Opinions help and thoughts I need them please .....

[left52side]

Hey everyone.
I just did A gear shakedown and all that fun stuff and my base weight is at 17 lbs.
I would like to get it down to 14/15 lbs without sacrificing to much more,but that seems to be impossible lol.
The only two things I can think of cutting down is to omit my camp shoes(generic crocs) that come in at .8 ounces.
and the other is my cook set , right now I am using a anodized aluminum 750 pot with a msr pocket rocket and an 8 ounce fuel canister,I have a diy homemade tin foil lid and windscreen.
In my cook set I also have a fancy feast alcohol stove with 4 ounces of heet in 2 ounce bottles.
(incase the pocket rocket fails etc)
I also have a cut down scrubbie and cut down pack towel in there that weight .2 ounce together.
clothing and gear I have put in cuben fiber bags and broke down like this.
Clothing
microfleece full zip,packable down jacket,two pairs darn tough 1/4 socks,base layer mild weather top and bottoms ultralight,one synthetic long sleeve pull over for layers on cold days,and one light cotton tshirt and warm wool socks for camp.Also one pair of ultralight pull on athletic shorts (short inseam) for town and camp.

My sleeping quilt weighs one pound and my shelter is 2 pounds.bu

ying a deshutes plus from SMD in next couple of weeks so that will save A pound there

But other than that I cant think of anything left to trim ,maybe my rain gear because it is sitting at around 13.5 ounces,that is for a ultralight stearns jacket and a pair of patagonia pull over nylon pants that are only 4 ounce. was thinking of frogg toggs ul2 and eliminating the stuff sack all together for them either way.
Next is medical kit,have cut it down drastically to a few band aids some neosporin packets,ibuprofin,gauze pad and mole skin.
I have the awol guide and a very small journal.
I also have my electronics bag consisting of a 6600 mah charger and two usb cords and one double usb wall charger,also a very small 2.8 ounce mp3 player with random sd cards,A windows lumia phone.
That is it in my thru pacl and my base weight is still 17 lbs,add 4 lbs for water and and 5 for food and im sitting at a 27 lb pack on my back ...
Thanks for the opinios and and comments.

[soumodeler]

Honestly not bad.

For a better idea of you gear, try lighterpack.com and getting a small kitchen scale that goes up to 5lbs and increments of 0.1 ounce or less. Then weigh everything separately and put it on the website. Share the link here and we would have a better idea of you overall gear situation.

[left52side]

Hey thanks for the information.
I do have a commercial kitchen scale(am in the restaurant business)
But am looking at that lighterpack.com right now to start weight.

[bigcranky]

A 17 pound base weight is honestly pretty darn good. Anything below 20 is probably below average for starting thru-hikers in Georgia.

[Dogwood]

I would like to hear about you, your hiking experiences, your typical hiking scenarios, under what hiking situations is this 27 lb haul designed for, and what knowledge and skills you possess. I don't want to hear about gear, at least not at first. I want to know who you are and what your ultimate goals are. NOT kit wt goals. Then, we can further discuss possible gear wt and load wt reductions more intelligently and specifically targeted FOR YOU. At THAT TIME I would also like to see an entire kit list for one of your proposed hikes.

Umm, in your current mental state of not being content with what sounds so far like a very nicely wt reduced kit could be once that 14-15 lb supposed Nirvana base wt is reached you still will not be satisfied, at least not for long? You very well might(will?) be inclined to reevaluate even that 14-15 base wt to seek a newer lighter wt gear set that you'll assume will be "better" for you. That is after all the notion we've bought into isn't it?

I suggest you not be anxious seeking that sometimes elusive perfectly wt reduced kit. Go out happily with what you have. People do it happily safely injury free regularly with even much much heavier loads. Be appreciative of your developing kit and what you are able to currently experience. Sounds like you've come a long way already. Perhaps, you should look over your shoulder and let that deep satisfaction gladden your soul knowing how far you've already evolved? You MAY find your gear is, after all, currently AOK for your typical outings.

