View Full Version : Bought my pack today...
Ended up with a Gregory Palisades. I've been loading it up with all my gear tonight, just to see where I'm at, weight wise, and I'm at 30 pounds right now, with tent, pad, stove, camera, knife, clothes, rain coat, rain pants, and a few odds and ends. Still missing food in the equation, and a cook set. I looked at a few today, but nothing seemed large enough to feed us both, without boiling water twice.
I am having to carry most of the heavy stuff for my boy. I'm trying to keep him under 20 pounds, as he only weighs 70 pounds. His pack is at 12 pounds now, so he may get to carry some food and clothes.
For the first time, I can actually visualize how the whole thing fits together. :banana
You should try and be under 30 pounds with food (2lbs per day) and 2 quarts of water (4lbs)... might have not purchased the right pack to obtain this goal.
You should try and be under 30 pounds with food (2lbs per day) and 2 quarts of water (4lbs)... might have not purchased the right pack to obtain this goal.
I wanted a larger pack, as I knew I would be packing for two with my 8 year old son along. Consequenty, I bought a heavier two man tent (Mountain Hardware Lite Wedge Two), and the larger 5000 ci pack. Once he leaves after a week or two, I won't have to carry as much.
If you are happy with the pack that is all that matters. We all buy the gear we think we need when we first start backpacking and then we change things through the years. I have gone through two different backpacks and I am now on my third backpack. My first pack weighed over 5 pounds. the second weighed 3 1/2 and the on I have now weighs 1 1/2 pounds. I have been trying to go a light as I can but still be comfortable. We all learn as we go.
If you are happy with the pack that is all that matters. We all buy the gear we think we need when we first start backpacking and then we change things through the years. I have gone through two different backpacks and I am now on my third backpack. My first pack weighed over 5 pounds. the second weighed 3 1/2 and the on I have now weighs 1 1/2 pounds. I have been trying to go a light as I can but still be comfortable. We all learn as we go.
I think my main goal is to be not too heavy, but be comfortable at the end of the day. I could easily shave 5 pounds off my load by going with a smaller tent, lighter jacket, etc, but I don't want to end up being miserable, one way or the other.
I think my main goal is to be not too heavy, but be comfortable at the end of the day. I could easily shave 5 pounds off my load by going with a smaller tent, lighter jacket, etc, but I don't want to end up being miserable, one way or the other.
As atroll stated you will learn as you are more experienced, but I will add that thru experience you could lighten your load by going with a 4400 ci G-4 pack($85) at under 1 pound and a 2 man tent of a Wanderlust 2-4-2 or a Henry Shires Squall tarptent ($275) both under 2 pounds. I hike each year with the aspiring thru hikers starting in GA and the results each year are WEIGHT-WEIGHT-WEIGHT!!! Over 2 tons of gear are sent home from Neal's GAP (30miles) every year!
As atroll stated you will learn as you are more experienced, but I will add that thru experience you could lighten your load by going with a 4400 ci G-4 pack($85) at under 1 pound and a 2 man tent of a Wanderlust 2-4-2 or a Henry Shires Squall tarptent ($275) both under 2 pounds. I hike each year with the aspiring thru hikers starting in GA and the results each year are WEIGHT-WEIGHT-WEIGHT!!! Over 2 tons of gear are sent home from Neal's GAP (30miles) every year!
Wouldn't it just be easier to just lose 10 pounds of fat? :D
Fiddleback
06-10-2004, 11:44
No. Actually, I'm working on both finding lighter gear and loosing weight. No surprise, buying lighter gear is a lot easier :rolleyes:
FB
Rain Man
06-10-2004, 11:56
I wanted a larger pack, ....
I had the same inclination, ... made the same "mistake." Bought a Gregory Palisades, thinking larger was better, ... but before I ever used it came to my senses and swapped it for a Gregory Reality. I even ditched the detachable top pocket for it now.
Of course, you may be much larger than I am and can carry a larger pack more comfortably.
I'm not an ultra-lighter by any means, but I have come to the conclusion that a larger pack means more unnecessary weight, and a smaller pack means less unnecessary weight.
Good luck to you and give us a report!
Rain Man
.
Alligator
06-10-2004, 12:23
GSI Solo Kit (http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=13085849&memberId=12500226)
Good for two people. Ditch the plate maybe the cup. Will fit Whisperlite type stove. Nonstick, has fry pan. Cheap. Not titanium, but is fairly light for two. Both pots will fit a Liptons Noodle pack or ramen soup.
You may be aware of this, but you should keep pack weight at 25% of body weight, maybe less for a kid. You want him to have a good time so that when he gets older he can carry more of your stuff.
And watch out for them bears, especially this one...
Bear (http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/pickover/pc/nakedbear.html)
springerfever
06-10-2004, 12:52
I would echo previous posters. This stuffs not cheap and your learning curve over the next few years will be lighter/lighter/lighter !!
