Posted: 1/2/2012 2:28:20 PM EDT
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How much does yours weigh? How far have you walked with it? Have you done an overnight with it? What changes did you make after you used the pack?
I think I got a bit overboard earlier this year, doing my first solo backpacking trip. I tried packing all the things that I'd have traditionally shared with other people. I started out at 135 lbs of me weight and ended up at 181 with pack, pistol and boots, but only including 2 lts. of water. I walked just about 12 miles in hilly terrain during steady to heavy rain. At the end I was pretty beat. I'm pretty sure the 2nd day I wouldn't have made it as far in the same conditions, although if I was walking on flat land or in better weather, I think I'd have made better time. I could have taken half of what I took and been just as comfortable, I think. I used way less food in the 3 days I was gone (two camping, one hiking) than I brought. I changed clothes less often, even though I didn't really overpack on that. I used my water filter a lot and drank more than even I had expected. Fortunately, water was plentiful in the area I was in, but could have been an issue if it hadn't, as far as the amount I could reasonably carry. I had some pics of what I took, but they were lost with a tragic phone accident. 
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Different packs for different purposes. Primary bug out bag - 38lbs - enough for my wife and I for 3-4 days GHB in my Jeep - 24lbs in the winter My wife's GHB in her "Girly Jeep" - 16lbs in winter The pack with tent & poles I carried on Isle Royal for a week was 46lbs.  We went 60.5 miles in 7 days.  |
| My BOB/Go-Bag weighs about 25lbs or so, give or take based off the time of year. I used everyday for 2 weeks this past summer while on AT in the Republic of Georgia. It is constantly changing and evolving. I also had it on a 6 mile hump in the mountains of WV on very little sleep and yes it did get heavy at the end. I'll post photos in the next day or so as I ready it for a field op. |
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Those packs sound completely reasonable, but I also noticed you'd all walked with them.
One of the things that threw me was that I had only been weighing my bag but shoes, belts, pistol, spare mag, flashlight, jacket, etc. was a lot more addtional weight than I had antipated. |
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depends. solo-3-4 days winter 38-40 lbs solo- mild temps 25-30lbs summer- 20-25lbs with wife and kid- 1 nigh 1 day trip - 40lbs with people from the web ( when i host hikes) 38-42lbs on avg ( extra h20,medical, comms, etc) who i havent hiked with under 35lbs and im g2g all day. but 28lbs feels better  which is why i keep updating to lighter and lighter gear |
| Back in my Boy Scouts days in the early-mid 80s, the general rule of thumb was your pack should weigh no more than 25% of your body weight on longer (multi-day) trips. With the gear I (or my parents) could afford at the time that was an almost impossible goal. Nowadays the tech advances have made it much more achievable, and if you're willing to give up some comfort in return for a lighter pack you can see a pretty significant weight savings. Bring gear that can serve multiple functions - poncho instead of rain jacket, tent footprint, or tent, for example - or lighter gear in place of heavier, like a bivy shelter instead of a tent, poncho liner instead of a sleeping bag in the summer, etc, and you can save a lot of weight. I've spent 2 nights & 2.5 days in the woods with my 3l Camelbak, an ALPS Mountaineering fanny pack w/2 Nalgenes, and carrying a poncho, poncho liner, ziplog bag of TP, 4 field-stripped MREs, folding knife, compass, AA flashlight, small first aid kit, water purification tablets, and bug repellent. My Therm-a-Rest pad would have been nice, but would have required a larger pack to carry. I didn't weigh it, but doubt it was even 20lb. Some time I may try ditching the Camelbak bladder, using a survival straw to get drinking water from streams, and keeping the Nalgenes for when there's no stream nearby (or filling the Nalgenes with stream water and drinking from them through the straw.) |
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Anything you guys have adjusted over time? I see a lot of lists of bag contents posted here and I can't imagine carrying that much. I'm an old woman, but still.
