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[pct-l] re: Pack volumes (Another two cents)

Robert,

Take it for what it's worth but I think when you finally weigh all that
stuff up you will be in for a big shock. It sounds a lot like my original
A.T. kit only worse. Fully loaded your pack is going to weigh in well over
60 lbs. unless I miss my guess. That's too much, try for less than forty
fully loaded. Eventually you WILL have to dump all but the essentials so
why not do it now? Here are a few well intended suggestions for the hit
list.
Sorry, that Walkman has to be the first thing to go!
Take either boots or running shoes, not both. I would go with the boots if
you don't lose a lot of the other weight. Get rid of the gaiters.
The comment a while back that you should be able to wear all your clothes
at once is a valid one. Only one spare pair of socks and possibly one pair
of underware are the exceptions to this rule. I'm taking a windbreaker
instead of a parka and that has to be saving me a couple pounds. Layers!
Get rid of the binoculars, camera, and paperbacks. Enjoy the simplicity.
Keep the journal!
One bandana for everything.
I agree with Jeremy about the ThermaRest. Besides being heavier they take
time and energy to deflate each morning and will eventually fail and be
useless. They squirt out from under you in the middle of the night.
Ensolite pads are essentially bombproof which is what you need.
If you fill up that MSR waterbag it will weigh over twenty pounds by
itself! This on top of your existing water bottles? Get something smaller
and lighter, perhaps a Platypus bag or two? Big plastic soda bottles?
How about a smaller cook pot? Can you really eat 2 liters of food at once?
Lose the spatula.
Perhaps it may all fit in that pack now, otherwise if you can afford it go
for a Dana Designs Terraplane.
Leave extra room for mass quantities of store bought food, your most
precious possession a hundred miles from nowhere!
Don't forget to take a compass, it can save you a lot of grief if you get
lost and sooner or later you will.
I'll bet you can find ways of paring down your first aid kit but that is
your call.
Be RUTHLESS about paring away every useless ounce and the pounds will take
care of themselves.
Best of luck and see you on the trail.
				ANDYMAN
				May 8th start.


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