Jim Blue's Gear List

No weights, but I do havew a spreadsheet with most of the items weighed.

tent, 6 Moon Designs Scout
ground cloth, 8' x 10', plastic
7 pegs, large
hammer
sleeping pad, blue closed cell


backpack, Jansport


clothes
3 pair underwear, wore 1
1 pair jeans
2 roll toilet paper
1 trowel
6 handi wipes
long sleeve shirt
boots, worn
3 pair socks, wore 1 pair
1 pair gloves, worn
hat, worn
rain gear
first aid kit
walking sticks


care
skin cream
suntan lotion
mosquito repellent
sun glasses, worn
Flonaise, anti-alergy
diabetic test kit


Food & cooking
both fuel bottles
propane stove
matches


7 packages cheese & crackers
Four 1 liter water bottles
Two 20 oz zero ade
4 packages soup
1 package crackers
bacon pieces
1 package flour tortillias
1 jar peanut butter, plastic
water filter kit, 2 filters and asociated gear.
plastic flatware; fork, spoon, knife
3 MH entrees
cook set, pot an a cup
scrubber
towel
soap
5 small trash bags
pocket knife, in pants pocket
4 nesting plastic measuring cups.


cell phone, on backpack belt
cell phone chargers
compass
maps, 4 sheets paper
flashlights, 3
AA batteries
headlamp, 1
AAA batteries
emergency flasher
sport cam
radio battery
radio with same size battery, 2 meter Baefong
ibuprofen
watch, worn


in car
water
snacks
shirt
power boost
several zero ade, 20 ounce

Suggest losing the hammer and use the local rocks. Consider one flash.

I mean, it's all relative to your needs, both perceived and real.

My thoughts?

Lose one roll of TP, add 6 Immodium pills.
Lose all flashlights and just take one reliable headlamp. Get one that flashes and lose the flasher.
Too much hydration going on, especially with a filter? Lose the spare filter. You are carrying almost 6 liters of hydration. Lose 4 of them and lose 10 freaking pounds! Unless you are really nowhere near water for 24 hours, you don't need 6 liters of hydration.
Lose the hammer and the large pegs. Your hammer and pegs weigh twice what your tent does! Get some titanium pegs/hooks/nails and use your boot or a rock or a log.
Lose the nesting measuring cups. Scratch marks in your cook pot for water levels.
Lose the multiple cellphone chargers. One 9 oz 10,000maH battery will likely charge your phone 4 times from dead.
If it is a cg stove, lose one canister of fuel.
Unless you are going to be hamming it up, lose the radio. It's only good if you can bang it off a repeater or hack it into a public safety frequency in an emergency and hope for a direct connect(you won't have the psf repeater codes). If you must bring it, lose the spare battery.
Lose all spare batteries. Spend the money on Li batteries and don't bother with spares.

Jim, you seem like a belts-and-supsenders kinda guy. Nothing wrong with that. It just makes for twice the weight in your pack....based on the length of the trip, I'd lose a pair of socks and a pair of underwear. Lose the jeans. Wear the rainpants, if you must wear pants....

You don't list camp shoes, reading glasses, a writing implement or anything to deal with your diabetes, like insulin, syringe, glucogel, etc...

Personally, I am a bit concerned about your fitness/health. You only made it 1/10th of a mile. That is a serious issue. If you made it a mile past a trailhead on a seldom used trail and then the next day couldn't make more than 1/5th of a mile, you will run out of food before you make it back to the trail head in 5 days!

I guess my best advice to you, if you can only make it 1/10th of a mile with a pack on is to forget the pack, for now. Concentrate on campsites withing view of your car and just day pack to explore the area. But, I would see about increasing my fitness level by starting off flat walking with nothing more than a water bottle. See how far you can get. Work on that daily until you can go 4 times your original distance. Then, put a pack on and start flat walking. Go as far as you can. Then work on that daily until you can get 4 times your original distance. Then, hit the trail!

I took the radio to see if I can connect to the local repeater out on the trail. I will be at Cheaha. In less than 30 days as safety person for a bicycle race.

I am not taking anything for my diabetes but I do test my blood sugar. It may have been too high as I drove out there right after breakfast.

