[pct-l] base pack weight

[Eric Lee]

Jim wrote:
>
I am preparing for a long 2010 PCT hike, and am having a hard time getting
my "base pack weight" under 20 pounds.
>

There's a lot of variety in the pack weight of thru-hikers, let alone anyone
else.  First rule: don't let anyone badger you into doing something you're
fundamentally uncomfortable with.  Second rule: be prepared to deal with all
conditions you can reasonable foresee.  ("Dealing" may mean holing up and
not hiking.)  Third rule: as long as you follow the first two rules, less
weight is always better.

I've been section hiking for nine or ten years now and I've fine-tuned my
kit to be exactly what I want, at about 13 pounds.  I'm surprised at how
many thru-hikers I meet who have packs a *lot* heavier than mine but they do
just fine.  I think the ultralighters are more vocal but there's a lot of
non-ultralighters out there.

If you want to attack a 20-pound base weight your best strategy is not to
drop little things like an MP3 player but rather to start with your "big
three" of pack, shelter, and sleeping bag.  It might take a significant
amount of money but if you have older gear or stuff that's designed for
off-trail mountaineering rather than trail walking then you can probably
whack one or two pounds off of each of them just by buying high-quality,
lightweight versions.  Gear has advanced a lot recently.  Of course, so have
the price tags.

Personally, I think somewhere in the 10-14 pound range is a good compromise
position.  Now, I'm *totally* biased, so don't listen to me.  But my
completely self-centered perspective is that most people with base weights
above 15 lbs have room to cut without giving up any functionality, and most
people below 10 pounds are running a thinner safety margin than I think is
wise.  Yes, they disagree with me, and that's ok.  HYOH.  But I can quietly
think they're crazy anyhow.  :-)

Eric