View Full Version : pack's weight range
Hey gang, would love to hear your thought on these questions.
1) What's an idea weight range for a fully loaded pack to be carried by a petite 5' 2" woman on a thru hike of the AT?
2) How much of that weight should be food and water?
I'd appreciate hearing your personal experience, that of your friend(s) or loved one. Also general rules of thumb, if they exist, such as % of body weight.
Thanks,
Winged
theycallmej
05-30-2011, 23:36
Generally no more than 15 to 25 percent of your bodyweight. If you're hiking in the winter then I would say no more than 35 percent. I'm sure you'll trim down what you don't need pretty early but try to do your best now before the hike.
Food and water are very important but it really depends on your metabolism and what you'll be eating while hiking. Water tends to be plenty on the trail but I'd advise you to have 2 liters with you and keep hydrated as much as possible. Try out going for a hike a few days in a row around your area and that will give you a solid idea of how hungry you'll be. It's trial and error but try to pick what's comfortable.
I hope I helped somewhat.
stranger
05-31-2011, 04:06
Ahhh...the percentage nugget!
The old rule of thumb of packweight was no more than 30% of your body weight, then in the early 90's it moved to 25%, then 20%, etc...
Keep in mind, this rule of thumb comes from the average pack user, and average pack user is male, 5'10", 180lbs...therefore this percentage has never really been adjusted for women in my opinion. It was always based on the general fact that most hikers out there were carrying around 35-40lbs, and most of those people were men.
It's also not accurate, to simple say carry 20% of your body weight...does this mean someone who's 250 lbs should carry more, or needs more than someone who 105 lbs? 20% of 250 lbs is 50 lbs!!! 20% of 105 is 21 lbs...At best, the percentage is a rough guide for non-overweight males.
Many hikers find they can keep their base weight to around 10-15lbs, this means without food and water. Also, many hikers find their food and water to be around 1/3, sometimes more of their total pack weight. Along the AT, resupply is easy and frequent, so food weight isn't so much of a concern compared to other trails.
Probably the best rule of thumb is carry only what you need, try to find multiple uses for gear, don't carry any extra's and when possible, try to find the lightest, most functionable piece of gear for your intended use.
Hope this helps.
Wolf - 23000
05-31-2011, 05:26
As a guy who stands 6'2 just over 200 pounds, I could carry a 30 pound pack with little problem but I still prefer a 10 pound pack instead. At the same time, there are women in other country that carry 50+ pounds as part of their life style.
My point is you have to carry what feels right to you. You can carry a very light pack or a very heavy pack. It all depends on how you feel.
In general a heavy duty pack can handle weight easier if that is what you want to. If you carry a lighter pack, you will feel the weight on your back more. If you notice the weight more, most hikers tend to lighten the load up more.
Wolf
Of course being shorter and lighter you can use smaller gear. Shorter sleeping bag, less food, smaller clothes, shorter sleeping pad, etc...
Pretty much take only what you NEED to have. Clothes, shelter, sleeping, pack, water system, small light source and realistic small first aid items. Everything past that you'll probably just toss after the first few days anyways. You'll figure out how to get by without a 5 pound camp chair and coleman 6 burner stove. :-)
IMHO I'd say pack what you need and don't pay attention to what weight you should be aiming for. I'm 6' 150lbs, so if I was aiming for a 20% pack I'd be looking at 30lbs. Well my base weight is around 10, if I was looking to meet that assigned weight I'd be lugging around 10lbs of stuff I don't need. But that's just my opinion.
hikerboy57
05-31-2011, 14:32
figure a loaded pack with food water will average in the 30 lb area. You can visit the ultralight forum for ways to trim your pack weight even more, the weight based rules of thumb dont really work for all the reasons listed above. regardless of your own body weight, you still need shelter, bag, pack 4-5 days worth of food (1-2 lbs /day) cooking gear,clothes, etc. Im a 165 lb male and enerally carry around 30 lbs. If yu find this is too much weight, visit the UL forums for excellent weight saving ideas.
skinewmexico
05-31-2011, 15:27
IMHO I'd say pack what you need and don't pay attention to what weight you should be aiming for. I'm 6' 150lbs, so if I was aiming for a 20% pack I'd be looking at 30lbs. Well my base weight is around 10, if I was looking to meet that assigned weight I'd be lugging around 10lbs of stuff I don't need. But that's just my opinion.
20% is the max, not the target.
Old Hiker
05-31-2011, 16:31
10 - 15 pounds max. Anything else you pile onto your 6'2" husband. :eek:
Sorry - did you want HER personal experience or her personal mule's experience? :sun
But I'm not bitter! :rolleyes:
blackbird04217
05-31-2011, 16:47
20% is the max, not the target.
I certainly would not call 20% a max, but then, I'm by no means an ultra-lighter.
Winged - Take whats comfortable for you, as you find you don't use something, ship it back to base. If everything you have/need/want comes to 25lbs I wouldn't stress so much about trying to drop a lb. But I like having and not needing, than needing and not having. That isn't to say I'll carry a medical splint when some cloth (already carried) and sticks (found around) can do the trick.