I was going to wear hiking shorts but decided on the jeans as I wasn't taking a sleeping bag.

Flashlights. Well. I was below decks on the Navy destroyer when electricity failed several times. No flashlight. I carry small ones that use AA. or AAA. Batteries. I have one that uses 3 D. Batteries but I don't use it camping.

I had hoped to go 2 nights. Take it easy walking. I think my blood sugar was high as I had a waffle with my breakfast. Sugar Free syrup though.

When I was in my 40s. I hiked 5 to 10 miles with an 80 pound pack. So I figured 30 years older cut the weight in half. Semi joke.

I know I am out of shape as most of my jobs have been sit down for hours over 35 years.

I will work on my stamina. And ask a doctor about going back on metformin. That regulated my blood sugar in the past.

That area of the Pinhoti. Is very dry. That is why I took that much water.

I have used the small wire tent pegs but the wind up there lifts the tent off the ground. So I switched to the larger pegs.

If I had enough money in my bank account I would have stayed out there and done some of the day hikes. I get paid soon and will make camp site reservations for the bicycle race. I'll be there for 4 days.

My sister and I talked about walking in the backyard with a pack. Water and a snack. About 5 pounds. If I can keep the wasps out and use my recumbent exercise bike my stamina and health improves.

Thanks for the suggestions.

in a hike out there last year I manged a mile. I think my pack was about the same weight or maybe heavier.

Could be this time my blood sugar was too high and or idleness over the winter made it difficult for me.

Scarebear has some good suggestions. You can use the small wire type stakes (even make your own from coathanger wire) and put a small rock on top of the stake if its windy.

the boots were the lightest I've ever used St 2.6 pounds each.

My car camping trip at Cheaha. Last year the wind was over 20 miles per hour. Not sure a rock would have kept a wire peg in the rocky ground. The large nail pegs worked great. They are about 2 ounces each. I put them in at an angle to provide more grip.

I am always buying new pegs. I have all different ones. I tried one of those big spike ones, I liked it. The next time out I found another one. They hold the Hooch centerline nice and tight, when I need to use my poles to hold it up.

yup. I got the scout because I can use my hiking poles to hold it up.

NoAngel wrote:

Scarebear has some good suggestions. You can use the small wire type stakes (even make your own from coathanger wire) and put a small rock on top of the stake if its windy.

I use the rocks with my Vargo titanium stakes. I would not bother with coathanger wire for tent pegs or pot stands - too soft IMO. Thick music wire from a hobby store or hardware store might work, although it will rust.

How'd it turn out not using a sleeping bag? I don't think I could do that. If I were to try, I'd probably switch out the jeans for a pair of sweatpants.

I was wearing the jeans. Only down to 60F. so I didn't take the sleeping bag. I did take the down footie bag. A half blanket throw flannel thing. And a pair of merino wool socks to sleep in. And a flannel shirt. That and zipping close the tent should keep me warm enough.

As for my blood sugar. If it is too low. Take off pack and eat a payday candy bar. It has sugar and peanuts. Then test my blood sugar level. Find shade. Drink some water. Wait a few minutes and test again. By then it should be going up. I have the candy bars on an outside pack pocket so I can get to them easily and quickly.

My relatives think my lack of exercise is the problem. I did walk with my sister last year. But not this year. I have gained 12 pounds since last summer.

Rocks. Well the pebbles and boulders won't work. Last time I tried using my boot heel it hurt my foot.

already talked to the relatives about day hikes with a light load. Next weekend I can car camp overnight. Then take short day hikes with my other back pack. And make a reservation for the Cheaha. Challenge.

Or walk around the back yard and make the reservation.

as I have said it's a step down from the 80 to 90 pound packs I carried when I slightly over half my current age. I weighed 180 pounds back then to. Not the 230 I weigh now.

TrafficJam wrote:

JimBlue wrote:

already talked to the relatives about day hikes with a light load. Next weekend I can car camp overnight. Then take short day hikes with my other back pack. And make a reservation for the Cheaha. Challenge.

Or walk around the back yard and make the reservation.

That's a good idea. Have fun!
As to your previous comment... I exercise all the time and feel in pretty good shape, but doubt I can carry a 40lb pack.

How are you healing?

