Lightening Your Pack Weight

Some Initial Thoughts
The weight of someone's fully-loaded backpack is a very personal choice. You are free to carry a backpack that is as heavy (or as light) as you wish. One person might carry a fully-loaded backpack (including water, food, and fuel) that weighs OVER 75 lbs. Another person might carry a fully-loaded backpack that weighs LESS THAN 15 lbs. I have done both extremes in my 52 years of hiking and backpacking. Personally, on Isle Royale, I prefer to have a fully-loaded pack (including food, water, and fuel) that weighs somewhere in the 12 to 35 lb. range (depending upon the expected weather, the length of the trip, and my goals for the trip).

Why Some People Go Lighter
I (and many other people), believe that a lighter pack weight places less strain on the body. And, it assists you in hiking longer distances and/or at a faster pace with greater ease. That is why I often try to carry a lighter pack weight on my Isle Royale backpacking trips

The "Trade-Offs" & Risks
That being said, there are usually some "trade offs" that are made as you seek to go lighter with your pack weight. You often end up carrying less "stuff". Thus, out in the wilderness, you might not have all of the "stuff" that you want (or the "stuff" that you believe you need). You might not be as comfortable--especially in camp--due to the stuff that you leave at home. Your sleeping bag might not be as warm. You might leave the camp shoes or camp chair at home. Your tent might be less roomy (or you might decide to leave the tent home and use just a simple tarp instead). You might not bring as many changes of clothing with you. The lighter that you go, the more that you must rely upon your skills and your experience level (and less upon your equipment and clothing items). Thus, going extremely lightweight, probably isn't advisable for people who have limited outdoor skills or limited outdoor experience.

Some Ways to Lower Your Pack Weight

Leave Stuff Home
One of the easiest, and best, ways to lower pack weight to leave stuff home and not bring it with you on your trip. (What items you choose to leave home is a very personal choice and must be based on your personnel needs and personal preferences).  How many changes of clothing do you REALLY need? How much cooking gear (and how many eating utensils) do you need to bring?  Do you need that ax, saw, and big "Rambo" knife? Do you need that camp chair? Camp shoes? Do you need all of that electronic gear (and the associated batteries, chargers, and cords?)  Do you need a long sleeve shirt AND a fleece jacket AND a "puffy" down jacket AND a windbreaker AND a rain jacket  -- or can you get by with bringing just 2 or 3 of those items?

When I am going very ultralight, I bring only one change of clothing with me --at most. I rinse out and/or wash my clothing during my trip. I choose to eat food that only requires me to boil water. Thus, I bring a tiny cooking pot that holds just over two cups of water. (Why bring a 10-cup cooking pot to boil only 2 cups of water?).  I pour the boiling water directly into the food packages and eat right out of the packages. I use a long-handle titanium spork to eat my food. Thus, I leave all other eating utensils and cooking utensils at home.  I don't bring a plate, bowl, and cup with me. (I drink out of my water bottles). I don't bring any frying pans, additional pots, serving spoons, or spatulas.

There is no significant need for a saw or ax on Isle Royale. It is against park regulations to cut down standing trees--even dead ones. Cutting branches off of standing trees (even dead standing trees) is not permitted. Fires are not permitted at most campgrounds--and (at the places where fires are permitted) you are encouraged to use wood no thicker than 3 inches thick. Clearing trails is not permitted-- unless you have permission and proper supervision. So, why bring the ax and saw? The same is true about the big "Rambo" knife. What are you going to do with that huge knife---that you can't do with a tiny knife?

Bring Smaller & Lighter Stuff
I would invite you to think about "The Big Four" items. 1) Your backpack. 2) Your tent/shelter. 3) Your sleeping bag. 4) Your sleep pad.  It  is amazing how much weight you can save--just by getting smaller and lighter versions of any (or all) of those four items.

A tent can easily weigh 5 to 7 pounds. Yet, there are also tents out there that weigh just 2 to 3 pounds. And, if you are experienced with using just a tarp (instead of a tent), there are some tarps that weigh less than 8 ounces.  If you use a 2 lb. tent instead of a 7 lb. tent--you can cut 5 pounds off of your pack weight. (Furthermore, why does a solo hiker need a 3-4 person tent?)  Similar arguments can be said about backpacks and sleeping bags,  Do you want to carry the 5 to 7 pound version (of a backpack or sleeping bag)--or the 1 to 3 pound version? Sleep pads (depending upon their thickness, comfort level, warmth, and materials) can range from just a few ounces to over five pounds.

It is possible for "The Big Four" items (combined) to weigh as much as 20+ pounds or as little as under three pounds. Making changes in your "Big Four" is one of the places where you can rather quickly reduce your overall pack weight.

Little Amounts Add Up--Get a Scale!
Fractions of ounces quickly add up to become full ounces. Ounces soon add up and become pounds. Be mindful of the weight of EVERY item in your pack.

Get a kitchen / food scale--or a postal scale--and weigh EVERYTHING. When you have a choice between a heavier item and a lighter item--try to bring the lighter item.  (EXAMPLE:  One pair of shorts might weigh 3 or 4 ounces and another pair of shorts might weigh 7 or 8 ounces. Bring the 3 ounce shorts).  Hypothetically speaking, let's say that you have 32 times in your pack. If you can reduce the weight of each of those 32 items by an average of just one ounce--the total  reduction of your pack weight is two pounds. If you reduce each item by an average of two ounces--you reduce your pack weight by four pounds. Remember, fractions of ounces-- and ounces-- add up. Reduce weight every way that you can.

Find Items That Can Serve Multiple Functions.
The photo -- at the top of this article (showing an item that looks a bit like a tent) -- is a photo of my Gatewood Cape (sold by Six Moon Designs). It serves as BOTH rain gear--and as a form of shelter.  When possible, it is good to carry items that can serve multiple functions.

Another example: I have a down "puffy" jacket.  I bring the down jacket on my trips--and then I bring a lighter (40 degree) sleeping bag (or a 40 degree quilt) instead of bringing a (heavier) 30 degree sleeping bag (or quilt).  On cool nights, I wear the down jacket to bed.  In short, the down jacket is not JUST a jacket--it  is also a part  of my sleep system. It serves two functions.

My hiking/trekking poles also serve as a pole for my tent/shelter (instead of me carrying tent poles). Instead of carrying a small trowel or shovel to dig a "cat hole" (to go to the bathroom in the woods), I use a tent stake (or a stick) to dig a cat hole. I don't bring a drinking cup with me on my trips. However, if I need something like a cup, I can always use my cooking pot for that purpose.  Try to bring items that can serve multiple functions--and leave some other items at home.

Conclusion
Reducing pack weight can reduce some of the "wear and tear" on your body. It can make your hike (or your long portages) easier and more enjoyable.  A lighter pack weight can also make it possible for you to cover longer distances at a faster pace. 

In July 2022, I took my 17th trip to Isle Royale. My fully-loaded pack weighed between 12 and 18 pounds on that trip (depending upon how much food was in my pack at any given time). Without water, food and fuel, my pack weighed roughly 7.5 pounds. I could have packed slightly lighter--and trimmed another one to three pounds off of that weight. 

If you want to know what was in my pack--click on this link:  WHAT'S IN MY BACKPACK?