I've just done a trial loading of my pack, with food equivalent to that which I exppect to be carrying on the longest leg of my Challenge ...

... and it came out at just a tad under 16kg, which is REALLY chuffing!!

OK, so I've downsized to 66 litres (oooooh ... the difficult choices as to what to leave behind!!) and tried to shave weight off everywhere I can. But I only have two resupply points this year, which means more food and more clothes to carry, not to mention extra "warmies" because of the threatened weather.

So it's looking good!!

Next time I'll aim for a threee resupply route, and see if I can't finally get it under 15KG.

(For reference, my first Challenge way back in 2000 I was carrying a trifle over 22KG on my back. So to have brought it down so far is really quite something ... )

How about you folkses? What sort of weights are you all packing?

Without food, water and fuel I'm down to about 13kg. Like you I'm using 2 resupply points so the food weight really knocks it up. It still doesn't feel bad at all really and it'll only get lighter as I get through the food. I'm a hefty beast though so sleeping bag and clothes tend to be bigger and heavier than I'd like.

Without food and water my base weight is less than 5kg! But then s lightweighters don't know what we are doing!

Just done a test pack and my pack weighs 12.5kg with 3 days food. Probably rise another 500g with odds and sods.

Quite pleased as I'm taking some additional warm clothes and my Scarp 1 tent. It all seems to fit in my Mariposa Plus, which is a minor miracle.

Packing is what Wednesday night is for.

Ian C.

P.S. Does anyone know where I put my pack? I know I had it last year.

I don't Ian, but after a year, you should be able to find it by smell

My pack weight all in is 1.25Kg
That includes my Crisp Packet tent.
Not cuben, it is a real crisp packet.
Eat the crisps in the day and sleep in it at night.
I have seen Kung Fu, you don't need shoes.
I got all my clothes from

TheKingsNewBackPackingOutfitters.com (very ethereal).

I made my sleeping bag from a spiders web I found in the loft.

My map 1:250000 is printed onto rice paper,
and also doubles as emergency rations.

My cooker I made from 1/4 of an old coke can, and it also can be used as a torch, and a distress beacon, in the unlikely situation that I get into trouble.

I have tested all this in my sitting room, and it works perfectly.
I can see no reason at all why it will not be perfect for 2 weeks in sunny Scotland.

Having looked at the forecast, I am mostly thinking that my intended pack weight of 11.8Kg (that does not include clothes I am wearing other than waterproof, nor shoes, nor poles.
I will NOT be carrying them in the pack,) is going to increase when I add extra warm stuff.

You can see the full kit list here if you are that bothered or interested, apart from anything else I add before I go.

Ah, but Wednesday night I'll be on the train and it will be too late

Minus water and stove fuel I'm about 8kg at the moment. Feels okay on my back even with the water and hydration on board. (Ask me again in a weej's time!)

Why carry water? There's millions of gallons (sorry liters)of the stuff laying around all over the Highlands and even coming out of the sky; on rare occasions!

I no doubt will be carrying my 20Kg of Ulta Lightweight gear ....again...., I might have to leave the footspa and pressure cooker at home. Its the extension cable that adds all the weight!

I might carry some dehydrated water and rehydrate it along the way

Hi Dickie
Did you know that you can now get a mini hydro generator that you pop in the stream, weighted down with a rock? Ideal for powering the telly. Take the extension cable. You know it makes sense!
Oh - and that titanium/hydrogen blow out device, too.

Alan, in and effort to save weight though, I understand there are lots of useless Windmills that I could use on my way across - as on average they poke out enough to power the average Kettle?

Perhaps we could suggest to Mr Salmond that each windmill has a three pin socket at the base so passers by can take advantage of the "free" energy provided by the the wind

Found it yet Ian :-)

Not yet but I haven't started looking. I'll leave that till Wednesday. I have done the important bit and sorted out my camera gear.

My favourite dehydrated food: Cask Strength Laphroaig, distilling removes water so it's sort of dehydrated.

Thanks to Jeremy, I'm starting to think of gear weights in an entirely different way, in terms of "underpants sacrifice".

For instance, if I take my Kindle on the Challenge it means sacrificing three pairs of underpants in terms of weight. I'll be a lot more well read, but a lot less comfortable.

I'm not sure going commando is worth it, just for a good read. The dilemmas we face as Challengers

Well, that's my toothbrush sawed in half.

