Typical pack weight

[egraetze]

Just curious what the typical pack weight is for those going to Isle Royale. Last time I went to the island was back in the 80s for 2 years straight. Long before much lightweight equipment. Seems my friend and I were around 35 to 40 lbs each back then. I trained with my son yesterday hiking 9 miles on a tough trail, which we completed in 3 hrs. We each had a 48 lb pack loaded with rocks, water jugs and other dead weights (including a half gallon of Jagermeister in the glass bottle, which I should have broke into at some point for medicinal purposes!). We are both hurting today. I am expecting we are going to be around 35 lb or so each for the 3 of us going. All of us are in decent physical shape, but would like to know what others are subjecting themselves to relative to pack weight. We are going in mid July for a 7 day 64 mile route the length of the island.

Eric

[IncaRoads]

For a 6 day, 5 night trip, I have been typically carrying 33#. My most recent trip included fishing gear which brought my weight to approx. 37#. My trips have all been solo.

[srparr]

My usual trip has been in early July, for 7-10 days, but I've also visited in May and Sept. I've listed the base weight + consumables (water & food weight) for my approximate pack weight each year.

2004: 41.6 base + 12 consumables => 53 lbs
2005: 36.2 +13 => 49
2006: 23.9 + 13 => 37
2007: 19.5 + 12 => 32
2008: 21.5 + 14 => 36
2009: 18.4 + 11 => 29
2009: 20.3 + 17 => 37
2010: 16.8 + 14 => 31
2011 (planned): 18.5 + 12 => 25

[Vandy]

I'll be on the island in less than 2 weeks for a six day, 67 mile solo adventure.

My base weight is 27 lbs, plus 14 lbs of food and beverage, totalling 41 lbs at the outset.

[jerry]

Nine more days for me (5 days, 4 nights at ISRO). I'm trying to keep my base wt. at 23.5 lbs, plus 7.5 lbs for food = 31 total lbs. (I hope).

[fonixmunkee]

I just came back from a seven day, 41 mile trip. My pack weight was 27.7lbs, not including water. I try to target 35lbs with everything for 7 days.

[DonNewcomb]

About 22# less food, fuel and water. I try to keep the total under 35#-40#. If I start out near 40#, about 5# of it will be fresh food and/or wine to be consumed the first or second night.

[egraetze]

The end result for 3 in our party was a starting weight of 45 lbs each for my son and I, and 35 lbs for my daughter. This included all food and 2 liters of water each at the start. The end weight for my son was 39 (he had the tent), 33 for me (some of the food) and unknown for my daughter (who had the bulk of the food). I did a good job of summarizing use of equipment as well as what foods we enjoyed best, so I am sure for the next time that we could easily drop upwards of 5 lbs each at the start.

Eric

[blackdog51]

I remember my first trip to IR in '81. Man, was I a well-packed man! I was way overweight in the pack department -- probably 55# -- ouch! Next year I want to be down to 25# plus food and water. I think I can, I think I can!

[egraetze]

On my first trip to the island in '86, we met up with a friend the second to last day. He previously was a trail worker for a number of years and indicated that he was always hungry while working. Given this, he brought canned goods, fresh foods, and heavy cookware on the island for this first return. His pack came in above 80lbs. We were most appreciative since we were low on food. He cooked an incredible breakfast for us which included fresh caught brookies, and gourmet omelettes with fresh spinach and a bunch of other enhancements. Now 25 years later I still consider that meal one of the best I've ever had.

[DonNewcomb]

Given this, he brought canned goods, fresh foods, and heavy cookware on the island for this first return. His pack came in above 80lbs.

Once upon a time, on a trip through the Grand Canyon, I met a troop of Boy Scouts on their way down. One of the boys had a two-burner Coleman stove tied so that it swung below his pack frame. Every time he took a step the stove swung and whacked him on the back of the leg. Thump, thump, thump. All the way down the trail. Set aside the idea of being beaten by your load all the way to the bottom, the idea of carrying the weight of a steel, two-burner Coleman stove just astounded me. Even in the '70s when I was able to carry a lot more weight than I do now.

[pkerl]

According to REI and Backpacker's Magazine:

As a general rule, the weight of your loaded pack shouldn't exceed 25% to 30% of your ideal body weight. Some experienced backpackers may be able to carry more, while novices should generally start with less.

The quality and fit of your pack influence the amount you are able to carry. A pack that does not effectively transfer weight to your hipbelt due to poor fit or design puts more weight on your shoulders (this is often the case with kids' school packs). With these packs, the maximum amount of weight you carry should be reduced to 15% or less of your body weight.

[quote]

[Ingo]

Some experienced backpackers may be able to carry more, while novices should generally start with less.

I always find this ironic because the reality is the opposite. In general, novices don't know what they really don't need and therefore bring more (and maybe should from a safety point of view). And they don't have the lightweight gear, the commitment, and/or the $$$ for it. But that's OK in my mind. My outings are infrequent and I'm still replacing 30 yr old equipment with lighter stuff. Hope to cut my sleeping bag weight in half soon, providing someone comes through with a b-day or x-mas present .

I'm curious if anyone's calculated what it would cost to say outfit for a weeklong trip with a 30 lb pack, from scratch. And then compare the relative costs of lighter and heavier gear (using the same pack list). Obviously a lot of variables though.

[Midwest Ed]

. . . And then compare the relative costs of lighter and heavier gear (using the same pack list). Obviously a lot of variables though.

And then there is the question of quality/durability and how that plays into the mix. First timers or those unsure of their future should often choose the more inexpensive gear that might not be very durable or even maybe intended for one time use (i.e. disposable).

If makes me think of a twist on a saying I use occasionally in engineering. . .
For the backpacking analysis you suggest one might reflect on the following:

You can have it LIGHTWEIGHT,
You can have it DURABLE,
You can have it INEXPENSIVE...
PICK TWO.

[LeftOvers]

One of the boys had a two-burner Coleman stove tied so that it swung below his pack frame. Every time he took a step the stove swung and whacked him on the back of the leg. Thump, thump, thump.

Don, one time disembarking at Rock Harbor with me were two young women (former Girl Scouts, I think they said) who hadn't done their homework.

Later, I saw them on the trail to Three Mile Campground lugging a large blue Coleman cooler between them. Ouch. But they probably ate well.

My packs are always too heavy. One 21 day trip, I started at 65 pounds, but I was young and in good shape. Last trip I tried to get my wife and me down to 35-40 pounds each (early season, lots of warm clothes). As we packed, I kept saying, oh, I'll carry that and lighten your pack a bit. We switched packs at one point for a day. No wonder she was running circles around me - I think her pack was about 25 pounds. Let's see, that left mine ...

too heavy.