Why is my pack so heavy?

“So, I am leaving for the JMT Saturday. I am going in for 7 days and only carrying part of my food. I have just finished packing and re-packing everything. I have nothing good, no extras, no fun surprises, and only 2 1/2 days of food. Yet, my pack still weighs 36 pounds. I guess I will never make it as a thru-hiker as that obnoxious park ranger told me on the Skyline to Sea trail when he saw me eating Salmon and rice pilaf. Nope, no Salmon on this trip. Strictly that dehydrated sodium powdered stuff.

I thought I had lighter gear for this trip? I guess I will never be an ultra light hiker or even a light hiker. Just call me 'heavy girl' as you will see my boot prints embedded in the trail. Hmmmm.....do I detect yet another trail name?”

“Nothing wrong with 36lb for 7 days.

Hell, my winter day pack weights 20.


Hike your own hike.
last edited: 7/18/07 9:46:25 PM”

“Yes...but did you read only 2 1/2 days of food? I pick up more at a resupply. Must be that dang rain fly or waterproof gear. Although, last time I didn't take the waterproofs in the Sierras we had a 3 day storm. Can you say 'Garbage Bag'?”

“Just finished packing for an upcoming trip....20 1/2 lbs before I add the water (2L) of it. That is with food added in. So I am happy :-) Course I am also sleeping in my tarp tent.....I would have been lighter, but I decided to live it up and take an extra pair of underwear, 2 pairs socks and short length long johns for sleeping in.

food:


my tent:


Have fun though :-) I hope to hike there soon!”

“My pack is around 30 pounds no matter how I try to get it down. There are just some things I'm not willing to do without and I'm ok with that.
Like mtnsteve said...hike your own hike.”

“Sarbar - I am looking at your food.....are those pringles AND tortillas? Shoot - I think I may have to ditch the change of shorts, extra pair of undies, and socks. I can wash the ones I am wearing if people start to complain on day 5 right?

Oh yea...that includes two liters of water.
last edited: 7/18/07 10:12:43 PM”

“Sandyann, what are you taking for food?

How much fuel?”

“I am taking the pcoket rocket with 1 large and 1 small cannister of fuel. Also the MSR kettle that goes with the pocket rocket. I am carrying the stove/fuel combo for community gear with another person. i have Oatmeal and Grits for breakfast. Tiger's Milk bars, Mountain House dinners split into two servings. Trail mix and some Emmentaler cheese. A couple pretzels and I think I hid some PB in there. Ok...maybe I am eating ok.... :o) But there are no Pringles!
last edited: 7/18/07 10:16:24 PM”

“Sarbar - How many days is that?”

“Hehheh...yep, both Pringles, tortillas, a big bag of chocolate chip cookies and a tub of Laura's bites :-D
My food weight is about 7 1/2 lbs for 4 days. I am also taking biscuits and a cake to make in my tiny Fauxbaker.

On the other hand, I am sleeping in my silnylon slip and slide ;-)

I don't go without-I am sleeping on a T-Rest Prolite pad, and I have a T-Rest Prolit sit pad I use as a pillow as well. I am even carrying a long sleeve t-shirt and a pair of pants for camp. And Crocs for all the water crossings.

I just don't carry anything extra. I am wearing my MtSmith Seraph pack (lady Ghost) so I don't have a lot of room! I pack it like a suitcase, shoving stuff in.

And I also weigh everything. I am really obsessive about that.”

“Did I forget the Cap'n Morgan? Perhaps it is my personal hygiene/beauty products that weigh so much? Perhaps less TP?
last edited: 7/18/07 10:19:42 PM”

“7 days is a long time to go if you've forgotten something or skimped on gear too. I've done 3 days with 18lb, including water. I wouldn't try to add more food to that for 7 days, or even 5.

On long trips I always seem to come back with extra food, easily a couple pounds. I bet you could go 3+ days on what your bringing....or not, LOL.

Enjoy your trip and quit worrying about a few pounds. Think of it as training for mountaineering ;-)
last edited: 7/18/07 10:22:41 PM”

“By the way, I am also carrying 4 tubs of PB, 4 ounces of Parmesan cheese (I spread it on every dinner thick!), 4 ounces olive oil....
I learned a lesson last year on a different PCT trip: don't cut weight in food. I lost 10 lbs in 5 days, and the last day I walked nearly 19 miles as I ran out of food, so I went home versus walking out hungry in the morning.

