it's the art allright

I heard once advice to the effect "Pack everything you think you are going to need. Then take it out. Spread on the floor, then examine each individual thing and ask you yourself: Do I absolutely need this?"

For over night hikes, I have cut down my weight considerably. I bought a Gregory 65L a few years back and it was my go-to bag since last summer. ended up picking up a 28L shitty McKinley bag from atmosphere on clearance for $50 that I was gonna use as a day pack. Turns out, with the limited space you all of sudden take way less gear. Hubba Hubba goes in side pocket. Overall now my base weight is sub 13 pounds. For reference, on the North Coast Trail the summer before it was 20 pounds and 31 with food and water. I definitely recommend going lightweight but it is pricy. Try cutting weight from the big three (get a superlight backpack, tent, and, sleeping bag/pad. My -3 Talon from MEC weighs 800 grams in size large and Thermarest X-lite has been a great purchase as well.

Additionally, I fully agree with Zeljkok. Cheapest way to lose weight is stop bringing useless stuff!

Hi Luc

My pack weighs in roughly the same. Like you comfort is a must. I bring a neoair pad and quilt or sleeping bag(bag for colder weather). Tent, stove, gas, clothes, food(including instant coffee), water fiter, cooking gear. Oh yes, tang and a mickey of white rum for my mountain cocktails.

I did go with a quilt and msr Mutha Hubba to shave some weight. It is generally my wife and I that do trips. she is usually at 25 plus and I am hovering at 35 to 40. Our last backpack was a trip into Russet lake from the top of the Whistler peak chair. I think it is around 11K one way.

The sweet-spot for us too, can go up to 10 days without exceeding (not including water).

At 10 days we would really have to trim our gear. As the extra food will tip the scales against us. Probably a little less clothing, maybe a lighter tent. That's a tough one Trail Talk. You have an extended hike coming up?

Yeah, we have a 17-day jaunt planned this summer with one resupply on day 10. We really enjoy our Big Agnes UL3 tent, weighs less than my old 2-man and has loads of space. Other weight savers are 3/4 sleeping pads and light sleeping bags, counting on wearing jackets if cold. One mug serves as plate, bowl and cup. Only one pot, and one boil per meal to save on fuel... no #&[email protected] “simmer” recipes. As we get older, going lighter has been our way to keep on trekking 🏕

My dad just bought a freeze-dryer, so that should help a lot..

But I need what I need.. I'd rather grow stronger than spend $$$$ replacing the equip I bought when I didn't know any better..

The worst is the gear I'd rather have and not need, than need and not have (knife, FA kit, emerg beacon, extra food, extra batteries, gps, etc, etc).

Hey Trail Talk

hehe that's funny! We usually do a simmer recipe on the first night of a 3 day hike. Although If I was on a 10 day trek. The simmer thing would be out the window. Besides the freeze dried meals are much better than they used to be.

Dougz at our age(60 something) spending a little to shed pounds is a good option for us. That's not to say that my 35 plus pound pack feels light wile gaining vertical feet on the trail.

All in all we do it for fun and have a good time all.

I’ve done the WCT several times and am going solo on Aug 13th. Every year my pack weight goes down and my enjoyment goes up. I started at about 45 lbs (I’m male 200lbs) and am down to 17 lbs base weight and about 27 lbs total at the trail head. I don’t carry any more water than I’d use over 4 hours... so usually a litre or less. I use iodine pills. I’m amazed when I see hikers arriving at camp carrying two full water bottles... There’s lots of water available along the trail, even in August. The exception is between Dare Beach and Nitnat Narrows where water is hard to find if at all.
PS I love the Klanawa River camp site ‘cuz there’s lots of firewood but the water is crap.
Al

I seem to always hover around the 30 lbs mark as it is really a comfortable weight that I could hike forever with. If it's a shorter trip, I bring more luxury items like beer, helinox chair, etc. If it's longer, I cut out some of those luxury items and stay sub 35 lbs. WCT planned for beginning of July should be about 31 lbs for me and 26 lbs for my girlfriend with food and water. My base weight for WCT and rainy trips is a bit higher than my normal base weight due to synthetics. My normal base weight for Calgary area is 12 lbs.

