Pack Weight Woes

[tinybee]

Hi everyone,

I am gearing up for my 2020 AT thru hike. I thought I could figure out this puzzle of what to take with me but in the process have become very frustrated. My issue is my pack weight. I am already at 52 lbs (food and water included). I am not sure where/what I should/can cut from my pack. Of course, in my opinion, I NEED everything on the list. Any suggestions on how to whittle this list down would be helpful. I will be starting the trail at the end of February and have tried to account for cold, snow and ice in my gear.

https://lighterpack.com/r/694if5

[RockDoc]

Well congrats on putting a lot of thought into packing, obviously. I noticed possible duplication in the clothing dept, four hats, two hoodys, more than one wool top, at least two kinds of pants... Yes it's going to be cold and you are wise to prepare, but one idea is to pack a layered outfit that will keep you very warm if you need to put everything on at once (this won't happen often). Perhaps question items that are in addition to that? Mostly, your kit looks pretty well designed, even luxurious.

I don't know what you are bringing for food, but maybe that can be trimmed down (expand or contract that based on resupply distance). And my rule is not to carry water up to water. Study maps and adjust water weight based on what is needed for distance, weather, temp, etc. But you are on the right track!

[tinybee]

Thanks RockDoc. I will take a look at the hat situation. I also need to pull together exactly what specific items I will be bringing along for food. Point taken about carrying water up to water.

[4eyedbuzzard]

1) Start later in warmer weather and you can likely shed 5 lbs of insulation, food, fuel, other gear. Winter hiking means heavier loads. No way around the required gear.
2) Many multiple entries as noted in RockDoc's post, including little things like knives, Bic lighters, etc. - it all adds up.
3) 9 pounds of food is pretty extreme from an average standpoint - usually you'll have maybe four days worth at 1.5 lbs per day leaving town. The average food load obviously goes down as you go. As does the 4+ pounds (2 liters) of water - it's all use as you go, and many places you'll only need to carry 1 liter.
4) 3.34 pounds of electronics? Is it ALL really needed?
5) 1.39 lbs meds/first aid? Is it ALL really needed?
6) All the little things add up, like the foot roller/massager. A water bottle could serve double duty here. Look for other items that are nice, but not needed.
7) Take it all, carry it for a week plus to Franklin, NC, then other than warm stuff and foul weather gear for the Smoky's and TRUE emergency stuff like the epipen, mail home what you haven't used.

NEEDS vs WANTS - explore this concept further

[tinybee]

I will comb through my list and get rid of some of the redundancies. Food weight is also something I will reduce. I will use the 1.5 lbs per day suggested. I can reduce the electronics; not worth all the weight. As far as the med kit and first aid, I am not sure where to cut. I am only taking minimal amounts of each med. I agree that foot roller can probably go and not sure how the bottle of water would work for the same purpose unless frozen. I am definitely re-evaluation my wants vs needs~ Thanks

[Traffic Jam]

Only you can decide what’s necessary for your hike. The best way to figure it out is to go backpacking with your gear (more than once) and then decide what’s necessary. Once you start hiking the AT, you will have opportunities to readjust. Have a great hike!

[Two Tents]

Leave the bivy, tent foot print and poncho.Take one sleep mattress not both. Only one knife. Filter or drops not both. The 'bella is heavy. Your pack is heavy in my opinion. Are you planning on using the tent only? Not staying in shelters? Have you done an overnight trip with this load? You'll find that you do not need as much as you think you need. I've found this to be true on the trail and well as in life.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Leave the bivy, tent foot print. Take one sleep mattress not both. Only one knife. The 'bella is heavy. Your pack is heavy in my opinion. Are you planning on using the tent only? Not staying in shelters? Have you done an overnight trip with this load? You'll find that you do not need as much as you think you need. I've found this to be true on the trail and well as in life.

^^^So much truth in this.

[Traffic Jam]

Leave the bivy, tent foot print and poncho.Take one sleep mattress not both. Only one knife. Filter or drops not both. The 'bella is heavy. Your pack is heavy in my opinion. Are you planning on using the tent only? Not staying in shelters? Have you done an overnight trip with this load? You'll find that you do not need as much as you think you need. I've found this to be true on the trail and well as in life.

I have to disagree, which is why it’s all about personal preference and experience. I always carry two sleep mats when bp’ing in winter because I’m a cold sleeper.

[Two Tents]

I have to disagree, which is why it’s all about personal preference and experience. I always carry two sleep mats when bp’ing in winter because I’m a cold sleeper.

I hear ya. If I'm sleeping on the ground in winter then maybe if I did not have an insulated mattress I'd consider a closed cell and an inflatable. If I'm in a shelter then I only need one mattress. If my pack weighed 52 lbs I'd look at any redundancies.

