Carried a 50 pound pack for 3 years before I realized my mistake

I was loading up for a 4 day trip in the Smokies and threw a tent, stove, and 6 days of food in because I thought I needed all that stuff. Then a guy at the trailhead pointed at my pack and said 'you know half that gear is overkill, right?' and he was dead on. Anyone else lug around way too much weight before they figured out what they actually needed?

3 comments

3 Comments

grayc2726d ago

Throwed out my camp chair and never looked back.

kaiharris18d ago

The weight we carry isn't just physical, right? @grayc27 it took me way too long to realize I was also hauling around this mental checklist of "what ifs" that never actually happened. I finally started a little log of things I packed but never touched after each trip - turns out I was carrying a backup water filter, extra stove fuel, and a full repair kit for three years without ever needing any of it. Now I just pack for the trip I'm actually going on, not the imaginary survival scenario in my head.

henderson.wesley26d ago

Oh man, @grayc27 you're so right about that camp chair thing. I ditched mine after the first time I saw someone just sitting on a log and realized I was carrying a whole extra thing for no reason. I mean, the worst part is how many years I spent thinking "what if I need it" and just kept piling stuff on. Now I look at my pack before a trip and literally ask myself "will I die without this?" and the answer is almost always no.