I'm carrying too much weight........, unlike Andy

- but then I don't want to get my hair cut.

OMG!! That's O M G

I've just weighed my pack and it is 7.8k without food and meths. This is really bad news!

I'm going to have to get serious and leave out the travelling iron.

Gordon, is the meths for fuel or something else? It's certainly a lot cheaper than gin and so much prettier.

Oh, so you too have found that out, Geoff!

It's certainly a lot cheaper than gin!- and it does the same job, but, with more colour.

I find if you mix it with petrol you can go upwards a lot quicker.

No, a bothy bag is not the same as a bivvy bag. Top kit both, mind you.

without food my pack weight is 6,1kg including about 0,9kg of photo gear.

Note yet decided between 14mmF2.8/ 25mmF1.4 /45mmF1.8
and 12mmF2 / 20mm F1.7 / 45mm F1.8 to go with my EP2.
Last chance for my EM5 to arrive in time is today

Carrying 4,5 days food at most, total backpack weight will stay just a bit under 10kg.
If the weather is a bit cold my packs weight goes down by 234g when i put on my microfleece

Just saved estimated 5g by having haircut

Ditched another 400g (various bits and pieces) or so to take me below 10kg base weight. Happy with compromise between weight and comfort.

Pack weight. Pah!

Stopped weighing it now.

Have decided on kit to take. (no lingerie)
Will pack sack tomorrow.

If I can lift it, then it is good to go.
If not I should not be going anyway because I am too weak and feeble.

No matter what I plan to take it always gets heavier than that, and by day three I do not notice the weight anymore , unless I am walking without it (BLISS)

But, but... What about the Cheese & Wine Party?
"Dress: Smart/ Casual."

I bet you're still taking the lippy, blusher & eye-liner though?

I wasn't going to admit to that on line.

Bugger!

I guess you lightweight bods won't want some of the Tents in the Spring issue of TGO then. The minimum weight of the Nemo 2P is listed as 3500Kg however you could save a little as the manufacturers weight on the Husky is 1600Kg

Sorry Emily R you need a new Pruf reeder

Made me laugh anyway....

Hi Jeremy,

I'm intrigued that your pack weighs 16kg yet you have a very lightweight tent. I'm wondering if I'm not taking enough to cope with the predicted tough conditions.

As you're an experienced Challenger a brief overview of what you are taking would be useful for us neophytes.

I was camping on and between hills last weekend. Lovely sunny days.....but at night it was C-O-L-D although I was well kitted out. And the forecast outlook doesn't seem to improve much. And no amount of weight-saving is worth shivering sleepless nights.

Mind you, I do sleep cold, as they say.

I agree, Jean, nothing more miserable than being cold, well perhaps being wet and cold. I'm taking a bit extra for warmth. More than worth it for a little extra weight.

Aye, that Andy Howell's got it down to a fine art.

Why, he even gets a haircut to save weight.

I've just had my "Challenge Haircut" too.
I wish I hadn't; It's a bit chilly around the ears...

My Challenge haircut is on Tuesday. I haven't got much hair to cut, so I don't expect a significant weight saving

Happy to oblige, Robin.

There are many Challengers will say I pack too much gear about; but it all depends upon your backpacking philosophy. I like to retain a reasonable amount of personal comfort, and that means that I like to have clean socks, underwear and base layer for every day. This is where most of the weight resides. The longest stretch between laundry opportunities in this year's route is 5 days ... so I need to carry 6 full sets of underwear / base layer. I save weight where I can (don't laugh ... ladies' underwear, in the right size, is perfectly comfortable - if you buy midis - and a lot lighter than the gents' equivalent; and I have light wicking synthetic T-shirts). I don't skimp on socks, though - good wool socks are a must.

So ... in my pack I have:


Top section. Clothes etc.

Waterproof liner (clean clothes inside; laundry outside)
6 pairs underwear; 6 pairs socks; 6 t-shirts
1 spare pair trousers (alternate day on day which I wear)
1 spare micro-fleece (alternate day on day which I wear)
1 fleece waistcoat (to increase insulation layer if needed)
1 fleece neck warmer
1 sleeping bag (down, in small compression sack)
1 silk sleeping bag liner
1 3/4-length thermarest (rolled round sleeping bag; no separate bag of its own)


Lower section: food etc.