That would be the long way of saying, hike your own hike. But obviously hopefully you get some good advice from this thread!
Hey gang, would love to hear your thought on these questions.
1) What's an idea weight range for a fully loaded pack to be carried by a petite 5' 2" woman on a thru hike of the AT?
2) How much of that weight should be food and water?
The best suggestion I can think of is get everything you *think* you need, including food and water, and hit the trail for 2-4 days and see how it goes.
You'll know by the second day if you're carrying too much.
The good news is that it's just a process - you can definitely carry everything you need without killing yourself.
mweinstone
05-31-2011, 22:46
5 foot 2 inches plus thin equals a pack weight of 29 lbs max loaded for the smokeys in winter. 7 days of food. same as mine . im just as strong as her and shes just as strong as me when it comes to 29lbs. her base should be 12 and 14 summer and winter. and her water carry weight betwen 2 and 8 lbs.food carry weight between 7 and 9 lbs.
... to simple say carry 20% of your body weight...does this mean someone who's 250 lbs should carry more, or needs more than someone who 105 lbs? 20% of 250 lbs is 50 lbs!!! 20% of 105 is 21 lbs...At best, the percentage is a rough guide for non-overweight males.
Many hikers find they can keep their base weight to around 10-15lbs, this means without food and water. Also, many hikers find their food and water to be around 1/3, sometimes more of their total pack weight. Along the AT, resupply is easy and frequent, so food weight isn't so much of a concern compared to other trails.
Probably the best rule of thumb is carry only what you need, try to find multiple uses for gear, don't carry any extra's and when possible, try to find the lightest, most functionable piece of gear for your intended use.
Hope this helps.
Thanks for all the comments and the time it took to respond.
Lots of difference in thoughts on weight of pack as a percentage. All things being equal, men do have more muscle mass and so are able to more easily carry a similar weight. You guys also get to eat more without gaining weight, so maybe it all works out in the end. ;)
Since I'm not one of the woman in another country that Wolf referred to, who can "carry 50+ pounds as part of their life style." Sounds like I need to set my base weight at 10lbs max as Spider and others suggested.
mweinstone says, "im just as strong as her and shes just as strong as me when it comes to 29lbs." Hmm, I agree 29lbs is an objective measure, but if you have more muscle mass than I do, it is going to be easier for you to carry. He does make a good point of the difference between summer and winter outings and right now I'm only thinking about summer hiking. An official thru hike may be a decade off yet. Another poster emailed me privately and made the point of pack weight to distance ratio. Good point. I can carry a 50 pound weight. I'm capable of moving it some distance, but I can't carry 50 pounds for 2,000 miles and expect to finish in 6 months. :-?
10-K emphasizes how much I "*think*" I'll need. Yes, the point has been hit home with all the post--there certainly is a difference in life between what we need and what we think we need. Needs verses wants. (BTW my caldera graham cracker sidewinder came today. A post of yours on WB led me to it. I love it. Its so cute. I sure that's why you bought it, you wanted a cute stove) :D
blackbird04217 points out that he doesn't believe 20% is a max as skinewemexico suggested. Age and gender certainly important factors in this discussion.
As ZeroC suggests, I am trying to gather "smaller gear" that matches my smaller size.
hikerboy57 points out he's 165lbs and carries a 30lb pack. He suggests if I can't do this to visit the UL forum. That's exactly what I started doing after I put a spreadsheet together this weekend to consider what might actually go in a pack.
Oldhiker. Sorry. :(
So here's where I am --
Goals -
1) Obtain a base weight of >10lbs (tent, sleeping bag/pad, backpack)
2) Plan to carry 2 liters of water (2 X 2.2lbs) = 4.4 lbs
3) Food and water around 1/3 of total.
4) Take only what I need. I did six weeks in Europe with a single carry-on bag. Finally fellow travelers aren't going to care I have on the same clothes again today. I think I can keep it lean.
5) Learn everything I can about light weight equipment / UL.
6) Continue with my spreadsheet of items/weights for my pack
I looked at backpacks this weekend at REI. The best fitting one was 5.5lbs. I see now that I must go UL on all equipment to make goal #1. A 6'2", 23 year old male may do it for the challenge. I'll go UL to have an experience worth wanting to continue.
I've identified 3 back packs that look like they could do the trick, but I have no idea how I figure out which is best, if I can't try them out.
I'll post the details in a new thread. Again, thanks for all the replies.
Winged
Wolf - 23000
06-01-2011, 05:02
Winged,
Now that you decided who much weight you want to carry, the goal become making it possible. With a 10 pound pack base weight and going off of your size, I would estimate you would carry are 17 - 18 pounds not including water. A common belief is 2 pounds of food per/day. Well that figure is long out dated. It is base on a full size man carrying a 50 pound pack. Being a small frame person carrying a lighter pack means you will lightly need to carry less food weight.
