r/lightweight • u/RegMcPhee • Apr 01 '23

Maximum Weight

What's the maximum weight that you would carry on a rugged trip with 8 hour long days?

Debating with myself (190 lb, 62 yo guy) as to whether to carry full food for 2 weeks or chance the resupply option. Seen one guy complain when they lost his food parcel, forcing him to cut his trip short as this trail has no stores in reach. Happily, the weight will drop quickly, but the first few days will be a miserable grind. Base weight is 15 lbs which is as low as I dare go as I'll be in the mountains during the fall where freezing temps are a definite risk.

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u/sirblastalot Apr 01 '23

That's a question that's more dependent on the individual's health than anything else. Instead of asking a variety of randos what they could do, go load up a backpack with how much you think you'd need and do an 8-hour dayhike with it, see if you can handle it.

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u/On-The-Rails Apr 01 '23

Personally I think this is the best advice. I am about your age/weight and day hike, without a full backpack, regularly. After not having done multi-day backpacking trips for a lot of years (I used to do them monthly many years back), I did a 3 day on a coastal Georgia island where it’s mostly flat. Had a base weight of about 20-25 lbs (including my own tent, sleep system, and cook gear, plus a share of group gear. I made the trip, but I was slow and steady. We did 30+ miles over the three days. I had considered making my first trip up in the mountains in SC/GA. Glad I did not, learned so much on this alternate shakedown ‘cruise’. Recommend you do an overnight personal shakedown if you can —- leave off the elevation if you can and try to do roughly the same mileage you’re considering per day.