What is your pack weight?

[glaux]

I got down to 26 pounds, with water and enough food for 5 days (I hike slow, with a bad knee, so I wanted to give myself time to go at a snail's pace). This is for warm weather, and skipping my stove, so I know I could do so much better. Still, I really wanted my paperback book, and a few other luxuries (more duct tape than I needed).

I ran into a lot of folks carrying a heck of a lot more that me. I think my dry trail mix was just as tasty (and way more nutritious) than their insta-meals, and there was nothing I wish I'd had that I forgot. A couple guys out for their first time with 50 pound packs were just miserable. But I was at the right weight that my pack didn't feel heavy, didn't throw me off balance, didn't have to struggle to get it up and on. (I am a short female type person, too, so keeping a low weight matters.)

It helped me a lot to have read forums like this. Using gatorade bottles instead of Nalgene, and the cheap emergency poncho instead of a more durable raingear or pack cover (worked on both me and the pack, and just the pack), wearing trail runners instead of boots, cutting the handle off my toothbrush, ALL of it really helped me to have a good time. I'm glad to have this as a resource.

[Wolf - 23000]

Im certainly not smart enough to figure out this light weight stuff out on my own.

Others have figured it out, like Ryan Jordan, Andrew Skurka, the Backpacking Light community, and have it down to a science, and have shared it .

Its really all about confidence that you can stay warm enough, dry enough, comfortable enough, and safe enough with only a specific limited set of items, and limited amounts of them, ie no more than you actually need. Its about getting over fears.

My epiphany came when my son and I switched to trail running shoes and were hiking in Arkansas. We spent 30 min going up and down a creek looking for a dry place to cross. Finally tried getting across some stones, slipped and went in. Feet were soaked. For the next 30 miles we laughed about it. How could we have been so scared before to get our feet wet? No problems at all. After that, intentionally walked thru water every chance we got, which was a couple times per mile, just to cool down.

I figured the guys on BPL actually knew something, and I should pay attention.

It is also about how you hike. For example, I said before couples for example always carry more than a single hiker. There nothing wrong with hiking with someone but my point being is you are going to use different equipment compare to someone hiking alone.

Also knowing what to look for and what to look out for. For example, after being out there for a while you can feel the front come in and can tell better than the radio if you are going to be hit with a good storm or not. The next step knowing what to look for. A light rain can be your best friend. It can tell you were some of the places that are going to turn into mud pits while others are keep some what dry. Also looking at what side of the mountain you want to camp on can make a different. Out west if you know a front is coming in on the west side, then you are normal better off camping on the east side.

It is just simple things like this that help you travel lighter and become more in tune with nature.

Wolf

[jakedatc]

12-14lb base weight depending on the season.

my fall list. things i change in the summer are 50F quilt instead of sleeping bag, trade out the puffy for either a sweater or nothing depending on the temps expected
http://www.geargrams.com/list?id=9476

[10-K]

I posted my gear list in one of the long trail threads and it was probably in the 12 lb range as well.

[SouthMark]

A quote that I read somewhere… "The heavier my pack the more I like to camp, the light my pack the more I like to hike".

[Josh Calhoun]

i am at 31 lbs with 7 lbs of food and 64 oz of water. of course i could cut the food down a few lbs and i could leave a couple things at home. but i like my setup

[rusty bumper]

I left Springer in 2011 with a pack weighing 24 lbs...that included 3 days of food, 1 liter of water and my cool weather clothing.

[Paws60]

Thanks folks for all your input. I'm getting closer to my Springer Mt start date of September 20. finding myself waffling back and fourth on what to bring manly do to my pack weight. took out a few items got it down to 37lbs. just found out that you do not need hot water to make those dehydrated meals and not a must am coffee person. so I'm ditching my jetblow canisters of fuel to save another 3lbs now down to 34lbs. the radio, camp chair our already out. after going through my maps and guild books it seems that the trail is marked pretty well should have no problem figuring out were i am on the trail. will bring along a small hand held compass for those times i go off trail. now thinking of taking out the GPS with its extra batteries will save another 1lb now down to 33lbs total weight loaded pack with 64floz and 4 days of food. would like to still get down to 30? set up 3 food drops many for the dog food her pack is down to 8lbs that's with 16oz of water and 4 days of food 3 meals a day. her weight is 65lbs so 8lbs comes into her perimeters for caring weight. Found it easier to have mail food drop to shuttle people then to a post office do their hours. my shuttle people can deliver my parages to me on the trail any time need for between $5 or $10 one drop at a campground right on the trail. Again my only concern is the pack weight!!!!!!!

[Paws60]

Just started my Journal on "Springer to Fantana 2012" you can follow my quest Will I make it or not???????? 15 days to go.

[jakedatc]

ust found out that you do not need hot water to make those dehydrated meals and not a must am coffee person. so I'm ditching my jetblow canisters of fuel

I would not try to eat those things with cold water... for one they will not rehydrate as well and they will probably be gross.

there are other ways of getting lighter. taking a smaller canister stove and a .7-.9L Ti pot for example gives you hot water at a light weight. (1 100g canister lasted me over 2 weeks on the LT with just boiling 1-1.5 cups of water per night for my pasta sides, rice sides, instant potatos, etc much cheaper and calorie dense than the mtn house meal type things.

