Is my total pack weight too much?

[s.ivanoff]

I am planning to thru-hike the AT and I wanted to know if my total weight is too much.

Total weight: 40lbs (this includes everything packed, food, water, clothing & shoes worn and trekking poles carried). Pack weight is around 37lbs not including my clothing&shoes worn and my trekking poles

Food: 14lbs (7days, 2lbs/day) This is the max amount of food I will be carrying so it will vary depending on how often I stop so it may go to 10lbs for 5 days

Water: 2 liters (4lbs) at a time (refill mid day)

I think once I get going I will realize that I don't need some things so I will send them home or throw out so I know it will lighten as I go but I want peoples opinions on whether or not this is manageable. I am young, I don't have any preexisting aches or issues, and I am in pretty good shape. But I do plan to do the hike pretty quickly (4 months max due to time restraints) and this will be my first backpacking trip longer than a few days aka I'm a rookie.

Any advice is much appreciated!

[MuddyWaters]

Its dang heavy by my standards, but probably about average for most, and better than a lot.

If you are going to get rid of thing, go ahead and get rid of them before you start (duh!)

[hikerboy57]

def on the heavy side, but you probably already know that.start thinking about things you can live without for a week at a time, and find items thatl do double duty. if you want to post your list, im sure you'll get plenty of solicited and unsolicited advice.

[Sherpa Master]

Overall it's not too bad. I wonder a little about your food at 2 lbs per day. Typical is around a pond and a half. Pending your reapply spacing hopefully you won't have to carry that many days. Check everything and see if you have any duplication. The lighter the better. Even though your young the ups and downs will take their toll on long mileage days. Good luck and enjoy the adventure.

[oldbear]

Kind of depends how big you are
If you're a little person it is and if you're a big person it's not

[s.ivanoff]

Overall it's not too bad. I wonder a little about your food at 2 lbs per day. Typical is around a pond and a half. Pending your reapply spacing hopefully you won't have to carry that many days. Check everything and see if you have any duplication. The lighter the better. Even though your young the ups and downs will take their toll on long mileage days. Good luck and enjoy the adventure.

Yeah the research I have done says 1.5-2lbs per day so I am just estimating on the high side. So maybe I should go for 1.5lbs/day with 5 day of food? This would cut off 7 ish pounds

[s.ivanoff]

Kind of depends how big you are
If you're a little person it is and if you're a big person it's not

I am 5'9" 150 pound female, so I am sort of big

[oldbear]

I am 5'9" 150 pound female, so I am sort of big

At your size that 40 lbs is 26.6% of your bodyweight
I'm a 6'2" 250 lb male and at my size that 40 lbs is 16% of my bodyweight

[Bati]

You won't need to carry 7 days of food, except in a few spots. I did for SMNP and the 100 mile wilderness, but today there are easier resupply points for these.
Plan on only carrying 5 days of food at a time, and you drop 4 pounds. A 35 pound pack will be very manageable; that 5 pounds will make a difference!

[Wise Old Owl]

Overall it's not too bad. I wonder a little about your food at 2 lbs per day. Typical is around a pond and a half. Pending your reapply spacing hopefully you won't have to carry that many days. Check everything and see if you have any duplication. The lighter the better. Even though your young the ups and downs will take their toll on long mileage days. Good luck and enjoy the adventure.

You won't need to carry 7 days of food, except in a few spots. I did for SMNP and the 100 mile wilderness, but today there are easier resupply points for these.
Plan on only carrying 5 days of food at a time, and you drop 4 pounds. A 35 pound pack will be very manageable; that 5 pounds will make a difference!

What they said ... grab the list and include the food and post your backpack let's figure out what you really don't need.... everyone here at WB has good insight.

[s.ivanoff]

What they said ... grab the list and include the food and post your backpack let's figure out what you really don't need.... everyone here at WB has good insight.

Thanks everyone. I will post my full list shortly and hopefully knock a few pounds off

[Spokes]

Agree with the too much food comments. 3-4 days food between re-supply on the AT is normal. By the time you hit the 100 mile wilderness you'll have your legs so no worries there.

Wonder how much other "small stuff" you're carrying that's eating up the pack weight?

[kevperro]

Yea... do yourself a favor and post that list. It is MUCH better to start off with a reasonable weight. The first couple weeks are when you are most likely to injure yourself and starting off with a 40lb. pack is unwise.

If I were doing the AT again I'd start off the trip with a 10lb base weight. Even over the 100 mile section in Maine I would never carry >25lbs. Trim some weight and you will greatly increase your comfort and drastically reduce your chance of injury.

[bigcranky]

37 pounds is heavy to me, but probably lighter than most starting thru-hikers. I've seen a lot of BIG packs in Georgia in the last few years. The first three or four days on the trail will give you a crash course in exactly what you need, and what you can send home. If you make it the 30 miles to Neels Gap, the outfitter store will be happy to send home your excess weight, and/or sell you lighter gear.

When are you starting? What exactly are you carrying?

[Old Boots]

My suggestion is to stop by Mountain Crossing on your way to Springer if you can and let them review with you what you are taking before you head out.

[sterling98]

If my math is right that's a 19 lb in pack base weight... That's not too bad. What's your big four weight? You probably either have a chunky old big 4 item that you could replace, or too many little unnecessary cluttering items.

[hikerboy57]

My suggestion is to stop by Mountain Crossing on your way to Springer if you can and let them review with you what you are taking before you head out.

those guys are great, but you'll get plenty of advice right here once you post your list, which will save you $$$$. mountain crossings is a business, and youll be hostage to the gear they have available at their prices. you'll have more flexibility shopping if you need to replace any major items.just get your list posted so we can help.

[MuddyWaters]

Consider this..

If your pack is 50 lbs, and you do 8 miles per day, you may need 5 days food for 40 mile re-supply = 7.5 lbs
If your pack is 30 lbs and you do 12 miles per day, you may only need 4 days food = 6 lbs
If your pack is 15 lbs and you do 20+ miles per day, you may only need 2 days food.= 3 lbs

The lighter you are, the faster you can walk, the less food AND water you have to carry.

[Wise Old Owl]

My suggestion is to stop by Mountain Crossing on your way to Springer if you can and let them review with you what you are taking before you head out.

OB lets do it here before he get's to Springer.... “We can rebuild him. We have the technology. We can make him better than he was. Better...stronger...faster.”
for folk that don't get the reference. laugh your hiking socks off..

[shelb]

OB lets do it here before he get's to Springer.... “We can rebuild him. We have the technology. We can make him better than he was. Better...stronger...faster.”
for folk that don't get the reference. laugh your hiking socks off..

Imagine him hiking!