Pack Weight vs Belly Weight

[rickb]

After reading some of the posts in the "is a 4lb (emptly) pack unacceptably heavy" I thought I'd start my own thread on how such a focus misses the mark for so many of us. More easily ignored this way.

Mostly, I was thinking about how heavy (read: fat) many of the proponents of light weight packs are. Seems very odd to me that one can be all consumed with the weight of a pack when when exponentially greater improvements could be had by monitoring what they consume themselves-- at McDonalds.

That is were one can cut weight big time.

Then again, I would be the first to admit that an "extra" pound (or 20) feels more uncomfortable in a pack when walking down the trail than it does on my belly. Just as bad for the knees and such, but comfort wise, I am saying. Why is that? I guess the obviouls answer is becasue of the way the weight is distributed.

Go figure, weight distribution matters to comfort-- but that would be the subject for another thread. As would by my musings on whether or not one's pack choice and weight terrors might actually be a driving force behind the popular choice to resupply every more frequently along the AT. Nah, that couldn't be.

Anyway, I am off to Dunkin's for a couple donuts and a bagel. Who knows, I might meet up with some light-weight (gear wise only, of course) hikers in line there and contiue this discussion as we load up.

[Old Hiker]

Had my Dunkin's Sunday - bought a dozen to put into the freezer so I can bring 2 to work twice a week. I'm trying to cut down, but it ain't workin'!!

Gained 30 pounds after getting off -Trail last year. I went down to 180 on the Trail - back up to 210 now. Too many calories, not enough walking. Hard to be motivated when your next thru attempt is 3 years away and you've walked the local trails to death.

Strange how the pack was heavy, but the belly wasn't. The only thing "uncomfortable" was when I put my pack on and tightened up the hip belt, I didn't HAVE to ask if my pack made me look fat. It really emphasized the tubbiness. (tubbyness?).

[10-K]

I point blank asked a guy one time why he spent so much money losing pack weight when he could lose body weight a lot cheaper and be healthier for it.

His response was that he was already carrying too much body weight which was hard enough - anything he could do to lighten the load he was carrying helped him a lot. Carrying extra pack weight was adding insult to injury.

[Venchka]

At $200-$300-$500/pound and up to shed a few ounces from your pack, shedding several pounds from your body is definitely the way to go.

Wayne

[Tuckahoe]

My pack usually comes in at about 28 pounds and I am pretty happy with that. I have been much happier losing the weight on the gut than dropping weight from the pack.

I will say that as one who has dropped about 100 pounds, I get tired hearing all the blame laid on places like McDonalds. Sorry folks, the clown or the king didnt make you do it, you did it to yourself. It's not that you went to McDonalds, it's that you went there and ordered 2 Quarterpounders and a Big Mac with 2 large fries and had 3 refills of soda.

[Edie]

When my friend cinched up my hip belt on the trail one day because it was stuck, it did emphasize my muffin top and I told her "you just ruptured my appendix". I need to lose twenty pounds : (

[Almost There]

I've dropped 33lbs since Christmas, and hope to drop another 20 more before my section hike in June. I agree though that we handle weight on our bodies better not only because of distribution, but because we get used to it over time. It's not like anyone puts on 30lbs overnight. Packweight, however, is immediate, and so it seems far more severe to the body.

As for McD's, the King, or the Red haired wench...it's not their fault, I agree, but the reality is there is nothing "healthy" on any of their menus. I have lost weight by changing my eating habits and exercising...simple, really, and I hope that I'll feel the results on the trail come summer.

[yellowsirocco]

It is always good to keep your pack weight down, but there is a point of diminishing returns and if you have a gut then it is silly to go past it and count grams.

[alxflwrs]

It is always good to keep your pack weight down, but there is a point of diminishing returns and if you have a gut then it is silly to go past it and count grams.

this. .

[Malto]

Why focus on pack weight than belly weight....... Because it is easier. You can write a check for the new high tech lightweight gizmo but it takes real work to lose and maintain ideal body weight. The ironic thing is that the very act of lightening ones pack often involves sitting in front of a computer which is the opposite of what will address the body weight.

[Another Kevin]

I've been getting back into hiking over the last couple of years after far too long away from it, and I don't have a lot of time for it - I spend far too many hours in front of a computer or a microscope. I'm still out of shape and out of practice, with a belly and a pack that are both heavier than they ought to be, but both a lot lighter than they were a couple of years ago. I'm not going to say that I need to be at ideal body weight before I can work on shedding pack weight, or vice versa. The only fix for 'out of shape and out of practice' is to get out there and hike - and I'm more likely to do that if my pack isn't killing me.

[Hot Flash]

Eh, at 125# I'm within five pounds of my high school weight (and that was over 30 years ago). I'm one of those fortunate few who just don't gain a lot, even after having babies and with eating as much as I like. So I think I'll just sit here, eat my donuts, and brace myself for the waves of hateful tears to wash over me like sweet sweet sugared soda...

[Old Hiker]

.......................................... So I think I'll just sit here, eat my donuts, and brace myself for the waves of hateful tears to wash over me like sweet sweet sugared soda...

