Does Clothing Count?

[Daryl and Daryl]

"Spine Out Weight"

Laughter can lighten things.

The line above lightened my load considerably.

[Jake D]

Well this originated because max believes that because his shorts weigh less than my shorts that I am carrying 4oz extra on my body. because his windpants and the lower half of my zip offs are equal weight added to the pack would be the same.

now, max weighs 35lbs more than i do so I will not be worrying about 4oz extra in pockets that i find quite useful. (pop tarts fit in my cargo pocket quite nicely for a midmorning snack on the fly)

i'm already at the lower end of BMI for my height so i don't think losing body weight is a good idea ;)

[Nick Gatel]

You'll are wearing me out with this. I'm going for hike this weekend and don't care what my clothes weigh :-)

[Tom Lyons]

The main reason why I bring ultralight necessary gear is so that I can carry more of what I want to bring, and not feel like I'm lugging the world around.

Sometimes the final load isn't so "ultralight", but the "needs" weigh less, so the "wants" can weigh more.
Like food.

:-)

[Kate Magill]

My exofficio nomad pants weigh about what a pair of patagonia baggies do. Whenever I buy cheap running shorts they disintegrate by the end of the summer. And if there are nettles or raspberries around and I'm wearing shorts, the skin on my legs disintegrate.

But mostly I wear shorts (or skirts) so I can show off my tatts and my mad hiker calves.

[Daniel Pittman]

"But mostly I wear shorts (or skirts) so I can show off my tatts and my mad hiker calves."

If I were a chick, I'd wear skirts all the time. The ventilation must be excellent! I know someone here will chime in with, "Wear a kilt…", but I'm not Scottish and I live in Texas, so that might start a ruckus. Shorts are sexy enough for me. Show off all my best BMX scars!

[Jim Colten]

"Wear a kilt…", but I'm not Scottish and I live in Texas, so that might start a ruckus

MIGHT? There's little doubt … except maybe around Austin, where there are a lot of immigrants (from other states).

I'm surprised that the little buddy in Dan's avatar doesn't cause a rukus:-)

[Jeffs Eleven]

Tom Lyons is correct.

[BlackHatGuy]

"Tom Lyons is correct."

Mostly correct. Instead of 'Like food' it should have been 'Like single malt….'

[James holden]

unless you are obsessed with spreadsheets and BPL lists …

the bottom line is that youre still carrying, so it makes absolutely no difference if you "count" it or not

you could walk around nekkid of course … just beware of bears seeking mates ;)

[Daniel Fish]

…

[Josh Brock]

I agree with a lot of the people above. If you were going to do skin out weight I would think you would want your body added to that also. I mean you still have to carry it right?

The cloths you wear daily are no different than the body weight you carry daily. The weight there day in and day out I cant see how they differ. The weight of clothes goes up and down and so does body weight.

I think people weigh their pack weight for one purpose. To determine the comfort of their pack during hike. I would think skin out your just trying to get to a low number as the cloths you are wearing should not affect comfort of the weight your carrying.

It really does not matter what method you choose to weigh you and your gear as all you are really doing is creating a point of reference for you to compare to and make adjustments.

[Piney]

Base weight and spreadsheets are significant in that they allow you to better evaluate and make choices/changes that impact your total pack weight. I've cut my base weight by 1/2 (long trips) to 2/3 (short trips) since joining this forum which means up to ten pounds less in my backpack on any given trip. That was very much worth doing, and I never would've accomplished it without spreadsheets.

Total pack weight is the only figure that matters to me in the real world. The clothing I wear every day is far heavier than my hiking clothing, so saving a few ounces on a hat or pants or shirt is completely irrelevant to me. I do not walk around in daily life with 10 to 20 pounds hanging off my back though, so reducing total pack weight is very significant.

I carry certain items in pant and shirt pockets for easy access and safety. Mosquito head net, iphone (in shirt pocket,) bug dope, 1/2oz light, emergency items etc. The small loose items go in a zippered pouch attached to a belt loop with a lanyard. This isn't cheating, it is purely practical. If I'm heading into a buggy section or want to take a picture why take off my backpack when I can just reach into a pocket? The fact that it reduces the weight hanging off my back by few ounces is another (admittedly very slight) bonus – win win situation!

[Paul Magnanti]

If you want it, too. :)

If you load down your cargo pockets with a large knife, a camera, bug dope and enough food to stock a 7/11, it probably should.

If you just wear running shorts and a t-shirt with some chap stick in the running short's small pocket, probably not.