And, you're sharing details concerning gear that MAY save you some ounces but not offering ANY details on that 5 lbs of food or 4 lbs of H2O you anticipate carrying. 9 lbs of a 27 lb haul, or 1/3 the wt you anticipate carrying, yet no details concerning those 9 lbs??? Seems like a moronically misplaced focus considering you're gram weenieing discussing .8 oz Crocs, and .2 oz cut down Scrubbie and pack towel yet ignoring greater public evaluation of those 9 lbs? Oh, how we have fallen in love talking about and dissecting in great detail gear and especially gear wt as it pertains to the wt we haul while largely ignoring that other elephant on our backs - consumable wt.

Curious, how much backpacking do you annually experience on avg? This is a forthright question but not intended to offend: are you more involved with, obsessed with gear, and obsessed over gear wt, or more involved with, connected to, and madly obsessed with backpacking and hiking? Gear is after all just a means to an end; is it not? What is your ultimate goal? Is your ultimate goal hiking or not? And, if your ultimate goal is backpacking/hiking is a content go or unhappy no go totally hinging on 2-3 lbs because you seem downtrodden by a 17 lb base wt? Where and how might that have arisen from?

Now, head over to Homosassa Springs and check out the manatees.

[Slo-go'en]

Breaking the 17-18 pound barrier is difficult. To get down to sub 15 pounds means about a 20% reduction in weight. Now you have to play the trade off game and try to get the best use out of every ounce you carry.

There is a point where you simply can't get a given piece of gear any lighter. Once that happens, or you can't afford the very, very lightest version of something, you have to start eliminating things.

What to eliminate is where it gets tricky. There is a fine line between having just enough and not having enough. Get on the wrong side of that line and your lucky if you get out alive.

If you still plan on bring along your dog, add an additional 3 to 5 pounds of doggie stuff you'll end up carrying. That greatly complicates the whole deal.

[Heliotrope]

Slo-go'en and Dogwood are spot on. Forcing yourself into a lighter weight class by sacrificing the ability to stay warm, dry, comfortable, well fed etc is when it gets stupid light. Experience will help you develop your style and help you reduce or even add things as you see fit. Think about the consumables weight. Here in the east I rarely carry more than 16oz as I drink at the sources. I've watched hikers load up their 4 lbs of water in the morning as we passed stream after stream along the way.

That said, there is nothing wrong with looking for lighter gear. It feels awesome to travel with relative ease. Have fun with it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[soilman]

I have found that eliminating redundancy is one way to reduce weight. Do you you need two stoves and fuel sources? Do you need a fleece and a down jacket? Do you need a pair of shorts for town? Do you need all those electronics? Your start date may dictate what clothes you need. To get to a lighter pack some times one needs to sacrifice comfort and convenience without forgetting safety.

[left52side]

Hello Dogwood
First let me thank you for taking the time to answer a full detail reply,so I will try my best to answer you to the fullest.

I would like to hear about you, your hiking experiences, your typical hiking scenarios, under what hiking situations is this 27 lb haul designed for, and what knowledge and skills you possess. I don't want to hear about gear, at least not at first. I want to know who you are and what your ultimate goals are. NOT kit wt goals. Then, we can further discuss possible gear wt and load wt reductions more intelligently and specifically targeted FOR YOU. At THAT TIME I would also like to see an entire kit list for one of your proposed hikes.

My Experience Is I would say skilled but no expert,My goals are a thru hike next season, my typical hiking scenarios range has changed over time,mostly now it is florida section and loop hiking,below is a list of my hiking pack as it is now.
http://lighterpack.com/r/fhs1i1

Curious, how much backpacking do you annually experience on avg? This is a forthright question but not intended to offend: are you more involved with, obsessed with gear, and obsessed over gear wt, or more involved with, connected to, and madly obsessed with backpacking and hiking? Gear is after all just a means to an end; is it not? What is your ultimate goal? Is your ultimate goal hiking or not? And, if your ultimate goal is backpacking/hiking is a content go or unhappy no go totally hinging on 2-3 lbs because you seem downtrodden by a 17 lb base wt? Where and how might that have arisen from

I lived backpacking for most of my thirty's,travelling ,hitching ,hopping trains etc,just bounced around and work awhile then traveled on .