I could have done with less gear on the solo trip but it wasn't meant to be a bug-out..it was a camping trip, and what I brought was fine and doable. But if I needed to walk that pace/environment for several days on end? Yeah..a lot of things would be left behind. Traveling with more than one person is easier. One takes the stove, the other takes the water filter, etc. Thats the only times its all been on me. The biggest thing I over packed was food. I completely over-estimated what I needed for those three days and packed as if I was making food for multiple people and food is heavy. |
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Quoted:
I tryed a mock shtf walking bug out last year. 15 miles one way to mock bug in local. simulated weight for rifle and ammo and took everything else. pack, sleeping bag, about 72lbs Damn. Not sure your age/size, etc. but how was it? Could you have gotten up the next day and maintained the same pace? What would you eliminate? |
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Quoted: The biggest thing I over packed was food. I completely over-estimated what I needed for those three days and packed as if I was making food for multiple people and food is heavy. I haven't weighed mine recently, and unfortunately haven't been backpacking in the past couple of years due to health reasons. Mine is too heavy, though, last time it weighed 39lbs. I way over pack on food, but I'm also insulin dependent diabetic, so running out of fuel can have severe consequences. For example, I pack a double-ziplocked 1.25lb bottle of honey as an emergency kit, because it's some of the most calorie-dense stuff I can find that won't go bad. I'm also always surprised by my water requirements, and plan trips accordingly along routes w/ streams, etc. |
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Quoted: Anything you guys have adjusted over time? I see a lot of lists of bag contents posted here and I can't imagine carrying that much. I'm an old woman, but still. I could have done with less gear on the solo trip but it wasn't meant to be a bug-out..it was a camping trip, and what I brought was fine and doable. But if I needed to walk that pace/environment for several days on end? Yeah..a lot of things would be left behind. Traveling with more than one person is easier. One takes the stove, the other takes the water filter, etc. Thats the only times its all been on me. The biggest thing I over packed was food. I completely over-estimated what I needed for those three days and packed as if I was making food for multiple people and food is heavy. biggest change for me was food and gear. i went from a small 3-4 lbs 2 person bivy tent to a sil tarp (that cut 3 lbs off my weight) I went from cheap sleeping bags to good ones ..i upgraded as time went by. that has helped me lose 2lbs. I took out all the junk( water proof cases- went to zip locks...machete's,axes..all went away,,spade..away...) i consolidated my clothing, so it wasnt full sets per say what i wore,plus a dry "night time "set. This saved 2-3 lbs. I upgraded to a lighter pack this saved 1-2 lbs I upgraded allmy clothing that i pack to lighter weight stuff( aka trekking pants/shorts/silk weight base layers etc) this helped save some. i dicthed the stoves in favor of triox or no heat meals..or ones that i could cook with just "warm" h20 and not boiling h20. This saved 1-2 lbs. i upgraded water filters ( saved a few oz's ) also went with lighter storage options( playpus bladders over msr drom bags -saves almost a pound) the heaviest items besides weapons support you will hump will be water and food. the bulkiest will be shelter ( clothing,sleep bags,tents) |
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My main pack is Summer 25 lbs max to winter 35 lbs max.
That's everything, tent, ground pad, sleeping bag, stove, filter, food, water, the whole nine yards. Took me years to get there. That's hikes and camps, winter and summer, this is what I need, this I don't, and buying gear to shave ounces. That's 3 squares for 2 days which I never eat it all in 3 days with about the only don't use it every time out the first aid kit. Winter adds a heavier bag, head gear, gloves, and polypros. As for how much, my normal work backpack which I carry all over the country all the time is 25 lbs. Its what I'm use to. Tj |
| What Protus said is so right...all I can say is that after many years worth of trips into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, that each trip becomes a lesson in what we don't need to carry! It's a constant learning curve. Even though most of the time we travel in a canoe, we still have long portage's to haul our stuff and the canoe as well, and we started off taking some incredably dumb stuff like an anchor! Or a full sized Vexilar and a motorcycle battery! The anchor became a net bag filled with rocks on location, and the Vexilar is long gone cos we didn't need it ti catch fish up there. All the other stuff in our packs got scrutinized all the time...and now we got it down to a science! All our packs are under #50 for a 10 day trip. |
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I never weigh my pack, because I really don't want to know. My basic gear (pack, bag, tent, water filter, ect) are all about as lightweight as possible. It's the other things that add up. I'd like to not carry a handgun, but I just can't force myself. I feel naked backpacking without it.