Ultimately, it is up to you and your standards. Use some common sense.

re: gear weight competition

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. Is there really such a thing? :)

re: men in kilts

A kilt looks killer on a burly, rugged tall Scott with a claymore. I am sure as heck not going to challenge this dude.

On a short, bald, Mediterranean looking fellow? Well, it may not intimidate people, but the people will convulse with laughter.

[Anonymous]

Paul, what about a short, rugged, burly Scott looking dude?? A bit o' laughter and a bit of respect?

(don't mind me, a wee bit tipsy this night & not me norm, do ye ken?)

(and yes, i wear kilts sometimes, but not because of my "heritage", but because it allows my boys to breathe)

[Daniel Pittman]

Thought about it all day, and although I'm half British, my ancestors were all from England or Wales. Not likely to be a single drop of Scottish blood in me.

However, I was married into an Indian family. My ex-wife is half Crow, quarter Navajo, and an eighth each of Hopi and Laguna. I feel perfectly OK claiming my right to wear traditional-style clothing of the northern plains Indians, namely the breechclout also known as a loincloth. And in the fashion of the Laguna and Navajo tribes of the southwest, I will wear heavy hide leggings to protect me from snakebite. And I've always admired how Acoma women carry water jugs, called Olla, on their heads….

[Anonymous]

Rock that loincloth Daniel, rock the loincloth, rock the loincloth, but she may really not like it…

Indians? Indians come from India. Native Americans and various tribes of same come from the America's. I'm not a big fan of calling Native Americans "Indians", as that label hearkens back to ignorant days of Amero-Euros and their dismissive terms and views of the people they stole land and life from. I've had an issue with this since young, even 9 or 10, for some reason.

[Daniel Pittman]

"Indians? Indians come from India. Native Americans and various tribes of same come from the America's. I'm not a big fan of calling Native Americans "Indians", as that label hearkens back to ignorant days of Amero-Euros and their dismissive terms and views of the people they stole land and life from. I've had an issue with this since young, even 9 or 10, for some reason."

You sound white.

Look man, I've spent a lot of time among Indians. 'Indian' is a word they themselves use to collectively describe the indigenous peoples of the North American continent. If you're talking about a particular tribe, use the name of the tribe. Or even better, learn some words and phrases in their language.

May the Creator bless you and protect you, Aho!
Daniel

[Mary D]

Some years ago, the late mystery writer Tony Hillerman was part of a panel discussion among New Mexico Indians (Hillerman was an honorary member of the Navajo Nation). He asked the other participants whether they preferred to be called Indians or Native Americans. The response was that his fellow panel members weren't "native," they just immigrated quite a few thousand years before the Europeans arrived. One member added that he was just thankful that Columbus wasn't looking for Turkey!

Back to our regularly scheduled programming. I list the stuff I wear or carry for a number of reasons: First, I want to be sure I don't have any unnecessary duplication between the two categories of clothing worn and clothing carried.. Second, my bum knee and my deformed feet (my weak points) have to carry everything on me, not just my pack. Third, my most significant weight savings the past few years, except shelter, have been in the items I wear or carry (boots to trail runners and clunky aluminum trekking poles to carbon fiber poles). These weight savings did make a considerable difference! Fourth, my gear list is also my check-off list for trips. If I have an overnight trip to the trailhead and don't wear my hiking clothing to travel in, I'm liable to leave my it behind (I did that once and had to spend half a day shopping).

YMMV, of course!

[Mobile Calculator]

…

[Ian]

Ready a study a while back where some Indians out east are likely descendants of Europeans. The theory is that some crossed the ocean in a primitive boats and slept on ice flow. I'm going to try and find it as it was pretty interesting and I wouldn't mind re reading it.

[Matthew Perry]

Daniel,
I think you may have started a new trend among FORMER kilt wearers! Love how Mr. Connery pairs the loin cloth with a new pair of Solomon S-Lab boots!

[Daniel Pittman]

All you white people with your DNA testing. Ask any Kiowa where his tribe came from, and he'll tell you they came out into the world from a hollow log. And if you think that's weird, ask a Navajo how they got here! It puts the book of Genesis to shame.

And that Sean Connery picture is hawt!

[Jeffs Eleven]

I saw 'hollow log' and thought it was gonna be about ditching a tent and sleeping in a hollow log.

Nope

[Daniel Pittman]

No way! Bears look for grubs in hollow logs. I don't want a bear thinking I'm the biggest grub ever!

[Author]

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