Pack weight??

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Apr 22, 2012
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I'm just curious what folks are getting for their total pack weights for their mountain hunts. This would include everything in their pack, but not including any water. I'm currently looking at somewhere in the neighborhood of 38 lbs. for a ten-day hunt, which would include my spotting scope, tripod, food, etc. Basically everything that would be in my pack but not including my rifle, ammo, or water. Again, just curious what everybody else is carrying (weight wise) on their back.
 
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Funny you should ask. I have spent the week packing and unpacking mine. I will respond when I get my weights, but I will say this. #38 pounds for 10 days sounds pretty dang good to me.
 

luke moffat

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Haven't made up a weight list is over a year now not sure what it would be. I can say for sure 10 days equals roughly 15 pounds of food as a starter. But are we going pack weight? Cause my binos, rangefinder, license, tags, extra ammo, havalon are all in my bino pouch, my trekking poles are in my hands my boots and the clothes I am wearing are on me and of its raining then my pack starts even lighter as my rain gear is on me and not in the pack.

But I rarely pack off a list anymore. Don't think I used a list on a single trip last year. Just take what I need and it is what it is. I will say that my packs are much lighter on the rare occasion I go with a buddy and not my wife as its split 50/50 then not 65/35 or so. Honestly another 10 pounds in my pack has yet to make or break a hunt but it doesn't keep me from trying to tweak certain items to get things lighter. ;)
 

Beastmode

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I quit paying attention to my pack weight. I know what I need and only bring that. Sometimes my pack weighs 35lbs sometimes it weighs 70 lbs. It all depends what the variables are. Sometimes like Luke my wife goes along. So I pack a lot more than if it were're just me. When there's a chance of snow I bring a lot more than bow hunting in august.

I strongly disagree with new guys starting out to be as light as possible. Figure out with multiple trips what your nessecities are and start scratching stuff off you list.

Different people need different things and if you leave something at home trying to save 2 lbs you need to realize what you are leaving. As Luke said 10 extra lbs isn't going to break you. Not having certain items (enough food, proper clothing, proper sleep system, etc....) will break you.
 
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Im usually around 40 to 50 pounds for around a 5 day with gun and a little water.
Once I get in there I add water depending on the place and water availability.
Then it can get heavy for a bit
 
OP
AK Troutbum
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Haven't made up a weight list is over a year now not sure what it would be. I can say for sure 10 days equals roughly 15 pounds of food as a starter. But are we going pack weight? Cause my binos, rangefinder, license, tags, extra ammo, havalon are all in my bino pouch, my trekking poles are in my hands my boots and the clothes I am wearing are on me and of its raining then my pack starts even lighter as my rain gear is on me and not in the pack.

But I rarely pack off a list anymore. Don't think I used a list on a single trip last year. Just take what I need and it is what it is. I will say that my packs are much lighter on the rare occasion I go with a buddy and not my wife as its split 50/50 then not 65/35 or so. Honestly another 10 pounds in my pack has yet to make or break a hunt but it doesn't keep me from trying to tweak certain items to get things lighter. ;)

Yeah, I'm just talking about what's on your back. I didn't include my binos and everything in my bino pouch or trekking poles. My food comes in at around 12 pounds but, for whatever reason, I tend not to be a very big eater when I'm in the mountains. My last goat hunt I didn't eat for 2 days just because I wasn't hungry but, the motor kept running. I always plan on eating my fair share every day but, it doesn't always work out that way. Needless to say, I always come home lighter than when I left but, that's tends to be a good thing.
 
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AK Troutbum
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With the tags getting ready to come out here in a few days, I tend to think about that elusive Tok tag and the ability to keep under a 50 pound pack limit with 40 mile.
 

Travis Bertrand

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I'm with luke, I'm scared to weigh my pack. I'm sure I carry over ten pounds of glass between cameras, binos, and or spotter.
 

KMT

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If going solo, my pack is closer to 50 than 40. And that's for less than 5 days. But honestly, I haven't weighed it for a couple of years. I take what I think I will need, and I'm going to carry it no matter what the weight is anyway.
 

1hoda

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I take what I think I will need, and I'm going to carry it no matter what the weight is anyway.

My program exactly. I want to be safe first, prepared for any weather, and comfortable.
 
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AK Troutbum
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Don't think you'll have any trouble getting a tok tag my friend, your the only one in AK to put in for it. :)

I hear yeah, my only question is where are the other 39, or whatever it is this year now, tags going to go? TMA here I come!! I guess I'll see how optimism works for me this year. After almost 20 years of putting in for it, I'm not exactly holding my breath.
 

luke moffat

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With the tags getting ready to come out here in a few days, I tend to think about that elusive Tok tag and the ability to keep under a 50 pound pack limit with 40 mile.


If Becca and I can do it packing for 18 days with just 54 pounds in food alone and then 2 fifths of vodka I think nearly anyone can make that 50 pound gear mark ;)

Best of luck to you in the draw trout bum!! TMA is awesome and hope someday I get to hunt it myself, but feel blessed to be on a hunt in there at all!
 
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luke moffat

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I'm with luke, I'm scared to weigh my pack. I'm sure I carry over ten pounds of glass between cameras, binos, and or spotter.

Oh I am not scared to weigh my pack in fact I weigh my pack and Beccas with a luggage scale both heading in with starting weight and coming out with an animal so I don't estimate it was 150+ cause it was "really heavy", I just like to know for my own weird reason. But the weights vary so much trip to trip and people vary what that count as their pack weight there isnt much meaning in throwing a number out there I have come to realize.
 

tttoadman

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All in for 10 days = 65#
Includes a copper spur for a base tent along with a poncho/bivy spike setup to carry daily.
Includes 6L of water.
Does not include a scope.
Everything down to spare laces, sunscreen and lip balm.


W/O weapon, ammo, water = 41#
 
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I hear yeah, my only question is where are the other 39, or whatever it is this year now, tags going to go? TMA here I come!! I guess I'll see how optimism works for me this year. After almost 20 years of putting in for it, I'm not exactly holding my breath.


30 per season- 60 total.

Nah in all seriousness i would love to do TMA one day. Just not until the big ram numbers come back up again. its been less than 3 years since Bryces 173 6/8" came from there.
 

209hunter

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Last year my pack was 48 lbs for five days and thats including water, rifle, ammo, binos etc. I was hunting with a buddy so if I was solo it might be heavier.
 

Justin Crossley

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I'm a big fan of going as light as possible but I do it by getting lighter gear rather than doing without.

I agree it can be a bad idea for a new guy to try and go too light and thus not bring things they might need. But that is not something anyone should be learning during the season anyway. Actually, I think most new guys carry WAY too much gear. And I have seen a lot more guys not succeed on a hunt because their pack was too heavy than because they didn't have enough gear.

Now days, I don't worry about my pack weight as much as I did in the past but that is because I know I have the lightest options and I'm not carrying things I don't NEED.

If anyone wants it, I have a spreadsheet that works great to keep a list of all your gear and track your pack weight. If you want it, send me a PM with your email address.

Edit to add:
My pack including my water and weapon usually weighs about 35-50 lbs for most of my trips lasting from 3 to 8 days or so.
 
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