I then ate an entire large pizza and fell asleep...lol!

I'll probably pick up a bag of peas and maybe some Swiss cheese on the way in :-)

Pringles are medicine btw ;-) Dang good source of potassium!”

“Oh yeah...and I am carrying a nice fluffy roll of TP. I'd rather have TP than extra socks. It can be bartered off later ;-)”

“Steve - When I gave my resupply box to my friends - they were quite shocked at how little it was. Since that box holds 4 days of food they are concerned I may try to mooch off of them. Hehehe, I do have this winter coat to lose though.”

“OK, I'm sure your food is fine. I usually loose my appetite out there.
last edited: 7/18/07 10:33:04 PM”

““Did I forget the Cap'n Morgan? Perhaps it is my personal hygiene/beauty products that weigh so much? Perhaps less TP?
last edited: 7/18/07 8:19:42 PM”
sandyann
8:18:38 PM
7/18/07

OK, so what ARE you carrying there? I find that most women do carry too much of that. All you really need is a washcloth, wipes and a tiny antiperspirant, tiny toothbrush & paste, tiny sunblock & chapstick. Two rolls of TP is all you need.”

“My pack weighed 40 lbs. for a recent 8 day trip, including water, camera, GPS, etc. Shared cooking gear, tent, and filter with my son.

Bearikade canister plus food weighed 10.5 lbs.”

“Is 36 pounds too heavy for you to carry?”

“I did a 7 day trip in the Gila Wilderness but planned 8-9 days: I had about 10 days of food. My pack came in at 32 lbs with about 1.5 litres of water. I tend to not eat a lot when BP'ng so usually lose weight; I snack a lot and eat only dinner as my hearty meal. Not a good idea for some people.
I carried a bivy , one small fuel cannister ( and I boiled water in am for coffee and pm for rehydrating food)
I repackaged all food stuffs to ziplocks. Took one small titanium pot, plastic cup.
I took a 1.5 lb bivy and a sil tarp, Aqua Mira and bleach instead of a filter, and WM Ultralite bag with weighs under 2lbs.

I utilized a waist pack for camera stuff and it held snacks too to give my back a break.
I took light weight thermals for night and some spare socks, and a fleece top, rain gear and that was it for clothes.
Most people take too many clothes. I do sometimes if I am going bushwacking.

Taking weight off my pack certainly helped my knees and feet, and it made BP'ng more enjoyable if not so sore after a day on the trail.

Have fun!!!”

“Try 60-70 lbs for a weekend hike in Sipsey...

Musta been the extra ammo........

Maybe Dayhiker or Divinity can 'splain it for me, then there are the folks who went on one hike into Savage Gulf; they wanted to change my trailname to "Hardware Man".....”

“The weight is not too much for me...but I am going to hear it from my trail mates. I am seriously trying to cut the weight. Here is a list of what I have:
Marmot Never Winter Bag
Eureka Spitfire tent (one man)
Thermarest Classic with chair kit
MH Down Jacket
1 patagonia light bottoms
1 patagonia light top
1 pair extra socks
1 extra underoos
1 extra shorts
balaclava
fleece gloves
marmot shell/pants
Small Bear Vault 7lbs
Personal items (sunscreen, deordorant, TP, advil, bandaids, moleskin, toothbrush/toothpaste(both travel), personal thingies just in case)
Petzl Tika Headlamp
Pocket Rocket
Titanium Kettle/Cup combo/bowl/spoon
1 large/1 small fuel cannister (community)
compass
2 liters water
Some Captain Morgan for the first night

I seriously can not part with any of it....so I guess I can be strong and suck it up.”

“Deodorant? Really

Hell, the bear vault explains a bunch.



Deodorant?”

“If your trail mates give you grief, call em sissys.

ANYONE can carry less than 36lb

It takes a real woman to carry what she wants.”

“Yes Steve....That is why I didn't describe what is in the Bear Vault.... :o)”

“1 large/1 small fuel cannister (community)???


is anyone else carrying fuel? if not give them the large one to carry.

there are some good threads on pack weight if you do a search.

the bear vault weight really sucks. If I lived out there I would invest in the Bearikade since you have to use one so much



last edited: 7/19/07 7:20:16 AM”

“I will make only one pronoucement: cutting back on toilet paper is playing with fire, LOL

Oh! One more thing (sorry, I lied)... beware of so-called friends sneaking rocks into your pack.”