Dr Pepper throw-back?? With REAL cane sugar?? Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

[FlyPaper]

Here is a thought experiment.

How much weight would you like to lose? Now, how much would you pay to magically make the weight go away. (Someone is going
to say "you can't magically make weight go away". Bear with me, this is a thought experiment, not an offer or sales pitch).

For me, about 20 pounds, and I'd happily pay $400 to make it go away. More expensive than that, and I may be inclined to just go
with diet and exercise.

That works out to be about $20 per pound.

Now, consider the difference between a 3 pound sleeping bag versus a 2 pound sleeping bag. I'm thinking it's usually around $100 more
to shave off that pound on a sleeping bag and still get equal performance as far as temperature rating and size goes.

So I have to ask myself, am I going to pay $100 more to save a pound of pack weight when I wouldn't pay $100 to take a pound of
fat off my body? Just food for thought.

[Tinker]

I've always been a bit heavy. The lowest I've been my entire adult life was 175 back in 1977 after being out of work and too proud to ask for handouts. I was between jobs, between states, and traveling. As soon as I got a job my weight went up to 185, which was pretty healthy, considering I was doing landscaping work. I continued the landscaping full-time until I got married in 1981. I had gotten up to 205 lbs. by that time. Since then, my weight has been between 205 and 235, with the average being 215, which is where I am now. I can lose a couple of pounds in a couple of weeks if I try, but it comes right back on as soon as someone invites me to dinner.

My blood pressure goes down the day after I excercise strenuously, as it does when I avoid salt and fat. The change is pretty dramatic.

Also, when I am well hydrated my blood pressure is lower than when I am dehydrated (thick blood is tougher for the heart to pump than thin blood, I guess).


My lower number is usually in the 60s and 70s. The upper number averages the high 120s, with 140 giving me concern and under 120 giving me hope .

And, yes, like most folks who like hiking more than camping, I have lightened my pack load over the past 15 years, most dramatically by going from a 5 lb. heavy-duty pack to a 14 oz. frameless pack (20 oz. if you count the foam pad which forms the "frame"), but most folks include a sleeping pad with their gear weight, and I have both a hammock and a pad, which gives me versatility.

No. I don't miss the weight .

P.s. I bought most of my gear on sale, and lightening my load at the same time.

[shakey_snake]

Then again, I would be the first to admit that an "extra" pound (or 20) feels more uncomfortable in a pack when walking down the trail than it does on my belly. Just as bad for the knees and such, but comfort wise, I am saying. Why is that? I guess the obviouls answer is becasue of the way the weight is distributed.

The same can be said about that 4 pound pack, right? The extra two pounds of suspension helps "distribute the weight better" on your back and shoulders, but it's still extra wear and tear on knees and ankles and feet and leg muscles. Right?

[RedBeerd]

As your body weight goes down, shouldn't your pack weight as well? So I guess either way you'll have to lighten the load on your back at some point.

[Old Boots]

Why not lose both belly and pack weight? I did at my Dr.'s suggestion and it means I can hike for longer time. Isn't that the ultimate goal? It isn't so much dollars and cents as it is common sense.

[HikerMom58]

Why not lose both belly and pack weight? I did at my Dr.'s suggestion and it means I can hike for longer time. Isn't that the ultimate goal? It isn't so much dollars and cents as it is common sense.

I love common sense!!

[staehpj1]

Maintaining a lean body weight and a light pack weight are two different things, but are both desirable. Doing or not doing one isn't necessarily a good reason to do or not do the other.

I agree that spending on lots of expensive Cuben fiber stuff and being 50 pounds overweight is a little silly, but let's face it the easiest weight to lose is the weight you lose by leaving stuff home.

So three main ways to lose weight:

1. Leave stuff home
2. Buy expensive cottage industry gear
3. Maintain a lean body weight by watching your diet and exercising

Item one is the easiest and a no brainer in my opinion. No reason, IMO, not to do this even if you are morbidly obese and either don't plan to, or try and fail to lose body weight.

Item two, I think can get kind of silly, but if you have a lot of disposable income and are not too frugal, why not? It would seem pretty crazy to go too overboard here if you are extremely overweight, but again no harm other than to your wallet.

Item 3 is undoubtedly the hardest for many folks and involves constant commitment. It also possibly means not enjoying other aspects of your life in ways some want to.

Me, I go fairly extreme on item 1 and being kind of frugal mostly resist the temptation of the crazy light high dollar gear of item 2. I figure that I can get to 6-7 pound base without a scrap of Cuben fiber, so why bother with going too nuts over the last few and most expensive ounces? I try not to judge others who choose differently here.

On item 3... I trail run 5 days a week because I like to and depending on the season that might vary between 20 and 50 or even 60 miles per week. I eat too much and carry a few extra pounds around the middle as a result, but try to keep that within reason. I figure that, even if I am a few pounds overweight, I am not doing too bad if at age 61 I can still comfortably run between 6 and 12 miles of hilly trail per day, 5 days a week.

In general I think folks would do better to just make their own choices in these three areas and not judge those of others.