Section vs Thru gear question

[TickPicker]

I would like opinions on whether it makes a different weight-wise with regards to section hikes. I know weight is very important for the extremely long thru-hike, but is it as much of a factor for doing short sections (100 miles or less)???

Steve
The land of the dimpled chad

[The Hog]

I thru hiked the A.T. and am now section hiking the CDT. For me, the lower I get my weight, the more I enjoy it, whether it's 100 miles or 2100. Anything under 30 lbs is fine, as far as I'm concerned.

[BookBurner]

Absolutely! Weight is probably even a bigger concern for a 100-mile section hike than it is for a thru-hike. You never want to carry needless weight, but at least on a thru-hike, your body gets in tremendous shape and can better handle the load. On a section hike, your body just starts to get over the small aches and pain but then it's time to go home. It never gets the chance to adapt and develop into full shape. So reducing the body's workload on a section hike is key to an enjoyable trip.

Regardless of the length of your trip, carry only what you really need. Hauling around a 40-pound monkey on your back is too much work whether you do it for 5 days or 50!

-- BookBurner
www.enlightenedthruhiker.com

[Youngblood]

... Hauling around a 40-pound monkey on your back is too much work ...[/url]

Let's have some fun with this, if a 40 pound load is a monkey on your back what is:

a 60 lb load?

a 50 lb load?

a 30 lb load?

a 20 lb load?

and

a 10 lb load?

[TickPicker]

Let's have some fun with this, if a 40 pound load is a monkey on your back what is:

a 60 lb load?

a 50 lb load?

a 30 lb load?

a 20 lb load?

and

a 10 lb load?

Would 50 pounds be an Orangatang (sp)??

[Kerosene]

For anything over a 2-3 days, I'd definitely try to get that pack weight as low as possible. As Bookburner implies, your body takes 3+ weeks to get in thru-hiking shape, even if you're in good shape to start with, so starting out as light as possible really helps you get through those 15-20 mile days.

[Clark Fork]

Would 50 pounds be an Orangatang (sp)??

Nothing beats visualization combined with some practical demontrations. The easiest way to relate to the weight of some item is to go to the pet food section of the grocery store.

Let's say you think you are overweight, say about xxlbs overweight. To demonstrate the effect of too much pizza and beer, just pick up a xxlb of dog food and circle the store with it. This should be very pursuasive for shedding those lbs. Each day when you wake up visualize carrying xxlbs of dog food.

Now applied to packs the same is true. Dog food comes in 40 lbs packs as well as in other weights. Just heft up one of those bags and circle the store.

Next stop: Fishing gear section Sporting goods store and pick up a fishing scale and work on reducing the dog food load you carry.


Regards,


Clark Fork in Western Montana

P.S. To lose weight I found three things worked. #1 I visualized the amount of my excess weight every morning in terms of a bag of dog food. #2 I wrote down everything I ate. #3 I walked, ran or hiked at least once a day.

[Blue Jay]

I think weight is a trade off for both thrus and sectioners. If you like to hike many miles per day and/or fast, by all means cut your weight as much as you can. If you like comfort at night carry what weight you need to enjoy life. You can go too far in either direction. Don't worry you'll soon find what is right for you, in fact it would be very very hard not to do so.

[plodder]

A 10lb load is way too much fiber.

[Lone Wolf]

Weight doesn't matter. A thru-hike is just a bunch of section hikes.

[Doctari]

Absolutely! Weight is probably even a bigger concern for a 100-mile section hike than it is for a thru-hike. You never want to carry needless weight, but at least on a thru-hike, your body gets in tremendous shape and can better handle the load. On a section hike, your body just starts to get over the small aches and pain but then it's time to go home. It never gets the chance to adapt and develop into full shape. So reducing the body's workload on a section hike is key to an enjoyable trip.

Regardless of the length of your trip, carry only what you really need. Hauling around a 40-pound monkey on your back is too much work whether you do it for 5 days or 50!

-- BookBurner
www.enlightenedthruhiker.com

Yep, about 90 miles is where I truely get my "trail legs" then I get to hike about 20 more miles that trip, wait 2 to 3 years, repete. So the lighter I start with, the sooner I feel "In the groove", and I hate carrying monkies

BTW: I caried a 50+ Lb pack my first section hike (80 miles) It ain't a Orang, its a Gorilla.

Doctari