whats your weight?

[ATough]

On average how much does your pack weigh? and what type of pack do you use? mine generally weighs about 25 pounds for a 3-5 day trek without water and i use my osprey eather 60.

[Alaskan Survivalist]

I have several packs.

Hiking........................3.5 pounds
Survival pack..............10 pounds
Survival pack
with extra tools...........15 pounds
Camping Back pack.......20 pounds
Boat portage pack........30 pounds
Pack board..................Varies

I have various kits that can attach to these packs for different activities ranging from 2 pounds to 8 pounds.

[doug1980]

200 lbs woot woot I lost 30 lbs in 3 months. Oh my pack weight...oops.
Every Day Carry Bag- 5 lbs
Day Hike Bag- 15 lbs
Bug Out Bag- 45 lbs
All these are estimates. Important thing is I can comfortably carry them with everything I need, or think I need any way.

[Alaskan Survivalist]

200 lbs woot woot I lost 30 lbs in 3 months. Oh my pack weight...oops.
Every Day Carry Bag- 5 lbs
Day Hike Bag- 15 lbs
Bug Out Bag- 45 lbs
All these are estimates. Important thing is I can comfortably carry them with everything I need, or think I need any way.

I used a bathroom scale. I think you can get within a couple pounds of accurate that way.

[doug1980]

Don't have one because the wife doesn't want to see her weight all the time.

[canid]

i try to keep my load appropriate, but for most purposes, between 5 and 25lb.

i wouldn't want to carry more than 40lb any great distance. i'm down to around 130 these days.

[BENESSE]

If we covered this question elsewhere (which in part I'm sure we have), please disregard it here. But...(hope this is not like the best knife question) if you had only one "survival" pack (like I do) to see you through a couple weeks on foot and give you enough tools to help you with survival beyond that, what would it contain in broad terms? Would you say, carry a tent/sleeping bag?
I know it would be dependent on the area of the country (AK vs AZ, city vs. rural, etc.) but in the course of the journey you might cover a lot of different ground.

[crashdive123]

B - as long as your pack covers the essentials for you in your area you should be OK.
Shelter, fire, water, navigation, first aid, food, light, signaling, etc. That list will vary from person to person, and certainly for climate and time of the year.

[Rick]

Differentiate between a pack and a BOB. One can certainly be the other but here they are talking about something more specialized; hiking, hunting, ATV, etc.

To your question, a BOB should cover the basics at the very least. A way to treat water, a way to provide shelter, a way to make fire, and given where you are a way to protect yourself. Food may be another consideration depending on the reason for your BOB.

A tent would be good if you can carry it. A tarp can perform a similar function, however.

EDIT: I was typing when you posted.

[roar-k]

I really need to get lighter gear. I have Kifaru packs which are beasts and weigh quite a bit. I think for my last 3 day trip my pack weight around 45 lbs. Of course that's with 5 liters of water and food for 3 days + extra.

The bag in my car that has food and water and a shelter is around 10 lbs.

I still need to make a BOB.

Guess we will see what happens over the next year.

[Alaskan Survivalist]

If we covered this question elsewhere (which in part I'm sure we have), please disregard it here. But...(hope this is not like the best knife question) if you had only one "survival" pack (like I do) to see you through a couple weeks on foot and give you enough tools to help you with survival beyond that, what would it contain in broad terms? Would you say, carry a tent/sleeping bag?
I know it would be dependent on the area of the country (AK vs AZ, city vs. rural, etc.) but in the course of the journey you might cover a lot of different ground.

Our thumbs and the ability to use tools are a big advantage in the wilderness. You can only carry so many clothes. With a needle what can you do? With a knife you carve a spindle and knitting needles. The amount of clothes are endless. A small shovel and some seed will provide and endless supply of food. A tent is not a very durable shelter and you can't carry a house on your back but you can build a cabin with an axe.

To think of anything less than perminent survival is rather short sighted. What are you going to do in 3 days? a week? a month? next winter? I tried to start a thread posing the question "What can you do with your knife?". It went nowhere. I may be the only one thinking this way. You asked a good question and I will address it in more specific detail in the next few days and demonstrate some of the things that can be done with some basic hand tools. What most survival bags cover is what I call camping. I will show you the difference. I have that work thing to attend to now.

[canid]

If we covered this question elsewhere (which in part I'm sure we have), please disregard it here. But...(hope this is not like the best knife question) if you had only one "survival" pack (like I do) to see you through a couple weeks on foot and give you enough tools to help you with survival beyond that, what would it contain in broad terms? Would you say, carry a tent/sleeping bag?
I know it would be dependent on the area of the country (AK vs AZ, city vs. rural, etc.) but in the course of the journey you might cover a lot of different ground.

this is the bloated version, and i would pick and choose from it, but when it had all this stuff, it would usually be packed up and handy.

http://i602.photobucket.com/albums/tt106/canid/webtemp/P1200346.jpg

the dry-bags are great, and they'll hold a lot of drinking water if they need to.

