How much food do you carry?

[JoshL]

In trying to determine my final pack weight and where to shed ounces I need to know how much food people normally carry on a thru. My weight before food/water is around 16 lbs. I am trying to keep total weight under 30 lbs, and typically carry 1.5 to 2 liters of water. From my understanding you need at least 2 lbs of food per day, and I would like to try to take a zero day and resupply once a week. Do people typically carry 10 to 12 lbs of food or more or do they just stop and resupply more often? If most choose to resupply a couple times a week, can it be done quickly with a short detour or should I plan on it taking off a significant number of trail miles for that day?

[Spokes]

Depends on the section, terrain, and miles to the next resupply point. The average thru hike is really just a series of 3-5 day hikes before the next town. You're on the right track. You'll get really good reading/interpreting the guidebook between resupplies. Bouncing ideas off other thru's helps too.

Cheers!

[4shot]

I never weighed my food but as said above, you will typically have 3-6 days worth. For most thruhikers, your daily "menu" included a breakfast (for me, instant breakfast,Nido and a granola bar or equivalent), two snacks daily (snickers, salami and cheese, trail mix, jerky, dried fruit,etc.), lunch (always PB & J on bagel), and dinner (topped off with another snickers bar). I don't know if it averages 2 lbs/day or not but this is a fairly typical menu.This will be supplemented by additional calories in town.

You probably have heard about the hiker appetite. That doesn't happen (usually) until you have put in some significant miles.The ayce buffets in Hiawassee and Franklin probably do not lose any money on thru-hikers or potential thru-hikers imo. OTOH, the buffet in Waynesboro probably doesn't do so well margin-wise on their hiker clientele.

[WIAPilot]

This is just "theory" at this point, but it would seem to make sense to me: I plan to determine how many meals exactly I will need until the next stop. With that number plus snacks, I won't just blindly go into a store and start buying everything up. If I have absolutely miscalculated, I'll be OK. Maybe not comfortable, but OK.

[BFI]

Plan for 4 days on the trial. FoodLion and Dollar General stores along the trail will have what you need to resupply. Two Lbs a day is about right. I found that the heaviest items were snacks and lunch. Snickers or power bars of various makes are the heaviest. You will also have to find out what your body needs to hike 15-20 miles a day and stay healthy. I got the most energy from pasta dishes and homemade trail mix of Walnuts, Pecans, M&Ms, dried apples and mangos. I found almonds didn’t digest as easy as the softer nuts. Talk to other hikers on what they like or gives them the biggest boost. Also consider using energy gels or shots and water additives. WIAPilot is absolutely right on planning your meals before you head into town. Read the calorie count on each package, I think the one slice of SPAM in the foil package is around 300 ( mostly in fat) but 300 is a good number.

[Del Q]

My last section hike, for the 1st time, I came into each town a bit hungry with no food left, not a crumb!

I don't cook, 2 lbs or less is about right, in the past I did not account for meals in town, ie breakfast on day one and dinner at the end...........saved me some weight.

[10-K]

My last section hike, for the 1st time, I came into each town a bit hungry with no food left, not a crumb!


That's as good as it gets Del Q - congrats!

[Llama Legs]

I figure around 600 grams a day and I weigh 150 lbs. I'm never starving but god knows could always eat more food. So let's say 4 grams per pound of body weight (not to exceed 1kg of food per day?). How's that for science?

[WIAPilot]

If I start eating Spam on the trail, I want someone to intervene and get me the help I need. YUCK! :p

[Spokes]

You'll eat it and like it when the hiker hunger kicks in. :)

[TrekkerJeff]

I agree with Spokes on the Spam...it tastes good in a wrap with mayo and mustard, even ketchup. I don't eat it at home but after a few weeks on the trail it is a treat!

[Monkeywrench]

If I start eating Spam on the trail, I want someone to intervene and get me the help I need. YUCK! :p

Once you get hungry enough, you'll dream about Spam on the trail.