35 lbs. I want less. HELP?!

[Bearpaw]

As others have said, lighten up on your clothing.

And accept that 35 pounds is not that bad. When I began my thru-hike 9 years ago, my pack was 57 pounds and I thought this was LIGHT after the loads I hauled in the Marine Corps.

If I started at Springer now with winter gear, I would probably have about 30 pounds for the 4 days I would take to Neel's Gap.

As the weather warms and you recognize what you need and what you don't, you'll lighten up some, only to replace it with the stuff that makes you most comfortable and happy (because you'll be in such good trail shape a few extra pounds won't phase you any more).

[Programbo]

I wouldn`t worry about it to much..As others mentioned you won`t need a flashlight AND a headlamp..Headlamp?....Never used a compass myself on the AT..Seems like a lot of clothing but it is still winter so that`s to be expected..I`m sure you`ll drop a LOT of weight once it warms some..So maybe just go slower at first with the extra weight and realize you`ll make better time later once you ship clothing home....DON'T ditch the clothing as of yet as some suggested..March 4th is still pretty early that high up to get caught without proper clothing and shelter....Also if it`s a high quality Synthetic bag it could very well be as light as a cheap down bag so maybe a bit more info for the next person..With just a few days to go what you have is what you have...Now get out there and be the best darn Sarah you can be!

[LIhikers]

Sarah Louise

You've got the problem skewed right from the beginning. You said you are willing to be at 25 pounds without water but then in your list of items that weighs 35 pounds you've included water. If the nalgene bottles are a quart each that's 4 pounds of water. Remove the 4 pounds of water and that gets you to 31 pounds of gear. I bet if you leave one pair of fleece pants and one pair of long underwear and one Underarmor shirt, one fuel canister, plus the flashlight at home you'll be darn close to your weight goal.

[kappy0405]

hmm.. no comment on your gear as you seem to have gotten great answers already..

but your sig is amazing... not many people know who 'atmosphere' is

[sanderson]

I am really happy that I got so many responses. That is one of the best things about this site, everyone is so helpful and nice. I will eliminate some of my clothing and a pair of my fleece pants. And things like that. How long does one canister of fuel cost? That is the reason I was bringing three, I wasn't sure how long it would last with a jetboil. The suggestions will be really helpful and I hopw to take off at least 5-6 pounds. I think I could deal with a 25-30 pound pack. Well, thanks everyone, you're the best!

[sanderson]

but your sig is amazing... not many people know who 'atmosphere' is [/quote]

I love atmosphere because he has so much pride in his roots and the places where he comes from. He has some really great lyrics and he's great to listen to. I went to his concert once and it was great.

[bigcranky]

How long a canister lasts depends on a lot of things -- how you cook, the outside temperature, how many hot meals and drinks you want, etc. One of the biggest issues is wind, which just kills the efficiency of a canister stove -- but the Jetboil is much better in this regard.

If you are cooking two hot meals and two hot drinks per day, a small canister should last 3-4 days in March. Possibly more. In warm weather, I've used a single small canister for a week for two hikers -- but we didn't need a lot of hot meals. Bring one spare, and you can resupply at Neel Gap. By that time you'll have an idea of how much fuel you are using.

[Tinker]

A few years ago, 35 lbs. would have been respectable. I'd recommend that you keep most of what you have, trade the Nalgene hard bottles in for Nalgene Unbottles or Platypus bottles, or Gatorade bottles, leave one pair of fleece pants at home. It's unlikely you will want to hike in them. The mountains will make you work to stay warm. The nylon pants are up to you. If you hike in rain pants you'll get plenty sweaty in uncomfortable places.
If you were starting in April, I'd have to answer differently.
DO get a down mummy bag if you can afford it. Save a couple of pounds right there.
AND - one fuel cannister at a time is enough.
If you are staying in a hostel sometime in the first week you can mail one cannister there and pick it up when you arrive.
Lots of people waste fuel by NOT cooking over wood fires started by groups of hikers to keep warm. Don't waste the opportunity to cook over wood.

[Doctari]

My 1L nalgene bottle weighs 7.5 Oz Empty, My 1L gatorade bottle weighs 2.25 Oz, With small carabiner attached with some cord. So if you are carrying 2, thats a weight savings of 10.5 OZ. My 2L platypus bladder, with hose AND a (Heavy) neoprene cover only weighs 7.5 OZ. Hmmm, OK, Now I'm ditching the cover. See how easy that was.

With a jetboil, 3 canisters seems excessive to me. I don't have one, but after seeing one in use several times, yea, I think you may be carrying a bit much.

Yep, the clothing list seems a bit large (Heavy).

Don't just take our word for this: get a scale, one that does at least 1/4 oz increments, & weigh EVERYTHING! Be critical. Do you really need that, or are you just carrying it "because". It's amazing how fast those Ounces add up. It only takes 16 to make a pound.

[futureatwalker]

I think you've done really well! You're 35 lbs includes 10 lbs of food and water. You might have one or two extra things, but I'm sure everyone does when they start, and I'm not sure that's even such a bad thing when you're hiking in possible winter conditions. Want to feel better? My pack alone weighs almost 6lbs (I'm too cheap to replace it, and I'm only doing a section hike this year).

A quick question from your list - do people usually bring rope for hanging their food?

[shelterbuilder]

...A quick question from your list - do people usually bring rope for hanging their food?

In places where bears are active, the answer is yes.