[BENESSE]

Is is worth considering? I am intrigued but just don't have enough experience (a$$ in the hammock) to evaluate it properly.

http://hennessyhammock.com/sp-soldiers.html

[roar-k]

I love hennessy hammocks. My next purchase will be one of them. Buy the snake skins if you are going to purchase one!

[crashdive123]

I've heard a lot of good things about Hennesy Hammocks. Batch just got one and used it.

[LowKey]

A.S. I can see where you're going with that. When you get a chance do flesh it out.
It's the question I ask myself when I have that $25-50 to add something to the pile. What can I get with this that will give me a lot of other things that I won't have to buy. Or should I save it til I have that next $25-50 and get this thing over here that'll do away with 3 other things.
I'm focusing right now on food preps mostly.
There's also the possibility of accidental loss.
What do you fall back on if you lose a piece of your equipment. Do you have some form of redundancy? ie What happens if you lose/break your axe?

[SARKY]

With 3 liters of water and 14 days of food, my pack weighs in at 65 lbs. It is a Kifaru Navigator and has the Kifaru E&E pack docked to it. I can carry up to 10 liters of water in the 2 hydration bladders and 1 nalgene bottle.

[Camp10]

To think of anything less than perminent survival is rather short sighted. What are you going to do in 3 days? a week? a month? next winter?


I think overlooking short term survival situations is also short sighted,in my case, odds are higher I will have to evacuate for a few days because of a flood or fire or a gas leak from a train crash, etc than they are for me to have to leave forever.

I'm interested in what you have to show for gear and what you use it for but I think there is real merit to having a lightweight and ready pack to get you out in a hurry if the need to do so comes up.

To answer the OP, my BOB weighs (depending on the season) between 25 and 40 lbs. This is just a guess. The current one is a frameless and molle compatible unit I picked up from sportsmans guide. I switched to it from my L.L.Bean internal framed pack because this one rides better on my back. I dont think it would handle the same weights as the other but it can hold my winter gear just fine and I still have the other pack if I ever add to much gear for this one.

[canid]

Hennessey Hammocks are pricy, but pretty great. my setup is a good bit simpler, and the hammock was $20.

as far as packs, the big compass pack in my picture is sitting somewhere at the top of a mountain in the sierra foothills, with my water bladder, one of my knives, one of my drybags, a blanket and a pouch of bugler to keep it company.

now i have a cheap, older expernal frame jansport.

[roar-k]

With 3 liters of water and 14 days of food, my pack weighs in at 65 lbs. It is a Kifaru Navigator and has the Kifaru E&E pack docked to it. I can carry up to 10 liters of water in the 2 hydration bladders and 1 nalgene bottle.

How do you like your Navigator? I have the Pointman and Mollex.

[kyratshooter]

My Bug Out Pack comes to around 4,700 pounds. I can hitch up to it and be out of sight in about 5 minutes.

[canid]

My Bug Out Pack comes to around 4,700 pounds. I can hitch up to it and be out of sight in about 5 minutes.

heh. sometimes the quickest way to bug out of your home is to haul it away with you.

[RadiantBurrito]

My average weight is 43lbs for a 3 day(3 season) trip. (That's wet weight, fully loaded with 3 days food and 4 liters water). With a base weight of 28lbs. I have a few older and heavier items that I will replace at some point that will shave off a few more lbs.

I have found that I can get my pack down to about 20lbs if I really strip it down, but I prefer a higher level of comfort and versatility normally so I just carry the extra few lbs.

[Rick]

Welcome, RadiantBurrito. Why not radiate over to our introduction section and tell us a bit about yourself? Here's a template for your convenience.

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/showthread.php?t=7813

[rwc1969]

3 litres of water and only dry food for a week or so, 35-40 lbs with bed roll, tent and wool blanket. I can't get a good weight on it but my wool blanket is the heaviest item at 5-10 lbs or more.

I rarely carry that much though and my pack right now is only 20.2 lbs. with 3 litres of water, no bed roll, tent or wool blanket, just a thin plastic tarp and a thin poly blanket. I haven't used this setup to sleep overnight, but could if needed albeit somewhat uncomfortable.

[Alaskan Survivalist]

this is the bloated version, and i would pick and choose from it, but when it had all this stuff, it would usually be packed up and handy.

http://i602.photobucket.com/albums/tt106/canid/webtemp/P1200346.jpg

the dry-bags are great, and they'll hold a lot of drinking water if they need to.

