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Post by cweston on Apr 10, 2020 12:01:49 GMT -8
I know I'm weird, but I have never weighed my pack. I'm aware, obviously, that it will weigh more if I carry more extras, that it will weigh less if I replace older, heavier gear with newer, lighter gear, and so on. Duh. (My pack, tent and sleeping gear are all reasonably modern, light-if-not-ultralight gear.) I'm not a gram weenie, but I do travel pretty light--I carry pretty-much nothing that most people here would regard as a weight-luxury*. I carry the lightest version at my disposal (money *is* an object) of everything I've learned through experience that I need, and don't carry the things that I've learned through experience that I don't need. Beyond that, I figure my pack will weigh what it weighs.
(*Except safety items, like axe and crampons when they are needed, etc.)
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jazzmom
Trail Wise!
a.k.a. TigerFan
Posts: 3,059
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Post by jazzmom on Apr 10, 2020 18:12:24 GMT -8
It's a meaningful number for those who like to compare the size of their junk with others. It becomes a meaningful number when you're 5'2" and your kid, who is still too light to carry all of his gear but can out-eat a horse, starts hiking with you. I started seriously analyzing my base weight because I get pretty cranky when I have to go hungry.
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rebeccad
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Writing like a maniac
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Post by rebeccad on Apr 10, 2020 19:00:17 GMT -8
It's a meaningful number for those who like to compare the size of their junk with others. It becomes a meaningful number when you're 5'2" and your kid, who is still too light to carry all of his gear but can out-eat a horse, starts hiking with you. I started seriously analyzing my base weight because I get pretty cranky when I have to go hungry. Yeah, it was when we stopped using horsepackers and made pack mules of ourselves to get our boys out there with us that I started to think hard about weight. I’m a little bigger than you, but still can’t carry an immense pack.
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toejam
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Hiking to raise awareness
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Post by toejam on Apr 10, 2020 23:54:50 GMT -8
It's a meaningful number for those who like to compare the size of their junk with others. It becomes a meaningful number when you're 5'2" and your kid, who is still too light to carry all of his gear but can out-eat a horse, starts hiking with you. I started seriously analyzing my base weight because I get pretty cranky when I have to go hungry. Yeah, it was when we stopped using horsepackers and made pack mules of ourselves to get our boys out there with us that I started to think hard about weight. I’m a little bigger than you, but still can’t carry an immense pack. The point was if your pack is more than double your base weight, then base weight is meaningless. Nothing but a number for wankers to compare themselves by. I'm just glad you're quoting me.
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toejam
Trail Wise!
Hiking to raise awareness
Posts: 1,795
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Post by toejam on Apr 10, 2020 23:59:24 GMT -8
Love how that blew up my avatar. Hope I can hike that trail again in a few weeks.
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rebeccad
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Writing like a maniac
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Post by rebeccad on Apr 11, 2020 8:08:43 GMT -8
toejam, I disagree. If my pack is going to be twice my base weight, I’d much rather that weight is 15 lbs than 20! 😂
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jazzmom
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a.k.a. TigerFan
Posts: 3,059
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Post by jazzmom on Apr 12, 2020 4:54:09 GMT -8
The point was if your pack is more than double your base weight, then base weight is meaningless. Nothing but a number for wankers to compare themselves by. I'm apparently a wanker.
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Post by JRinGeorgia on Apr 12, 2020 5:43:28 GMT -8
The point was if your pack is more than double your base weight, then base weight is meaningless. Nothing but a number for wankers to compare themselves by. I don't understand how it could be anything but meaningful. Whether it's from your gear or your consumables, weight it weight, and you have to carry it all. Less is better than more so you don't get as exhausted and can go farther and higher more enjoyably.
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Post by cweston on Apr 12, 2020 6:03:49 GMT -8
Well, you know, social distancing and all. Best to play it safe.
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rebeccad
Trail Wise!
Writing like a maniac
Posts: 12,667
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Post by rebeccad on Apr 12, 2020 7:29:19 GMT -8
The point was if your pack is more than double your base weight, then base weight is meaningless. Nothing but a number for wankers to compare themselves by. I'm apparently a wanker. LOL. Sometimes I think some of these guys don’t begin to get what pounds mean to us smaller folks. I look at it this way: there is a top weight that my pack can manage, which just happens to be about the top weight that my body can handle. That means basically that the lower my base weight, the more food I can carry, and thus the more days I can stay out.
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Post by swmtnbackpacker on Apr 13, 2020 19:55:13 GMT -8
Think jazzmom has the basic idea I use. I usually don’t carry too much in my pockets either, so that’s going to be negligible to the weight of the garments anyways. As to how much, it’ll depend on the trip whether it’s luxury overnight or whether I need to spend 4 out of 5 days making maximum miles. Other things are more about getting everything precise for regular 3 season hiking where I only need 1 gear list. Been eyeing some gear lists where it’ll be time to take some scissors to some gear actually...
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