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  1. #1
    Registered User portablesounds's Avatar
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    Question Max Pack Load Worries

    Hey guys. So I posted my gear list in this forum earlier and am currently looking at a ~13 lb base weight. My problem arises with the max load my backpack is supposed to have. On the whole people say the Zpacks Arc Blast can do max 28 lbs cuz once you start passing 30 on the regular you start getting torn seams etc. Assuming 2 lbs/day for food and carrying about 1L of water at a time, that gives me a maximum of 5 days worth of food at a time. I know that'll be alright for most of the trail, but that could cause issues in the 100 mile wilderness. Do I need to more aggressively knock my base weight down or should I be good?

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    Registered User Engine's Avatar
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    This is a timely thread!

    We just today finished getting our maildrops for Monson ready to cover the 114+ miles to Katahdin and an additional evening in Baxter, just in case. We each ended up with 13 pounds of food for that stretch, and our base weights at that point (after ditching winter clothes in Virginia) should be around 11 pounds. We both carry the Arc Haul and with gear and clothing already inside, 13 pounds of chow gets pretty snug. With water our max load should still be under 27-28 pounds, but it'll be bumping the "weight rev limiter" when we start out.

    By the way, we chose to use Mountain House meals for dinner on this stretch to save weight. Everything we picked otherwise HAD to meet a minimum threshold of 120 cals/oz. and most of it was between 130 and 180 cals/oz.
    Last edited by Engine; 01-06-2017 at 17:35.
    “He is richest who is content with the least, for content is the wealth of nature.” –Socrates

  3. #3
    Registered User portablesounds's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Engine View Post
    This is a timely thread!

    We just today finished getting our maildrops for Monson ready to cover the 114+ miles to Katahdin and an additional evening in Baxter, just in case. We each ended up with 13 pounds of food for that stretch, and our base weights at that point (after ditching winter clothes in Virginia) should be around 11 pounds. We both carry the Arc Haul and with gear and clothing already inside, 13 pounds of chow gets pretty snug. With water our max load should still be under 27-28 pounds, but it'll be bumping the "weight rev limiter" when we start out.

    By the way, we chose to use Mountain House meals for dinner on this stretch to save weight. Everything we picked otherwise HAD to meet a minimum threshold of 120 cals/oz. and most of it was between 130 and 180 cals/oz.
    Oof you almost filled your Haul? Isn't that like 5-10L larger than my Blast?

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    Registered User portablesounds's Avatar
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    Also best of luck on your hike to Katahdin! God willing I'll be there in August .

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    Registered User Engine's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by portablesounds View Post
    Oof you almost filled your Haul? Isn't that like 5-10L larger than my Blast?
    Right now it has the winter bag and clothes in it, so the space available for food is much more limited. I imagine when we get to Maine and we've ditched the winter stuff, it'll be able to handle the extra food pretty well. As for real world space in that pack, I know Zpacks advertizes it at 62 liters, or about 7 more than the Blast, but 13L of that is exterior pockets. The main bag is about 49L or about 6L more than your Blast.

    I recently moved from my old Granite Gear Vapor Trail to the Arc Haul and I gave up a LOT of space when I did. I'm having to relearn how to pack smart again.

    If everything goes well, we'll be there in August as well...Have a great trip!
    “He is richest who is content with the least, for content is the wealth of nature.” –Socrates

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    Quote Originally Posted by portablesounds View Post
    Hey guys. So I posted my gear list in this forum earlier and am currently looking at a ~13 lb base weight. My problem arises with the max load my backpack is supposed to have. On the whole people say the Zpacks Arc Blast can do max 28 lbs cuz once you start passing 30 on the regular you start getting torn seams etc. Assuming 2 lbs/day for food and carrying about 1L of water at a time, that gives me a maximum of 5 days worth of food at a time. I know that'll be alright for most of the trail, but that could cause issues in the 100 mile wilderness. Do I need to more aggressively knock my base weight down or should I be good?
    How about trying the pack to find out? Throw in some gear and gallon jugs water for wt, and go walk 20 miles in a day up and down steep mtns.

    I love my arc, it really tops at 25 lbs. I really havent heard much positive about the new ones with adjustable suspension and bottom bar, on the contrary several have complained bar or belt hurt. Id push it to 25-27 now and then if I had to, but it dont like it. You can make thru maine ok by then on less wt than u think.
    Last edited by MuddyWaters; 01-06-2017 at 18:02.

  7. #7
    LT '79; AT '73-'14 in sections; Donating Member Kerosene's Avatar
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    If you can fit 5 days of food, water and fuel in a 52L Arc Blast before you start your hike, then I think you will be just fine by the time you get to Maine (assuming you're NOBO of course). After a few months you will have trimmed everything down to the bare minimum you need, but of course you'll probably be eating more than 2 pounds of food per day by then also!

    Across all of my section hikes I don't think I carried more than 5 days of food at any one time, and most of the time only 3-4 days worth. Also, note that your appetite will likely be suppressed initially as you over-exert your body. I eventually learned to carry less than 1.5 lbs/day starting out, but that number starts to grow after 2 weeks of rugged backpacking (175 pound, 50-something athletic male).

    Also, your internal thermostat will be much more comfortable once you've been outside for 5-7 days. I've seen thru-hikers in Maine in September who were doing just fine with a minimal down jacket around camp when I was bundled up in my long johns and multiple layers.
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    Ditto what's been said about not to worry about it. By the time you ever need to consider hauling five days of food, you'll know a lot about what you need and how it'll carry.
    "Throw a loaf of bread and a pound of tea in an old sack and jump over the back fence." John Muir on expedition planning

  9. #9

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    You can get a food drop at Mary Jo road 1/2 way through the hundred mile wilderness through Shaw's in Monson. It allows you to enjoy the wilderness a little more. One of the nicest parts of the trail IMHO. I even called up Shaw's from a mountain top a day before my pickup and had them add some more food and a spoon since I broke mine. Cost in September was $80 for the drop service, regardless of how many people there were. (So 4 of us $20 each). You pack your own bucket.

    While I didn't stay at Shaws, the store there was very well provisioned with great prices compared to other places on the trail.

  10. #10
    Registered User Miguelon's Avatar
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    Thanks. This is interesting and helpful.

    Miguelon

    Quote Originally Posted by Kerosene View Post
    If you can fit 5 days of food, water and fuel in a 52L Arc Blast before you start your hike, then I think you will be just fine by the time you get to Maine (assuming you're NOBO of course). After a few months you will have trimmed everything down to the bare minimum you need, but of course you'll probably be eating more than 2 pounds of food per day by then also!

    Across all of my section hikes I don't think I carried more than 5 days of food at any one time, and most of the time only 3-4 days worth. Also, note that your appetite will likely be suppressed initially as you over-exert your body. I eventually learned to carry less than 1.5 lbs/day starting out, but that number starts to grow after 2 weeks of rugged backpacking (175 pound, 50-something athletic male).

    Also, your internal thermostat will be much more comfortable once you've been outside for 5-7 days. I've seen thru-hikers in Maine in September who were doing just fine with a minimal down jacket around camp when I was bundled up in my long johns and multiple layers.

  11. #11

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    My load with four days food (a luxurious 2.5 lbs. per day) and water runs something like 25 lbs. and I cannot get it lighter without buying a newer tent and dumping one of the two packs I love. Real weight often runs 30 lbs. which I do not see as excessive, although I admittedly do not do UL.

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