Base Weight poll…

[bobby c]

Alot of my base weight, as with many others, is determined by two factors: cooking hot meals and temperature. If it's during the summer (here april thru early october) then I'm not cooking hot meals and my base weight is usually around 5-6 lbs. In the scant winters we have here in the Southeast, then I'm right around 8-9 lbs. Most of my gear is true UL gear, give an ounce or two, but alot of my gear is pretty comfortable and pretty darned cheap. I passed on some astronomically more expensive gear that would've only saved me a few ounces and bought the more middle of the road UL gear. Comfort is also a consideration. If it's going to be in the single digits, I'll bring along my 3/4 lb. fleece bag liner and an extra foam pad to be comfortable. I carry more food in the winter, especially coffee and hot chocolate which adds up. Hell, I even hiked up a whole pound of marshmallows over 3000' on my last trip just so my partner and I would have a good go of it around the campfire.
Being careful to select that which is only neccessary and needed during the trip allows for luxuries.

[Colleen Clemens]

i have never, ever, added up absolutely everything for a real base weight. i wonder if this is a gender difference, as i genuinely don't care if i'm carrying 11 lbs 5 oz or 12 lbs. i just carry the lightest i can, while still being functional for me.

so right now, if i was actually able to get out there without my kids, i'd be carrying roughly 12 lbs, of which at least 2 lbs is my pack. i'd like to play around with a frameless pack again, but right now just don't feel like coughing up the money for one and i usually carry more water than i'd like to in a frameless anyway. i have no aspirations to be SUL, because i'm just too cold-blooded and my round ol' woman hips don't like thin sleeping pads anymore. so at this point my only motivation for dropping more base weight is just so that i can carry more water.

right now, i would settle for just being able to backpack. i'd even carry a 15 lb base weight, if that somehow magically made me able to go…

[Frank Perkins]

>have never, ever, added up absolutely everything for a real >base weight. i wonder if this is a gender difference, as i >genuinely don't care if i'm carrying 11 lbs 5 oz or 12 lbs. i >just carry the lightest i can, while still being functional >for me.

Does not compute, system error. Danger danger!

[Linsey Budden]

My low base weight is irrelevant when I'm out 5-8 days as the food weight is just plain heavy. Add to that my tendency to carry too much water and I'm usually maxing out or overloading my Mariposa. For this reason I only ever weigh 'skin out weight' (pack, food, poles, water–everything).

[Ryan Gardner]

Frank, thanks for the laugh.

Colleen, maybe it is a gender difference. I've tried to help my wife pack before and it drives her nuts. I've learned to just back off, but I used to walk over to her pack and say "What? What are you bringing this for? Do you know how much this weighs?!" Or "You're bringing this whole bottle? You could empty a fraction of that into one of my BPL droppers and save x ounces!"

[Lynn Tramper]

Since I hike in a region that is renowned for having 4 seasons in one day, my base weight fluctuates very little. Usually around 5.5-6 kilos.

I agree with linsey-for anything from a week onwards, the food and water are what kill me, so skin-out is a more realistic end game for me. As a guidleline for a weekend trip, It will be from 11-13 kilos including food, water, clothes, boots, poles etc…Add around an extra 600-700g per day for longer trips (food + fuel+extra sunscreen, insect repellant, toilet paper blah blah).

[Roger Caffin]

> Since I hike in a region that is renowned for having 4 seasons in one day
And several cycles of that in a day too, if the satellite pics I have been seeing are anything to go by recently! Here in Sydney it is being just wet.

[Colleen Clemens]

yes, good one Frank.

Ryan, don't get me wrong. i don't carry a full bottle when a few drops will do. i just don't always weight it so i know exactly how many ounces/grams i've shaved off. i do own a scale, i have weighed almost everything i carry, i even used a spreadsheet once and tried to care about calculating my total weight down to the half-onces. but i realized that mostly i didn't care. my pack got light, it made me happy, i didn't need to sweat the grams.

but i think just for the sake of knowing, i should find out what i would be carrying now. it's been a long time since i bothered.

[John Mowery]

When traveling in very remote country and fishing:
12.83
When traveling in not so remote country and not fishing:
9.53

I would feel comfortable taking either kit down to the mid 20's although I'd expect to sleep cold.