I am obsessed with gear but more so with the comfort and the hike itself over the gear. The 17 is fine I was just trying to get it down to fifteen base weight for in case extras such as more food for longer treks,more water for longer treks, a cool rock I find etc.(jk obv).

Now, head over to Homosassa Springs and check out the manatees.

I live in homosassa springs and see manatees all the time.
I have unlimited entries into the wildlife park,and live about three miles from the florida trail

[left52side]

Thanks for all the reply's everyone,and for all the advice.
This is A list I completed on lighterpack and it came out to be 14.47 lbs
Guess I was stressing over nothing after all(not really stressing just joking)_...
But I did eliminate my fuel and msr stove and opted for a alcohol stove by vargo,also switched out my aluminum pot with a vargo pot as well as vargo tent stakes.
Also in my prior weight calculations I was weighing two pairs of socks and underwear.

[Dogwood]

Is this the kit you anticipate thru-hiking the AT with? If so, expected start time?

FWIW, if it's for the AT thru with a typical NOBO start from mid march to mid April I'd say you're reasonably right there. From this kit you'll be deleting and/or amending to a lower volume lower kit wt(gear) soon into the thru after about 6-8 wks. So, one might conclude in the earlier stages of the hike avoid long or heavy extensive food and water hauls which seems commensurate with your experiences and likely physical and mental condition. I could be wrong about your starting condition so don't be offended by me assuming that if I'm wrong. Once the kit wt comes down you can then decide on hauling more water and more food(consumable wt). Adding water wt that far in to the thru seems logical since it will be warming up by then and will be in line with the lower volume lower wt kit.

Once we get confirmation on this kit's intended usage and AT start time, if it is the kit you will use for your AT thru, I'd like to make some recs for you to consider to shave off some initial starting gear wt.

[left52side]

Once we get confirmation on this kit's intended usage and AT start time, if it is the kit you will use for your AT thru, I'd like to make some recs for you to consider to shave off some initial starting gear wt

Dogwood this is my anticipated kit for my thru hike and plan on starting sometime last week of march to first week of april 2017.
And thank you.

[left52side]

Ok so I packed my pack today as though I was doing A thru hike with it and with five solid days of food and two liters of water for consumables plus toilet paper and small first aid kit my total weight went to 28 lbs total with consumables.
I would still like to get it to 25 lbs,but will settle for 28 lbs total weight.
I will also be shaving a pound of weight when my wild oasis shelter gets here instead of using the scout tent.

[soumodeler]

28 with consumables is very reasonable. Especially considering 5 days of food on the AT is actually not very common. Most of the time you can resupply every 2-4 days.

[Huli]

http://www.backpackingnorth.com/ultr...over-overview/

Give that a read, I can name off a few things to ditch to make your weight goal. Not going to do it, read that article and make your own decisions.

[Dogwood]

http://lighterpack.com/r/fhs1i1

How are you arriving at 2.2 lbs for the Mountaintop 50 L backpack? Specs state it's 2.9 lbs or 2 lbs 14 oz or 46 oz. When I looked at your pack wt previously I thought I saw you specking it out at 2.7 lbs?

If you're under 30 lbs you're in the running for a frameless rucksack backpack or a backpack with removable stays easily shredding 20 oz off the backpack wt! Even if desiring a internal frame backpack you absolutely can get lighter wt framed backpacks in that volume class shaving off a lb or more.

Light wt for a EE 20* quilt. You must be small framed or maxed out the down fp, 7 D fabric, etc. You anticipate doing the entire AT with that quilt? Asking because as it warms up could possibly shred some ozs there.

