Testimony: How I Fell for Lightweight Backpacking

Fate stepped in and pushed me down some steps in November 2006, breaking my fibula at the ankle, requiring surgical repair. I asked my surgeon if I could backpack the following summer, and he said "If you can get your pack down to thirty pounds, you can backpack." My lightweight journey was launched in earnest.

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I'd always wondered how to get my backpack lighter. I am on the short side of average height in the U.S., being five feet, four inches tall, and in my early adult life, I weighed 125-130 pounds. The general rule at the time was that your pack should be no more than one-third of your body weight. Yet I had to carry a tent, pad and sleeping bag all sized for an average man; my pack usually hovered around fifty pounds, and when I was the leader responsible for a group of teenagers, with the larger first aid kit, emergency paperwork, educational readings, and all else added to my load, I would sometimes be carrying fully HALF of my body weight! I'm strong, but ten miles is a looooong way carrying that much weight.

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Viewing 4 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

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Feb 24, 2009 at 6:58 pm #1234316

Addie Bedford
BPL Member

@addiebedford
Locale: Montana

Companion forum thread to:

Testimony: How I Fell for Lightweight Backpacking

Feb 25, 2009 at 1:51 am #1480543

Carol Crooker
BPL Member

@cmcrooker
Locale: Desert Southwest, USA

I enjoyed your article, Elizabeth! Was that the muffin! man with the BPL decal?

Feb 27, 2009 at 6:22 pm #1481384

Franco Darioli
Spectator

@franco
Locale: Gauche, CU.

Elizabeth
Interesting series of articles outlining how different beginnings end with the same conclusion : when you can lighter is better .
My biggest incentive was simply that it was an excuse to get more gear, nevertheless it works.
Thank you for your lovely pictures , although at least one with a tent in it would be nice.
( or in my case about 25 of them…)
Franco

Mar 6, 2009 at 9:39 am #1483322

Kelli Busch
Member

@artbykelli

Thanks for the inspirational read. I just broke my ankle (fibula) about a week ago, and was crushed to hear how long it might take before I'm back to 100%; 6 weeks for the bone to heal, up to 8 more weeks for the physical therapy. My only saving grace right now is it is still winter here in WI, so by the time my ankle is ready to go, the weather will be ready too! Your break sounds much worse than mine…no surgery needed here. Non the less, I've just finished weighing all my gear so I can figure out where to lose the unnecessary weight in my pack. Amazing how all that "stuff" adds up so quickly!
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