Moderately Light Backpacking
I packed my backpack (REI Talus 50) in preparation for an overnight hike and it turned out to be 25 lbs without food or water! I was hoping it would be closer to 20 lb.
The weight includes a pack (REI Talus 50), sleeping bag (Marmot Pounder Plus), tent (L.L. Bean Light Stuff #2, 2005), closed cell foam sleeping pad, and the following items recommended by Backpacker Magazine's 2005 Gear Guide:
I left out a few items from Backpacker's list, but it's mostly there. I still need a real first aid kit, and some rope. I did include an MSR Pocket Rocket backpacking stove and a 4 oz. fuel canister.
I was hoping the dry weight would be closer to 20 lbs, for a full weight of 25 lbs with food and water. It looks like it will be 30 lbs with food and water, and 35 lbs if I add my camera and fishing gear.
So much for semi-light backpacking. This hardly even qualifies as moderately light backpacking.
The weight includes a pack (REI Talus 50), sleeping bag (Marmot Pounder Plus), tent (L.L. Bean Light Stuff #2, 2005), closed cell foam sleeping pad, and the following items recommended by Backpacker Magazine's 2005 Gear Guide:
- clothing
- Gore-Tex jacket and pants
- fleece jacket
- convertible hiking pants
- long john top and bottom
- T-shirts (2)
- beanie hat and glove liners
- 1 pair wool socks
- 2 pair hiking socks and liners
- Gore-Tex jacket and pants
- gear
- bowl, cup, spoon, fork
- lighter
- pocketknife and whistle
- poncho
- toilet paper and trowel
- compass, GPS, altimeter
- bowl, cup, spoon, fork
I left out a few items from Backpacker's list, but it's mostly there. I still need a real first aid kit, and some rope. I did include an MSR Pocket Rocket backpacking stove and a 4 oz. fuel canister.
I was hoping the dry weight would be closer to 20 lbs, for a full weight of 25 lbs with food and water. It looks like it will be 30 lbs with food and water, and 35 lbs if I add my camera and fishing gear.
So much for semi-light backpacking. This hardly even qualifies as moderately light backpacking.
posted by Bernie at 10:11 PM
2 Comments:
I double checked the weight and it's closer to 23.5 lbs. Food and water should add five pounds, for a total of 28.5 lbs. Camera and fishing gear will add another five pounds for a total of 33.5 lbs.
I could probably shave off 2 lbs. by leaving out the tent and using just the rainfly and footprint. Other than that, I don't see that I can cut the weight much more.
I checked the pack again and realized it includes the clothes I plan to be wearing while hiking, some extra bits of food, and some fly fishing gear. After taking those extra items out, the dry weight is 22 lbs.
Without a tent, that would go down to 17 lbs, which is just light enough to be considered ultralight. So, the only thing separating me from ultralight backpacking is the 5 lb tent.
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