Canid answered Benesse well with his selection of tools. A knife, hatchet, saw and shovel should be the basis of all survival packs and the larger those items the more capable you'll be but even small tolls will accomplish the job just take much longer to do it. Long term you want to make sure you have some of the things needed to maintainingg your equipment. A file, sharpening stone, needles, gun cleaning kit, spare flints, wicks, flashlight bulbs, stuff like that. Think from the perspective of what you can build with your tools and what materials will be available in an area. Things that would be difficult to make should be brought with you. For example making a roof that does not leak can be one of those difficult things so I include a tarp. I would like to see the forum begin to demonstrate more in the use of tools and demonstrat some of the camp craft the have made using thier tools. You can do a lot with the basic knife,saw,hatchet and shovel.

[Sarge47]

Hmm, there's 12 tons for the large RV...sorry AT, I don't backpack, but I got some big packs if I wanted too. I have smaller packs for general hiking, however I don't weigh them. I fill them, try them on, & if they feel too heavy I take them off & change some things. Right now my Maxpedition Falcon II is my favorite. :cool2:

[SARKY]

How do you like your Navigator? I have the Pointman and Mollex.

I really like my Navigator, I prefer panel load packs because I load my pack with interchangeable modules that I can pull out and pop in as the seasons, weather or what ever dictates. But having the E&E dock to it make it even better.

[ATough]

sarge your failing me buddy. im starting to branch out into the minimalist world. and trying to get a feel for the waters.

[Alaskan Survivalist]

Canid, BTW I have the same 22 rifle. Real tack drivers. The weather here can be hard on a rifle and in the winter build frost on them so I use a scabbard. The one I use is MOLLE designed for shotguns but is also a perfect fit for the 22 and my model 92 lever action. It makes for a great case and can be strapped any where. Mine cost 40 dollars and I consider it a good investment. It sure keeps the rifle both handy and protected.

http://i540.photobucket.com/albums/gg346/akmofo/IMG_1302.jpg

[canid]

rifle is accurate enough, but there is a design flaw in the action, where the action is terminated by the L in the slide arm. the inside of this L is radiused, and with wear, it allows the action to come just a hair too far back, and the feed arm raises too high. with the round coming in too high, and a squared chamber mouth, the bullets get mangled and sometimes the feeding jams if you don't cycle it fast enough. i still need to braise the worn area, which should fix the problem.

[Alaskan Survivalist]

I have not noticed any problems yet but I always work the action fast on levers and pumps. Just they way I was taught, rechamber fast after each shot incase you need it.

[Sarge47]

sarge your failing me buddy. im starting to branch out into the minimalist world. and trying to get a feel for the waters.
Ah youth! Pretty soon you'll be telling me that you're going out in the woods with nothing more than your knife & the clothes on your back! :innocent: Seriously though, I'm very proud to see how much you've grown! :cool2:

[canid]

wait..! we're allowed to take clothes out with our knives now?

[Rick]

Aaah, jeeze. I'll be the rest of the day gettin' that picture out of my head.

[BENESSE]

Aaah, jeeze. I'll be the rest of the day gettin' that picture out of my head.

It would serve you right!
I still suffer PTSS over that infamous thong pic.

[roar-k]

How do you like your Navigator? I have the Pointman and Mollex.

I really like my Navigator, I prefer panel load packs because I load my pack with interchangeable modules that I can pull out and pop in as the seasons, weather or what ever dictates. But having the E&E dock to it make it even better.

I do the same with my E&E. I have been thinking about getting a Koala for EDC instead of my E&E though. Still trying to make the decision on that.

If you wouldn't mind sharing pics of your internal setup that would be fantastic.

[ATough]

Ah youth! Pretty soon you'll be telling me that you're going out in the woods with nothing more than your knife & the clothes on your back! :innocent: Seriously though, I'm very proud to see how much you've grown! :cool2:

i was thinking more just a webcam to film my adventures........ nothing else.

[ATough]

but im starting to see how with some knowledge and some ingenuity, you can get by with far less gear. like using a tarp and hammock over a tent, cooking with just a pot and simple stove. all the fancy stuff is losing its shine.

