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View Full Version : OK! Not your UL Pack Weight Question !



swamprat
02-27-2012, 19:11
:-?I guess I should call this thread the over 35 lb thread !! I was going to bring this up in a pack weight question already active, however, to intimidating for me. I am nowhere near UL. That being said, I am too heavy. Without listing everything in my pack, I can tell you that I have an osprey atmos 65, Henry Shires tarptent, Big Agnas 800 fill down bag, pad, (I took the time and expense to keep most my main gear somewhat light) and going pretty easy on cloths. two underwear, two socks, two sock liners, medium weight base layer, wicking long sleeve, puffy (light one), light rainjacket/hardshell, nylon wind pants/rain, tarp/poncho. I guess it starts getting heavy with electronic chargers and a brunton gadget for re-charging smartphone. 4 days of food and water. Pack weight is like a Heavy weight boxer getting on the scales. 40 pounds. I am in fairly good shape, 51 yrs old and the 40 pounds I can handle but for you experienced ones out there, do I want to. Should I consider a bounce box and keep my chargers in that.

Thanks,
Swamprat

TOMP
02-27-2012, 19:32
Train with it for a week and I think youll know whether you want to or not. If the chargers weigh that much consider a dumb phone. My guess is you have at least one redundant item in your pack and maybe one useless (luxury or overprepared) item. So dump those 2 first.

Papa D
02-27-2012, 19:55
Sounds like you are heavy in several departments:

1) Clothes - you don't need a rain jacket and a poncho - you don't need spare sock liners, etc. - test: can you wear all of your clothes at one time?

2) Are you winter hiking? Why do you need the Big Agnes 800 fill bag - in "thru-hiking season" a 15-20 degree bag with 350g-500g fill would be fine

3) I carry a phone charger but it is only about 2 ounces - that doesn't sound like a big deal

4) How much food and water are you packing for 4 days? 2 liters of water is always plenty

5) Do you have a lot of personal toiletries, meds, first aid kits, water pumps? This sort of stuff is great fodder to leave at home.

You probably need to do a detailed piece by piece list for all of us to pick apart :)

Stir Fry
02-27-2012, 20:16
If you stick with it you will get comfortable with the weight or you will drop what you don't use.
I started back hiking 10 yaears ago. When I started on 3 day trip my pack weight was 64 lb. As I did longer hikes, 150 miles +. I found out what I realy did not need. IMHO the learnig curve is in what you don't need, not what you need. Now when I do a 3 day hike I'm at 22 lb. So of this is lighter equipment but most is not carrying stuff I don't use.

swamprat
02-27-2012, 20:39
Sounds like you are heavy in several departments:

1) Clothes - you don't need a rain jacket and a poncho - you don't need spare sock liners, etc. - test: can you wear all of your clothes at one time?

2) Are you winter hiking? Why do you need the Big Agnes 800 fill bag - in "thru-hiking season" a 15-20 degree bag with 350g-500g fill would be fine

3) I carry a phone charger but it is only about 2 ounces - that doesn't sound like a big deal

4) How much food and water are you packing for 4 days? 2 liters of water is always plenty

5) Do you have a lot of personal toiletries, meds, first aid kits, water pumps? This sort of stuff is great fodder to leave at home.

You probably need to do a detailed piece by piece list for all of us to pick apart :)

Papa D sounds like good advice. I need to go through toiletries. dont have water pumps but do have meds, first aid kit. One reduntand shirt I will toss, the rain jacket was going to be used as my hardshell, the poncho/tarp might leave, was going to use it instead of pack cover. Food and water is minimal,, food weighed 6.6 pounds. Thanks, I will take another stab at it.

msupple
02-27-2012, 20:55
There must be something you're not telling us. I'm leaving late March or early April and I'm coming in at about 28-29 lbs ready to hike. That includes a hammock, underquilt and sleeping bag....hardly ultralight. Oh yeah...that also inlcudes two liters of water and enough food to get to Neels Gap. I don't understand how you can be coming in at 40 lbs. I agree....you need to post everything.

Rasty
02-27-2012, 20:59
He might have looked at my gear list? Anything you picked off my list go ahead and leave at home except the llama!

swamprat
02-27-2012, 21:32
He might have looked at my gear list? Anything you picked off my list go ahead and leave at home except the llama!

Smart*&^s :D I had the llama too was keepin him secret... I will use him to carry the crap if i don't get rid of some stuff. Thanks guys, already found a few items but looks like it will stay around 35. With food and water. Dont know how you guys keep it under 30.

Rasty
02-27-2012, 21:41
He might have looked at my gear list? Anything you picked off my list go ahead and leave at home except the llama!

Smart*&^s :D I had the llama too was keepin him secret... I will use him to carry the crap if i don't get rid of some stuff. Thanks guys, already found a few items but looks like it will stay around 35. With food and water. Dont know how you guys keep it under 30.

I'm usually 25 to 30 pounds for six days. You just need a few shakedown hikes. Look at everything you brought and decide if you need it, used it or could use less of it.

Papa D
02-27-2012, 21:46
Papa D sounds like good advice. I need to go through toiletries. dont have water pumps but do have meds, first aid kit. One reduntand shirt I will toss, the rain jacket was going to be used as my hardshell, the poncho/tarp might leave, was going to use it instead of pack cover. Food and water is minimal,, food weighed 6.6 pounds. Thanks, I will take another stab at it.

I'll tell you what my "toiletries" include - total weight about 4 ounces

1) 1 oz dr. Bronner's soap or a slice of bar soap in a zip-lock
2) 1/2 toothbrush with a sample size tube of paste
3) 2 x 1' pc. floss
4) toe-nail clippers
5) Ibuprofen - 6-7 tablets in a sandwich baggie

My first aid kit fits in a 1 quart zip-lock and weighs about 6 ounces (and I'm a WFR!)

the more detailed you can get - exact detail, the easier it will be to reduce weight -- here is another tip -- cut the tags out of all of your clothes, cut useless straps and buckles off of your pack, cut labels off of other gear - you will be astonished how much weight you can save just by doing this simple task -- EVERYTHING weighs something

Rayo
02-27-2012, 21:51
My first aid kit fits in a 1 quart zip-lock and weighs about 6 ounces (and I'm a WFR!)

Mine's 8oz; I'm a WFR as well.

Papa D
02-27-2012, 21:54
Mine's 8oz; I'm a WFR as well.

well, you are 2 ounces too heavy - you need to re-cert :banana

hikerboy57
02-27-2012, 22:03
need to post your entire list. im at 30 lbs give or take a pound with 5 days foodand i use an atmos 65. BA fly creek2I have a BA lost ranger 15 deg bag, but only use it in winter. duribng the summer, ive got a marmot 40 deg bag, weighs 1 lb. you can use a lighter bag and just wear all of your clothes to sleepwhen its cold..I use a 3L bladder for carrying water, but ill rarely carry more than a liter on the trail unless i know im not hitting any water sources for the day.the big bladder is great for carrying water for camp.and for the dry sections, the 3L comes in handy.
but somewhere theres weight you can lose.

skinewmexico
02-27-2012, 22:04
Weigh everything.