1 small titanium cooking pot, with metal folding spork kept inside
1 plastic Challenge mug
1 100g jar Bovril (hot Bovril is the only hot drink my stomach can cope with; a smaller jar should suffice, but I couldn't find one)
small bundle plastic teaspoons (for preparing hot drinks, and dealing with powdered milk)
1 rubbish bag
1 bag powdered goats' milk
Food to last to next provisioning point (single portions of gluten-free breakfast cereals, each measured out and put into a resealable food bag; lunch packs each made up of 4 items high-energy food bars giving about 800 calories per pack; supper elements to allow a 3-course supper consisting of EITHER soup OR a tinned fish product; followed by EITHER meat balls OR chicken hot pot OR chilli con carne (these being the only three pre-prepared gluten-free AND lactose-free main dishes I could find); followed by two gluten-free cake bars
Trail mix for snacking (containing dried apple, dried exotic fruits, raisins, macadamia nuts, pistachios, pine kernels and pumpkin seeds)
A few high-energy treats
Hip flask with a wee dram or three of Caol Isla


Front pocket: Emergency gear

2-man bothy shelter
1 pair emergency snow grips
small proprietary outdoor first aid kit pack
tick removers
1 pack compeed blister dressings
1 pair boot laces
Multi-tool
Whistle
GPS unit
Mobile phone


Left-hand pocket: cooking

MSR Whisperlight stove
Matches (mix of storm matches and Swan Vesta, in storm match holder)
Small MSR fuel bottle filled with petrol


Right-hand pocket: spare fuel, toileting

Large MSR fuel bottle filled with petrol
Trowel
Resealable bag with toilet paper


Pocket on waist strap

Three energy gel packs


Pocket in "lid": waterproofs

Lightweight waterproof trousers
Fleece-lined waterproof mittens
Two hats (one fleece-lined for warmth; the other a peaked waterproof havelock)


In mesh on top of "lid"

Lightweight waterproof coat


Under "lid"

Merrell walking sandals for river crossings, bothy wear and road walking


In pouches added to waist belt:

2 650ml water bottles
Steri-pen UV water sterilisation device (this is a new bit of gear for this year ...)


In pouch on shoulder strap

Camera (the smallest Lumix compact, no longer made, unfortunately, with a spare battery and a 2 gigabyte memory card)


Tied to D-ring and held in place by elastic on shoulder strap

Compass (Silva type 4)


Strapped to the outside of the rucksack

Tent (Terra Nova Laser Photon, with a set of alloy pegs in place of the "toothpick" pegs; pole bag discarded as an unnecessary item)


In first map case

Map for the day


In second map case

Maps for the days ahead to the next resupply point maps that I have finished with
route card
pen


In money belt at waist

Money
Credit card
Rail ticket home


In hands and on wrist

Walking poles
Altimeter wrist watch


I think that's the lot. Being a solo walker, I have to have "one of everything I might need"; whereas in a group of three or four, many of these items are ones that you'd only need one between you. I have gradually discarded all the items I never seem to use (for instance the sit-mat that I used to carry about everywhere. Why bother, when a map case will do just as well??)

I don't carry any toiletries. My resupply parcels contain disposable razors, toothpast and tooth brushes so that I can give myself a wash and brush-up when I find hard shelter. This year, however, I have very little hard shelter.

It works for me ... something else might work just as well for you.

Hope this helps.

Cheers, Jeremy, that's very kind. Always good to compare and contrast.

My pack weight, minus food, fuel and water is 7.25kg. With six days food (only having one resupply) and a gas cylinder, it should be 10kg. Not bad I suppose but could always be better.

Jeremy. I gather from your kit list that you are trotting over the hills in more sets of ladies underwear than the average challengette would contemplate for a month. This fastidious attention to the undergarment department must be commended, but the item on your list that really arrested my attention was the two man bothy bag.

Why a two man bag? You expecting company? (It's the ladies panties that reel 'em in, isn't it?) But seriously, why a bag at all - when you are carrying a tent?

Confused of Suffolk

Just askin'. I am not a lightweight zealot. I met a few last year - shivering souls with wetted out skinny waterproofs and frozen wet feet. Fortunately they were sustained by the warm glow of righteousness.

Two man bothy shelter because they don't do a one man version. Or at least, they didn't when I got mine.

And I carry it because when you need an emergency shelter, you can't always guarantee to be in a position (or a physical condition) where pitching a tent is viable.

