My Inventory

The first thing that I did that was, perhaps the most helpful was to take an inventory of my backpack and supplies for a standard 3 day hike. What I found was surprising:

1. Sleeping Bag (-30 Ledge Sports) 6 lbs.
2. Tent (Coleman 2 man w/Fly)        4 lbs.
3. Tarp (Just in Case)                       2 lbs.
4. Jacket                                          2 lbs.
5. Hooded Sweatshirt                      3 lbs.
6. Sweatshirt                                    3 lbs.
7. Socks (4 pair)                              1 lbs.
8. Sweats                                         1 lbs.
9. Shorts (2 pair)                              3 lbs.
10. Camp Shoes                                3 lbs.
11. Knife (2)                                      1 lbs.
12. Matches (entire box)                     8 oz.
13. Mess Kit                                      1 lbs.
14. Rope                                            1 lbs.
15. Food (2lbs per day)                      6 lbs.
16. water (5 liters)                               20 lbs.
17. Mosquito Repellent                       10 oz.
18. First Aid Kit                                  1 lbs.
19. Backpack                                     6 lbs.
20. Sleeping Pad                                 2 lbs.

TOTAL                                                67 LBS

As you can see there was a lot of waste. Keep in mind that these weights are approximate and from memory as I did not write any of the weights down. Also, it should be noted that I am larger than your average hiker. At 6'2" and 320 lbs, my clothes weigh more than some peoples sleeping bags, and carrying the weight isn't as shocking when you realize its only 30 percent of my weight. However you look at it though, it was a lot of weight with a lot of unnecessary waste. A few keys to taking your inventory that I would have done differently:

1. Write down the weights for future reference
2. Pack the backpack first (taking items out one at a time)

No matter what you do though, an inventory is a good place to start looking for ways to drop some pounds,

Backpacking when less really is more...

I have been backpacking in all types of terrain and all types of weather. I find that escaping to the outdoors is a great way to forget stress and truly relax. However, it was not always so. Perhaps you can identify with my struggle: 10 miles of steep graded trail in the heat of the summer, with 65 lbs on your back. That is not exactly a recipe for relaxation. However, I repeatedly subjected myself to that particular type of misery in the name of "relaxation". Then, one day I was reading online while researching backpacks, and I discovered an entire movement in the backpacking world centered around one simple word: light. Not like flashlights, but rather weight. I read about people hiking for days at a time with only 20 pounds on their backs and I felt like a fool. I had spent the majority of my hiking career sleeping uncomfortably and being exhausted because a long hike ate my strength. I have begun the changes that will hopefully lead to my own transformation to lightweight then to ultra-lightweight backpacking. I will post my findings and discoveries and ideas here in the hope that they may help others as well. Enjoy the reading and comment and share your oppinions on the subjects at hand.