Pack Weight

[Speculator]

I was just wondering what people consider to be an acceptable pack weight for a particular walk? On my last walk I carried 14kg for two nights, but that had to include some extra supplies to replace things I used in the Lady Lake hut last time I stayed and metho stove/heater fuel, plus camera and fishing gear as well. This was too heavy IMHO.

So, generally speaking what do people consider a good pack weight?

[sarge]

For me there is a minimum pack weight regardless of how many nights I am spending then the extra days just add approx 1Kg each day for food. My weight is roughly 12 kg without food or water. This is mainly made up of tent (1.5kg), sleeping bag (1.5kg), pack (3kg), mat (1kg), clothes (2kg).

The last extended walk I did was 22kg for 10 days, not including the weight of a full water bladder (2lt). I felt this was too heavy as it is well over a third of my body weight and I did feel that weight particulalry towards the end of a long day!

I also tend to carry too much food rather than not enough - which is another reason my pack tends to be on the heavy side.

[tasadam]

Good question!

It has been written that a recommended weight would be between one third and one fifth of your bodyweight.

I usually weigh between 61 and 62 kg's but generally I start an extended walk with up to 25 kg's on my back, certainly over 20.
On my Frenchmans circuit (7 nights), I had 26.5 kg's strapped on...
A photo in this thread.
On the last day of the Overland track this year, I had 21.5 kg's and my wife had 12. It's a long way down the side of L.St Clair with that much weight after 9 days. I really should try leaving my camera gear at home one day just to see how easy I find it. When we did the overland, I deliberately didn't weigh all our camera gear before we left. But I did weigh it all when I got home - 9.25 kg's.
Oops!

[Son of a Beach]

I generally don't weigh my pack, as it's not a high priority for me (if I can replace gear with lighter items without compromising or spending too much, I will, otherwise, I take what I've got - the resulting total weight has no further significance to me so long as I can carry it without too much discomfort).

I think that it is usually around 15kg, but depends on the length of the walk and the amount of luxuries taken. I think that on my longest walk (planned for 14 days) the pack was probably about 25 kg. Sure was hard going for the first couple of days!

Mind you, I do often carry items I don't really need (eg, a bit of fresh food, or if leading a large group, I carry a large steel wok).

[tasadam]

You know those groups on the Overland track that do the guided tours, where they have private huts and all... They get a ration of half a bottle of wine a night and all that... They employ people to carry supplies in. I have met up with a couple of them and their packs weigh 40 kg's...
So if you see someone on the side of the track suffering from exhaustion, quietly drag their pack into the bushes and...
PARTY TIME! Think of the booty!
Seriously, that is one heck of a load to carry!

[Son of a Beach]

Too right. My brother spent some time working for an Overland Track guiding business which sleeps the guests in tents, not in huts, so the guides have to carry tents and huge amounts of food. They used to carry 40kg packs, he said. Must be terrible for the knees!

He then worked for an Overland Track guiding business where the guests sleep in huts for a while, and he found it a relief that he only had to carry 30kg for them (no tent, and much of the food is already at the huts, either by the means you mentioned, or by helicopter once a year).

Still gotta be bad for the back and knees. I know another former huts guide who can no longer do any serious walking at all because his knees are so knackered after carrying about 30kg on each guided walk (and he went very frequently).

[tasadam]

Yeah the knees are a worry... as are the feet, ankles, ...

[norts]

Coming down of Ducane Gap once I was passed by one of the guides jogging, she had to get to the hut to make scones before the clients arrived. What a terrible toll on your body for a few scones.

I also worked with a bloke who had done about 80 trips with the huts and his knees were rooted

Roger

[kantonysen]

Coming down of Ducane Gap once I was passed by one of the guides jogging, she had to get to the hut to make scones before the clients arrived. What a terrible toll on your body for a few scones.
_____________________________________________________________
I'm too old to do it now, but strangley moving very fast down hill can relieve pressure on the knees. We discovered this as young bushwalkers going down the Ironbound Range from East to West. We found that if you slightly lost balance on a step you were able to regain it on the next.
It's not a practice I would recommend.

