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Honesty Question? Total items carried in pack:


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  • #1232340
    Jay Wilkerson
    BPL Member

    @creachen

    Locale: East Bay

    Going with the idea of Less is More!!! What's in your PACK??

    Duration: 3 Days 2 Nights

    Time of Year: Mid-Summer

    Don't include clothing worn and items carried on body and food. I am at 55 ITEMS carried in my pack and I am always looking to Refine and Reduce this number with multi-use items. More experienced backpackers can reduce items from there gear list and less experienced backpackers will always have more items. Be honest with yourself!! Can you help us out Mr. NOLS? aka Mike Clelland- How many items do you carry in your pack Mike?

    #1461565
    Roman Ryder
    Spectator

    @romanla

    Locale: Southwest Louisiana

    What counts as an item? For example, if I have a sheet of 6 water purification tablets, is that 1 or 6 items? I assume we're counting containers too…ziplocs, droppers, stuff sacks, etc. I can't think of any other weird questions at the moment! lol

    #1461575
    Sarah Kirkconnell
    BPL Member

    @sarbar

    Locale: Homesteading On An Island In The PNW

    "More experienced backpackers can reduce items from there gear list and less experienced backpackers will always have more items."

    I'd disagree in some ways – the more you get out, the more you refine your list but you also find what works and what doesn't. I'd say in the past 2 years my pack has gained back items after going super light.

    I found my happy spot – and I am sure I carry a lot more items than some would. And that is OK. It is what I prefer and am willing to carry.

    A good example would be my first aid kit – I carry a lot more than most people. That alone has at least 20 items in it (lots of blister care/oral health stuff). I have long decided that I have a comfort issue and just don't like going under what my level is ;-)

    I'd have to think about it to get my number – my pack changes based on where I am going often. An interesting thought though!

    So before I count everything – do the stakes for my tent count as part of the tent?

    #1461605
    EndoftheTrail
    BPL Member

    @ben2world-2

    I'm interested in an evermore refined packing list. I'm interested in overall pack weight too. But counting items? What the heck for?

    #1461636
    Jay Wilkerson
    BPL Member

    @creachen

    Locale: East Bay

    Clarification, I consider a first-aid kit as one item and my tent stakes as one item [not all 14 of them].Back in the day I think I brought over 90+ items on a weekend trip. Over the years I have refined and reduced the items I carry and I hope from some of the great ideas [members] of this website I can even carry less items with the use of multi-use items. Mr. Tang is Mr. Positive! Read Ryan Jordan's Bio- member profile about less items carried.

    #1461650
    Mike Clelland
    Member

    @mikeclelland

    Locale: The Tetons (via Idaho)

    Ooooh – I've struggled with this, long conversations on the trail with Phil (who is good at math). The conclution? Well, from my limited experience trying, It's unanswerable.

    If you carry a tiny ziplock baggie with 10 ibuprofen tablets, is it 11 things?

    The number would be absurd, if taken literally.

    The mystical truism is that the LIGHTER you travel, the LESS STUFF you need to deal with – and consequently – the SIMPLER life becomes.

    #1461653
    Roman Ryder
    Spectator

    @romanla

    Locale: Southwest Louisiana

    I'm still not sure if some items count or not, but worst case scenario I have 53 items. (That includes some consumables like 6 baby wipes and 3 pieces of dental floss.)

    outside backpack:
    2 platypus
    sleeping pad
    bag with stakes

    inside backpack:
    dry bag – tent
    dry bag – sleeping bag
    cooking pot – lid, stove, and fuel
    stuff sack – food and ziploc for trash
    zipper dry sack – contains the items below

    poncho
    lighter
    compass
    headlamp
    paracord
    cooking cozy
    pair of socks
    craft bag – spork
    craft bag – filter
    craft bag – 6 baby wipes
    craft bag – survival kit (6 items)
    craft bag – first aid kit (20 items)
    craft bag – toothbrush, toothpaste, 3 pieces of floss
    craft bag – deet, soap, sanitizer, and suntan lotion droppers

    #1461654
    Richard Matthews
    Member

    @food

    Locale: Colorado Rockies

    I think you have to count all your stakes. A hammock that uses 4 stakes is simpler than a tent that uses 14.

    However, you should not count consumables. The first aid kit is mostly consumables.

    #1461661
    Jay Wilkerson
    BPL Member

    @creachen

    Locale: East Bay

    Good point about the tent stakes Richard- I need to re-think that item a little better and I do count my first-aid kit as one item. I brought up this question because I see a lot of newbies with there gear list and ALL the STUFF they carry. I used to bring in everything [just in case] and the kitchen sink. Less is more and keep it simple stupid !!!!!! Work in progess.

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