[Alaskan Survivalist]

The weight of packs goes through the roof with the addition of anything metal. I’m posting this as an example of just how fast it can happen. I use kits and have 3 that are my basic survival kits to prepare for my wife and daughter also. Each can stand on their own with the only real difference is in the amount of tools they carry. I described the basic gear in this thread http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/showthread.php?t=10041&page=3

The weights are 3.5 pounds, 10 pounds and 15 pounds.

http://i540.photobucket.com/albums/gg346/akmofo/IMG_1303.jpg

I the lightest kit I use a Gerber short machete. Pound for pound one of the best tools I have found. Good for chopping poles up about 3 inches in size and while I would not consider the practical for sawing firewood it is practical for sawing and shaping wood, bone and antlers. I choose Swiss Army knives over multi tools I’ve seen simply because it seems more geared to things I need to do in a wilderness setting. Folding pocket shovel handle my digging chores although it would take a long time to dig a fox hole with it I find it very useful. Cook kit is a Swiss Army one that burns wood and saves carrying fuel. Maglight has some dense weight to it also.

http://i540.photobucket.com/albums/gg346/akmofo/IMG_1304.jpg

The next kit takes a big step up in weight and you may notice the influence of my SERE trained friends. Maglight, Swiss Army Soldiers knife and a saw. Navy seals MK 3 Knife has a hammer built into it and grooves built into top of blade that I have been told was for removing paint to plant explosives but I have found it very useful for shaping material. Top rate knife in my book. Next is a Coleman pocket shovel and at 6 dollars out performs most shovels I’ve used. Gerber Pack Axe has a small knife built into handle. It looses a lot of leverage due to short handle but it makes it convenient to carry on belt and will out chop a machete. I use a small pack grill I cut down even smaller and a jumbo Sierra cup and use chopsticks rather than steel cutlery. I could live with out the grill but very handy.

http://i540.photobucket.com/albums/gg346/akmofo/IMG_1305.jpg

The metal in my next kit takes total weight up to 15 pounds but gives me the capability to build a log cabin and other permanent amenities. Medium sized Wyoming saw with extra blades and file in case. Another Gerber ax but this one has a saw built into handle and longer handle makes it a much better chopping tool. They can make very accurate cuts pounding hammer side with a small log. The pocket knife would not impress anybody. I bought it from a bucket by a cash register on sale for 4.99 but in 20 years of use on the job has proven itself to me. I added some key chain sized tools to equal it to my Swiss army knives. I up graded to a 3 cell LED Maglight. The beam is not as focused as standard Maglight but shines just as far. Maglights can be unscrewed and the lens used as a base to make a lantern. This one throws enough light to be considered practical. Ontario Kabar type knife, sharp and durable. I have a Gerber shovel but to be honest I am bit disappointed and will be replacing it. Heavy for it’s usefulness, I can do better. This kit has the same cook kit previously shown.

http://i540.photobucket.com/albums/gg346/akmofo/IMG_1306.jpg

The 15 pound kit also includes the maintenance items. Gun cleaning kit with enough tool to disassemble weapons, Leather working and sewing kit, and spare parts like flints, wicks and light bulbs. One thing I forgot to show is a sharpening stone that I keep in each kit with a zippo and extra fluid.

http://i540.photobucket.com/albums/gg346/akmofo/IMG_1307.jpg

I know a lot is made of skills, experience and learning from mentors and survival experts but you will be surprised what you can accomplish with a few tools, some creativity and a lot of trial and error the way I learned. The moral of this post is METAL is HEAVY! Apply more critical thinking to metal objects you carry.

[Alaskan Survivalist]

Many people think of a bug out bag only to get them to a safe location, camping along the way and this would be the similar to how I backpack for recreation and thought to mention a few other things. I do this for fun and packing a lot of weight is not fun, period. One of the basic things is that the heaviest things are the pack, sleeping bags and tent. Attention to those basic items can save a lot of weight. Another thing I have learned over the years is that price and name is no indication of quality. I have learned to look at features and construction then look at the price tag. I usually pack with my wife so gear is for two people. Contained in this Coleman Peak pack are 2 Slumberjack sleeping bags rated to 20 degrees, 2 Thermarest 3/4 pads, 2 person Peak hoop tent with a vestibule built into each side of the rain fly, 2 pots of a Coleman Max cook kit, 2 titanium sporks, Exponent ultra F-1 stove and canister, 32 ounce Nalgen bottle and MSR water purifier. Would you believe it only weighs 15 pounds?

http://i540.photobucket.com/albums/gg346/akmofo/IMG_1316.jpg

The pack has plenty of room for expansion and could carry a lot more but I just put waterproof cover over it and strap hiking kit to it and keep the weight at 18.5 pounds. The plastic pack frame I use as a pack board I load with food, cloths and whatever else I want to bring on the trip like fishing poles. My wife carries the lighter of the two which is usually the pack board. If I go out alone I usually just strap a few things to the pack board. What ever people say with heavy packs they won't keep up on the trail and if they ever start ultra light backpacking they will never go back to heavy packs.

[canid]

for the most part, my ditch kit is for those times my personal need to get away wins out, rather than a physical need, but the packing considerations are similar for me.