[pct-l] all those 'extras'

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good morning, Paul,

Similar to my food selector, I also have a grand gear summary
spreadsheet.  Every
item in my gear locker is a spreadsheet line-item which includes its weight
from a digital postal scale or, for the very small items, an accurate powder
scale.  When I select the quantity of an item the weight is extended,
summed, and a check-off box is opened adjacent to the item.  After the
spreadsheet is macro-sorted in descending order of extended weight I print a
copy of the list of selected items which is then used as a pick-list when I
load my pack for departure.

When I say I account for “every item” I mean it, down to a single postage
stamp.  The weight of very small items isn’t significant to the total, but I
want those items to appear on my pick-list so they aren’t forgotten, and a
weight is necessary to make the sort macro function.  I need the list:  My
memory is very good, but it’s short.

I do all that not because it’s necessary but because I can; and I enjoy
doing so.  A more practical approach is to make a list of items to carry,
and poke all that stuff in the pack.  Then if the pack is too heavy when you
pick it up, it’s time for a choice:  What do I toss out or replace with a
lighter version?

For training hikes I often carry much more than I would ever select for a
long-distance hike.  The additional weight is good for physical training,
and the extra items – if any – allow me to test gear by comparison.  So-what
if I carry two different alcohol stoves to compare, or two jackets, or two
ground cloths, an array of different socks, or both a cook pot and a cup for
cooking?

Like most experienced, gear-head hikers I have lots of stuff:  Good stuff,
crummy stuff, old stuff, new stuff, hi-tech stuff, homemade stuff, primary
stuff, extra stuff, unnecessary stuff, and stuff I can’t seem to bare to
pitch out.  The good thing is all that stuff makes me choose because it’s
more stuff than I can possibly carry even if I tried to compete with the
heavy-hikers.

The problem faced by many beginning hikers is that they only have a few
items – maybe only one of each type of item – and once they buy that single
item they become emotionally attached to it.  They avoid considering options
because they’ve already make that decision, and they aren’t comfortable
changing their mind at the last minute.  Besides, “I spent big-bucks for
that thing and I’m by-damn going to use it”.  These are all very human
reactions, but such tendencies don’t do much to lighten the pack.

Steel-Eye

Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09


On Mon, Dec 13, 2010 at 4:13 PM, Paul Robison <paulrobisonhome at yahoo.com>wrote:

> i feel really discouraged about weight...
> ... i make my list, i weigh my gear, i say 'wow i'm down to X number of
> ounces'.
>
> so this weekend my wife and i packed for our trip.  we said  'if we left
> tomorrow, what would be bring'...
>
> ...then it start growing... and growing... and sun screen... and a
> packtowel...
> and growing... and first aid... and toothpaste... and stove fuel...and the
> camera!
>
> by the time it was all said and done our shared 22 lbs baseweight (11 per)
> was
> up to almost 30 lbs  (15 per/ person) !
>
> then comes the ten liters of water (5 each)  the 12 lbs of food  (4 days
> worth)...
>
> now we sit, staring at 53 pounds of stuff,  and i go 'oh, and i forgot this
> T
> shirt!'
>
>
> Does anyone else do this?   really makes me reconsider what weight to shoot
> for
> for training.
> has anyone else done a shakedown trip, or at least a complete pack out,
> where
> you pile all your gear and say 'okay this is it,   no more gear, no more
> spending money' ...  if you have,  how far from your base weight were you,
> by
> the time you threw in sunblock, fuel, etc. etc.
> ?
>
> ~Paul
>
>
>
>
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