What weight do you carry when you go hiking?

[sandbender]

"...Whenever I go hiking, my rucksack is always about 20kg and after a while I don't really notice it..."

If my pack ever gets close to 20kg then that weight is mostly food and/or water.

How old are you? The less you carry now and the more sensible you are about your load the more you will be able to carry in later life. That might seem like a long way off but it isn't really.

When I was a lad, I would carry huge packs that weighed a ton, happily my desire to walk longer and longer distances convinced me to cut down on pack size and weight. Otherwise I probably wouldn't be doing as much walking these days.

"...I can run with 20kg on my back !..."

Try not to run with that much weight on your back, your ankles and knees were not designed to take that kind of stress (are you running from fast or slow zombies?)

"...The farthest I've walked with this weight is 112 miles..."

The furthest I have ever walked with twenty odd kilograms on my back was a little under two thousand kilometers.

 

[chris_irwin]

my base weight (without food/water and fuel) is just under 6kg. I usually end up carrying about 9-10kg with food and water.

I used to carry about 15kg, but it was just too much for me and I wasn't enjoying myself. I so I started leaving all the crap I didn't need behind and I invested in some lighter weight kit.

Here is a kit list of what I would usually carry on a 3 day trip: http://www.geargrams.com/list?id=7645

I should note though, this is just for a hiking trip, so I don't tend to practice bushcraft with that gear. I just have a bimble out in the woods for that, so I've never bothered weighing the kit...

 

[SimonM]

For a weekend backpacking, including food & water, around 12kgs.

Simon

 

[jeffz]

It's not difficult to pack light, especially for hiking trips. If you plan around water sources and have a good filter bottle, you can reduce a fair bit of weight by not having to carry a few litres at a time. I stay under 20lbs fully-loaded with food and water for 3 days/2 nights of hiking @20-30 miles/day.

 

[Edcraft]

How old are you?

Old haha mid 30's. I know it's not old really (these days anyway). I'm cutting down on weight a lot now. Even losing bodyweight. Knees are usually OK but I've had ankle problems a few years ago due to the weight and had to cut my trip short, but they've been fine since.

The furthest I have ever walked with twenty odd kilograms on my back was a little under two thousand kilometers.

Now, I know that's not a challenge, but I can't help thinking about it like one ! haha I have the urge to walk farther than that with more than 20kg now haha how long did it take you, what terrain and were you with other people? Was it for charity?

 

[sandbender]

Old haha mid 30's. I know it's not old really (these days anyway).

Just a kid then.

"...Now, I know that's not a challenge, but I can't help thinking about it like one ! haha I have the urge to walk farther than that with more than 20kg now haha how long did it take you, what terrain and were you with other people?..."

No, not a challenge, most wouldn't see the point I think. Some people like to climb to the tops of mountains, some like to walk to remote places. I just like to walk, its the best way to see the world I think, off the beaten path the landscape you walk on and the people you meet give a better feel for a country than any other form of travel.

Varied terrain, mixed forest, farmland, rocky mountain sides. On that walk I was travelling alone for about half the journey, at which point I bumped into a woman and we walked together for another seven or eight hundred kilometers. Not long after that she become my wife.

"...Was it for charity?..."

No, not for charity, for me.

 

[gbjim03m]

Had to do 11 days with 110 pounds about 48 kg for work, never again, im only 5"9. But my non military two days worth in the hills is around 16-18kg.

Jim

 

[Edcraft]

at which point I bumped into a woman and we walked together for another seven or eight hundred kilometers. Not long after that she become my wife.

That's awesome

 

[Cogola]

On my last overnighter about 30kg. It may seem heavy but I was carrying my gear and my daughters gear plus water for us as well as extra water for a friend and her two boys. Waters the killer when it comes to weight here is Oz.

 

[Paul_B]

Don't know now what weight I take. Got it down to 9kg last year then took 25kg on week trip as I overloaded with "just in case" gear. I hope I don't repeat that this upcoming trip. Did overnighter with a 20 litre sack once. It was as light as what I carry on a daywalk!!! Think I've got to 6kg for base load with 1kg of water.

 

[mousey]

20kg doesn't sound too heavy to me, a long time a go I walked quite a long way for a number of weeks with anywhere between 18-23kg depending on amount of water, food and souvieners I had. Still it is nice to be lighter if you can, these days I'd maybe get by doing the same thing with 13-18kg purely by taking less stuff and some lighter weight gear I've aquired or made myself.