I can tell you, I wasn't happy when I took this pic and I wasn't close to the top either.  I was humping much more water than normal since it was pretty scarce up there.
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Quoted:
Different packs for different purposes.
Primary bug out bag - 38lbs - enough for my wife and I for 3-4 days GHB in my Jeep - 24lbs in the winter My wife's GHB in her "Girly Jeep" - 16lbs in winter The pack with tent & poles I carried on Isle Royal for a week was 46lbs. http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/skruske/scottandnate.jpg We went 60.5 miles in 7 days. http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/skruske/mybackside.jpg Did that trip myself once some years back, my pack weighed in at 35#, you must have walked the Minong and finished on the Greenstone 
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LOL it was brutal  I'm 48 so was 47 when I did it. weighed about 215lbs last year down to 185 now. I was outta shape bad. it was a first for everything for me. first time hiking, first time camping and so on. thinking about 15 miles, I thought its not that far,,lol yeah right round trip was about 3 1/2- 4 days. first leg going out was not bad covered 10 miles. quick camp and shut eye then did the last 5 miles. camping part was fun spent the day setting up and trying different things to fix different problems. coming back sucked major balls. of corase legs were screaming after the first 3 miles on the return trip. basicly had to do a few miles and stop then again over and over til I got home. couldn't walk for 2 day after that but I learned alot and know I could do it again if needed.
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My pack is ~30lbs with water. Probably 35 or so in winter. Luckily in Arkansas all I have to pack for winter is wool socks and hat, some poly pro undies and a poncho liner.
The farthest I've walked in it is probably as low as 5 miles, but its light enough that after a water and snack break id be ready to go another 5. I did a 4 day class where we had to live out of our packs and fight with them. It was a big eye opener on weight/bullk and over packing. Plus our average temps that weekend were >110. |
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When I did a little desert backpacking trip, it as an eye opener!! I packed 'only the necessities' and it was still 45lbs - even after leaving my poncho & sleeping bag in the car and opting not to take a stove. I mean, I took out everything that wasn't 'absolutely vital' just to trim ounces and pounds and it was still heavy.
My whole concept of 'bug out bag' changed with that little bit of experience. Now it was arid, no facilities, and far from people so I had to take 6 liters of water. Even so...after climbing somewhat steep grades I am so glad I didn't have a heavier pack. It really is laughable when you hear all of the things people talk about packing for their 'bug out' - camp shovels, axes, 200 rounds of ammo, etc etc etc. If you are going to walk any real distance on less than perfect/easy terrain, you need to really decide what the minimum is that you can get away with. The other big takeaway from the experience was the need to take care of your feet. I did ok but some of my companions had serious problems with their feet, due to blisters, etc. One had $170 boots but they hadn't had a ton of break in, and it caused problems. |
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My whole concept of 'bug out bag' changed with that little bit of experience. Now it was arid, no facilities, and far from people so I had to take 6 liters of water. Even so...after climbing somewhat steep grades I am so glad I didn't have a heavier pack. It really is laughable when you hear all of the things people talk about packing for their 'bug out' - camp shovels, axes, 200 rounds of ammo, etc etc etc. If you are going to walk any real distance on less than perfect/easy terrain, you need to really decide what the minimum is that you can get away with. not really a min of what you need. but what you need in the right amounts and right choices in gear. Ive preached till im blue that people need to use their kits. Your experience and that of others in this thread aka " it was my 1st time.....10 miles cant be that far.....60lbs cant be that heavy...." Is what a ton of folks that show up to my hikes go through. Ive also seen many start out that way and change by the next hike....or slowly change each time they head out. Hell my kit has changed about 100 times in the last 3-5 years. As i change so does my kit. I look at it as i gotta carry it. I want it to be X weight with out weapons. I know my load out weighs X so my BOB needs to weigh X or else im screwed. Honestly, the BOB is nothing more than a backpacking trip set up. it really shouldnt be more than that IMHO. BOB's arent made to be lived out of aka " the road" style walks. Could you? sure, but you'll turn yourself into a human pack mule. Point A to B..thats what a BOB is for..and point B being were all the supplies are stocked ( bol,home etc) |
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Yep, thats why I asked about packs, instead of what people have in their BOBs..packs tend to get used. Some of the things I see listed in bags blow my mind and made me wonder if the bags had ben used, at least more than a mile, and in what knd of terrain.
