[pct-l] radical ideas

[pmags at yahoo.com (Paul Magnanti)]

As Mountain Dave just said "Lightweight hiking ain't
anything new." :-)

Just read a recent excerpt of a 10 day hike that took
place in Maine in the 1930's.  The challenge was to
take a base pack weight of 12 lbs!  What I found
interesting was the pack the author chose weighed 3
lbs. Many modern packs weigh more than that.

Interesting read. Here is a woman counting ounces in
the 1930's. (6 oz LL Bean rain shirt for example) Well
before the current light weight craze began.

Having said that, what IS radical is how more
mainstrem lightweight backpacking has become. 

My own personal theory about this is that the the
backpacking population is aging overall. Gen Xers (and
Gen Y now ) still backpack of course, but with rock
climbing, kayaking, mtn biking, etc. there are more
things to do outdoors and the "outdoor pie" has more
slices in it now than 30 years ago. And least more
activites that are mainstreem than thiry years ago,
anyway. 

The baby boomer population seems to backpack more
overall. And if I am 55 years old, I do not want to
carry the 60 pounds  like I did when I was 20 year
old!
So, you see more ads and such for "lightweight" gear
in BPer and Outside Mags. Of course, this all
conjecture, but from a marketing perspective, seems to
make sense.

Now, I go lightweight because I like the KISS
principle. And, at 29 years old, I want to avoid
carrying 60 pounds loads because I hope to backpacking
for as along as I can. Do not want bad knees. 60 lb
packs tend to do that. :-)

Just my .02 worth.

Mags
    

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The true harvest of my life is intangible.... a little stardust caught, a portion of the rainbow I have clutched
--Thoreau

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