How about bicycle touring? It is lower impact than hiking, if you spin in a low enough gear. My knees were complaining as I tried to push up a hill in too high a gear today. My weight crept up to 210, so I need to get busy.

interesting idea but very little flat around here.

Just keep inside your personal boundaries. Don't push yourself. I wouldn't even carry a load, other than a liter of water. Just try .1mi out and .1mi back. Take your time. When it feels right in a week or two, up it to .2mi out and .2mi back. Take your time. It isn't a race. It's just walking.

But, you have to follow the credo of the winged-one and Just Do It. Time is not on anyone's side. The sooner you start, the sooner you succeed!

Hopefully tyhis will work... otherwise I'll try and figure out how else to post it here or on my web site.

JB, here's good web site that I use for keeping track of my gear and weights:

geargrams.com/

I have too many passwords as it is, but thanks.

Not including the things I didn't weigh and the items i wore, 24 pounds 3.1 ounces. Like the watch, but I think I did count the boots as that weight makes you feel worn down if it is too much.

The flashlight weights are with batteries.

Jim, there is an awful lot that you did not weigh, or did not weigh correctly. I've got your pack weight, without tent, ground cloth, sleeping pad, back pack, rain gear, stove, MH meals, WATER and other LIQUID HYDRATION and....sigh...sleeping bag, at over 20 pounds. Add 6 liters of liquid, tent, ground cloth, sleep pad, back pack, rain gear, stove, MH meals, and your sleeping bag and you've got another......get ready for it....at least 25 pounds to add to your weight....I've got you at +45 pounds.

Here's a good way to deal with this. Load your pack with everything on your list. Don't forget your sleeping bag. Get on a scale with your pack on. Record the weight. Get on the same scale with your pack off. Record the weight. Subtract that weight from the first weight and you have your pack weight.

Let us know the weight. My bet is.....43.7 pounds....

raining here. I'll try and get the weight done but very unlikely today. Pack is out in my car.

The tent kinda fell off, so I took it off completely and haven't weighed it yet.

Without it, and I'll double check the contents of the pack, I and the backpack weigh: 50 pounds more than I do without the backpack.

So the entire assemblege, includng me was 283 pounds. I weigh about 232 pounds. I left off the decimal part, that was not much of a difference.

I so I need to get rid of about 20 pounds... off the pack that is.

One of my packing problems is I tend to, but tried to stifle it this time, is to 'I'll just add this, and that, and this other thing because I might need them' and not weigh nor add them to my packing list.

edit: so, about 20 something ounces for the tent, and about a pound for the sleeping pad.

So I was trying to carry 55 pounds. No wonder I was having a problem.

While the distance from the car to my bedroom wasn't very far, probably 50 feet, I wasn't puffing and about to fall down. So I think my high blood sugar was part of the lack of being able to hike.

Start with leaving that hammer at home. Seriously. And only carry enough water to get you to the next water. I try to carry two liters max. Unless I know its dry or an unreliable source ahead, then I'll carry more.

That sounds an awful lot like how I started, Jim. You don't want the joint pain that caused me.

there was no next water unless I camped left my gear and walked back to the car. Then walked back to the camp site.

I have hiked 10 miles with 80 to 90 pounds on my back. I was about 35 years old. So I should cut the weight in half since I'm twice as old. To 35 pounds I mean.

I doubt the formula is an thing but nonsense.

Of course I doubt I'll ever carry 90 pounds in a backpack again.

Jim, much like you severely underestimated your pack weight here, you are likely overestimating your pack weight from those many years ago. Only a handful of MOS require a pack weight above 50 pounds and none over 80. Unless you were a squad gunner(BAR, M60, etc) or a radio man in the Vietnam-era, you didn't really hump that heavy of a pack. It just seemed that heavy. Carrying 100 pounds is like taking my ex for hike. On your back. Even if she holds still, you won't get too far...no matter how young you are...

My best advice is that you forget about your pack for a while. Concentrate on moving. Keep your body in motion. When you can make it .5 mile out and .5 mile back, without stopping, then it might be time to put on a pack with about 4 liters of water(9 pounds) and see if you can make the same distance. Don't worry about time, this isn't a race.

