scale for weighing backpacking gear best type and where to get?

[DavidNH]

Hello,

This is my first post here. I am wondering what would be the best type of scale for weighing all my backpacking gear and where might I get it? I am thinking the scale would weigh in ounces ideally up to 10 lbs.

NHhiker

[SalParadise]

Welcome to WhiteBlaze. You can find that scale at the post office.

[Hikerhead]

Get a fishing scale that will weigh up to 50lbs. Load that backpack, hook up the scale, lift it off the ground and gleam with joy as you read the results.

Most people will not need one that will weigh up to 50 lbs, but I did when I first got started. I even went off the scale a few times.

These will run you about 10 bucks and are pretty accurate. I got mine at Bass Pro Shop. These won't help much if your counting onces.

[neo]

my friendly neigorhod postal clerks wiegh my stuff,they are very enteraining as well neo

[Kerosene]

Here are three links to previous threads discussing various models of scales:

Scales (4/22/04)
Cheap scale? (2/27/03)
weighting??? (10/30/03)

[runs247]

I use a Digital Salter scale from Linen-N-Things. I think it was around $35.00, weighs up to 5 pounds in 1/8 ounce increments.

[Footslogger]

Hello,

This is my first post here. I am wondering what would be the best type of scale for weighing all my backpacking gear and where might I get it? I am thinking the scale would weigh in ounces ideally up to 10 lbs.

NHhiker

================================
Are you looking to weigh the entire backpack or just the individual contents. For the contents I suggest you check out Office Max/ Office Depot or Staples and get a 5 lb postal scale.

If you're looking to weigh an entire backpack you can probably get a decent hanging scale at ACE Hardware, Home Depot or Lowes.

'Slogger
AT 2003

[weary]

Hello,

This is my first post here. I am wondering what would be the best type of scale for weighing all my backpacking gear and where might I get it? I am thinking the scale would weigh in ounces ideally up to 10 lbs. NHhiker

I use our bathroom scale for big stuff. Just weigh yourself and then yourself plus the item and subtract. A simple, spring loaded postal scale is adequate for small stuff. Mine weighs up to 5 pounds. If money is no object, it's more convenient to use a large digital postal scale -- and many times more expensive, unless you go to the post office and use the scale that most lobbies now have.

Weary

[C-Stepper]

I bought a food scale used for cooking at my local Target for $30. Weighs in oz lb g or kilo, and also tares. Quite accurate when I checked it with a weight set I borrowed overnight from work.

[gravityman]

I bought a Royal EX-5 scale off ebay. Weights up to 10 lbs. Works great! Down to 0.1 oz.

Gravity

[Belew]

I bought a digital postal scale on ebay from qproductsllc for 15.25, 31.95 with shipping. I just checked and they have lots more. Then I downloaded the gear weight calculator from chrisibbeson.com . Then I realized how much useless stuff I carry. I carryed a half pound book last summer and never even had a chance to get it out of the ziploc. I should have used it for a fire starter.

[Footslogger]

I bought a digital postal scale on ebay from qproductsllc for 15.25, 31.95 with shipping. I just checked and they have lots more. Then I downloaded the gear weight calculator from chrisibbeson.com . Then I realized how much useless stuff I carry. I carryed a half pound book last summer and never even had a chance to get it out of the ziploc. I should have used it for a fire starter.

=====================
Yeah ...that's an eye-opening exercise. I did a similar thing when I was planning my thru-hike in 2003. Created an Excel spreadsheet. Listed out every conceivable item and entered its weight. Had the sheet calculate a running total weight. Amazing how those ounces add up. I made some interesting decisions about what to carry and what not to carry based on that process. Packing a "virtual backpack" is a good idea.

'Slogger
AT 2003

[Pencil Pusher]

What are you guys, engineers? Why weigh all your crap? Maybe I'm just not a true bean counter at heart...

[Lilred]

Hello,

This is my first post here. I am wondering what would be the best type of scale for weighing all my backpacking gear and where might I get it? I am thinking the scale would weigh in ounces ideally up to 10 lbs.

NHhiker

I've heard of people taking their gear to grocery stores and weighing it on the produce scales. I'll be going that route when I'm making out my gear list. I'll just take a few things in at a time so as not to upset any managers.

[Frosty]

Hello,

This is my first post here. I am wondering what would be the best type of scale for weighing all my backpacking gear and where might I get it? I am thinking the scale would weigh in ounces ideally up to 10 lbs.

NHhiker

I bought a $15 digital scale at Walmart. It only weighs to 5 pounds, but it can be tricked. When turned on, it zeros itself so you can have a plate or something on the scale. I weigh out a couple of quart Nalgenes with water (4 pounds), turn the scale off, put the water bottles on the scale, and turn it back on. It zeros with the weight, then I take off the bottles, weigh my heavy item (pack & tent originally) and add four pounds to the scale reading.

(I've since solved the can't-weigh-over-five-pounds issue by replacing by pack and tarp with lighter items.)

[LIhikers]

I've got 3 scales that I use. The first is a small postal type scale that goes to 3 pounds and measures to the ounce. That means you can estimate to the closest 1/2 ounce, it's good for all the small items. Second is a fish scale that goes to 15 pounds and is marked in 1/2 pound increments so you can estimate to the closest 1/4 pound. I use that one for items like tents, sleeping bags, or empty packs. Last is a 50 pound fish scale that is marked in pounds allowing 1/2 pound estimation. That one is for weighing packs that are filled and ready to go.

[Jaybird]

WELCOME NHHiker!



i luckily have a postal service scale @ my work place....& use it quite often (for weighing my hikin' stuff & my cycling gear).


ounces & grams...


good luck with your hikin'!

[Peaks]

What are you guys, engineers? Why weigh all your crap? Maybe I'm just not a true bean counter at heart...

Yes, I am trained as an engineer.

But, that issue aside, knowing the weights of gear does help you make decisions on what gear to bring along. One of my pet peeves is manufactures who don't publish the weight of their backpacking gear. Even simple stuff. Nalgene doesn't list the weight of their bottles. (Which is heavier, their lexan bottle or their poly bottle?) I had to put them on a scale to figure it out. Ounces do add up.

And for upgrading equipment, I consider the net weight reduction and the cost to achieve that savings in terms of dollars per ounce reduced.

[LIhikers]

What are you guys, engineers? Why weigh all your crap? Maybe I'm just not a true bean counter at heart...

I'm not an engineer and I don't play one on TV. I'm a helicopter mechanic and the 2 "fish" type scales I have are for my work. They even get calibrated on a regualr basis. The postal type scale my wife bought for, of all things, weighing envelopes so she'd know how much postage to put on them. There's more than one reason to weigh your hiking stuff. The most obvious is to know how much you are carrying. I also like to compare the actual weight of an item with the manufacturer's advertised weight. If it's not at least close I know that I can't believe what that manufacture says about their products.

[hungryhowie]

I've got a couple of scales. One spring postal scale that weighs up to 2 pounds with about 0.5oz accuracy, and one digital postal scale that weighs up to 10 pounds with a 1 gram accuracy. I really don't use the spring scale much anymore, as the other one is so much more accurate. I use them mainly for measuring how much down I'm putting in gaments and quilts, but I also occasionally weigh my store-bought gearr to see how accurate manufacturers' claims are. The digital scale was about $35 from office depot.

-howie