Defining Pack Weight

[AHayes]

New to this forum and love the amount of information available. I'm learning a lot in preparation for my first trip out to Colorado in Sept. to hunt elk.

I've searched and haven't found an answer to the following........ how should I define pack weight? Is this what is strictly in / on my pack? For example, do you count the weight of trekking poles, boots, clothing worn, cell phone in a pants pocket, binoculars worn on the chest, etc.? My friend who is taking me out has suggested a target weight of 60 lbs. Based on what I have been reading and experienced on my first two mile trial tonight loaded up, I need to lower the target weight. Tonight I was at 48# without food and another liter of water.

FYI....the plan is to hike in 5 miles at an elevation between 8-10k feet for a six day hunt.

Trying to cut weight now and lean out my pack. I will be using the "Lighter Pack" website to help this process along with other tips already reviewed on this forum.

In advance...thanks for the assistance!

 

[Rob5589]

I don't count anything not in/on the pack. 48 without food or water is going to be well over 50 when you add those.

 

[Kgentry]

Water is a big one. If your hunting in a area with water around where you can pump that makes the amount of water you need to carry a lot less.

 

[MuleyFever]

I never understood this. I take what I NEED and no more. My pack weigh is what it is at that point. If you want to cut weight start buying gear that is lighter than what you have. At the end of the day though your weight is still what it is if you are taking only what you need. You are only limited by your desire, or willingness, to spend money. I have never weighed my pack.

6 days will add at least 6lbs of food at minimum and a liter of water is 2.2lbs so you are lose to 60lbs.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

If you were at 48 pounds without food or water, you are likely going to be heavier then 60 when finished. I figure 2 lbs of food per day. I could and do get by on less from time to time. But, by the time you get electrolytes and drink mixes, seasonings for meals, etc.... and some real food for a couple meals a day, its going to be hard to get much less. I eat a lot too. Maybe you can get by with less.

The big thing is take what you need. Then decide what, if any luxury's you might take. Don't cut weight by cutting food. And try some of the dehydrated foods well in advance to the hunt, to see which ones you tolerate. Good luck and God Bless

 

[AHayes]

Thanks for the comments. I haven't pulled the trigger yet on a descent back country tent. The one I threw in the pack tonight for the trial was a heavy 5 person tent with heavy poles. Total weight on the tent was almost 9 pounds. I'm looking at the Big Agnes Copper Spur, so that is some significant weight reduction right there. Also just cut my knife weight in half from 9 oz. down to 3.5.

Agree with only take what you need. I guess since it is my first time doing this (flat lander from Indiana), I'm still trying to figure out exactly what I need and don't need. I've never hiked up to 10k feet so that in and of itself is going to be quite the challenge, before even considering the added gear weight. Been working out to get into shape for quite some time. I lost 25 lbs. last year to get down to 183, so this trip even motivates me more to get stronger.

This forum helps a ton as I feel my way through the process.

 

[AHayes]

Water is a big one. If your hunting in a area with water around where you can pump that makes the amount of water you need to carry a lot less.

Water should be plentiful along the way. I was planning on starting out with 2 liters just so I don't have to stop that much to filter water on the way to the base camp. Planning on a total carrying capacity of 4 liters (3 liter bladder with a 1 liter bottle). Obviously I don't have to fill up the bladder entirely. Thanks!

 

[AHayes]

If you were at 48 pounds without food or water, you are likely going to be heavier then 60 when finished. I figure 2 lbs of food per day. I could and do get by on less from time to time. But, by the time you get electrolytes and drink mixes, seasonings for meals, etc.... and some real food for a couple meals a day, its going to be hard to get much less. I eat a lot too. Maybe you can get by with less.

The big thing is take what you need. Then decide what, if any luxury's you might take. Don't cut weight by cutting food. And try some of the dehydrated foods well in advance to the hunt, to see which ones you tolerate. Good luck and God Bless

Already have four dehydrated meals purchased to try to see what I like. Agree totally on not cutting food weight. I was planning on a target of 2 lbs per day. I'm using the Mountain Tough Back Country Calculator to help target calories needed.

 

[*zap*]

Stand naked on scale, get off. Put on all clothes, pack, gear and hold trekking poles.....step on scale. Now you know what your carrying.

 

[Terrapin]

Stand naked on scale, get off. Put on all clothes, pack, gear and hold trekking poles.....step on scale. Now you know what your carrying.

Close the blinds before you do this.


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[ljalberta]

Everyone defines their pack weight differently. That’s how some guys do 37 day hunts with 35lb packs on this site . Zap nailed the best way to know how much your lugging around. For myself personally when thinking of pack weight I tend to count everything except my boots, socks, underwear, pants and a single shirt. Essentially just the stuff I have to wear outside when it might be frowned upon to be naked.
I include all my optics, food, anything in my pockets, chest pack, rifle, bow, water, etc etc.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Some look at weight “skin out” meaning the total of all gear worn or carried. Some focus on the weight of the pack only and presume the other stuff is necessary. It’s up to you how you think about it. 48# pack weight for that trip seems heavy.

