Too heavy for a couple of nights wild camping?

[Gotte]

I'm off up to Assynt for a week, and will be primarily fishing, but doing some wild camping for a couple of nights.
I've just weighed my pack, without water but with meths, tent, trangia, sleeping bag, Thermarest, spare set of clothes, waterproofs, some dried food, and all those various bits and bats like knife, first-aid kit, compass and the like, and it comes out, with rucksack at 27lbs.

Is that excessive?

Last time I went hiking/camping was in the 80s when I was a wild and reckless youth, and things were a lot heavier then (it makes my eyes water thinking about the tent I used to take). I've tried my pack on and it feels okay, but I'm aware that standing in my living room is one thing, and hiking across rocky country is another.

 

[JAG009]

I would not say thats to heavy ,you can go alot lighter if you want but at 27ibs you should be just fine .
How far do you intend walking per day ?

Jason

 

[Everything Mac]

27lbs not kilos?

I carry that kind of weight to uni once or twice a week. - Definitely not excessive.

27 kilos is another matter.

Andy

 

[TomBartlett]

How does it feel to you? 27lb (about 12kg) sounds manageable to me, but it depends on what you feel comfortable carrying. Try going for a walk with it to see how it feels.

 

[Paul_B]

27LB?? Is that about 12kg? It isn't too bad. Just bear in mind our perceptions of weight is funny when it comes to backpacking with it. It is not simply a case that every kg makes it easier to carry in a linear manner but you will get kinda step changes in your perception of how heavy a pack is. Personally I got that when my base weight got to less than 10kg (less than 9kg really). With food it will go over that but I base all my preceptions with a base weight figure. Afterall you mostly pack the same for an overnighter as a week trip. Or at least I do.

Its not a bad weight but more off will always help. Of course I don't fish and mostly when out with my gear I'm moving from one spot to another or just wandering as my mind sees fit. Either way for my use its better the lighter I can get. At the risk of being like poking a stick in a hornet's nest, why trangia? Heavy kit that. CCF instead of TAR or just a 3/4 prolite TAR at about 300g or less. Tent? What's wrong with a tarp? Even DD tarp is about 600g. Nice dyneema and camcleats mini lineloks, Ti pegs and you're instantly lighter.

Anyway you are pretty good at 12kg. Try it out and if you feel it reduce weight next time.

Enjoy your trip.

I'm off for week in Scotland in a few weeks. Trying to get last supplies. BPL-UK is shut till 30th May (I'll be away then) and I can't find biodegradeable toilet paper, Dr Bronner's soap in 4oz bottles, light folding toothbrush with smal tube of paste and a few other bits and bats to keep clean. Any ideas where to go? sorry hijack a bit.

 

[beenn]

I don't put a set weight for too heavy ect just carry what you can walk with comfortably.
Don't strain yourself with the weight but take what you need to be comfy

 

[Paul_B]

Agree with that about being comfy. For me a good nights sleep is better than anything. IF I don't sleep one night I really struggle the next day. The walking kinda doesn't happen after a bad night.

Although I do try to get as low as poss, but not without a TAR mat, good down bag or quilt and earplugs. An MP3 player for winding down really helps me sleep. I listen until sometimes 1am then I kip until sun-up and am totally re-freshed.

 

[andybysea]

Dont think my pack ever weigh's less than about 60lb,and last time i did a decent walk(appox 40 miles) it weighed about 67lbs always take to much,even on my local spots i take a minimum of 10lts of water,27lbs sound like heaven.

 

[Shewie]

12kg is manageable for sure, if I was setting out for a week with no resupply options then I'd be happy carrying that.

 

[widu13]

I'd be v.happy with 27lbs!

 

[Shewie]

I'm off for week in Scotland in a few weeks. Trying to get last supplies. BPL-UK is shut till 30th May (I'll be away then) and I can't find biodegradeable toilet paper, Dr Bronner's soap in 4oz bottles, light folding toothbrush with smal tube of paste and a few other bits and bats to keep clean. Any ideas where to go? sorry hijack a bit.

These guys have the Dr Bronners in 4oz (118ml) ...
http://www.thenaturalstore.co.uk/department/home/housekeeping/dr-bronners-soaps/597

Have you used it before ? I was toying with getting some after hearing Phil Turner mention it.

Asda have a good selection of mini travel size toothpastes and toiletries, perfect for backpacking. Not sure about a folding toothbrush but it's not exactly hard to pack a normal one anyway. Not sure about the bio bog roll, I tend to carry a lighter and just burn it off.

 

[filcon]

Try 77-87lbs up to a mountain bothy, carried more than 27lb in coal.

phil

 

[satosato]

I was in Scotland doing 4 nighters and I was carrying around 35kg so 12 kg is like a walk in the park compare to mine (including 8 litres of water), bring more !

 

[torc]

12kg is just about right for me, I can carry it for ever and not notice a thing.
Anything much heavier and I need a really comfortable bag.
Happy trails...torc.

 

[Gotte]

Thanks for that, guys, much appreciated.
As for why a Trangia - It's actually a Class Ohlson, which is quite light - about 500g, from memory, and it has two pans big enough (kind of) for trout and rice. And why a tent instead of a tarp? I don't know, I just like a tent. also - midges. I heard a report they are out early this year, and lots of them. Don't know that's true though.

 

[Gotte]

12kg is just about right for me, I can carry it for ever and not notice a thing.
Anything much heavier and I need a really comfortable bag.
Happy trails...torc.

Your sig - Ferris Bueller, if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Paul_B]

These guys have the Dr Bronners in 4oz (118ml) ...
http://www.thenaturalstore.co.uk/department/home/housekeeping/dr-bronners-soaps/597

Have you used it before ? I was toying with getting some after hearing Phil Turner mention it.

Asda have a good selection of mini travel size toothpastes and toiletries, perfect for backpacking. Not sure about a folding toothbrush but it's not exactly hard to pack a normal one anyway. Not sure about the bio bog roll, I tend to carry a lighter and just burn it off.

Not used it before butheard a lot about it. Apparently the peppermint one makes a good toothpaste too. Very concentrated though so a few drops goes a long way. Read somewhere that a couple of drops is all thats needed to wash yourselve completely!!

I used to just bury the loo paper with the business but got told off about it. A mate packs it out but I wouldn't like to do that unless absolutely necessary. AS for burning it I heard the damn stuff doesn't burn too well. having seen a tight wad of the stuff in a fire by a wildcamp spot in a Lakeland valley recently where there were charred logs all around it and the paper was only charred around the edges but white inside (and probably brown too) I'd tend to think it was true. Will be trying it soon though. Was thinking that if I got biodegradeable paper I could always bury it as a second option IF it doesn't burn perhaps because its pissing it down when I'm doing my business.

Will check out boots, thanks for the tip.

 

[Paul_B]

Ferris Bueller's big day out. Cool 80s film I think. SO apt for many reasons that phrase.

 

[beamdune]

Not used it before butheard a lot about it. Apparently the peppermint one makes a good toothpaste too.

I did try using Dr Bronners as toothpaste - not something I want to repeat (It wasn't the minty one though)

I got it from backpackinglight.co.uk by the way

 

[Paul_B]

I heard you use no more than one drop or even one drop diluted as anything more and you get frothing at the mouth syndrome. Got to be the monty fresh flavour of course. Don't use tea tree or the other ones I reckon.