“and beer.”

“Yes...my friends are the kind who have been known to sneak beer into another's pack.”

“Ah, the Bear Vault explains extra weight. I am using one of my Ursacks for my trip.

Ok, leave the chair kit at home! I know it feels good ;-)
On the jacket, do you need a full jacket at this time (what is the elevation?), I know in the Cascades in Late July/August I can push a down vest instead, saving 1/2 a lb sometimes. Do you expect nasty weather? If not can you leave the shell pants behind and just take the jacket?

Otherwise your pack stuff looks fine...it just all adds up...and I know how that is!”

“the bear vault weight really sucks. If I lived out there I would invest in the Bearikade since you have to use one so much



last edited: 7/19/07 7:20:16 AM”
Ewker
7:19:05 AM
7/19/07

Ewker, the small Bearvault (BV350) only weighs 2oz more then the small Bearikade (Weekender). Is it really worth paying $158 more to save 2 ounces?”

“We will be up over 10,000 ft, can't remember too much about the elevation other than that. This has been a cold summer down in the valleys so it may be colder up there. I am carrying the jacket and shells because the last time when I didn't take them it rained for 3 days. Not much fun laying in a one man tent waiting for the drips to begin. I should look into more of a down sweater.”

“Ewker, the small Bearvault (BV350) only weighs 2oz more then the small Bearikade (Weekender). Is it really worth paying $158 more to save 2 ounces?”
lumberzac
9:32:30 AM
7/19/07


lumberzac, thanks I didn't know that. Has the bear vault become easier to open for humans...lol
last edited: 7/19/07 7:40:03 AM”

“The newer ones are approved. I don't know about the lid opening as I have no experience with the BV350. The only time I've had trouble opening my 250 was when the weather was cold and my fingers were a bit numb.”

“Gotcha, at 10K I'd be carrying the pants as well!!”

“Just an FYI --

I can't remember who mentioned it here, the news that Bearvault came out with a stronger lid a while back.  I had one of the early ones... sent them an email and the new (free) lid arrived in the mail 2 days later.

Kudos, BV.”

“Hey Sandy, what kinda pack are you using? I may have missed it above, but sometimes we never take into consideration the weight of the empty pack. The first pack I started to use was a Kelty Red Cloud. This sucker weighs 8 pounds by itself!”

“Tilt, I think that might have been Woodzie.

How does your's open with the new lid..is it easier”

“I am using a Osprey Ariel. Guess I forgot that one important item.

Just try opening one of those things where ice has gotten inside and you have frozen fingers. Always use my knife or a stick to push the little thingy in...works every time.”

“I'd say, ditch the TP.....

You can find plenty to wipe with on trail. :)”

“especially around those pitch pine trees ;-)”

“it's not winter where you are going; is it? down jacket, balaclava, fleece gloves, shell/pants? I'd skip these and the chair. but then i'm baking in California here. when i went camping recently i only needed a long sleeve shirt and a flannel at night; and i am the one who is ALWAYS cold.”

“Personally, I would put with the extra few onces for the chair. After a few days on the trail, my back would be killing me if I couldn't use my chair.

I also use it under my short pad for sleeping on. Double duty.”

“I don't think 36 pounds is bad. Should ride good in that Osprey pack.”

“E, that lid is just the same as the original one as far as that goes... It's just a little thicker to prevent Yogi from cracking it.

I'm just Real Careful not to overdo it when I close the damn thing, LOL

(ever since that time early on when I had to practically STAND on the side of the lid while I turned the Body of the jar to get it open!)”

“Pamela - It is not winter but in the Sierra's it can get quite cold in the summer and has been known to snow in August. My down jacket is the only form of warmth I am taking besides getting in the bag. The fleece gloves are really just liners as is the balaclava. We will be above 11,000ft.”

“Pack not heavy. You weak.

I am kidding, BTW. I dunno. Your list looks pretty streamlined to me.
last edited: 7/19/07 1:06:45 PM”

“Thank you, Tarzan... or was that Tonto, or ...”

“Actually, I was envisioning more of a Confucius tone...”

“I started the AT last year with a 37lb pack. It eventually dropped to the low thirties on average after resupply.

Your gear selection looks good.
Enjoy yourself :)”