[Joseph Williams]

My baseweight is 8.5-9lbs almost all the time. I am completely happy with the weight, but would like to reduce the bulk- my little MLD zip feels a bit stuffed most of the time, and can be hard to organize. Once my sleeping bag is smaller (either by modification or replacement) my pack will be a well-functioning unit at a weight I can carry without fuss.

Then I start my diet- it's a joke cutting all this weight from my pack and still being overweight myself!

[Matthew Swierkowski]

Alright, everybody sit down for this one I don't want you to pass out when you read this and hit your head on something. My base weight fluctuates between 18-25 lbs depending on the season. I usually try to keep the total weight down below 35 lbs as much as possible.

What the heck are you carrying is probably your next question. Well, I suspect my extra weight comes from my McHale pack, Katadyn Hiker filter, tent (either Tarptent DR or Hilleberg Akto), pillow, Thermarest 3/4 Prolite 4, camera and camp shoes (Tevas…yeah, yeah I know I don't need that robust of a camp shoe).

I have gone out at a base weight as low as about 16 lbs, and I just decided that I like having some of my "luxurious" stuff with me. So instead of spending inordinate amounts of time trying to figure out how to shave weight, I decided to invest that time in exercising. That seems to have equalized things where I can still hike a decent distance with the extra weight. I am still refining things though, and hopefully I can eventually cut out a few pounds of stuff.

[David Neumann]

This is a fascinating thread and I appreciate the thoughtful responses and candor. My base weight fluctuates depending on the specific trip.

This past summer I had a great weekend trip in the Eagle Cap Wilderness in Oregon and my base weight was about 5.5 pounds. I am planning a base weight in the neighborhood of 4.9 pounds for my projected Wonderland Trail circumnavigation of Mt. Rainier this summer. The main difference is that I brought my BPL TorsoLite and a full length 1/8" GG ThinLight on the Eagle Cap trip since it was just a weekend and I was trying out my new quilt and bivy combination. On the Wonderland Trail I am looking at high mileage days on what can be a rough trail and am going with half the ThinLight and a GG NightLight as well as a poncho/tarp versus a Spin tarp and rainwear.

I will definitely be giving up some comfort here. However, the trade-off is that not carrying another 1/2 to 3/4 pound for 20 miles per day with many ups and downs is significant to my success. I am happy to replace the TorsoLite with two Tylenol PM!

[Andrew :-)]

For Our last hike in the Snowy Mountains our base weights averaged a smidge over 10 lbs each.
(including fuel but not food/water).

I say 'averaged' cos I carry the hardware/gear and my fiance carries mostly food. This brings her start weight almost up to my total weight. Then her pack keeps getting lighter as the walk continues.

For this hike we packed for 3+ seasons, temps down to freezing at night, possibility of blizzard, but no snow on ground (a similar "4 seasons in one day" climate to that mentioned earlier).

Basic gear list:
Europa tarp tent, light thermarests, down bags, esbit stove with sheild and big pot to share, golite gust packs(volumes compressed right down), Sweetwater minifilter, Breathable Waterproof shell tops and bottoms etc. Nothing mindblowing.
We both wear trail runners and are fairly fit/strong.

We could go a couple of pounds lighter with more money (or MYOG time, tools and materials) or less comfort.
I wouldn't really change our 'style' of gear or camping but $$$ etc would allow a replacement of item for item with lighter gear.

Sure a kilo or 2 less would always be nice but this is a good sweetspot weight for us – anything lighter would be a bonus. This base weight at 6500' with lots of up/down hill still left me with a spring in my step after the day of hiking.

When I hike with fiance it has to be a balance of fun, comfort and light packs.

[Patricia Combee]

Let's see, summer time, no bear cannister – 9 pounds, 10.5 with small bear cannister. Spring and Fall 11 pounds without cannister.
Weight for multi-day AT hikes (maps, handbook pages for section) is about 9.5 pounds. Includes my small digital camera and small journal and a viena sausage can for dipping water from small springs. I am quite happy with a 9 to 11 pound base weight. I can and occasionally do go down to 7 pounds when I want to make a lot of miles over a weekend hike. This sure beats my first forays into backpacking with a 23 pound base weight. Yikes!

[Jason Brinkman]

Last year my base weight ranged up to 12 pounds for extended trips (more than 3 days). The list posted on my profile is an actual list from last summer. I probably got as low as 8 or 9 for some weekend outings, especially when I didn't cook.

