Date: 2012-01-30
To: Pack Weight
Miles today: 0.0

PACK WEIGHT        FEAR=PACK WEIGHT. You have heard this many times, but once again, the concepts surrounding this statement are so very true. It may take a bit of time and experience to build your confidence level on the many facets of fear, but if you could, you could dramatically reduce your pack weight without compromising your comfort or safety. Again, you already know certain aspects of hiking the AT are true. The question is, at what mile marker of the trail will you take the action steps to do what you know is ok to do. To expand the equation even further, PERCEPTION=REALITY=FEAR=PACK WEIGHT. Everyone is different with individual needs, perceptions and fears. For me, the concept of perception=reality is what many people have to get their head around. If you perceive a fear, even if it can be substantiated that your perception is mostly unfounded, it remains very real for you. You may have to get past your perceptions/reality on some topics at first and rely on others for some advice that makes sense to you. Many gear choices depend on your personal comfort levels, hunger levels, time of year you start your hike, how long you are willing to spend hiking each day and last, but certainly not least, how much money you are willing to spend. Remember, this is a hike that most hikers starting the AT have never experienced before. Why set up your perceptions based upon other situations that simply are not similar.I would like to blah¢¦blah¢¦blah about how my advice is so new and remarkable that it could be deemed that I have reinvented the wheel or discovered penicillin. Well, I have not done either and am the first to admit it. My ability to decrease my pack weight was achieved by having the self confidence that when I heard advice by individuals with more experience then me, I was able to get myself out of my comfort level to try something that seemed to make sense. I have no new ideas that have not already been expressed by others. One hiker who has taken lightweight hiking to a new level is of course Ray Jardine. His book, ¢Beyond Backpacking¢ is an incredible resource for those who want to hike light. It is interesting that I read this book prior to my initial 2006 hike. I took many of the recommendations to a certain level and simply ignored others as being too extreme. I am currently reading this book again and have to laugh as I read it. The concepts that I once thought as being extreme are the very actions that I am hiking with today. This book is a must read for anyone who wants to attempt a thru-hike of the AT.Remember, the goal is not to give up comfort or safety, but rather gain an understanding of a condition that is realistic. One such example is doing your duty in the woods. This seems to be the number one topic that I am asked about by non-hikers. It is odd that this one factor is holding so many people back from even shorter weekend hikes. In 2006 I made it from Springer to Harper¢s Ferry with squatting in the wood¢s only three times. It¢s true. I made a game of it just to see what the big deal was. Two of those times were in the Smoky Mountains where there were waste fields instead of outhouses. After Harpers, I was less excited about continuing this game and adhered to the concept of ¢the world is a hiker¢s toilet¢.The example above certainly exemplifies how our perceptions can make the difference in your pack weight. A full roll of toilet paper weighs in at about six ounces. Everyone needs to evaluate their own personal needs but for me I carry a roll with about 12¢ to 34¢ remaining. This is enough to generally last me about three days. In addition to this, I carry an emergency travel roll. This too will last me about two or three days. Combined, these two items weigh in at about 2 ounces. A full roll of toilet paper is 300% more weight with zero additional utility. When I get to a paper source, I will simply roll off about two days worth. In each of my mail drops, I include a roll with 12¢ remaining on it. I use this as an example because toilet paper is just one gear choice that the beginning hikers fear. My method works for me due to the miles I hike. I have never gone more then six days without the opportunity to resupply so I have never run out. I guess on the extremely rare chance I would run out of paper, I would use the leaves. So I have a reasonable backup that would work even if I screwed up. As for the orange shovel, leave it at home. A stick does the exact same thing as the shovel and one thing the forests have are a good selection of sticks. Find one, dig with it, cover with it and leave it. Why carry an extra 1.7 ounces you don¢t need to for 2184.2 miles. In addition, by carrying a shovel, you will need a plastic bag to put it in and spend the extra effort in keeping it clean. Don¢t bother.Another simple adjustment is the knife you carry. I started out planning to carry a Leatherman Juice. This is a great universal knife I thought would handle all my potential needs. At 4.2 ounces, it seemed to be reasonable choice. Especially when it was substantially lighter then the hunting knife I normally hiked with. Before actually leaving for the trail, I came across the Leatherman squirt P4 and at only 1.9 ounces, I thought I hit the mother-load. By the time I hit Hot Springs, I realized that I never even took it out of my pack. And then I took a closer look and realized it contained a small plier and four other features in addition to the knife blade. The interesting thing is that I could not come up with any real scenario where I would have a need for any of those items other then the knife blade. I mailed my P4 back with my sleeping bag. In its place I purchased a small lock knife with a razor sharp blade at the local outfitters (at full retail, ring¢¦ring, clue phone). It has a plastic handle and weighs only 12 an ounce. I have used it on occasion and find it has been all I have needed for nearly two entire AT hikes. When talking with fellow hikers who are carrying a knife to protect them from things like a bear attack, I could only think how ridiculous this sounds. If you read about bear attacks, I think you will realize how futile a knife will be, even if it is a machete. If you get attacked by a bear on the AT, it is simple your time to go. You will have bear encounters. You will of course need to take the proper precautions to avoid them from turning into more then a great outdoor experience. If you are carrying the extra weight of a knife for protection, leave it at home and decrease your pack weight that much more.The third and final item I want to give some simple advice with this journal entry is your first-aid kit. Ok, I will preface this buy saying bring what you want. For me, my kit started out larger with many of the regular items and weighed in at nearly a pound. Now it consists of the following items: 8-10 band-aids, a mini lighter, neo-sporin, a couple of Benadryl, 30 or-so ibuprofen, and 4 Imodium pills. All of this totals about two ounces and decreases as I take the pills and use the bad-aids. Replacements for these items are also included in every mail drop. This year¢s hike will include something new which are some pain pills in the event I get another kidney stone. The pain pills are worth their weight in-gold in the event of developing a kidney stone. My philosophy is that if I cannot perform open heart surgery, there is no need to carry everything that would be needed for it. You really are not as remote hiking the trail as you may think and if I am in need of real first-aid, I will need to seek it in town anyway. Again, I have completed two AT hikes and have not required more then these items mentioned above.So when your wants are perceived as your needs, your pack weight will be higher then it needs to be. When your needs become your only wants, you have achieved the right pack weight.