A smaller pack will be lighter..I had a 1998 Gregory Palisade, great pack, but too big and overbuilt..it weighted about 7 pounds !! Downsized to an 2000 Osprey
Aether at 3900ci and 3 pounds...FOUR pounds is a HUGE savings when you're counting ounces. Not having the 6000ci capacity just forces you to leave redundant/extra stuff at home.....a good thing !!
Don't get me wrong..you've chosen a fine pack..but expensive and heavy.
Buy two things........a decent digital scale and Jardines' book..you'll see things
in a new light before forking out the big bucks..........
kythruhiker
06-10-2004, 13:13
You'll learn like a lot (most) of us did - buy a heavy pack, fill it up with heavy gear, take it hiking for a few days/weeks. Come home, pull out the catalogs, buy lighter stuff....rinse, repeat.... Do yourself a favor now - pick a room in your house, designate it as the gear room - it will fill up faster than you'd believe...gear-itis is a rapidly spreading disease with no known cure..
Enjoy,
Ky Thru
grrickar
06-10-2004, 14:05
Wouldn't it just be easier to just lose 10 pounds of fat? :D
I'm with you there. I weight in at 239, with about 27% body fat. I figure if I lose 30 lbs down to 209, my body fat should be about 13-14% and the 40 lb pack I am carrying won't feel much different than the fat I am lugging around now on my midsection.
I'd rather hump a 40lb pack than be wet, miserable, and sleep in the dirt with a lighter one. To each their own. When I thru-hike someday that plan may change. 100 miles with a 40lb pack is much different story than hiking 2100 miles with same pack. Could I buy lighter gear? Sure.
So far I am at 13lbs with my tent, bag, sleep pad, stove, cookset and pack.
steve hiker
06-10-2004, 14:07
And watch out for them bears, especially this one...
Bear (http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/pickover/pc/nakedbear.html)
Now that bear is real real REAL scarey. Know why? Cause he looks like a dog. A wild, feral dog. But he's a bear. A wild, feral, dog-bear. YIKES! :eek:
GSI Solo Kit (http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=13085849&memberId=12500226)
Good for two people. Ditch the plate maybe the cup. Will fit Whisperlite type stove. Nonstick, has fry pan. Cheap. Not titanium, but is fairly light for two. Both pots will fit a Liptons Noodle pack or ramen soup.
You may be aware of this, but you should keep pack weight at 25% of body weight, maybe less for a kid. You want him to have a good time so that when he gets older he can carry more of your stuff.
And watch out for them bears, especially this one...
Bear (http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/pickover/pc/nakedbear.html)
That is one ugly bear. They don't look so tough when they are bald. :D
MedicineMan
06-11-2004, 01:43
You wont catch me commenting much on what gear anyone should have, which God or what kind of sex they should entertain...Just glad you're hitting the trail and especially happy you are nuturing your son in that direction. I will soon be taking the oldest daughter over McAfee-been saving that section just for her before she goes away to school. It will be her third AT section, who knows maybe a seed will be planted and our kids can grow up to be trail supporters.
pvtmorriscsa
06-11-2004, 01:46
That is one ugly bear. They don't look so tough when they are bald. :DAwwww.....
poor bears........
pvtmorriscsa
06-11-2004, 01:51
Ended up with a Gregory Palisades. I've been loading it up with all my gear tonight, just to see where I'm at, weight wise, and I'm at 30 pounds right now, with tent, pad, stove, camera, knife, clothes, rain coat, rain pants, and a few odds and ends. Still missing food in the equation, and a cook set. I looked at a few today, but nothing seemed large enough to feed us both, without boiling water twice.
I am having to carry most of the heavy stuff for my boy. I'm trying to keep him under 20 pounds, as he only weighs 70 pounds. His pack is at 12 pounds now, so he may get to carry some food and clothes.
For the first time, I can actually visualize how the whole thing fits together. :bananaHey JLB,
Just to stir the *****. Now do you see why I decided not to carry on the AT?
:) :)
If anecdotes mean anything:
my kids and I have done a good bit of hiking in New England, including the LT and the AT from Killington->Pinkham. Their packs are ~10 pounds without water; they carry all their own gear, and one "meal" of gorp; a liter of water brings total pack weight to about 12 pounds. This has been from ages 6,7,8. At age 9 we didn't hike, and now at age 10, they've elected Equinox "Katahdin" as their new packs, and elected to go back to their Integral Designs "Kids Assiniboine" shorter bags (now about 3/4 length). These changes have cut ~1 pound from their average pack weight.
My pack weight goes ~18 to ~55 pounds, depending on food. 55 pounds (37 pounds of food) was good for ~10 days/95 LT miles with them at age 7.
Remember that you don't get to "hike" -- you're only an unpaid Guide; keep sharp attention to your pack weight and your energy level, so that you can make the best decisions regarding everything from when/where to get water, how far to go, when to eat, etc.
sloetoe
Hey JLB,
Just to stir the *****. Now do you see why I decided not to carry on the AT?
:) :)
Not gonna go there. ;)
Not gonna go there. ;)Thank You.