Over the winter I have made a few gear changes, and I plan to be consistently under a 10 pound base weight this year with gear I have already acquired. I doubt I will touch SUL in the near future, but then I really have no desire to get there.

I have enjoyed lightweight backpacking. A base weight under 15 pounds is very pleasant for someone my size (6'4"/240+) who started out with very heavy traditional loads. I am finding that UL is even more enjoyable, although continued reductions in weight add little additional comfort for me – they really only add stamina at the end of the day.

My real goal right now is a simple and efficient system. I strive for a very clean, low volume pack with a high degree of functionality (fast and easy) and reasonable durability. I value things that can be set up and torn down quickly, or even better, accessed on the fly.

Some great points that have been made here. I like what Doug said about really having two hobbies – gear and backpacking. I actually have several more, but gear and backpacking (separately) seem the most relevant here.

In terms of my gear hobby – I like playing with stuff, figuring out how it works, figuring out how to make it work better, finding a way to make it lighter or smaller, etc. My wife says last week…"You got another BOX today. What did you order this time – don't you already have everything?". To which I reply…"No one can have everything, new stuff comes out all the time!" But now I'm thinking…"Geez, how am I going to tell her about those new BPL STIX Poles that are due to ship next month? I already have three other pairs!".

[David Noll]

Since I only backpack with my wife this is our pack weight w/o
consumables. It does include camera and an ursack. My wife's
pack weight at the start of a 7 day trip in the mountains is
11# 2oz and mine is 11#3oz and I will carry the fuel and aprx
25% more food. Considering that 3 years ago we were at about 35# each with consumables we are pretty happy. Also since we
are older and usually travel 7-11 miles a day this is probably
where we will end up at.

[Max Hoagland]

Last summer my 10 lb baseweight included a Pinnacle pack with a Black Diamond 2 lb 10 oz tent, and a 16 oz rain jacket and two fleeces. This winter I have switched out my gear for a poncho/ tarp, a Thru-hiker Kinsman jacket, a Jam2 pack and a pepsi can stove. I have also switched out a lot of miscellaneous things like stuff sacks and have been cutting off tags and switching out cords on my 2 lb 10 oz sleeping bag. I'm still planning on making a bivy and a quilt. So right now I'm at about 7-8 lbs, and if I get the new quilt/ bivy I hope to get a pound and a half less than that.
Sweet.

[Gerald Hutchinson]

Interesting thread. Thanks for starting it Ryan.

I live in the Southeast and camp in the Blue Ridge and Great Smokies, at altitudes from 1500 ft to almost 7000 ft. I adapt my rig almost every trip, and overall weight varies roughly from 9 to 15 lbs. I am very satisfied with my rig.

Always carry : rain gear, camera (Canon SD 800 or Nikon D70, depending), small AM/FM radio with earbud, trek poles (for tarp & tripod). No filter, but chem treatment. Backup dry (sleeping) clothes. Sundry small essentials.

Pack: GG Vapor Trail. I love this pack! very comfortable!

I avoid synthetic warming clothes, using wool and silk as base and mid-layer. Prefer down vests, jackets, & bags.

Season: Spring and Fall. Expect weather + temps to 20 dF.
Reason: General rig for up to 4 nights solo.
Weight: 11.6 lbs.
Gear: siltarp, 20dF down bag, short self-inflating pad, extra warm clothes, cartridge stove + ti mug, headlamp for night hiking.
Comment: I don't really experience much difference between my summer and spring-fall rigs on my back (~2.5 lbs diff.) But I do need different gear. I would like to try hamocking > 20dF, but I'd need more gear (underquilt), and right now it is not a priority.

Season: Summer. Possible Rain, temp no lower than 35dF.
Reason: Solo hammock camping for up to 4 nights.
Weight: 9.2 lbs.
Gear: HH hammock, siltarp, 35 dF down bag/quilt, alcohol stove + ti mug.
Comments: Although the hammock is a bit heavier, I get a great night of bug-free comfortable sleep, which is more important to me than shaving a couple of lbs. Always have to be ready for a afternoon &/or evening downpour, as thunderstorms occur maybe 1 in 3 days.

Season: Summer. Possible Rain, temp no lower than 35dF.
Reason: Hypothetical 36-hour speed-trek.
Weight: 6.0
Gear: 40 dF synthetic quilt, tarp, short blue pad, no change of clothes exc. socks. Sweater & cap. (I've gotten hypothermic in the Georgia mountains in August, & never want to repeat that again.)