There is really no reason not to be sub 35 lbs for 7 days or less with lots of comfort. I've carried 40-60 lbs packs on trips and getting sub 35 lbs makes life so much more fun on the trail. It only took a few hundred dollars of investment and being okay with not having 12 pairs of socks to get my weight down.

Just did a second WCT trip a week ago with a sub 35lb pack fully loaded with, adult beverages, food and water for 7 days and 6 nights. Didn't loose any sleep and was super comfy. Got a lot of stuff from Aliexpress which was cheap, light and good. The sub-1kg nylon pack held up well, I was half expecting it to break, ditto for the 2 person silnylon tent at 1kg. The first time I did the WCT in 09, I came in at 50lb+..... I now see the light with a lighter pack. LOL
I'm tweaking stuff to see if I can go lighter but it would probably mean dishing out $$$$ for Dyneema stuff sigh
Trying to be innovative and not break the bank or scale.

last time I did the WCT, in 5.5 days, I started with 25 lbs, incl 2L water. And had just too much stuff for early Sept. Even had 1.5 days of food left over. Base weight was about 7.5 lbs incl 2 man tarptent, down 1.5lb bag, ultralight Sixmoon pack, Jetboil, merely tablets to purify my platypus. I never used my long underwear nor my poncho nor my UL umbrella (no rain! tent was super warm). I had no Dyneema, just silnylon stuff. I was under 20lbs the last day, wife was at 15 lbs last day. We gained body weight on that trip!

when I did a 7 day trip in the Sierras, I had 30 lbs, but that was with bear canister filled with stuff the group chose (eg canned wet food and glass jars of stuff, lol). 30lbs was at the limit my UL pack could handle (sixmoon). Had below freezing nights, so needed the long underwear for sure.

After I get my new heart valve (!), I plan to do the WCT again in 3 days, with 15 lbs max. No-cook (or Esbit), a Gossamer Murmur 1 lb 36L pack, a tarp+bivvy or a 1lb cuben fibre (Dyneema) tent, down 1lb quilt. 2 smart water bottles with a Sawyer filter. Will only choose to go if the weather is forecast dry/calm and the trail is dry-ish, as I live in Vic and thus flexible. Have hiked in rainy windy Wx doing the JDF trail and needed all that extra warm gear for sure, so want to avoid rain/wind so I can avoid that weight. Based on my last WCT trip, we got to Camper northbound from Gordon Rvr in 5 hours by 1pm, so might as well have pressed on for Walbran - after that the WCT is gravy if timed to walk on the shelf a lot. Have to put all those factors together to be under 20lbs imho

For the JMT I will have more like 23lbs pack incl water due to mandatory bear canister.

The real experts on hiking light are the many hundreds of thru-hikers who do the big long trails in the US. They live with their gear for 4-5 months straight, endure much wider range of weather than us weeklong section hikers, and have fantastic ideas to follow - sometimes super cheap ways to go light. The advice to avoid is from the kids selling over-heavy gear at MEC and REI.

@BCSaltchucker- yeah, the Bear Canister is heavy. I only use the BV450 and can squish in 5 days and carry one outside of it. I'm ~26lbs on the JMT sections I've done (only to Mammoth) but that includes 1L of Water and my Helinox Chair. I could probably dump 2-3 more pounds but haven't gotten my head into it yet.

At least you don't need to carry much water on the JMT, except one or 2 exceptions.

I've wondered about the BV450. I've only used the BV500 and it s a heavy big behemoth. So nice having bear proof lockers along the PCT and JDF trail. Wish they had them in the cascades in Washington and JMT

The few Bear Lockers I experienced in the Sierras all had people leaving their garbage in them. Felt bad for the Ranger who had to pack it out.
I have a BV500 as well but it's crazy big in my short Torso pack. Fortunately I love Ramen noodles, Oatmeal and Bisquits & Gravy so can squish alot into the 450 and there's good food spots/re-supply every few days for almost the first half. It's the last that's the problem. If I thru hiked the whole thing I think I might send the BV500 to Muir Trail Ranch with my re-supply and mail the BV450 back out, or try to arrange a swap with someone going the opposite direction.

What time of year are you planning to go?