Walking poles were unknown at that time, but poles certainly take pressure off knees, and are a safer option!!!!

[PeterJ]

It was coming downhill in jolting steps that first made my knees ache. I now make sure I take care and avoid stepping down with a thud

[under10kg]

One way of saving weight on the overland track is to turn up at the guided tours lunch spot just as they have finished.
They cook to much lunch so sometimes give away the excess. I got fresh backed bread one day and pitza the other day.

[Son of a Beach]

One way of saving weight on the overland track is to turn up at the guided tours lunch spot just as they have finished.
They cook to much lunch so sometimes give away the excess. I got fresh backed bread one day and pitza the other day.

That does sound like a possible way to get some nice extra tucker, but I wouldn't rely on it by packing less meals (but perhaps it could be a reason to pack lighter more boring meals, that I hope I don't have to eat ).

[tasadam]

One way of saving weight on the overland track is to turn up at the guided tours lunch spot just as they have finished.
They cook to much lunch so sometimes give away the excess. I got fresh backed bread one day and pitza the other day.

G'day under10kg, welcome back!
So how did your trip go? Hope it was good. Cheers!

[under10kg]

I only did the overland trip due to lack of fitness and time restraints. It was a joy walking with a 5kg base pack and 4.8kg food for 6 days. Please note you need specialized gear mostly only available in the USA to get your weight down to this level and be safe in Tasi. Some of this light gear is inexpensive and some not so like the sleeping bag. It sleeted one day and was windy which tested my gear out when walking and there was helicopter rescues at the cradle MT end on this day. The best part was overnight snow and I walked in runner shoes on 6 inches of snow at Mt Osa. Nice photos and the snow covered mountains one one day made the walk special. Most people on the track were too tied to do the great side tracks due to heavy gear. One guy with a heavy pack and boots had a sprained ankle and one women had mild exposure at one hut. I could put a review of the gear I carried and the performance if there is interest in going this light.
I plan a 14 day trip of the eastern and western arthurs with a pack of 15kg next year.

[Son of a Beach]

Thanks for the info, under10kg. I'd love to see you photos... I hope you can post some here for us?

I'd also be keen to see your light weight gear reviews (and thanks for including your warning about going light without adequate specialised gear - novice walkers could get into trouble if they tried to do it without being adequately prepared).

[Joe]

yeah im really keen to hear about the gear you use. Light weight==apealing

[under10kg]

Photo taken on overland

Edit by mod - Image has been posted in the gallery, HERE

[tas-man]

My 9 day trip over Easter break resulted in my pack weighing in at Par Avion @ 26kg but not including camera, water, trek pole or boots. Food total was 8kg, all high energy density, including 2kg of snack foods like beef jerky, macadamia nuts, chocolate etc. When I arrived home Sunday night and weighed in - the pack was still 26kg!!! Food left was nearly 3kg, the extra 5kg was the water soaked tent, ground sheet, four pairs of socks, wet shirt, thermals, sleeping bag, etc etc after 5 days of rain. I was 4 kg lighter as well- down to 80kg!

[johnw]

One way of saving weight on the overland track is to turn up at the guided tours lunch spot just as they have finished.
They cook to much lunch so sometimes give away the excess. I got fresh backed bread one day and pitza the other day.

Had the same thing happen to us. We passed them on the way up to Pelion Gap. Were getting our daypacks organised for the climb up Mt Ossa, and just about to have some lunch, when they arrived and their leader offered us slices of cold pizza. Most welcome, and they were really big slices too. Didn't see them again after that, right place right time I guess.

(Please note that I am not advocating that people carry less than adequate food on the OT or anywhere else. The whole idea of walking indpendently in remote areas is self-reliance. We had more than enough food for our 7 day trip including 1-2 days emergency supplies. Just relating an amusing incident. )