r/CampingandHiking • u/dan_thewoodsman • 20h ago

Gear Questions Help me lighten my pack weight

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On my last 4 day trip my total weight was around 40lbs that’s with water and food included. I used this app to figure out my base weight was around 27lbs, which to me seems ridiculous. Like the title says, what can I swap out or get rid of entirely to get this weight down slightly? (The pack is non negotiable, as comfort is a priority for me on long days on the trail) thanks

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u/Sardawg1 20h ago

Ditch the sleeping bag liner, the thermacell, the 2nd nalgene, the mug, the bear banger kit, and the saw.

Add a 6mm rope for your hang bag.

41

u/EpicCyclops 19h ago

I get wanting to have a drinking vessel that isn't your water, but definitely only need one of those if you decide to even splurge on the weight for that luxury. That cuts about 2 lbs there with what you listed.

Fixing the Nalgene weight gets rid of another 4ish lbs from the calculated total. The battery pack is probably somewhere else OP could cut weight.

Once OP is at that point, buying lighter gear is the next step. If comfort is a high priority, OP needs to accept their bag is gonna be a little heavier. I get it. I take extra weight in exchange for trailside comfort, but that is the tradeoff.

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u/Jolly-Slow1164 18h ago

I wouldn't start with replacement OPs quilt. 1.4 lb for a 0c bag is OK, unless it's actually only a 50F bag, then it's pretty heavy. Maybe that's why he carries a heavy liner.

Shouldn't bear spray be worn weight? I guess if you're carrying is on your shoulder straps or hip belt maybe it's pack weight, but bear spray should be near instantly available. So I would call it worn weight.

I don't understand why you would use a Sawyer squeeze with a nalgene, just switch bottles to something with standard bottle threads (like an Evian water bottle, or one of garage grown gear's $2.50 reusable HDPE bottles) when you use the adapter there is much less chance for spilling all your hard work, and at lunch break your can let gravity do all that filtering work. And you have a backup system if the CNOC gets punctured

OP says in another comment that processing firewood keeps him busy and warm ... Walking more miles would accomplish the same thing. Or processing medium sized branches, and breaking them in the crotch of a tree. There are also some really light saws based on reciprocating saw blades

IDK how a 6 lb pack (including add-on pockets) is non-negotiably comfortable. Most people find that they are comfortable in a beltless 1lb pack at a 10lb base pack weight, which means a third of his overage is his pack.