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Overheard a guy at the trailhead say something that changed how I pack
I was loading up my car last Saturday at the Pinhoti Trailhead near Heflin, Alabama when I caught this older fella telling his friend "you carry your fears, not your gear." At first I thought it was just some corny hiking slogan, but then I started thinking about my own pack which is always way too heavy. I realized I bring a backup water filter, an extra stove, and like 3 lighters because I'm scared of something failing. Meanwhile he had this tiny pack and said he's done 800 miles on the AT with just a sawyer squeeze and a Bic. Made me wonder how much of my 45 pound load is just me being anxious about things that rarely happen. Has anyone else ever weighed their pack and found half of it was just backup stuff you never touched?
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valh323d ago
That fella sounds like he's been around the block. Reminds me of my first time out on the Eagle Rock Loop in Arkansas. I had a 50 pound pack and a buddy showed up with a frameless bag that weighed maybe 20. I had two camp stoves in my gear. Never used either because we just cooked over his tiny fire. I think I carried that extra stove for two more trips before I finally left it home.
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jennifer9652d ago
Gotta admire that commitment to hauling dead weight.
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