Big 4 weight March on the AT

[wordstew]

I've been reading a lot about people's big 4 weight. What is considered a respectable big 4 weight to shoot for in order to hike the AT in March and get and not freeze to death. 5,6,7,8 pounds???

[egilbe]

2 pound pack, 2 pound tent, 3 pound sleep system.

[Venchka]

March has 31 days. When are you planning to start? Lows in the 20s are not uncommon. 0 to 20 degrees can happen occasionally. March weather can spill into April.
You can always swap out the March gear in May or June.
Be warm. Be safe. Have fun!
Wayne

[Starchild]

2 pound pack, 2 pound tent, 3 pound sleep system.

3.5 lb pack, 1 lb tent, 2.5 lb sleep system. Go for pack comfort first, no need for a overweight tent.

[tflaris]

6 pounds.


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[wordstew]

March has 31 days. When are you planning to start? Lows in the 20s are not uncommon. 0 to 20 degrees can happen occasionally. March weather can spill into April.
You can always swap out the March gear in May or June.
Be warm. Be safe. Have fun!
Wayne

I'm shooting for the first week of March. Right now My big four comes in around 7lbs...

My gears as follows:
Big Agnes Flycreek UL2
UGQ 20 degree top quilt 20oz
Thermarest Proton blanket 18oz
Thermarest large pad 16oz

I suppose I could lose the blanket or go to a lighter tent or pad and get me around 6lbs

[egilbe]

What pad are you using? Whats the R-value?

[egilbe]

3.5 lb pack, 1 lb tent, 2.5 lb sleep system. Go for pack comfort first, no need for a overweight tent.

Which tent are you finding that weighs 1 pound?

[Starchild]

Which tent are you finding that weighs 1 pound?

z-pack heximed solo

[DownEaster]

My "big 4" weight is right around 9 lbs. for a March 1st start, and I think my gear is pretty reasonable. The sleeping system is a hair over 4 lbs. including the Klymit Insulated Static V Lite pad, and I'm definitely keeping the SOL Escape Bivvy (8.4 ounces) at least until I get through the Smokies. Granite Gear Crown 2 pack and Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL 2 tent are the other big items. I don't try to cheat on the numbers; my weights include water protection for the pack and a kite-grade Tyvek ground mat (because the Fly Creek is low weight due to its fragile construction).

[wordstew]

What pad are you using? Whats the R-value?

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite: I believe the R-value is 3.2.... may have to add 1/8th to 1/4th inch CCF or relectix to increase R-value

[Shrewd]

You’ll be fine.
I’d probably lose the blanket, that’s a whole pound.
You can always wear extra layers to bed. And your puffy if it gets real cold.

There may be a few nights you’re chilly, but I dunno if that’s worth a while extra pound plus.

I started March 12th and was hammered with a blizzard on day 3; -10 wind chill....it was bad.
But we made it. I was comfortable after that with my 20 deg quilts (hammocker) all through to Hot Springs, where we got a 30 degree rainy night and I tossed and turned in a shelter because I didn’t want to set my hammock up.


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[Shrewd]

I even carried extra **** I didn’t need, but my cold weather base weight was around 15 pounds and my pack was probably just under 30 with a few days of food and a liter of water.

Quite a bit lighter after the Greyson Highlands


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[hikernutcasey]

2 pound pack, 2 pound tent, 3 pound sleep system.

I think you will find this advice to be fairly common. My own setup is 2 pound pack, 3 pound tent (Big Agnes Copper Spur 2...I like my space) and 3 pound sleep system.

[egilbe]

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite: I believe the R-value is 3.2.... may have to add 1/8th to 1/4th inch CCF or relectix to increase R-value

I would for an early march start. If your neo air goes flat, you will effectively have an R-value of zero.

[jjozgrunt]

ZPacks Duplex - 1.44
Enlightened Equipment quilts 30 & 50F - 2lb
Exped winterlite R5 - 1.26lb
ZPacks Arc Haul Zip - 1.8lb

Total - 6.5lb

[wordstew]

Does everyone with zpacks tents count the weight of their hiking poles in their base weight since they need them to put the tent up

[soumodeler]

Does everyone with zpacks tents count the weight of their hiking poles in their base weight since they need them to put the tent up

No. You carry them in your hands, not your pack, so it does not count towards base weight.

[egilbe]

And most of the time, the poles are planted in the ground holding up your arms, so in theory, you can take five pounds more off your base weight, right?

[Shrewd]

And most of the time, the poles are planted in the ground holding up your arms, so in theory, you can take five pounds more off your base weight, right?

Haha, definitely not


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