Re: [pct-l] light weight packs

[Brick Robbins <brick@fastpack.com>]

Tom Reynolds reynolds@ilan.com wrote:

 >>The problem with said pack may be that it doesn't have enough suspension to
handle 2.5 gallons of water [20 pounds]. Try it with 50-60 pounds and see
how the suspension works<<

Why in the world would a thru-hiker want to carry 2.5 GALLONS of water? Why in the world would a thru-hiker want to carry 50-60lbs?

A single-season-thru-hiker is going to need to average over 19 miles a day if he is to finish the trail in 5 months (20 weeks) if he hikes EVERY day. Say one day a week off (or two slow days a week) and he needs to travel over 22 miles each day he hikes, if he wants to finish. This is irrespective of what sort of mileage may or may not be good for a person to hike. It is pure math.

There are only a few sections with more than 22 miles between water, where a single-season thru hiker is going to camp twice w/o water. He could probably get by with 1 - 1.5 gallons even if camping twice if he approached it right.

The heaviest pack I carried was when I left KM with 9 days (18 lbs) of food. That made my total pack weight about 32 lbs. with one liter of water. The most water I ever carried was 4.5 liters (but not with that much food).

My pack suspension was uncomfortable with 30 lbs in it, but I only had that much weight till my first meal, then it slowly got lighter each day. For the rest of the trip, my longest stretch was 5 days between resupply. I was willing to live with the compromise, and the uncomfortable pack for 3 or 4 days for the lighter backpack.

All IMHO, YMMV, and you are entitled to your opinion, but I just don't see how this perspective is going to help any long distance hikers. You are approaching this from the viewpoint of someone who has never done, (and said he doesn't want to do) a long distance hike.

Respectfully,

-Brick


* From the Pacific Crest Trail Email List |  http://www.backcountry.net   *

==============================================================================