He wasn't thru-hiking, but the biggest pack I ever saw on the A.T. belonged to Demetri Coupounas, the founder of GoLite, who hiked into Neel Gap from Springer with a pack that weighed 132 pounds (it was a bit heavier when he left Springer).
I put the thing on and walked it 70 yards into the store and it damned near killed me.
I habitually carry a big pack but this was ridiculous.
This was also the biggest pack "shakedown" at Neel Gap and the largest UPS mailout in their history. The whole precedure was kinda fun to watch.
On the other hand, I came away with a new-found respect for the durability of GoLite packs.
Why was the founder of go light carrying a pack that was the very opposite of going light?
Love people and use things; never the reverse.
Mt. Katahdin would be a lot quicker to climb if its darn access trail didn't start all the way down in Georgia.
He wanted to break some type of record by hiking 620 miles in 40 days without resupply. Changed his mind when he hit Neels.
I don't know about breaking a record, as I don't know of any such "records." All I know is that he originally planned to hike "unsupported", i.e., without stopping to re-supply, for 40 days, so his pack contained,in addition to other gear, 40 large Ziplocks of food.
For various reasons, he decided to end his trip after 4 days, but the fact that he carried this thing for even 30 miles was pretty amazing to me......just getting it from the hiker hostel to the Outfitter store almost killed me; the idea of hauling that thing up and over Blood Mt. boggled the mind.
Also, I think he really wanted to put his stuff to a serious test, especially to counter critics over the years (who included me, by the way), that had publicly stated that his stuff was too lightly constructed to hold up well under tough and strenuous conditions.
I had a really good look at his pack when this thing was done, and this was a pack that nobody thought was any good for much over 30 poounds.
The pack was in great shape, despite being totally maxed out as far as its
original "specs".
GoLite's critics, including me, were dead wrong about the durability of their packs. I had no trouble saying this at the time and I have no trouble saying it now. Coup might not have wanted to go 40 days with this beast (and I sure don't blame him!) but I have no doubt that it could have been done, even with a liteweight pack.
I had to go back and check my journal for details, but I still remember the 81 year old gentleman I met in the Sierras on the PCT.
I came around the corner to see the largest external frame pack I had ever seen, with 2 long skinny legs sticking out from beneath it, moving at a slow, methodical pace. I passed the man, and stopped to chat for a moment. He told me he had traveled around the world 6 times, and the Sierras were still the most beautiful place he had ever backpacked. He had an amazing presence, and I had to pull myself away.
A moment later I came across two younger men waiting alongside the trail. They asked if I had seen their grandfather. We chatted a minute (chatting often interferes with my mileage), and he walked up, and slowly began to tilt towards a large rock beside the trail. The men ran over, lowered him to the rock, and then removed the pack. It took both of them to remove this pack. I mean it was massive, really massive. I just watched in amazement.
As I watched him, and saw his joy at being out there, I remember wondering if I would be that happy with 100 lbs. on my back.
Meant a sobo section hiker in 2005 at the shelter just north of Caledonia (the one with the flower pots) who was going as far as be could. Big guy with a bigger pack. He 'thought' it was more than 100lbs. It looked like more than that to me. When he asked if we needed anything from his pack to lighten his load, I said that we were running low on soap. He pulled out a full size Dawn bottle and said take as much as we want. He was blown away when we pulled out our small 1 oz bottle to refill!
Gravity
Winter gear is bulky and heavy, so you should have more room in your pack by July. Pack as much as you can carry and afford. I'll be down to GA in May to pick it all up and sell it on E-bay to the the next wave of North migrators. lol
"Some things weigh a little, but everything weighs something"
my experience is very little on a trip longer than 48 miles. i live near mammoth cave national park in ky. it's not that big!
but i enjoy the outdoors i hook alot of my stuff on the outside but believe me nothing moves. i got so many straps on that thing i could bungie jump off of clingmans dome. i was mainly taking food. never liked going hungry when all you have to do is add a few grunts.
_______________________________________________
just a good ole boy making his way the only way he knows how
this will be my first time camping outside of kentucky, hek this will be the third time i've ever been out of kentucky
Probably me. in 1971.
That was long before "shuttles" to take you to Walmart and Red Lobster while in transit.
I carried about 60 lbs. There really wasn't anyone else around so I shot squirrels, doves, quail, and fished to supplement my meals.
I even took a turkey in VA. Laid up for 2 nights and smoked it to death.
Nice protein supplement for the following week.
I'm old...................
Pura Loco !
www.oasisofthetoucans.com
I saw a guy on the approach trail with an extremely full, heavy looking pack. Apparently there was no room for the tent because he had what looked to be a 7 lb tent dangling from his waist belt, and it was hitting him in the shins with every step. Oh, and him and his lady were wearing cotton head to toe...
"I always told you I was more of a Westerner than an Easterner"
-Theodore Roosevelt
Appalachian Trail 2008
Colorado Trail 2010