Total pack weight for 10 days.

[thatguy]

Would you guys consider a total weight of 78.5lbs to be excessive. BackPack weight is 62#. This includes literally everything that I am taking down to underwear. This is for a 10 day hunt. The only places I can cut weight reasonably is the tent, pad, boots, and rifle. Even by cutting those I'm looking at 6 lbs of shed weight. I weigh 200# and am planing on dumping weight at camp as well. Should have a 30# day pack weight.

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[Poser]

That’s a heavy pack. Just under 40% of Bodyweight. It is manageable depending on what your hike in looks like (terrain, distance, elevation gain) and, more importantly, you’re level of fitness. Assuming you are going to drop 20 lbs or more worth of food, then it leaves a reasonable weight for getting out.

I’ll wager that more people’s packs actually weigh around this weight for 10 day cold weather hunts than who actually admit because…. You know, things like weapons, water and optics don’t count in their load out weight because they can’t admit reality and/or “look at me, my pack only weighs 35 lbs for a 8 day, DIY, OTC public land hunt”

If you can reasonably carry it, you have what you need, have been reasonable with pairing down weight, and have the fitness to get to where you’re going, then it weighs what it weighs.

 

[thatguy]

Yea, I'm really starting to question these ultra light hunters. I mean, if I'm willing to spend thousands more on gear and take the absolute minimum of food and water. I could probably shave 10 pounds off. When I say "this is everything". I mean everything. Thank you for the answer! Hopefully, I'm adding a couple hundred pounds on my way out though!

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[thatguy]

Yea, I'm really starting to question these ultra light hunters. I mean, if I'm willing to spend thousands more on gear and take the absolute minimum of food and water. I could probably shave 10 pounds off. When I say "this is everything". I mean everything. Thank you for the answer! Hopefully, I'm adding a couple hundred pounds on my way out though!

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Should also mention I'm considering my bino harness as part of my back pack. It's still weight on the shoulders...

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[*zap*]

do what your comfortable doing.

 

[Poser]

Should also mention I'm considering my bino harness as part of my back pack. It's still weight on the shoulders...

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This is correct and also usually omitted by the ultralight bros. Weight on your body is weight on your body. I was packing out from a week long trip just yesterday. Packed up my bag and thought, “not too bad.” Then I added my 8 lbs rifle to my pack and put on my bino harness. That was a a very noticeable and significant weight addition. Another ~12 lbs of weight on my body -that’s significant

 

[mod7rem]

Would you guys consider a total weight of 78.5lbs to be excessive. BackPack weight is 62#. This includes literally everything that I am taking down to underwear. This is for a 10 day hunt. The only places I can cut weight reasonably is the tent, pad, boots, and rifle. Even by cutting those I'm looking at 6 lbs of shed weight. I weigh 200# and am planing on dumping weight at camp as well. Should have a 30# day pack weight.

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For 15 day sheep hunt I’m right at 70lbs. This is everything in my pack including solo tent, rifle in a gunbearer, binos in harness on my chest, hiking poles in my hands, 773 spotter and tripod, 8x10 siltarp and a liter of water. The only thing missing for a totally solo hunt is a stove and filter, which my friend was carrying.

My food is 1.4 lbs per day. I could go lighter on the food but I hate being hungry, especially on a 2 week trip. (Reading about Minimus Nutrition lately).

I could also save some weight with smaller spotter and tripod.

Whenever I hear guys say their 14 day total pack weight is 55 lbs, I always wonder what they are not including in the weight, or what the hell am I doing wrong?

 

[TX1]

The last time I did this my pack was 65lbs all in for a 7 day hunt, 55 yrs old 5'6" 165 lbs and i practiced working up to a 95lb pack for several months before i went. The altitude in Texas was no match lol but at least the pack was lighter at the trailhead than what i was used to. When I weighed it was with everything i was carrying on my body not just the pack. Food is where i always have trouble and incur the most weight addition.

 

[justinspicher]

My first Dall sheep hunt in Alaska was a fly in hunt, we were only allowed to have 55lbs total......ALL of my gear was 48lbs, for a 15 day hunt. I didn't have a rifle, I was just helping out. I don't eat much while I am hunting and had plenty of food. I dropped a bear canister at our drop off/pick up site that was about 8-10lbs as well. We had water everywhere so I didn't have to carry more than a single nalgene bottle.

 

[HighUintas]

Would you guys consider a total weight of 78.5lbs to be excessive. BackPack weight is 62#. This includes literally everything that I am taking down to underwear. This is for a 10 day hunt. The only places I can cut weight reasonably is the tent, pad, boots, and rifle. Even by cutting those I'm looking at 6 lbs of shed weight. I weigh 200# and am planing on dumping weight at camp as well. Should have a 30# day pack weight.

