Date: 2012-01-10
To: Know your weight
Miles today: 0.0

Pack Weight vs. Foot Weight: Some may feel that this is the same thing but knowing the difference may help you hike more miles. Not that this is important for everyone, but it will offer some advice to at least help the miles you hike be less stressful on you body. Hiking fewer miles should be a choice you make and not a requirement because of things such as undue fatigue, pain or stress. Eventually, most hikers come around to making gear changes along the trail. The outfitters you come across during your hike will be extremely knowledgeable and well stocked with the gear you will need and eventually purchase at full retail pricing. By making changes sooner rather than later, you will have the opportunity to search and shop for alternative sources, selections and sale prices. As I stated in the first journal for my upcoming 2012 hike, the weight for my big four, i.e., pack, bag, tent and pad is 4 lbs 4 oz. That is a great starting weight but you should think even bigger, or in this case lighter. You see the movies and read the comments on how some hikers file off corners of their containers and cut off extra cord off their packs to save weight. You can laugh or find these examples seemingly extreme or ridiculous but grams add up to ounces and ounces to pounds much more quickly then you think. By the way, I don¢t do either and am still a light weight hiker. Remember the goal is to reduce weight, not effectiveness. To start the process of weight reduction I think you need to have a full and real understanding of what you are getting yourself into. Remember, you will be hiking through a mountain range for just under 2200 miles. If you have already completed a continuous hike at or near that distance than anything I say here will be redundant and you will already have adjusted your gear choices. I think one common mistake hikers make is treating this hike like any other hike they have completed. This is NOT a weekend outing. Therefore, everything you do, all of your choices, will be in effect for millions of steps, several months and thousands of miles. Your gear should reflect the fact that you are hiking the AT. Ultra-light gear is expensive. That part is undisputable. At least get it when it is less expensive. You see or hear story after story of hikers getting to Neel¢s Gap and making multiple and expensive changes to their gear. That outfitter and many others are ready for you. They rely on you knowing what you need to do but not having taken any action steps until you reach their store. He knows your coming. After only hiking a few days your body is already pointing out the many muscles you have that have gone dormant before this hike. With so many testimonials on making changes to your gear WHY WON¢T HIKERS LEARN BEFORE THEY GET THERE? This outfitter has a great selection of some of the best names and lightest gear you will want. In fact, that is where I purchased my western mountaineering vest in 2006. I still use that vest as part of my core gear. But learn from my mistake and the mistakes of sooooooo many other hikers. WHY BUY GEAR AT FULL RETAIL? I have talked to many hikers that leave there spending $300-$600. AT FULL RETAIL!!I use pack weight as only one unit of measurement because for me, it is only one of the variables that I can influence. I use foot weight as my standard because I want to know how my choices affect the bottoms of my feet and knees each time I take a step. If you ever had the pain that bad hammer toes will cause, then you will certainly understand my process. The three factors include pack weight, body weight and those items I use as a fixed base on my body or body base. Pack weight is what most people focus on. I have had hikers tell me how their pack weight is XYZ but then don¢t consider a side or fanny pack into that amount since it is not hanging on their shoulders. Really? Are they kidding? They will have added 5-7 pounds of added weight on their feet and knees as they move forward. Body weight is another big factor. This plays a big roll on how I hike. I am in the process of losing an amount of weight at least equal to my pack weight before I leave for the trail. This will still put me at an amount of excess body weight of some 10-15 pounds. Of course, if I could lose more, then I will. Some hikers think that they need to start with extra body weight since they will be using more calories then they will be able to eat. This thought process will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Well, too little body weight is certainly not my case and I don¢t recommend it for anyone. Lose whatever weight you can BEFORE you start your hike. More body weight will cause you to labor more causing you to require more calories. It is a big cycle that can and should be avoided. I actually gained 3 pounds through Maine with my 2010 hike. You don¢t have to be in perfect shape but I strongly recommend that you get in the best shape you can for your hike. There are many reasons why people get off trail. One big reason is that they find the hiking too hard. You will enjoy the hike more if your body is not screaming in pain with every step you take or every time you move.The last item I take into consideration is what is on my body base weight. By body base I mean what is on my body 100% of the time that I am in movement. For me it consists of my shoes, socks, underwear, shorts, shirt, watch and bandana. The total for all of these is 2 pounds 15 ounces. Again, everything on my body weighs in at less then what many or most hikers footwear weighs in at. Footwear is of course a big item and is a very personal choice. I will discuss this topic in my next journal entry. I break this weight down since this could vary widely and can ultimately understate what impact there is on your feet and knees. This is because when a hiker starts out they will often be wearing items that may or may not be in their pack at some point. A heavier or extra shirt, a vest or jacket, a hat, thicker or longer socks, pants, wind shirt, etc. These items could weigh an extra 3-4 pounds but since hikers start out wearing them they are not included in their pack weight. When they get hot hiking or choose not to wear an item, of course it will go into their pack. If carrying a 20 pound pack and the extra body items you take off weighs 3 pounds, this will increase your pack weight by 15%. That is a lot of hidden weight. For your joints, it does not matter where the weight is, just that it is there. Any item not worn 100% of the time should be considered as pack weight even if you are wearing them.So by knowing what your foot-weight is, you know the real impact you are forcing your body to handle.   Knowing it will cause you to be more aware of the variables affecting your knees and feet that you may not want to acknowledge are there. Of course, all of these variables can and should be kept to a minimum.