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  1. #1
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    Default Fat vs base weight

    This is killing me I am struggling to get my base weight down below 13.4lbs. I have a theory and that is that I am fat and have alot of excess weight in my quilt, and the majority of my cold weather clothing. I think once I get out of the xxl sizes my pack weight will start dropping. Have any other fat bodies dealt with this?

  2. #2

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    I'm not sure it will make all that significant a difference. For sure it will help but you'd have to drop a couple of sizes to really notice a difference. Of course, trimming down has other, long term advantages and is worth doing for any reason. 13.4 pounds is pretty good as it is, especially if it can really handle cold weather.
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  3. #3

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    Yes you pay a double penalty for every pound of body fat you carry. The gear is bigger and heavier. I find that as a section hiker I would go out for week and inevitably tweak my gear and reduce the volume and weight for the next trip. I don't really know how successful someone can do this prior to hike. Obviously many folks have a lot tougher time losing the body weight pre hike but you can still get in condition with the body weight you have. Start off slow and the weight will start coming off.

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by combat_veteran View Post
    This is killing me I am struggling to get my base weight down below 13.4lbs. I have a theory and that is that I am fat and have alot of excess weight in my quilt, and the majority of my cold weather clothing. I think once I get out of the xxl sizes my pack weight will start dropping. Have any other fat bodies dealt with this?
    This is true, but hiking while carrying a lot of extra body weight is likely adding much more difficulty than 1-2 lbs of added gear weight. 13.4 lbs base is a respectable pack and it's light enough to allow hiking without the pack feeling like too much of a burden

    It's not like if you dropped to an XL or L your stuff would be significantly lighter. Fairly minor

  5. #5
    ME => GA 19AT3 rickb's Avatar
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by combat_veteran View Post
    I have a theory and that is that I am fat and have alot of excess weight in my quilt, and the majority of my cold weather clothing.
    Understood that by decreasing the curvature of your belly that you might be able to reduce the width of your quilt by a few inches (and perhaps the length by an inch or two depending on how your mass settles and whether or not you sleep on your back or side).

    I whish my math skills were better, so I could really help with that.

    But wouldn’t the weigh savings that stem from decreasing the size of your quilt be offset (at least in part) by the need for extra quilt insulation, once you have lost the insulation of your body fat?

    The solution might be to find a way to lose muscle.

  6. #6
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    Nice consideration, rickb.

    One more thing to take care of is water.
    Heavy and well insulated people sweat more and thus need to carry more water.
    My wife is on the heavier side, and typically has to carry double the water than I do.

  7. #7
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    For someone who has shifted between 230 and 180 several times and sometimes rapidly, I can tell you that it makes a huge difference on trail. I can feel it in my joints, and feet as well as the effort needed to go uphill. So yes drop the body weight . It will be much more beneficial then the superficial but real weight and space savings from smaller clothes.

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