If I really thought about it I could get very light but then it's nice to have stuff too, you've just gotta find a balance between light and having all the stuff you need [and somethings you may not need but want] only you know what is comfortable to carry and only you know what level of 'comfort' and stuff you need, it's all about personal preference and experience.

 

[oldtimer]

12Kg but more if its hot and I'm carrying what I'd be wearing if it it's colder. Funny how we don't seem to count the clothes on our backs and what's in our pocketses!

There's a thread somewhere about someone weighing themselves naked and then again with full pack and calculating the difference.

Personally, I'd rather carry more and be snug and warm, than go ultralight and freeze at night- but this might just be my age talking. I am always surprised that my pack weighs about the same as it it did 55 years ago despite the advances in lightweight gear.

 

[Edcraft]

I do tend to take too much stuff. 1ltr of fluid = 1kg. I usually just carry 3litres on me at the start of the day and replenish when I can. Better to have too much than not enough. I try to have enough food for longer than I'm away too in case I snap my leg or something and have to crawl into a tent for a few days waiting to be saved by some poor ********. Not happened so far, thank jeebus.

I have my 85ltr rucksack
waterproof jacket and keks and mountain hat
tinned Food and dried fruit
2-3ltr's water
a gas canister for my little stove (tiny camping one)
a small tin bowl I use for brews and eating
tea bags and a small bag of powdered milk
a bar of soap, toothpaste, toothbrush
a spoon
sleeping bag
sleeping mat
1st aid kit with a trauma pack in and emergency blanket
knife
tent
wind up torch
small firelighting kit and tiny survival tin with fishing hooks and stuff in

dry kit to kip in:
2 spare pairs of thick socks
cotton tracksuit bottoms
thinsulate wooly hat
and a few long sleeved cotton tops
a fleece jacket


I know if I spent money on decent clothes I wouldn't need so much, but as it is, my day clothes always get wet because my waterproof jacket isn't that waterproof anymore, but i can handle getting up and putting my wet gear on again, it usually dries in an hour unless it's raining, but either way it gets warm carrying all that haha just have a brew and crack on haha i think i'm only happy when i have adversity in my life

 

[Edcraft]

and my mobile phone, just in case. modern safety net, but if it's there, silly not to use it if you need it.

and a digital camera with 10 spare batteries haha which weigh a ton

 

[Edcraft]

I'm with you there old timer. I'd rather have stuff and not need it, than the other way around. Weather's pretty unpredictable, especially these days.

 

[Bushwhacker]

Tie helium balloons to your pack if weight is an issue.

 

[andybysea]

Minimum of 20kg with half being water food,though i did go on a hike couple of years ago with over 30kg for a two nighter,my budget dont stretch to uber light kit/both clothing and cooking,so i make do with the heavy stuff ive got.

 

[max whitlock]

Is that just hiking or hiking with the intention of an overnight stay?

I ask as to me that means a big difference in weight

also it would be interesting to know your age.

i'm 40 now and in my 20's and 30's used to take great pleasure in fell running with a loaded pack to supplement my rugby training.

However I now suffer from all manner of aches and joint pains and with the time over again would pay more attention to long term injury prevention and joint protection - your body will thanks you for it in the long term!

the lighter you can go without sacrificing what you need with you the better in my humble opinion.

regards
max

Whenever I go hiking, my rucksack is always about 20kg and after a while I don't really notice it. The farthest I've walked with this weight is 112 miles. I read someone's post before and they said their pack was 9kg.

I can run with 20kg on my back ! lol I'd survive the zombies me haha

 

[Teepee]

My typical backpacking trip will last 5 days and I always hammock if I can.

My typical base pack weight is 7-8kg, 7kg in consumables, giving me a 14-15kg total.

It always as been and always will be a work in progress to cut more.

My worst habit is stuffing extra food in the pack, it mounts up very quickly.

 

[Col_M]

I think my wet weight for the last 3 dayer was around 15kg (inc. food, water, filter)
I should be lightening my load over the next few months. I just have to add the down to my DIY quilt, will invest in a Neo-Air All season, am looking at making a lightweight silnylon shelter and making or buying a lightweight pack. That should all knock off about 2.5kg from my dry weight which isn't to be sniffed at

I like the sayings "Pack your own pack" and "Hike your own hike"