Definition of "pack weight"

[Overpass]

In another thread someone mentioned that he doesn't consider his heavy-ish (3/4 pound) camera as counting towards pack weight since he carries it in his pocket.

Not trying to criticise that hiker at all here. Was just musing on the differing philosophies/rationalizations that must come into play with what we hikers consider "pack weight".

I always thought that I included everything that I'm not actually wearing to be "pack weight". But then I think about my Leki's, I carry them in my hands usually, but occasionally they ride on my pack. I consider them separate from pack weight, I suppose. But why? And why not include all clothing, boots, etc? They're still items my body will be carrying...

On the flip side, even though I often carry maps, guidebooks, snacks, etc in my pockets, they are always included as pack weight. If I take my Swiss Army Knife out of my pack and put in in my pocket, it's still "pack weight" IMO.

The bottom line of course is that every ounce and gram of stuff your legs are hauling up and down the trail is gear weight, weddings rings and eyeglasses included. No question here exactly, just wondering how often we sometimes tend to minimize in our minds how much we are actually carrying...or maybe I'm the only one?

[Old Grouse]

Makes sense to me.

[rafe]

How about excess body weight?

[stuco]

I think anything you are carrying, including clothing that you are not wearing.

[saimyoji]

How about excess body weight?

Could it be balanced out by an inflated ego?

[RiverWarriorPJ]

if u go 100yds in 20 seconds w/just a pack & 28 seconds w/extra junk in ur fanny pak/pockets.....Hmmm......must be weight

[RiverWarriorPJ]

I think anything you are carrying, including clothing that you are not wearing.

ooopz sry STUCO....was typin' during ur post

[vipahman]

Here's how I count weight:
Pack weight = everything in the pack except food and water
+ Food and water
+ Carry weight = clothes + shoes + poles + whatever is in my pockets
+ Body weight

The grand total is my trail weight.

[Michele]

Here's how I count weight:
Pack weight = everything in the pack except food and water
+ Food and water
+ Carry weight = clothes + shoes + poles + whatever is in my pockets
+ Body weight

The grand total is my trail weight.

I think trail weight is a great term. I count my pack weight as everything "extra" I'm carrying to backpack that I wouldn't normally be hauling if I were just walking around going grocery shopping at home or something. I don't count the clothes I'm actually wearing, and I didn't count my hiking poles, but everything else counts....even if it's in my pocket.

I still like trail weight though as a comprehensive figure...as the total amount an entire person weighs while hiking down the trail w/all gear.

Pack weight (to me) is w/the generic 4 days food + 2 liters water (12 lbs total)

Base Pack weight (to me) is everything but the food/water/poles

But you know...once you get out there...all that matters is what your knees/legs/feet have to say! They don't care which term we use!

[oldfivetango]

The only thing about weight that matters is whether
or not you can comfortably carry it.I am constantly parrying
down the weight-it can get expensive.Ignorance is such a
terrible and insidious waste!I wonder how many days worth of
food do most of you carry on average?
OFT

[mweinstone]

from skin out or fso weights are generally the norm when choosing samantics. fso includes non living things. so unless your packing your goldfish,...everything but your butt is fso. including contacts because you could concevably carry them. now..... piss is a grey area. do ingested liquids reside long enough to be tallyed in the cencus?

great topic!

[mweinstone]

il defer to minnesota smith on this. mr smith? return to ship .

[n2o2diver]

Um, the weight of "THE PACK"

[hammock engineer]

In another thread someone mentioned that he doesn't consider his heavy-ish (3/4 pound) camera as counting towards pack weight since he carries it in his pocket.

Yeah I'll take credit for that one. It was more me joking around than anything.

When I am figuring out my real pack weight it is everything not worn on a hot day. e.i shorts, t shirt, gaiters, socks, trail runners, gaiters, and hat.

I see the need for a skin out weight. It is all weight added to your body that normally is not there. This is the reason why I use trail runners and wear light weight clothing.

I'm not going to think about the extra weight that I carry in me. Although if I do, my total weight carried is going to drop over the course of a long trip.

[rafe]

I've not thought much about the weight of my Lekis. I still don't know what they weigh. I figure that they more than compensated for their weight, by allowing me to hike more efficiently. I'm not sure I'd pay a lot of money for "ultralight" hiking poles. That somehow seems weird. Besides which, if I ever bought such a thing, I'd lose 'em or break 'em right away.

[copythat]

In another thread someone mentioned that he doesn't consider his heavy-ish (3/4 pound) camera as counting towards pack weight since he carries it in his pocket.

(can't talk now. i'm scouring websites for a sleeping bag that will fit in my pocket.)

[Wolf - 23000]

Does it really matter? The only person who should care how much your pack wieght is the person carrying it.

Wolf

[Overpass]

Does it really matter? The only person who should care how much your pack wieght is the person carrying it.
Wolf

Of course. I was just musing about how we mentally calculate/rationalize our actual pack/trail/fso weights in our own minds...

[Overpass]

Yeah I'll take credit for that one. It was more me joking around than anything.

Hi, Hammock Eng. Hope you didn't think I was ragging on you, I didn't catch that you were only half-serious. Your post just really did get me thinking about how I sometimes rationalize the total weight my legs are carrying. Things like "well, my Lekis don't count, I'm carrying them". Or the cotton baseball cap that I've never actually weighed, b/c "hey, I'm wearing that , it doesnt' count".

As far as my legs are concerned, an ounce is an ounce. It doesn't make any difference to them if the unneccesary weight in on my head, in my hands, in my pack, or in my pocket. I need to remember that it's all weight that my legs will be hauling up the trail.

[hammock engineer]

No Problem. I don't even take myself serious. I need to remember to use a smiley when I do that.