have seen plenty that look to be a least a few pounds overweight. I know most people wiil lose weight on a thru-hike,but I'm wondering how many have included losing a few pounds as a part of pre-thru-hike plan?

[Jaybird]

I think everyone's advice on how to cut the weight carried on a thru-hike are valid, and I'm for reducing as much as possible.

I just incorporated a really great way of reducing weight without cutting my toothbrush in half, or anything like that.

I have gone on a diet .......


Yo Skink:

i'm in the same boat, brother! i hit the magic 5-0 this year (April 27th) a few days before i hit the trail for a section-hike.

I stepped on the scales 2 months ago & tipped them @ 223lbs!
Obviously @ 6ft even height..my ideal weight (according to doctor's charts) is (approx) 175.

i havent weighed that since i wuz 21...but would like to get below 200 before i start the hike....it not only helps the back (with a bit off the front) it helps the knees too. :D

(i lost approx 15lbs last year, 2003, in 14days on a section hike....& approx 10lbs on an 8 day section hike in 2002)

good luck on your hike!

[Grimace]

When I left for the AT I was at my heaviest. I was in good shape, worked out 5+ times a week. A lot of weight lifting. I just ate like a horse. Before I left, I ate even more because we went to all of our favorite restaurants knowing I'd be w/o for a while. The weight comes off pretty quickly when you're backpacking.

I recommend that everyone take it easy during the first 2 weeks to help build those weird muscles and to prevent injuries. Once you have that under your belt you've already lost 15 lbs. By the end of my thru I was down to 175 from 230.

I guess I'm just rambling. I think it's more important to build up cardiovascular endurance and muscle strength rather than weight loss.

[Wilson76]

I was at 255 before I started "training" I lost about 15 before the trail which definitely helped me in the first few weeks. I thought "man this is easier than I thought it would be". After the first few weeks, its all mental. I lost another 15 in 600 miles. I've lost another 15 since I've been back. I guess my hike motivated me to change my lifestyle so I'm on of the few that have actually lost weight after a long distance hike! Try to get fit with cardio before the trail, the weight will come off while you are hiking.

[Rain Man]

(i lost approx 15lbs last year, 2003, in 14days on a section hike....& approx 10lbs on an 8 day section hike in 2002)

Jaybird, I'm like you. On my little mini-section hikes, so far I've always lost about a pound a day.

Now... I need to hike about 30 days, apparently. LOL

Rain Man

.

[beckon4]

I'm jealous that it is so easy for hiking men to loose so much weight and lose it so quickly. It is much more difficult for the rest of us and especially those of us who are in the second half century of their life. It seems that most of the guys I met on the trail had stories of how much they lost, quite often 60 lbs. I hardly lost any weight at all, about 15-20 lbs at the most. I didn't weigh myself right before I left. I didn't even get down to my high school weight. I had 4 lbs to go. Every one said I looked skinny, but I guess the extra muscle weight countered the fat loss since muscle is much heavier than fat. The bad thing about long distance hiking is that when you get off, you are still wanting to consume everything for awhile and it is very easy to put your weight back on even if you swear to yourself that it won't happen to you. Go to trail days and see former hikers walk around.

[Speer Carrier]

Since first posting that I had lost 14 pounds, I have lost another 6. I'm just a week shy of sixty-one, so I'd say it has been more difficult than when I was thirtyto lose the weight. I agree with those who have said cardiovascular fitness is just as important, but consider this: If one reads AT journals of people who have had to leave the trail, a lot are due to foot, knee, or hip problems. It is my contention that extra weight only makes the problem worse. I believe a few weeks on the trail will get your cardio fitness up to snuff, but I'm reading about people leaving the trail before cardio fitness kicks in, leading me to believe that getting the feet ,knees, and hips in shape should be done before starting.

Right now, with a twenty pound weight loss, I can carry my 20 pounds of gear, and be comparable to day hiking before the weight loss. Also, my knees feel much better. I'm still 30 pounds over my ideal weight, so before I start my thru-hike next year at this time, I'd like to shed that excess weight. That loss, combined with stretching, and weight training ought to prepare me pretty well.

Skink