What does your pack weigh?

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rlown
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Re: What does your pack weigh?

Post by rlown »

markskor wrote:If you like and can get by with a scant 9 pounds...more power to you.
If you haul the kitchen sink along, and are happy with weight of 60+ pounds - I am OK with that too. Some here are smaller in stature - maybe weigh 120 pounds, others like me are well over 200...both needing different sized packs. Some like to fish, others practice great photography, some go off trail and high, and still others prefer to do the long trail mile days...all good strategies...all different . Some rely on freeze dried food (Ugh!), just adding water to pre-packaged pouches; others like to eat well and cook real food including fish...thus different stoves/pots required. Some go solo...self-contained, while others share gear weight among a group.
Agreed. If i go early season, i probably bring a tent to escape the skeeters. if i go late summer, i take my chances with the tarp strategy. I always bring lots of extra clothes as i dont like to be cold when i fish. I always bring more and cull based on conditions. I'f i go where i can have a fire, that drops my fuel load and the frying pan for the fish. I'm comfortable with my current pack weight, given how i expect the trip to go.

Appreciate all the input. I learned alot.

Russ
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jimqpublic
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Re: What does your pack weigh?

Post by jimqpublic »

gdurkee wrote:...water. Almost everyone carries too much. A quart, at most, is all you really need. There's very few places on the JMT you go for more that 2 hours without crossing water. Also take a look at the UV light pens for water treatment vs. a filter. Easy to use and you don't feel like you have to do a bunch of water at once (and then carry it...) as with a pump....
g.
I completely agree with that. Back before the giardia scare started 25+ years ago I would only fill my 1 quart bottle before heading up a pass. Then with the hassle of pumping or the time of chemicals I started carrying up to 2 liters.

I ordered a Steripen last week and plan to routinely carry less than a quart.

Last summer for a week my pack was roughly 29 pounds, with an 18 pound base weight including my bear can. Now I have the base weight down to 16 with another pound on the chopping block. (considering poncho & bivy instead of rain jacket). Also last year I took too much food.
Jim
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ultralightly
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Re: What does your pack weigh?

Post by ultralightly »

I've switched over to considering only one's FSO (from skin out) weight rather than just the pack weight. For family camping with our five year old who's still too young for his own backpack my FSO weight, including a Bearikade Weekender, is 17.57 lbs while my wife's FSO is a mere 9.9 lbs. That's before water, food and fuel.

Our packs are a 1 lb Golite Breeze and a homesewn 9 oz. Ray Jardine backpack along with RJ sleeping quilts for each of us, which are large enough to cover our son, and our shelter is a RJ tarp-tent and net-tent, just completed for 2009. We don't use trekking poles.

We have plenty of luxuries as well, including a down vest for my son, one for myself, and a down jacket for my wife, though we don't feel the need for inflatable sleeping pads. Two cameras are our only electronics. Exploring, peak bagging, taking photos, and observing nature are our primary backpacking goals.
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balzaccom
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Re: What does your pack weigh?

Post by balzaccom »

Hi Jim

You wrote: "I completely agree with that. Back before the giardia scare started 25+ years ago I would only fill my 1 quart bottle before heading up a pass. Then with the hassle of pumping or the time of chemicals I started carrying up to 2 liters.

I ordered a Steripen last week and plan to routinely carry less than a quart."

I think it really depends on the place and the season. Late September last year in Emigrant Wilderness we faced a couple of days that included 5 miles without any guaranteed water. In that scenario, I am going to carry an extra liter.

"Last summer for a week my pack was roughly 29 pounds, with an 18 pound base weight including my bear can. "

So you took 11 poiunds of food for seven days? That's lighter than I have ever gone---and I don't pack a ton of food. What did you take to eat?
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rlown
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Re: What does your pack weigh?

Post by rlown »

balzaccom wrote:So you took 11 poiunds of food for seven days? That's lighter than I have ever gone---and I don't pack a ton of food. What did you take to eat?
My food takes up a LOT. I admit i like some of the mountain house foods for simplicity. I feel much better/lighter hiking out after the experience, but i'd like to know as well what you pack for food, JimQ.

Russ
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jimqpublic
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Re: What does your pack weigh?

Post by jimqpublic »

I may be off a bit- My base weight at the start of the trip was 18 and I was estimating my food load from Muir Trail Ranch at 11 pounds. My skin-out weight was 5 pounds more including clothes, Montrail Continental Divide shoes, aluminum trekking poles, and a canvas sun hat.

Last summer my food was granola with powdered milk for breakfast; a bunch of Clif bars, Sesame Snaps, dried fruits, trail mix, etc for lunch; miso soup and one or two dried entrees from Mary Jane's Farm for dinner; a steam baked muffin, chocolate pudding, hot chocolate, and hot sweet chai tea to round out the yummy quotient. I actually packed 3500 calories per day for the first half, but gave quite a bit away. Loading up for my second half I left some food behind and gave more away.