[SouthMark]

Actually you do not even need a stove. A number of hikers have completed the trail stove less. A family of five just finished the JMT without a stove. Do a stoveless backpacking search on google for some ideas. I met a hiker from New Jersey in the 100 mile wilderness that was hiking without a stove or pot. He had completed the trail and was hiking the trail back to New Jersey.

[jakedatc]

You don't need a stove if you're eating food that doesn't need cooking. Would you want to eat cold semi dehydrated pasta, rice, chili, beans etc? blech...

[Montana AT05]

What's your pack weight loaded?

I dunno, ask my sherpa.

[q-tip]

3 season---14-15 lbs. + food & water.

[Paws60]

I tried the cold water approach this morning on my instant oatmeal, no milk just cold water mixed it all up, I liked it!! My brother in-law just returned from Iraq and Afghani who eat these things for a year said cold/warm water is fine. they've all been per cooked and dehydrated your just adding liquid back into it. To save three pounds I'll make do besides out of each of my 5 day food resupply only 3 dinners are with the pre mixed meals.

[RIBeth]

He had caterers LOL but he has eaten the MRIS before ..lol

I tried the cold water approach this morning on my instant oatmeal, no milk just cold water mixed it all up, I liked it!! My brother in-law just returned from Iraq and Afghani who eat these things for a year said cold/warm water is fine. they've all been per cooked and dehydrated your just adding liquid back into it. To save three pounds I'll make do besides out of each of my 5 day food resupply only 3 dinners are with the pre mixed meals.

[Wolf - 23000]

This is one of the reasons why I don't like gear list or measure someone base on gear weight. Yes you can hike the AT without a stove but it doesn't save you any weight. What you save on the stove, you make up with heavier food. Freeze Dry food you can eat by just adding water but over the long haul you won't be able to survive on them - they don't have the calories or the need vitamins.
What many hikers over look is a stove can be part of your first aid kit. In extreme cold weather when your body is cold, your stove can be used to heat up hot water to warm you up. One of the faults with relying on a sleeping bag or clothes is they work by trap your body heat in while keep the outside elements out. If your body is cold already it is going to take a long time to regain your warmth. A stove can be used to replace that heat. Without it you won’t have a heat source.

This is one of the reasons why I don't like gear list or measure someone base on gear weight. Yes you can hike the AT without a stove but it doesn't save you any weight. What you save on the stove, you make up with heavier food. Freeze Dry food you can eat by just adding water but over the long haul you won't be able to survive on them - they don't have the calories or the need vitamins.
What many hikers over look is a stove can be part of your first aid kit. In extreme cold weather when your body is cold, your stove can be used to heat up hot water to warm you up. One of the faults with relying on a sleeping bag or clothes is they work by trap your body heat in while keep the outside elements out. If your body is cold already it is going to take a long time to regain your warmth. A stove can be used to replace that heat. Without it you won’t have a heat source.


Wolf

[colorado_rob]

Not trying to be ornery on the "no-cook" thing, but for myself, I really look forward to hot beverages both in the evening (cocoa, tea) and mornings (coffee!). I could easily get by w/o cooking food, but I definitely need my hot beverages. The weight cost? For my system, it's a Jetboil sol-titanium, 8.8 ounces including the stove and pot, yeah heavy compared to an alcohol setup, but extremely efficient for fuel. One 7.5 ounce canister that has 4 oz of actual fuel in it lasts for 7 days including cooking food. This is approximately 21-ish boils of 2.5-3 cups each. I'm not making these numbers up or exaggerating a bit, I've kept careful records since I bought this little stove back in April. If you have to go a week between re-supply, I think this is as efficient as possible, except for of course a wood burner system where you don't carry any fuel. For shorter periods, between resupply, 3-4 days, probably an Alchie setup is as good or slightly better, and of course alcohol fuel is more universally available.

Anyway, I gotta have hot drinks morning and night, and the occasional hot meal (soup, mac and cheese, whatever). Just my way, not trying to knock others'.

[Paws60]

I'm heading out on the trail late September so the temperatures should not be an issue. No need or must for hot beverages or meals. To day tried the Coleman Southwest Chile instants meal got this one from Walmart. I used warm water from the tap but out on the trail ill use my hand held solar shower that gets the water to 90 degrees. First thing the solar shower will be used as a water bladder and as a warm water shower and warm water food prep. So today tried the warm water on the Chile and it was good, took a bit longer for the water to sock in with the Chile. Just another plus for not having to take a cooking system along not only saving weight but space as well the one quart solar hand held shower bag weights 3 oz.

[jakedatc]

I'm heading out on the trail late September so the temperatures should not be an issue. No need or must for hot beverages or meals. To day tried the Coleman Southwest Chile instants meal got this one from Walmart. I used warm water from the tap but out on the trail ill use my hand held solar shower that gets the water to 90 degrees. First thing the solar shower will be used as a water bladder and as a warm water shower and warm water food prep. So today tried the warm water on the Chile and it was good, took a bit longer for the water to sock in with the Chile. Just another plus for not having to take a cooking system along not only saving weight but space as well the one quart solar hand held shower bag weights 3 oz.

except that you have to carry 1qt of water (2lb) and somehow have it get sun to warm up. not really a simpler or lighter way to go.

boil water only ul system... 4oz Ti .7L pot, <1oz cat stove, 1oz/boil alcohol