Base Weight

[MtDoraDave]

Oh, and having a light for inside the tent when you already have a headlight... not necessary. If you insist on having a second light source, bring a spare headlight. There are some very light (petzl) headlights that I personally wouldn't use to night hike (not bright enough, in my opinion), but would be fine around camp or in a tent.

[zig-zag man]

Not wanting to go into towns often to save time may not be the best approach. I have been section hiking now for about 3 years; I started when I was 43 and just turned 46. My second section was Springer to Dicks Creek Gap, and at Springer's scale, the pack was 43 lbs starting out for a week. My last trip, it was 27 lbs starting out for the week. How much weight a person carries makes a huge difference in the likelihood of whether they will injure themselves, how far they can travel each day, and ultimately (for a thru-hike attempt) the able to complete a thru-hike.

Food often weighs 2 lbs per day, so carrying just 3 extra days of food adds about 6 lbs to your pack weight. With a pack that weighs 6 lbs less, you may be able to do 20 mile days rather than 15 mile days (after you get your hiking legs) .
Rather than worry about the extra time you'll lose going into town, focus on carrying as little weight as possible. As someone once said: If you're in a hurry, why are you walking?

In my thinking, minimizing my trips into town does a couple of things. 1) It keeps money in my pocket (I'm looking at a hike budget of $3,500). 2) It keeps me away from the hustle and bustle that I yearn to escape for a time. 3) And it may help to assure that, barring unforeseen circumstances, I reach my goal - Katahdin. That being said, I may shoot for keeping my food weight to 4 days max. Even if by doing so means that I have to spend more time in town, so be it. Lighter pack weight is becoming more important to me the more I read what others have to say about it. And it makes sense. At 4 days food weight, I estimate my pack weight with gear, meds, water (2 Liters), and food to be 32 pounds. I think that's the best I can do without spending a ton of money on the lightest gear out there.

[saltysack]

I am researching and putting together my gear list and am coming up with weights that may be problematic. I'm looking at a base weight of 23.4 LBS (medicine included). I add water, food, and gas in the canister and I'm just a few ounces south of 40 LBS. I'm an older guy (62), diabetic (insulin dependent), plus all the other meds for heart, cholesterol, Neuropathy, and so on. I figured I'd leave with 90 days worth of pills and resupply my meds in PA (very near my home). Well, as it turns out, my meds are going to be the heaviest item I carry - weighing in at 3 LBS. I want to leave Springer on April 9th of '18. I'd like to limit my into-town-resupplies to 5-8 days apart (seems to me you could add hundreds of miles to your hike just going back and forth from the trail to the grocery store if you are not careful - and most of my hitchhiking days are behind me). I'm hiking on a budget - $3,500. Maybe a little more. Allowed $2,000 for gear, clothing, and such. I guess my question is this. What is a realistic base weight for a hiker on a budget? I'm not looking to do ultra light or anything like that, as my budget doesn't permit it. But then again, I'm not a mule. My career was in the construction trades so I'm not adverse to hard work. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

I have a nice tent for sale if interested....lightheart gear Solong 6....$200 like new...


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[goatee]

In my thinking, minimizing my trips into town does a couple of things. 1) It keeps money in my pocket (I'm looking at a hike budget of $3,500). 2) It keeps me away from the hustle and bustle that I yearn to escape for a time. 3) And it may help to assure that, barring unforeseen circumstances, I reach my goal - Katahdin. That being said, I may shoot for keeping my food weight to 4 days max. Even if by doing so means that I have to spend more time in town, so be it. Lighter pack weight is becoming more important to me the more I read what others have to say about it. And it makes sense. At 4 days food weight, I estimate my pack weight with gear, meds, water (2 Liters), and food to be 32 pounds. I think that's the best I can do without spending a ton of money on the lightest gear out there.

Zig when I left Springer brand new to backpacking at 61 yrs young my pack weight was 34 lbs,when I left Neels Gap it was 43lbs with extra wght being food.That climb out of Neels was a bitch for me so 4 days later after giving away 9 lbs of food on the trail I could enjoy the hike,second year I lost 44 lbs and pack weight was 28 so now at 67 pack weight is 25 lbs. First year 5-8 miles a day was the best I could do,today I do 12-15 everyday so yep all weight matters.You will yearn for that shower and pizza in town.Good luck.

[zig-zag man]

I have a nice tent for sale if interested....lightheart gear Solong 6....$200 like new...


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I am interested in your tent for sale. Can you tell me more about it? Are the seams taped? Footprint? Stakes? This IS a five-star tent in the reviews, and it is certainly lighter than the Marmot Eos 1P that I was considering.

[cmoulder]

Salty's Solong 6

[saltysack]

I am interested in your tent for sale. Can you tell me more about it? Are the seams taped? Footprint? Stakes? This IS a five-star tent in the reviews, and it is certainly lighter than the Marmot Eos 1P that I was considering.

It's in great shape, seams were seam sealed by Rob at outdoor 76 in Franklin where I purchased it new. He also put a few strips of seam seal on floor so pad doesn't slide. Flawless shelter other than few dirt marks and stuff sack has a lil chafe mark on outside, assume from bear can rubbing. Never used a footprint as seem pointless to me as long as your conscious as to where it's set up. No stakes inc but does Inc $30 carbon awning pole.


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[Heliotrope]

Salty's Solong 6

Not touching that


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[zig-zag man]

It's in great shape, seams were seam sealed by Rob at outdoor 76 in Franklin where I purchased it new. He also put a few strips of seam seal on floor so pad doesn't slide. Flawless shelter other than few dirt marks and stuff sack has a lil chafe mark on outside, assume from bear can rubbing. Never used a footprint as seem pointless to me as long as your conscious as to where it's set up. No stakes inc but does Inc $30 carbon awning pole.


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I'll take it. I will send you a PM.