[tinybee]

Yes. I am a cold sleeper as well.

[tinybee]

Hi Two Tents. My thoughts with the foam sleep mattress and the blow up is that if the blow up goes out in the middle of the night (as I have often heard people speak of), at least I would have something to carry me over. In addition to the added barrier to the coldness of the ground when there is snow or it is really cold outside. I agree that it is a lot of additional weight. Is there some lighter weight option to the foam mattress that you could suggest? And still trying to pare down load quickly so that I can get out with it asap.

[SkeeterPee]

Hi Two Tents. My thoughts with the foam sleep mattress and the blow up is that if the blow up goes out in the middle of the night (as I have often heard people speak of), at least I would have something to carry me over. In addition to the added barrier to the coldness of the ground when there is snow or it is really cold outside. I agree that it is a lot of additional weight. Is there some lighter weight option to the foam mattress that you could suggest? And still trying to pare down load quickly so that I can get out with it asap.

I had he same debate and posted a thread about the pad question. https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/sho...t=#post2260720

Here is a link on R-values https://sectionhiker.com/sleeping-pad-r-values/

your pad and mine are both about the same. yours is rated at 30F by manufacture, mine at 32F. So neither are warm enough for winter camping. you could get a warmer pad, but then you have nothing to fall back on if it leaks. So I am taking zlite and an inflatable. when it warms up I will swap the zlite with a thin 1/8 inch gossamer gear pad for the zlite.

[JNI64]

Hi everyone,

I am gearing up for my 2020 AT thru hike. I thought I could figure out this puzzle of what to take with me but in the process have become very frustrated. My issue is my pack weight. I am already at 52 lbs (food and water included). I am not sure where/what I should/can cut from my pack. Of course, in my opinion, I NEED everything on the list. Any suggestions on how to whittle this list down would be helpful. I will be starting the trail at the end of February and have tried to account for cold, snow and ice in my gear.

https://lighterpack.com/r/694if5

That's heavy for a tiny bee. I'm not a thru hiker but as said above by some pretty smart folks that's been doing this for awhile, I see alot of redundancy that's really not needed. And by the way! . !!

[FreeGoldRush]

It’s not nearly as much a survival experience as you may currently imagine. You’re just walking from hotel to motel and hostel to hostel. Staying warm should be priority 1. Starting later in the year makes that a LOT easier. Anything you label as “just in case” should probably be left at home. Start with too little with the expectation of picking it up later if you really need it.

Here are suggestions:

Leave the cup
Pot cozy is too heavy. What’s it made out of?
Leave the aquamira since you have a filter
Leave the compression socks
Leave the knee braces unless you know from experience you need these
Leave the watch. You’ll have a phone.
Leave the gators unless you just really like them. Less to fool with.
8 oz compression sack? Replace with Cuben fiber
Leave the balaclava
Replace gloves. Consider zpacks possum down with rain mitts
Camp shoes too heavy. Go to Walmart. Get the absolute lightest shoes you can find. Will save several ozs.
Hike in shorts. Do not carry insulation for legs except for sleeping. This works down to about 25 F.
Leave the umbrella
Replace rain pants with rain skirt
Leave the micro spikes
Leave the cold weather mitts. Use rain mitts only
Leave the poncho since you have a rain jacket
Leave the portable toilet thing whatever it is
You have two packs of wet wipes. Leave one
Med kit too heavy. Leave most of that. Can detail suggestion in another message.
Leave pepper gel
Knife way too heavy. Get smallest you can find.
Leave camera remote
Leave Hoya filters
Leave extra lenses
Leave lens brush and cloth
Battery WAY too big. I started with a 13000 Ah and finished with a 3500 Ah. You have a 20000
Leave thermometer
Leave the Logitech keyboard. Oh my.
Leave the awol guide. Use PDF version on phone

[tinybee]

In regards to the gloves, I actually purchased those from Zpacks. They did not work for me. The pot cozy seems to be the thing to use to maintain heat. I will adjust the weight after I make i out of the Reflectix material. The "portable toilet" will hopefully prevent me from having to go out in freezing cold and rain to use the bathroom. I am also looking into downsizing my battery. Great suggestions! I will definitely use some of them.

[tinybee]

That's heavy for a tiny bee.

Ha ha! Thank you

[Cheyou]

Less is more

thom

[JC13]

Your Reactor liner is ridiculously heavy and might give you an extra 5 degrees of warmth. You could add a 50 degree quilt to put over your Bandit, "should" give you close to 20 degrees of additional warmth and weigh ~11 oz.

[tinybee]

Yes. The Reactor is heavy. I am definitely carrying the fear of being uncomfortably cold.