[John Sixbey]

I've never measured my base weight. I know that once I get ALL of my gear – camping equipment, food, revolver(I hike in Alaska), water, etc., it weighs between 27-32 lbs for a 6 day trip. Full pack weight is what makes sense to me since that's what my back feels.

I think the main variable in weight is the food I pack, as I only do multi-day hikes during 3 seasons and below 10,000'. I'm still learning how to lighten my load, and each year I try to re-evaluate what I pack as well as replace a few items with lighter options. I'd like to get that weight down to a predictable 24-25 lbs.

[Scott Bentz]

I just put together a pack for our 12 day trek at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. They have a way to do things, such as dedicated sleeping clothing, no tarps, no soda can stoves, etc. That includes the extra heavy white gas stove and cannister I have for at 12.0 oz and a camera and fishing pole.

I got my base weight to 9.45 lbs. I'm quite happy with that. I hear the food is heavy but we get resupplied every 4 days. I'll get my kids to carry the 2 quart pot they want us to have and the 10 x 12 tarp.

I gave a little presentation to the crew about Lightweight methods and one of the comments was "that guy is serious". They have no idea. If I was that serious I would probably have a sub 5 lb. pack!

My main goal is to get the other adult leaders as light as possible so the trip doesn't go sour due to bad knees and all other problems heavy packs can create. We'll see.

[Albert K.]

Like most, my base weight depends on where I'm going and what I'd doing.

Worst case scenario is 14.4 lbs. That's what I'll be carrying to Philmont this summer for a 12 day trek, with expected temps ranging from 30 degrees to 90 degrees, F. Because I have some weak hikers, have to follow BSA rules, and want to take great pictures, I have more than a few questionable items, including:

a 36 oz, 12 person crew medical kit,
a 12 oz. camera,
a 4 oz. writing kit – Journal, glasses, lead pencil

For warmer temp, shorter trips, I typically run about 4 lbs lighter (10.3 lbs).

[Jay Wilkerson]

There are so many facters to this question. Seasonal, geagraphical, personal cumfort level-ie sleeping pad and bag. In 3 season if not fishing and not in bear country I can average 9 and half pounds. Add fishing and a required bear canister and looking at maybe 12 to 15 lbs. Was Andrew Skurka required to bring a bear canister in Yosemite and Glacier? It was not on any of his gear list. Just wondering?

[Mike M]

After a relatively long hiatus, my wife and I are back into the backpacking scene. Far from die hard ultra lighters, we have boughten into the principles that a lighter pack means less wear and tear on the body, allows you to go farther, gets you into places you might not dare w/ a heavy pack and just simply more fun :)

After some trimming and prioritization (and buying some new equipment :)) my three season base weight is in the 12 lb range, my wife's in the ten lb range. It's my goal to get mine under 10 and my wife's under 8- we'll see.

Definitely a far cry from yesteryear where my pack would be bulging at the seams and over the 50 # mark regularly!

[Elliott Wolin]

Since everyone's pack evolves over time this might be a thread that goes on forever!

My recent summer + shoulder season base weight has dropped from about 15 lbs a few years ago, when I discovered BPL, to under 11 lbs.

Further decrease would involve replacing my Golite Trek at 2lbs 2 oz with something like a Golite Pinnacle or Jam2, something I will not do until the Trek is worn out. And it is holding up so well this might take some time, if ever. Also could take fewer clothes, but I like having spare, clean, dry clothes. Also could spend a lot of money to buy lighter versions of all my clothing, but these too still have a lot of life in them (although I'm about to sew some new UL vests and jackets to replace fleece). I could give up on my umbrella, but I love my umbrella. Could replace my short Prolite 3 but my old body seems to really need serious foam under me. I could go on…

The upshot is it is unlikely I'll get my base weight much below 10 lbs, mainly due to expense or personal preference.

And, I admit it: I don't care!

Do I have to resign from BPL now?

[Tom Caldwell]

"Do I have to resign from BPL now?"

Not as far as this heavy loading hammocker is concerned. I'm in the same boat, and I do think a few clean dry clothing items make for a better experience in a warm and humid environment. I whittled off some weight last fall, last winter, and this spring, and now all I can do to make a significant difference is replace my pack, bag, tarp, and clothes. All of them have lots of life in them.

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