Consider a lighter wt groundsheet possibly saving 3-4 ozs. Consider lighter wt sleeping pad possibly saving 5-6 ozs or so especially in the warmer months and if rock the EE 20* quilt the whole AT.

In your clothing category you'll be OK for your start date but you definitely will not need all those torso pieces going into May forward consistently. Consider dropping the fleece or down jacket adding a lighter wt tee for the warmer months. Same with the lower apparel. I count five lower pieces. Tip: don't think of your Patagonia Rain Pant and Sterns Rain Jacket just for rain duty. Throw them into the mix more often possibly wearing in camp or to supplement sleep warmth. Warning: That Sterns Rain Jacket is a sweat fest wearing in east coast humid AT conditions. I had one - sucked.

This is what I was trying to communicate to you. You will evolve on this hike. Your kit will evolve. You'll begin to observe and tweak stuff, and not just gear, to a lower wt lower volume haul. Things will snowball. The evolving lower volume and wt apparel will snowball into the possibility of a lower volume, AND HOPEFULLY LOWER WT, backpack. and Embrace that knowledge rather than seeing what you carry as a static. You do NOT need kit perfection from the get go. Even if you thought you did achieve kit Nirvana from the get go I can unequivocally tell ya you will attain a new Kit Nirvana plateau as you evolve....and so on...and so on....Where you stop and get off the UL Merry-go-round is up to you. Be content with what you have right now. You have a nice wt kit already going for ya. Hiking/Thru-hiking is so much more than gear! Enjoy the journey.

[left52side]

How are you arriving at 2.2 lbs for the Mountaintop 50 L backpack? Specs state it's 2.9 lbs or 2 lbs 14 oz or 46 oz. When I looked at your pack wt previously I thought I saw you specking it out at 2.7 lbs?

I Originally purchased this pack because it was listed at 1.2 lbs!!! upon further research I had read and seen the pack was listed at several different weights.
So upon receiving my pack I put it on a commercial digital scale and it came out at 2.2 lbs.

Light wt for a EE 20* quilt. You must be small framed or maxed out the down fp, 7 D fabric, etc. You anticipate doing the entire AT with that quilt? Asking because as it warms up could possibly shred some ozs there.

I did order a short/wide with max fill power,and yes anticipated using it the whole time because it is versatile,and saving money on mailing it back and sending a summer bag.

Consider a lighter wt groundsheet possibly saving 3-4 ozs. Consider lighter wt sleeping pad possibly saving 5-6 ozs or so especially in the warmer months and if rock the EE 20* quilt the whole AT

My sleeping pad has been cut down three slots on the thermorest zlite.
Unfortunately I will possibly be using the other three to make a sleeping pad for my pooch.
So still need to to carry the full thing.
As far as ground sheet I have thought of switching to polycryo and saving a few ounces but dont know if it is durable as tyvek ??

In your clothing category you'll be OK for your start date but you definitely will not need all those torso pieces going into May forward consistently. Consider dropping the fleece or down jacket adding a lighter wt tee for the warmer months. Same with the lower apparel. I count five lower pieces. Tip: don't think of your Patagonia Rain Pant and Sterns Rain Jacket just for rain duty. Throw them into the mix more often possibly wearing in camp or to supplement sleep warmth. Warning: That Sterns Rain Jacket is a sweat fest wearing in east coast humid AT conditions. I had one - sucke

I am considering getting rid of the rain sey up all together and buying either a set of ul2 frogg toggs or a just a frogg toggs poncho and making a diy rain kilt/skirt,

Even if you thought you did achieve kit Nirvana from the get go I can unequivocally tell ya you will attain a new Kit Nirvana plateau as you evolve....and so on...and so on....Where you stop and get off the UL Merry-go-round is up to you. Be content with what you have right now. You have a nice wt kit already going for ya. Hiking/Thru-hiking is so much more than gear! Enjoy the journey.

Thank you dogwood for taking the time