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Not sure because I never include my boots or clothes I'll be wearing most of the time. This be year, for 8-8.5 days, my pack was 44lbs without my rifle, boots, pants, shirt, and hat that I'd be wearing and carrying all the time. Rifle is about 8.5 pounds.

I'd probably be somewhere around 58-59 pounds for 10 days if I were measuring like you do. It also depends on the weather you're planning for. I could have added another couple pounds for wet snow and colder conditions.
I'm it really just depends on what you're comfortable with. I can keep camp on my back and carry that 45 pounds around pretty much endlessly. So that's about where I keep it. I wouldn't want to backpack hunt and carry 55+ in the pack all the time though.

 

[jdmaxwell]

I'm usually 60 lbs for 10 days hiking in with water.

 

[S.Clancy]

My pack weight would be around 56-57 lbs with no water. That is with ~20 lbs of food and 16.5 lbs of optic/gun. I feel like you are prob bringing too many clothes or something. My pack base weight is around 20lbs for late season, unless I am packing in a tepee and stove. 80 lbs is just a lot to carry in.

 

[mcseal2]

Weighing everything like the OP it really depends on the hunt. It's way easier to go light for a September elk hunt with decent weather, no spotter, etc. Later season things add up more. Heavier boots, warmer layers, different shelter and sleeping bag, etc. I always think it's hard to compare pack weights for a number of days unless you are doing the same hunt, same conditions.

To the OP if you have been through it all looking for what to cut and are still at that weight just go with it.

 

[Grassymike]

This fall I did a 9 day sheep hunt and went in with 62 pounds. I have figured out a few things to cut for next year (leave behind) and a couple more that cold hard cash could lighten. I will say when you come out heavy that you start to think a lot more about what you do not need. For me the key is to pack at home and stick with that load rather than adding stuff at the trailhead.

 

[TaperPin]

Would you guys consider a total weight of 78.5lbs to be excessive. BackPack weight is 62#. This includes literally everything that I am taking down to underwear. This is for a 10 day hunt. The only places I can cut weight reasonably is the tent, pad, boots, and rifle. Even by cutting those I'm looking at 6 lbs of shed weight. I weigh 200# and am planing on dumping weight at camp as well. Should have a 30# day pack weight.

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I think your weight is right where it should be. 10 days requires a lot of food, there’s no way around that. Calories are calories, but I like to enjoy meals and that takes extra weight. A lot of gear is what it is - and all it takes is a little bad weather and you’ll wish for a few things you don‘t have.

I used to keep a spreadsheet of everything that going up the hill to determine the cost per ounce saved in weight for new purchases - the top of the list were simple things like binocular case, rifle slings, leather belt, scope, rifle stock, cooking pan, insulated pants, etc. Everyone has things we don’t want to give up.

A couple years in a row it was wet, and one year it was a rush to get out before the little creek at the trailhead flooded and would be dangerous to cross. After those years I started weighing clothes soaked with water and allowed to drip dry an hour - that was an eye opener.

 

[thatguy]

Here's a break down of it.

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[thatguy]

Here ya go

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[BBob]

Not looking at anything else I’m close to a whopping 7lbs lighter in the sleep/shelter setup. That’s cold ish weather weight. I’m a warm sleeper so a 10° bag and clothes takes me pretty deep. I’m even a touch lighter for early season. Are you looking at for sure snow conditions or just later season colder?

What’s with the 8oz worth of gummies?

18oz for a solar panel is extra weight and redundant. What battery pack are you using @ 12oz ? Take just two 10K Nitcore lithium packs @ 10.6oz. I can do 10+ days on one 10K @ 5.3oz. iPhone for nav and Garmin Mini 2 for comms. My headlamp is rechargeable but runs way beyond 10 days. Surefire lithium goes way beyond 10 days.

 

[The_Jim]

I’m usually around 60# going in on cold weather hunts. I think you’ll be good. Once you get camp set up that 30# pack feels pretty darn good though.

 

[Grassymike]

You have all kinds of stuff that is not needed. Lots of ways to reduce your load without spending money and even more ways if you want to drop some cash. Ditch extra clothes to sleep in. Ditch paper towels. Hatchet ? The Jet boil and sleep system is where I would spend to drop weight. Personally I do not use a bino harness ,to me it is extra weight and just gets in the way of actually using my binoculars. My load going in this year was 62 pounds with a last minute addition of runners at the trail head. This weight includes my rifle and 3 liters of water. Only missing boots and wrangler outdoor pants, 32 degree boxers, and a synthetic T shirt. I am dropping weight before next year, basically anything that was not used will stay home. I have already eliminated 3 pounds without spending any cash.