For me, the difference between going myself or with friends was big. You dont notice extra things so much when you're not carrying all the essentials. |
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I think anything over 65lbs is really too heavy for a pack if you plan to hoof it for any kind of distance up any kind of terrain. Well, for my old knees anyway. I try to keep it under 60lbs for multi day backpacking- you can really spend some money trying to keep things light where it really adds up like on camp stove and cookware, sleep system and tent.
Also I suppose it really matters where you are hiking as far as a water source goes, I have it easy around here with plenty of flowing water for the taking, so all I need is filtration/treatment and no need to carry a shit-ton of it. I never count boots and gun or anything on my belt that I'd normally wear, just pack load. |
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My pack is set right now on the heavy side, but I can carry it all day and it does have everything that I have needed when I go out. I have it all together, instead of having a seasonal bag set up..so I have spring, summer, fall and winter things in it. Its comfortable to wear right now even with all the weight in it. It has to be about 80 lbs right now. I know thats a lot, but I am able to carry it and not be lagging behind...infact I am usually up towards the front and have to slow down for others to keep up with much lighter packs on.
I had it loaded with everything, because I have been traveling a lot this year, and I take it with me...and I don't wanna not have something, if I need it. I was looking at getting a kelty pack and just haven't went and bought it yet...My favorite pack is the cabelas alaskan outfitter 5300 cu in...so I can carry almost everything in it or on it. |
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Quoted:
For me, the difference between going myself or with friends was big. You dont notice extra things so much when you're not carrying all the essentials. On the backpacking trip we did, we decided to each carry all of the essentials we would need - each person carried their own camp stoves, etc rather than spreading the load out between everyone. The purpose was so that each person could see what it really would take to be on their own and still have all they needed. |
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This subject has come up before. Our modern military overburdens Joe with too much gear. The typical soldier throughout history has humped about 40 lbs or so of gear. Everything else was hauled by wagons, etrc Now the US military burdens Joe with gear that can easily top 100 lbs..As a civilian equivalent, If you are trying to effectively field a BOB of triple digit weight, you're over-doing it
edited for clarity because I was posting while on the phone and left part out due to distraction. |
 I'm the one with the black pack. I was at about 41lbs. w/a full 3L hydration pouch. We did 40 miles in 5 days. After that trip, I decided that there was no way I was going to carry that much ever again. We didn't eat nearly as much food as we thought, but drank way more water then expected. I had everything except all my food (had some) it just packed between the two of us easier that way. |
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Quoted: I feel really good about the size/weight of my pack after seeing some of these. I can't carry much with my knees, so I spend $$ to keep my pack weight down as low as possible. I still hate it by the end of a day though.  I had to spend a lot of money, cause I bought a lot of my gear for my IR trip (It was kind of a bucket list thing). So I bought the best I could afford, and hoped it was "light". |
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This subject has come up before. Our modern military overburdens Joe with too much gear. The typical soldier throughout history has humped about 40 lbs or so of gear. Everything else was carried. If you are trying to effectively field a BOB of triple digit weight, you're over-doing it Yep, don't do like the army does when it comes up with a replacement piece of gear that's 2lb lighter than its predecessor - give the soldier another piece of gear to carry that weighs 5lb. Lighten your load to lighten your load, not so you can carry something else. |
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Conditioning is important and that means to be packing periodically so you’re not incapacitated after a 12 mile hike for the following week.
