tuffiest s.o.b ever to do the trail

[Turtle Feet]

thanks. i hope i can hold on to most of my stuff until the smokies though. i'm leaving feb21. and figure it's gonna be cold!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wish you much luck Whistle, you'll be just fine - are you keeping a trail journal anywhere online?

[DavidNH]

any of you folks remember a character by the name of Gary? I met him when thru hiking in 2006. He said his pack weighed between 80-100 pounds (those who tried to lift the pack believe it!). I do remember that he even carried a full size lap top. Don't remember what he had for a camera but I suspect it was not some pocket point and shoot!

Now I don't know if he made it all the way but I know he got at least past Glen Cliff!

DavidNH

For the record, I never carried over 55 lbs (that was with a full week of food) and was usually in the low 40's.

[whistle dixie]

I wish you much luck Whistle, you'll be just fine - are you keeping a trail journal anywhere online?

sorry not that educated don't know how to even start a online journal. just plan on writing in a journal on the trail.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

remember i'm from kentucky....

lol.

[Kerosene]

Better to start over-prepared than under-prepared, and pretty much anyone can lug 25-35% of their body weight for 10 miles. However, once you gain some more experience and get the hang of things, a lighter pack will put less stress on your body, let you climb those hills a little easier, and let you repeat day after day after day.

[whistle dixie]

yeah your thinking like me i would hate to think i forgot something and it be essential to my survival in the cold

[ShelterLeopard]

i'm kinda looking for a weight my pack weighs about 53lbs. am i an idiot? or just over prepaired. i plan on bounceing some of my material after the smokies. but figured the extra stuff would keep me warm.

_____________________________________________

leaving feb. 21, cant wait

Go for it! Carry whatever you want or think you may need, you can always send it home. (It's better to have extra warm things that you don't need, than not enough warm clothing and freeze)

When I last weighed my pack (with fuel, but not food or water), it was 25 pounds- don't know how it happened! (And that's including a couple "extra" and "unnecessary" things.) I may add a couple things. I'd rather carry a few extra pounds and be comfortable in camp, than have a slightly less heavy pack during the day, but skimp on camp comforts.

And don't let people tell you what you want to bring. Advice is great, like "I found I didn't need this", or "you may want to consider bringing/not bringing x ", but I hate when people say "you don't want to bring this".

[icemanat95]

I started at Amicalola with 74 pounds or so. I had culled about 8 pounds off of that at Neels Gap. I eventually got things down to the 40-50 pound range.

I think Possum (95) had about 90 pounds or so in a dana Designs AstralPlane.

Beorn started in 1995 with well over 100 pounds in his pack.

In 1995 the ultralight thing really hadn't hit yet, so a 40-60 pound pack wasn't that unusual depending upon the size of the hiker.

[ShelterLeopard]

But once I switch out my winter gear for summer things, I'm going to need to buy a smaller, lighter pack, because it'll really be lightweight.

[jersey joe]

When I started my thru hike my pack weighed in at about 65lbs.
http://www.joealaya.com/appalachiant...ages/p317a.jpg

[whistle dixie]

i have a outside frame pack and have found that it is heavier but i have alot of places to hook more gear on the outside. so i think thats why my pack is 60+lbs. but thanks 4 the boost guys and gals. i hope i meet some of you nice people on the trail and learn more tips and tricks. i plan on staying over supplied and avoiding towns as much as possible. i'm tuff enough to make do hopefully thanks for the confidence see on the trail.

[Jim Adams]

1990 Mule arrived on Springer with a 101 lb. pack (hence the trail name). He was talked into sending the things home that he didn't need and actually got his pack down into the 70# range after sending home the Rambo knife, hatchet, machette, gun, pepper spray and tazur.

geek

[whistle dixie]

1990 Mule arrived on Springer with a 101 lb. pack (hence the trail name). He was talked into sending the things home that he didn't need and actually got his pack down into the 70# range after sending home the Rambo knife, hatchet, machette, gun, pepper spray and tazur.

geek

gosh, was this guy scared of the woods or wanted by the law? lol.

[John B]

Perhaps you could post your gear list so that we could see what 60-70 lbs looks like on paper?

[Mags]

something and because I like to NOT stop in towns every 3-5 days.

Not sure what lightweight has to do with frequent town stops.

On the PCT, my basepack weight was 13 lbs, and I stopped in town once in 10 days for the High Sierra.

On the CT is was about 10 lbs, and I had an 8 day food carry.

On the CDT, it was 9 lbs, and I also did an 8 day food carry.

On a recent San Juan trip, I carried 7 days of food to avoid having to hitch.

So, go heavy if you want (who gives a crap?), but personally I go light so I can carry more food and go in town less.

[Deadeye]

Not a gram weenine here, but I weigh every item I have, and usually opt to take the lightest item with me. For example: I probably have 15 knives weighing from an ounce to a pound, and I almost always take the one-ounce SAK with a 1.5" blade and scissors. I also have multiple fleeces and sweaters, weighing from 10 ounces to 2 pounds. The 2-pounders stay at home and the 10 -ouncer goes in the pack. There's an 8 ounce difference between my heaviest and lightest LongJohns.

Make these simple choices with all your gear and you can still carry what you want, but knock a whole bunch of pounds off your back.

Put the other way: if you don't know what each item of your gear weighs, you can wind up carrying a lot of extra weight with no added benefit.

[CrumbSnatcher]

just because you carry a heavy pack, doesn't mean your a tough S.O.B
it just means you carry alot.

[Lone Wolf]

just because you carry a heavy pack, doesn't mean your a tough S.O.B

could mean you're a dumb S.O.B.

[ShelterLeopard]

just because you carry a heavy pack, doesn't mean your a tough S.O.B
it just means you carry alot.

True- especially because some people with heavy packs whine a lot.

[CrumbSnatcher]

could mean you're a dumb S.O.B.

it could wolf! i've been known to carry a little bit more than most, but i carried my dogs gear and food
but never complained about it. loved my little slackpacker!!!

[garlic08]

On Katahdin I met a thru-hiker who boasted that his pack weighed 70 pounds at Springer and it weighed 70 pounds on Katahdin. Obviously strong as a mule, and stubborn as one, too. So sure, it can be done with a heavy pack. Good luck with yours.