A 10 pound base weight is very do able. The next step is figure out what type of hiker you want to be. Are you going to travel North or South. When will you leave? Do you plan on hiking 8-5 every day or until dark? Only you can answer these questions but it will help you choice what gear is right for you.
Wolf
Winged,
The next step is figure out what type of hiker you want to be. Are you going to travel North or South. When will you leave? Do you plan on hiking 8-5 every day or until dark? Only you can answer these questions but it will help you choice what gear is right for you.
Wolf
Wolf,
North or South? Timing of departure? MP day?
Are the first two related to temperature and impact sleeping bag/pad and clothes?
What impact does hours of hiking make? Instead of stopping to smell the flowers, I'm more the type to pick the flower and smell it as I continue to make progress.
I've been thinking of gathering gear and using it on shorter hikes until such time as I am able to work a 6 months absence into my life. In this way I'm just always clear on any real extras I may have with me.
Winged,
mister krabs
06-01-2011, 09:34
Winged, wait a bit to get your pack. You'll find that your volume will seriously go down as you dial in your kit. It's fun to buy two packs, but expensive.
Tall kitchen trash bags are 50 liters, a common pack size for benchmark comparison.
ighwoman
06-01-2011, 10:33
Hi Winged,
I'm a 5'4" female and I agree with the "smaller equipment" comments. I use a Regular woman's sleeping bag (fits to 5'6"), a woman's Thermarest Prolite pad (66" long). I've section-hiked ~1,250 miles on the AT and have never been able to get my base weight under 18-20 pounds... I can say a 5+ pound backpack is NOT where you want to start. You can find one that weighs ~3 pounds but still has an internal frame or at least a framesheet, I would never use a frameless pack, especially with your petite frame.
I disagree with the comment that women eat less on the trail. You are going to burn the same 4.5k-5K calories that men burn and you have to work hard to replace as many of those calories as you can; it's reasonable to expect 24-28 oz. per day for food. Also, don't fall into the trap of not using a hydration bladder. Water is critical to food metabolism and you should start every day with 1.5+ liters of water in the bladder.
The biggest place where you can save weight is on your feet. Heavy hiking boots can weigh >3 pounds, opt for low trail runners (many <16 oz). Every pound of weight savings on your feet is equivalent to 5 pounds in your pack. Wear short, trail runner gaiters over the low shoes and you are good to go.
There are several good woman's hiking groups on the Internet, search them out and get meaningful tips and advice from women who have been there, not men who simply don't understand the issues hiking women face. There are many books about backpacking from a woman's perspective but two very good ones are: We're in the Mountains Not Over the Hills, and Women and Thru-Hiking on the Appalachian Trail.
Good luck and remember that UL is not the ultimate goal, the hike is.
Wolf - 23000
06-01-2011, 12:46
Wolf,
North or South? Timing of departure? MP day?
Are the first two related to temperature and impact sleeping bag/pad and clothes?
What impact does hours of hiking make? Instead of stopping to smell the flowers, I'm more the type to pick the flower and smell it as I continue to make progress.
I've been thinking of gathering gear and using it on shorter hikes until such time as I am able to work a 6 months absence into my life. In this way I'm just always clear on any real extras I may have with me.
Winged,
Winged,
A normal Northbound hiker will start in early spring when it will be cold out and hike the first 6 - 8 weeks in colder weather until it starts warming up. A Southbound hiker will start off when it is warmer out and hike until around Sept when the trail starts becoming colder. A Southbounder will also start the hardest states on the trail right off of the back. After Sept, many of the smaller stores and hostels will also close down for the season.
The hours you hike will also affect what equipment you will need. I'll explain, a hiker who hikes until 5:00 p.m. on average, after making camp will need extra clothes and an warmer sleeping bag to keep them warm. A body in motion is easier to keep itself warm compare to a body at rest. A hiker who hikes until dark for example before making camp will need less to keep warm but will need more food per/day to keep going.
Getting your equipment now can help you prepare before setting out but be carefully with it as well. When sending up your tent/tarp for example sent it up when the weather is not the idea condition when you will need it the most. Also living in a hot state is going to be different than the weather in Georgia/NC when a northbounder starts off.
I would suggest getting your shelter/sleeping gear first and see what works for you. Keep in mind you will need to use both when it is wet out including you. In my option it is worth spending a few extra bucks. Later on, worry about getting your backpack and other equipment.
Wolf
Winged, wait a bit to get your pack. You'll find that your volume will seriously go down as you dial in your kit. It's fun to buy two packs, but expensive.
Tall kitchen trash bags are 50 liters, a common pack size for benchmark comparison.
Only problem is if I don't have something I'll be going off on on a day hike with a paper sack. :D
ighwoman and wolf -- I really appreciate your informative posts.
I did make a decision to go with the ULA Circuit. ighwoman, the person I spoke to at ULA completely agreed with you. Given the size of my frame, I should not get a frameless backpack.
For the sake of anyone who might be interested in other factors that entered into my decision and recommendations I received on type of pack, you'll find that discussion at this link.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=73307