Pack weight

BuckSnort

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Forgive me if this has already been discussed but I was wondering how much weight y'all are hauling...

Minus food, water, and weapon how heavy are your packs? Since we're not counting food/water days afield should not change the weight but for shits and giggles lets say 5 days afield... And early September at 10,000'....

I'm to the point now that I'm gonna have to shell out some money and upgrade my gear to start cutting weight.. Right now my scale says my pack (no food,water or weapon) weighs 35 lbs... That weight is including my Bino's, spotter and tripod....
 

luke moffat

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Forgive me if this has already been discussed but I was wondering how much weight y'all are hauling...

Minus food, water, and weapon how heavy are your packs? Since we're not counting food/water days afield should not change the weight but for shits and giggles lets say 5 days afield... And early September at 10,000'....

I'm to the point now that I'm gonna have to shell out some money and upgrade my gear to start cutting weight.. Right now my scale says my pack (no food,water or weapon) weighs 35 lbs... That weight is including my Bino's, spotter and tripod....

Whatcha taking to kill something with?? That'll weigh a bit as well.
 
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That doesn't sound too bad to me. I don't figure in H2O (bring a filter), I don't know what you're using for a weapon, but maybe around 7 lbs. give or take, and food is for how long you're going in for. If 35 lbs. is your packed wt., and you have all that you need minus things described above, I think you're doing okay. If you tack on another 7 lbs. for weapon, and 5 lbs for food (for 5 days your eating good). You're right in there.
 
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I always weigh everything together. My last pack for an 8 day hunt, with food, water, bow, and a 3 man shelter was 49 lbs. Only enough water for a day
 

dotman

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I don't have my spreadsheet infront of me but my pack loaded for a 10 day trip including spotter but not binos is just over 45lbs. I dropped close to 15lbs off it this year with upgrades to pack, shelter, sleeping bag and other misc stuff but I also added back just under 5lbs with the addition of the spotter and tripod.

This also inly includes 2L of water.
 
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Minus food, water and weapon, my base pack weight for a recent five day trip (August 2011, Alaska Range sheep) was just under 30 lbs. I had a partner who was carrying the tent, sat phone, and rangefinder, so if I add those things in I would be pretty close where you are. I've modified my gear list some for 2012 (as usual), but still expect to end up around the same base weight.

Yk
 

Chesapeake

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I count everything but my clothes I'm wearing. If it hangs off me, the pack, or goes in a pocket it counts in the weight.

For me for a 5 day early september hunt my last pack was 50# with 1.8 liters of water(bladder full, good for a day). I was wearing Lowa boots, smartwool socks, gaitors, ascent pants, belt, REI skivies, heat gear T shirt, ball cap, and bino's on a harness (binos were weighed with the pack). Rifle was strapped to the pack.

I've done some upgrades and tossed out some stuff I never use. Hopefully this year I can get below the 45# mark.

50 pounds going in isnt bad, but if your planning to strap 60 to 80 pounds of boned out mule deer on for the trip out things get heavy, even after you eat all the food. It makes you think hard about packing out the cape. Its nice if you have 2 guys and only 1 deer. Its just hard to convice my hunt partner not to shoot one so we only have to pack out mine.
 
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On my last 10 day winter hunt my pack weighed 52lbs all inclusive.....so a quick and dirty figure would be drop 6lbs for water, 8lbs for weapon, 15lbs for food, and you get 23lbs. Of course I would drop a couple of pounds in clothing as well since we are talking early September, so maybe closer to 20lbs.
 

Rizzy

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I don't really know the exact weight on my pack anymore either. On my last one night trip my pack weighed about 36 pounds with everything except my gun. When I get my KU3700 my base wieght will go down by a couple pounds:)
 

frans

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I always weigh everything together. My last pack for an 8 day hunt, with food, water, bow, and a 3 man shelter was 49 lbs. Only enough water for a day

I always find these low numbers amazing (not incredible, but amazing). Mine would way around the 65 lbs mark, with 2.5 liter of water, rifle, ammo, etc, ready to go for five days. I usually schlepp a full-size SLR and a medium size zoom lens (70-300mm) that adds some weight, but none of the gear I bought in the past has been bought with weight in mind. All those little things add up, or I'm just taking too much stuff. I can't really see what I should leave at home though.
 

RosinBag

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BuckSnort if you are 100% solo with your gear, meaning no one else is carrying your gear or you are not sharing your gear, you are just fine. If you are around 50 pounds total weight, including your weapon, ammo, food and water you need to get into camp you are as light as you are going to get. I also find these numbers amazing, but then you always see the except someone carrying this or that, etc. Figure 7 pounds minimum for whatever weapon you choose, 1.5 pounds per day of food and 70 ounces of water on your hike in unless water is plentiful. 1 pound a day of food is sparse when mountain hunting. Realize your base weight is what it is regardless of one night or five nights. The only thing that should really change is how much food you bring and whether or not your hunting in an area that you need to prepare more clothing for different weather conditions.
 

dotman

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Well he did say minus weapon from the pack and I tend to carry my bow, not strap it to my pack so it never is included in my weight. My 10 day weight does not include bow and my pack alone weight 2lbs 13oz.
 
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RosinBag

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When I consider my weight, I count everything I take except the clothes I am wearing. If you are carrying your bow or rifle, you are still packing it. If packing in before season, I keep now on pack, if season open I carry it because you never know. I also pack it on the way out if I have filled my tag. I like my hands free if possible when packing heavy loads on the way out.

I do understand everyone is different and has their own thoughts and ways to do it. That is what makes the forums so informative.
 
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BuckSnort

BuckSnort

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Thanks for the input fella's.. I made a small error when adding my weights of gear... I am right at 37.5 lbs minus food, water and weapon...

I eliminated those three cause that's where most of our us will vary as we all have different choices in weapons and how much food and water we pack...

I was just doing some figuring and If I bought a Golite sl3, a golite bag and a Kuiu spindrift I could save 4.5 lbs... But that's about $120 per pound...lol..Going light gets expensive!
 
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BuckSnort

BuckSnort

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Rosinbag, I weigh as going solo, no shared weight... I also seem to run about 1lb of food per day, I just don't have an appetite at elevation.. I also only pack about 35 oz of water (although I didn't count that weight) when there are plent7 of streams along the trail to fill up on the hike in.. I seem to go around 4-5 miles with that amount before I have to refill at a creek...
 

bbrown

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I am right about 24.8lbs including game bags (8oz) and a compact Leupold spotter and cheap aluminum tripod (3lbs) so just over 21lbs without all that. This is everything I need regardless of how many days. With food and 70oz of water my 7 day pack weighs 36lbs not including my bow.
 
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