But, to keep worrying about your pack when your biggest worry should be your fitness is akin to worrying about new tires when your gas tank is bone dry...until you fill your tank, you cant get to the tire store for those shiny new tires...

Just do it. Start moving. Keep moving.

TrafficJam wrote:

WanderingStovie wrote:

TrafficJam wrote:

JimBlue wrote:

already talked to the relatives about day hikes with a light load. Next weekend I can car camp overnight. Then take short day hikes with my other back pack. And make a reservation for the Cheaha. Challenge.

Or walk around the back yard and make the reservation.

That's a good idea. Have fun!As to your previous comment... I exercise all the time and feel in pretty good shape, but doubt I can carry a 40lb pack.

How are you healing?

Great, I'm at about 97.34 %.

I'm right at 98.6, but who's counting?

I've never once made a list (much less checked it twice) or weighed my pack. I know for a fact (and Rasty can attest) I carry too much sh*t. Nothing I haven't been able to handle though. My biggest obstacle has been my fat ass. There'll be considerably less of that come August when I get my next chance at the trail. The pack, likely still just as much excess crap. I bought light (not ultra) weight stuff (tent, sleeping bag, etc) with the intent of having some luxury stuff (Kindle, coffee grinder, French press, bag(s) of beans). I'm good with it.

I was never in the Army but I was a Boy Scouts assistant leader. I had to carry extra food. A first aid kit. Axe and folding shovel. We had canned food.

I did weigh my pack by hanging it from a suspension type scale. One time was 75 pounds and another was 80 pounds. We typically walked up to 5 miles. A few times to 10 miles. While the 90 pounds is an estimate I was carrying more than the two times I did weigh my pack.

This doesn't count the weight of the plywood patrol kitchen nor the canvas tent and large wood pole it used.

Very very very very few people can carry a 90 pound pack for 10 miles in one day on anything but perfectly flat asphalt, no matter their age! Any weight that approaches 50 percent of your body weight becomes a big obstacle to physical performance. As an example, how many people can lift 90 pounds off the ground, over their head and then use only one arm to hold the weight aloft while slipping the other arm into the shoulder strap? Not many, no matter their age...

When I was in prime shape, I could lift a 50 pound sack of nitrogen with one hand and put it on my shoulder. I would carry a sack on each shoulder for the 100 yards from the chem shed to the sprayer. Then I would mount the ladder backwards and crab up it, carrying the sacks to the top of the sprayer tank(about 18 feet off the ground) where I would dump them in. I would repeat the trip ten times each morning until the tank had it's fill. Then, I would take an entire hour to rehydrate and recover while the tank filled with 2000 gallons of water. The only thing left to do for the next 6 hours was to drive the sprayer rig. At the end of the eight hour day at 2 in the afternoon, it was all I could do to stay awake long enough to try and eat something before I passed out from exhaustion. The next day? Repeat. All. Summer. Long.

The point of the story was that at the end of that summer, I went backpacking with friends. My pack weighed right at 40 pounds. Theirs weighed almost twice that. They were young and strong, like me. But they hadn't carried weight on their back all summer. Guess what? By the beginning of the second day my pack weighed 80 pounds. Again, even young and fit 20 year olds can't hump 80 pound packs long distances in rough country unless they are in prime shape. Now, Jim you take somebody your age and at your fitness level and the answer is clear as a bell. LOSE THE PACK. Stop worrying about your pack weight and stop bemoaning the days of yore. Guess what? I probably could carry an 80 pound pack for 10 miles in rough country. One day. I wouldn't be able to go another ten miles the next day, though. And, I consider myself in damn good shape for the shape I am in! (pardon the song pun, but for my age I am in damn good shape.)

Just do it, Jim. Start walking. Keep walking. When you can go the distance walking, put the pack on. But to put the pack on before then is just setting yourself up for disappointment....IMHO.

uhm. I stopped carrying that huge back pack about 40 years ago. You should to.

I just walked 1 mile at 3.1 mph. average speed at a max of 3.4 mph. Grade was 3.4%.

no pack but I did have a lance peanut butter cracker packet in my shirt pocket. I didn't see the need to weigh it.

oh that is average grade as tracked by back country navigator. Not all up nor all down grade.