I have an ancient knee injury from my days as a serious athlete (I was a hurdler) and sometimes my knee just gives out on me. The last time it did this big time, I was half way along Crib Goch. I wasn't going anywhere ... I just had to call for MR then settle down until they arrived. Now, there's no way on this earth that you can pitch a tent on Crib Goch ... so I got out the bothy and settled down in it to wait.

So that's why I carry it ...

Jeremy (you sexy beast!)

I still can't get my head round the bothy bag thing. Why not just climb inside your tent (with out its poles) and use it as a bothy bag?

If you're happy carrying that weight, as an ex serious athlete (are there comedy athletes, I wonder?) you could carry all manner of pleasurable comestibles in its stead.

Still confused, of Berkshire.

Perhaps I'm being a bit Spartan in only taking two pairs of undies (one worn, one spare). Maybe I'll chuck in an extra pair.

Robin,

Don't throw in the extra undies!

Think of the extra weight!!

It all adds up.

Off to saw my toothbrush in two............

6 pairs of knickers! I take 3 (including the pair I'm wearing) and a couple of safety pins so I can pin the just-washed pair to my rucksack to dry. In theory this works well .....

So there you have it, Robin ... as I said, other Challengers have other ideas. It's all about finding a solution that works for you.

This solution works for me ... bothy shelter and all!

Absolutely, Jeremy, hike your own hike. I used to carry a bothy bag and was quite grateful for it when there was a snow storm near Devil's Point. In the pursuit of lightening my load, I've not used it in the last few years. It could double as a ground sheet protector I guess. Hope you have an excellent Challenge

Get yourselves a Poncho - I used mine more than I thought I would last year. You do need to lash it down well if the winds blow though.
But in one piece of Kit you get a waterproof, pack cover ,tarp, sit mat, temporary shelter, ground sheet protector - you name it. Oh and it can act as a Kite if those winds do blow!

All the smart people are wearing them don't cha know.

RObin -

I think we're talking about different bits of kit here.

I'm not talking about a BAG, but a quick-deploy emergency shelter. TGO did a feature and special offer on them a while back, after a certain member of the editorial team (who shall remain nameless ...) got himself benighted in bad weather on McGillicuddy's Reeks. I bought one then, and have carried it ever since.

Hi Jeremy, I have a Terra Nova Bothy 2

OK ... we ARE talking about the same bit of kit

I feel far more comfortable taking it with me than leaving it at home.

I can see why you might take it. Jolly useful in foul weather, but I found I didn't use it much.

Just packed for the off, I ummed and arred about which insulative layer to take and ended up plumping for the lighter one. I'll probably lie awake for the next couple of nights thinking about what I've packed, there's a chance it could change as there's a bit of room left in my CDT pack.

So grand total for leaving Sheil Bridge on Friday is 8.2kg, that's everything including 3 days fuel & food. I'm also carrying a chest pouch containing my camera and GPS and a few other bits and pieces.

I've allowed for a couple of luxuries like an Orikaso folding bowl, my PHD socks and a bigger GSI mug rather than my nasty MSR ti thing.

I was worried it would be getting on for 12kg when I looked at the pile of food that was going in but I overall happy with 8.2kg.

Kit list here ..
http://shewiesworld.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/tgo-challenge-2012-kit.html

Out goes the MSR filter and Heatholder socks, replaced with a pair of PHD down socks.

Food list here ...
http://shewiesworld.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/tgo-challenge-2012-food.html

I think my food and brew kit weigh more than the rest of my kit put together.

Two more sleeps to go

At last, my rucksack is packed and I am pleased to find that the bathroom scales show it weighs just over 10kg. That includes 500ml water, 3 days meals, 6 Landranger maps, about 5 days snacks and my camera. I've not included the clothes I'll be wearing (including my Paramo smock and Tilley hat) or my Pacerpoles.

All I need to add to the pack is 250 grammes of cheese, so I'm looking at a weight of less than 10.5kg.

All the "stuff" looked big and heavy when piled up, so it's a pleasant surprise to find that it all still fits in the rucksack and I can even manage to pick it up!

I have nothing but admiration for some of the weights being achieved. For myself, I am 14.5kg with food - may go up to 15Kg if I put spikes in (going over some high passes). Only consolation is that this is my third Challenge, and I am reducing the weight year on year! See you all soon (on the Sleeper tomorrow night - joining at Crewe)

You'll probably find us in the bar Robert

8kg with 4 days food - no liquid though.

Good luck and have a great crossing everyone. Hope to see some of you on the way.