Next trip I'll plan 2500 to 3000 calories/day. That's easy to achieve for about 1.5 pounds including packaging. (figure 125 calories/ounce with 30% from fat, 45% carbs, 25% protein)

Also remember "7 days" means full meals for six days and nights plus one lunch. The hardest part for me isn't the weight, but putting more than 5 night's worth into the Garcia bear can.
Jim
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Re: What does your pack weigh?

Post by Buck Forester »

Let's just say due to my pack weight I don't 'tread lightly', ha! My camera gear and tripod, etc. puts me into the insane weight category. Now that I have high-def video cameras too, it's gotten worse although I haven't gone out much lately. I started the JMT in Yosemite Valley in 2003 with an 85 lb pack. After that crazy ascent with that load to Toulumne Meadows, I mailed about 20 lbs of stuff back home. I think I'm 2" shorter now due to spine compression from all my heavy loads over the years. I'm going to start sleeping hanging from my feet to get some length back.

I did one super lightweight 3-day backpack in Desolation Wilderness a coupla years ago just to see what it was like... I was carrying an Arc'Teryx super light pack (I forget the name of it, it's more like a day pack), a light tarp, my REI Sub Kilo bag and some handfuls of grub, and it was a friggin' DREAM. Completely awesome. I was flyin' down the trails, it felt so nice. And my back felt great at the end of the day and I wasn't all wore out like a pack mule. But I only had a point-n-shoot camera on that trip. My freako desire to capture wilderness images is a burden. All the gear. Oh, the burden. :-({|= Ha! But it's worth it to me. And it's worth it for my wife, as my photography income allows her to stay home with our kids.
It's all about the WILDERNESS!!!

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Re: What does your pack weigh?

Post by ndwoods »

rlown wrote:
ndwoods wrote:Base weight for 9 days is 12 lbs. Add food and a quart of water and it's about 32 lbs at start...
Can you elaborate on your "Base weight" gear?

Russ
Hi Russ...sorry for delay in ans...I am too busy, sheesh!:) Anyway, here is my list and some of my gear is older so weights are not the same as same products today...ie now they would be a little more or a little less with new versions:

Pack/Sleeping Gear
ULA P-2 Pack w/rainfly-2 lb 13 oz (45 oz)
Versalite super/stuff sack-2 lb 4 oz (36 oz)
Thermarest 3/4/stuff sack-1 lb 1 oz (17 oz)
Bibler Bivy-9oz (When hiking with honey we split a big agnes seedhouse tent)
Gossamer gear groundsheet 2oz

Total -6 lb 13 oz (109 oz)

Clothes (these items change routinely)

Early Winters fleece sweater-7 oz
Patagonia capilene ls zip t-7 oz
raingear 8 oz (like frog togs but something else I can't remember)
Patagonia dragonfly pullover-3.5 oz
Mtn Hardwear Fleece Hat/gloves-3 oz
1 extra pair socks/undies-3.5 oz

Total-2 lb (32 oz)

Ditty Bag:
knife-
spoon
baggiesss
matches
compass
map/wilderness permit
bandana
brush
toothbrush/paste/floss
sunscreen
chapstick
lotion/razor
1st aid kit
camera/battery
bug repellant
arch support
iodine
led lights
needle/thread
minerals etc

Misc:
Water Bottle 6 oz
Ursack-6oz (usually take wild ideas barricade tho)
Cup/lid 2 oz
Reading Glasses 3 oz
silnylon daypack 3 oz
skeeter bivy x 2-9.5 oz
book-8.5 oz
stove/fuel tabs
pan
sunglasses
whistle

Misc optional: (take rarely but sometimes stuff)
ice axe
binoculars
altimeter
sandals
nature guides
tripod
mosquito headnet
crampons
pillowcase
radio/batteries



Wearing or carrying-not included in weights
Ball cap w/flaps
T shirt
shorts
gaitors
socks/undies
Shoes
walking stick

Sorry I didn't do the complete weights and total...on the run! But it comes out to 12lb and 6 oz or so and with honey when we take tent and barricade it is still same cuz we split community gear...
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Jmma
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Re: What does your pack weigh?

Post by Jmma »

I wish I could get to 52 pounds.I backpack to fish and no matter what I do my pack always comes in at around75-80 lbs.I use an Arc-Teryx bora 95 and stuff it to the gills.I am not really a fan of the ultra light gear because less weight just means less material and I am a fan of quality durable gear. I do not want to have to baby my gear or be buying new equipment every 3 yrs.Now when I say 75-80 lbs that is for a 7 day pluss trip which I usually do.I realize I bring too much stuff and am trying to have it at a 65 lb max this summer but if a bad storm rolls in or it gets real cold I am always prepared.
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rlown
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Re: What does your pack weigh?

Post by rlown »

Wow! Jmma..

If i don't feel good about lifting the base pack at home, i repack. I never go above 60lbs (unless i really wanna go somewhere and it's miserable out.)

But as previously stated, if you use what you take and enjoy it, take it. It's your back (paraphrased to my interpretation.)

Regards,

Russ
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