Conditioning aside, the best way to decide the most effective and comfortable weight is to get out and use you gear on hikes. I know that’s self-explanatory, but aside from the basic essentials of a 2-3 day trip, everybody is going to have their specific comfort items or personal “essentials” that they really need to decide on whether they are worth it or not. I can tell you, I packed the majority of gear for a family of four; it was only a 6-mile hike in, but some parts were pretty rugged. My pack weight was right near 100 pounds and even though I was in pretty decent shape and did regular “road-marches”, my ass was sore for most of the trip. Now that the kids are more grown and we’ve upgraded our backpacking gear, I typically keep my pack anywhere from 30-45 pounds depending on the season, length of hike and planned activities. Even after I do the gear checks, I always end up packing out extra food. I don’t know if that’s a good thing for emergencies or just piss-poor meal planning. I continually struggle with that, but every trip is a good learning experience and we do like to try different meal types. Water can be a major weight factor. In Texas, we often had to pack 2-3 days worth of water or at least be in walking distance (a mile or two) from a water source. That was always the most weight; the good part is that you could drink most of your weight on the way out and have a much lighter end-of-trip hike. Some ways I’ve reduced weight: Carried fewer knives (yeah, it’s a bad habit). Packed a much smaller FAK (some risk involved, but unless you’re way out in the backcountry, medical support usually too far away). Pack only layers and not a whole extra set of clothes. Plan our meals (better than me!). Identify water sources along the route; carry less in. Smaller shelters! We all carry our own hammocks for the majority of the year. My son and I will just pack a decent tarp during the winter. Your pack design makes a big different in how that weight actually feels by how it’s distributed and how well you pack. Protus hit several of the other areas. And you’re right Barbara, having a hiking buddy really helps to reduce weight and something to consider. ROCK6 |
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I tryed a mock shtf walking bug out last year. 15 miles one way to mock bug in local. simulated weight for rifle and ammo and took everything else. pack, sleeping bag, about 72lbs Flat, paved walk? Hilly trail? Bushwhacking? 15 miles on a flat paved walk is far easier to do than 15 miles on a ridge top trail. Bushwhacking is even harder. Keep that in mind, and also keep in mind that a large pack that extends out past your body in every direction adds a lot of strain to bushwhacking. For bugging out, I make sure I have stashes of important tools, ammo, food at the several possible bug out locations. All the heavy stuff needs to be there already. You should carry only what you need to get there. Az |
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Quoted:
LOL it was brutal I'm 48 so was 47 when I did it. weighed about 215lbs last year down to 185 now. I was outta shape bad. it was a first for everything for me. first time hiking, first time camping and so on. thinking about 15 miles, I thought its not that far,,lol yeah right round trip was about 3 1/2- 4 days. first leg going out was not bad covered 10 miles. quick camp and shut eye then did the last 5 miles. camping part was fun spent the day setting up and trying different things to fix different problems. coming back sucked major balls. of corase legs were screaming after the first 3 miles on the return trip. basicly had to do a few miles and stop then again over and over til I got home. couldn't walk for 2 day after that but I learned alot and know I could do it again if needed.Great post- real life example of catalog-lust meets the trail- so to speak. I always chuckle at folks that think it's easy to carry a 50 pound pack. A 20 pound pack can put a a hurting on the average person very quickly. Everyone needs to get off the couch and at the very least do a day hike in a local park or river bed to get a taste of what it's really like. |