[Rain Man]

Are you drinking untreated/unfiltered water?

You don't have a stove?

RainMan

.

[Mongbat]

Not sure why people bring compasses on well marked windy trails. If the compass reads Southwest you could still be heading northbound. What's the point?

[Strategic]

Not sure why people bring compasses on well marked windy trails. If the compass reads Southwest you could still be heading northbound. What's the point?

Well, because you might not always be on that trail and if you want to use a map properly it's a good idea to know which way to orient it (to begin with.)

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Personally, I'd

• Switch to an alcohol stove - a move that will likely save you almost a couple of pounds
• I'd trade the synthetic sleeping bag for down - another likely pound gone
• Fleece is heavy for the warmth it provides - synthetic or down vests, sweaters, pants are lighter choices
• I'd lose one of the sports bras - rinse out as soon as you get to camp and go braless in camp or just wear it between town stops and wash)

[Strategic]

You've gotten a lot of good advice already on this thread, mostly things I'd have written if I'd gotten here sooner.

There is one very nice tool for this that I haven't seen mentioned yet; Chris Ibbeson's Backpacking Gear Weight Calculator that let's you work through different gear configurations and figure out from individual weights what you'll have when you pack up a particular set of gear. It's one of the best things I've ever seen for helping pare down packweight.

Hope this helps. Good luck and enjoy your hike to the Big K.

[JAK]

I trimmed it down to just the clothing:

In this first list I am listing everything I think you could wear all at once for the most extreme conditions. If it doesn't all fit well together when trudging slowly in rain or snow then I suggest you consider some changes.

Top:
1 Long Sleeve Fleece Zip-Up
1 winter underarmour shirts
1 sports bras
Bottoms:
1 pair synthetic pants/long underwear
1 pair fleece pants
Miscellaneous:
1 water proof rain gear set, jacket and pants
1 hat
1 fleece neck gator
1 pair gloves
1 pair synthetic capri's (for sleeping)
1 pair fleece socks (for sleeping) -I won't leave these home, I hate having
cold feet
1 pair liner socks
1 pair smartwool trekking socks

This is the spares from your list I suggest you keep:
1 pair smartwool trekking socks

This is the stuff from yoiu list I suggest you leave home as spares:
1 fleece vest
1 pair synthetic pants/long underwear
1 pair fleece pants
1 winter underarmour shirts
1 sports bras
1 pair liner socks
1 pair smartwool trekking socks

I think if you rinse and dry as you hike you can get by eaiser on what you have and will be carrying alot less wet and stinky stuff. I would also suggest you try out a cheap merino wool sweater, then maybe a medium wool sweater. If you can wear a medium or heavy wool sweater all the time as I do you may find your other layers can be alot more packable. Also, consider just super cheap and light breathable nylon wind jacket and pants, like 5oz each if you can find them that light, and then a rain poncho or jacket for the serious cold rain. With the right mix of wool and synthetic layers that are easy to care for the rain layers don't have to be so bulletproof and you will find a lot more room in your pack, making everything alot easier and not just lighter. I don't really notice the weight of my main sweater as long as keep it on all the time, and it never gets too cold and wet if I manage to do so.

[dessertrat]

I didn't notice on your list-- what are you cooking in? I don't see any utensils or cookset? Also, how heavy are your "big four"? Have you weighed them? What sort of stove are you using? I see canisters listed, but. . . ?

Do you have a complete gear list? 35 lbs with both food and water is not too bad, unless you are shopping for ultralite gear from scratch, which gets expensive.

How much do you weigh, by the way? Sorry to be indelicate, but the heavier the person, the heavier the pack that person can usually tolerate.

Also, what sort of pack do you have, and how much does the pack itself weigh? I am thinking the primary "suspects" here are the pack, sleeping bag, and all that fleece. If you can get under 30 pounds with five days food and water, and the Hubba tent, you're doing better than many, but not as well as some.

[Mongbat]

Well, because you might not always be on that trail and if you want to use a map properly it's a good idea to know which way to orient it (to begin with.)

I understand what compasses are for and how to use them with a map, but I would like to point out that maps are not on her packing list so why bring the compass? If maps were on the list, I would recommend against bringing them on a hike of the AT as they are almost completly useless unless you can't take a poop in the woods without getting lost.

I'm sorry for sounding antagonistic, but people are always trying to find out ways to lighten their loads then pack things like maps and compasses on hikes where they are not needed. Maps and compasses are great on certain hikes (the Sahara for example) but the AT has 83,000 blazes (that's one every 138 feet). If you get lost on this trail, you've got bigger problems then the weight of your pack.

[take-a-knee]

I understand what compasses are for and how to use them with a map, but I would like to point out that maps are not on her packing list so why bring the compass? If maps were on the list, I would recommend against bringing them on a hike of the AT as they are almost completly useless unless you can't take a poop in the woods without getting lost.

I'm sorry for sounding antagonistic, but people are always trying to find out ways to lighten their loads then pack things like maps and compasses on hikes where they are not needed. Maps and compasses are great on certain hikes (the Sahara for example) but the AT has 83,000 blazes (that's one every 138 feet). If you get lost on this trail, you've got bigger problems then the weight of your pack.

Hey Moonbat, you're a frickin' MORON, along with anyone who takes your advice. Go hike in the Sahara and quit posting stupid s**t! Be sure to take a map and compass, we couldn't make it around here without your sage advice.