If you don’t have a lot of backpacking experience, consider a couple of tune up trips. Start with an easy overnight then do a couple of 2 night trips. It will help you get your gear dialed in. Keep notes on what you use and don’t use. If you don’t use something leave it home.

Check out backpacker.com and some of the ultralight sites about weight cutting tips. Don’t drink their coolaid and buy a bunch of featherweight stuff. Just apply the easy tips.

For a six-day trip I would try to get my base pack weight under 30# including the pack but not food or water. Lower if you can. Figure 2-3# of food a day plus some water and your pack will be #50. Add another #10-20 for your weapon, boots, clothes, binos and harness, etc. and you are pushing #70 of total burden. At 10k feet that weight will suck the soul out of you.

 

[RazAlGhoul]

Some do stretch things here and there and you will see list categories like "worn/carried."

IMHO, you should start with just a basic clothing kit for the "worn" category: base layer shirt, pants, briefs, socks and shoes. I think putting a lot of stuff in your pockets and leaving it off the base weight is just playing games.

Things like trekking poles aren't generally counted for base weight, but you know if your poles are heavy or light ones; likewise shoes/boots. They come back in the skin-out weight.

Consumables aren't counted in base weights, but the containers are. Again, they come out in the skin-out weight, and can really up the weight. Water really stacks up, and it is so dependent on climate, season and personal metabolism. I've seen a few lists critiqued on carrying too much water or too many containers.

The whole idea is to get a basis for comparison. It isn't a competition, but rather a means to help one another get over concepts and techniques that make for heavier kits.

 

[Chad.frank]

I never understood this. I take what I NEED and no more. My pack weigh is what it is at that point. If you want to cut weight start buying gear that is lighter than what you have. At the end of the day though your weight is still what it is if you are taking only what you need. You are only limited by your desire, or willingness, to spend money. I have never weighed my pack.

6 days will add at least 6lbs of food at minimum and a liter of water is 2.2lbs so you are lose to 60lbs.

You have to understand this is his first trip. I’d say probably almost everyone has weighed their packs the first time and some may still do it. But with experience I think most just load up what they need and the weight is what it is.


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[GunsAreFun]

I always thought the discussions over base weights, skin out weights, etc. were a bit misguided. As mentioned, your pack weight is what it is after you have what you “need”.

What I think is most important is keeping track of individual item weight, usage, and cost to upgrade. That’s how you know if you can make improvements that are within your budget. It’s also helps you just leave stuff at home or in the truck, which is free weight savings. Generally, the most cost effective upgrade I’ve seen is the pack, sleeping bag (if switching to a quilt), and maybe the tent. You can save nearly a pound per hundred dollars. Most other items and you spend hundreds of dollars for ounces.

 

[KurtR]

If your like me the first few times you will bring way to much shit for the what ifs and then get back and start firing stuff out of the pack you didnt use or dont need. Every one can tell you what they need or bring but i found this is the one of the learn the hard way life lessons.

 

[renagde]

My suggestion is make a list on a website like lighterpack.com, which is see if your plan. It helps you organize what gear goes where and lets you enter weights for everything so you can easily see where all your weight is and where you can cut weight.

I started putting a like this together a year before my first western hunt. By taking everyone's advice on this forum and tweaking my list to only the things i for sure need, I was able to go into my first hunt with a super light setup without anything I didn't need. I found over the course of a 10 day hunt i used every single thing in my pack (except for my first aid kit, fortunately and my kill kit, unfortunately). I didn't pack anything that I didn't need and didn't want anything that I didn't pack.

That is the power of forums like this one. Research everything, go over your list, go on trial camping trips, and take peoples advice. It'll payoff when you go on your first hunt.

For what it's worth, I weighed my pack at the trail head and I was right at 32.5lbs with my bow in hand. I had 7 days of food and 2 liters of water in my pack.

 

[RockChucker30]

Read This:

How to Cut your Backpack Hunting Weight

This article breaks down weight into the most important categories. I normally calculate weight four ways.

• Base Weight
• Pack Weight without food or water
• Total Pack Weight
• Total Skin Out Weight

 

[Mike Islander]

I weigh full pack with scale, without food and water. Then I trim down to what I absolutely need. I have to wear adequate clothing, so I don't weigh it. Food/water must be added no matter what the pack weight, so the weight of both of those items are not part of the trimming process. I can't do anything about them. I can't trim them or use less. Can't get rid of some special item. I'm stuck with minimum food and water no matter what. So I just don't weigh them normally.

Short test trips will do wonders on getting pack weight down. I tested my pack starting at 60 pounds (these tests did include 3 days food and water, since I was comparing equal trip lengths). After a couple camping trips at my local hunt club I got weight down to 32 pounds, including food and water. Soooo much better.

 

[grimace]

I like to count everything from skin out, then break it down into categories, food, water shelter, clothing worn, clothing carried, gear, weapon, first aid, ect... once you start breaking things down into categories you can identify areas to save weight and determine if spending more money in that category is worth it to you. You will get to a point where "It is what it is".

I've done this for hunting, backpacking and mountaineering and it has served me well. One other thing, I use a SG sky 5100 pack, but I run it in bivy mode most of the time which reduces the size to around 3500 cu in. This keeps me from bring too much stuff, unnecessary stuff...

Best of luck,
G