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I'm debating putting my 20L barrel into my North 49 pack along with the rest of my gear. The pack comes to 50lbs total, all in. I did 43lbs a few weeks ago with no issue, but there were two of us so the pack was always 'assisted' onto the other persons back to avoid unnecessary stress on the straps.
I could always bring the barrel separately if needed, which would split the load to roughly 20lbs barrel, 30lbs pack.
Does anyone actually weigh their packs, and if so, how heavy do you go?
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I think my record was 97lbs for a 17 day solo with food.
Oh at the time i weighed 170lbs dressed lol.
And yes I double carried going back for the canoe.
It may have been heavy but i ate well and was comfortable.
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My MEC slogg 115 usually comes in close to 55-60 pounds, give or take. I should probably leave a few things at home and consider going lighter on a few other things, but it's working for me. It's a chore to single carry my glass canoe and this bag for any considerable distance, but maybe that's just my limitation.
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50 is probably the top end of what I can manage. I have a hard time getting that on my back, it just feels like a solid brick. 45 is much better for me. That's not a big difference, but it somehow makes a difference to me. I usually, but don't always weigh my pack. Trips are usually 4 days, so there's not an enormous amount of food in the bag. I've never single-carried.
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For two of us, we usually have a 60 pound and a 30 pound pack. The 30 pounder goes with the canoe and the 60 pounder gets everything else for single carries. The old adage was not to exceed 30% of your body weight for your total load.
If it is four of us, it is easier to get a 50, 40, 30 & 30 for me, my wife and kids, respectively. We also eat exceedingly well and have fishing and comfort gear included.
I am always very cautious about strap damage at loading/unloading. I look for a log, hill or rock to rest the pack on so I can squat down in front of it to get both straps on the shoulders. Lifting with one strap is a recipe for a broken pack.
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PaPaddler wrote:
For two of us, we usually have a 60 pound and a 30 pound pack. The 30 pounder goes with the canoe and the 60 pounder gets everything else for single carries.
This.
Solo my pack is about 30-40 lbs. plus canoe pfd paddle etc. Total is about 60-70lbs Which is about 35% of my body weight and i don’t feel overloaded on a single carry.
Last edited by ShawnD (8/29/2019 7:31 am)
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I weighed in before an 8 day trip this summer and found 45lbs of gear plus 25lbs of food. Split the food between two people, but the pack remained the base weight. Add paddles and assorted other items, plus a canoe, and it was a heavy but manageable load.
Any more and I would have to consider another pack and 2x portaging.
Ian
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...I've never single-carried.
I'm for sure double carrying for most of the trip, maybe my last day when there's no food I'd be able to single carry, but still not likely. Which makes me wonder if I'm being silly even trying to fit it all in one pack if I'm going to be double-carrying regardless. Canoe + 20lbs barrel is one carry, 30lbs pack with miscellaneous (day pack, paddle, pfd) in the other carry.
I am always very cautious about strap damage at loading/unloading. I look for a log, hill or rock to rest the pack on so I can squat down in front of it to get both straps on the shoulders. Lifting with one strap is a recipe for a broken pack.
Completely agree. When I'm with my gf I lift the pack up and assist it onto her back, and when I'm solo I do the same as you. If it's a heavy pack and there's no log/rock, I guess I'm sitting on the ground lol
Solo my pack is about 30-40 lbs. plus canoe pfd paddle etc. Total is about 60-70lbs Which is about 35% of my body weight and i don’t feel overloaded on a single carry.
I'm looking at about 90lbs all in (including canoe) for an 8 day trip, and that's far more than half my bodyweight. I max out at about 50% bodyweight for a 'comfortable but challenging' portage load. I've single carried with more than that a few times before but it's just not worth it for me.
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When lifting any sizable pack onto my back I typically use one hand on the center loop and another on one of the straps and then lift it above my head, arms stretched out. Then I slip the hand from the center loop into the other strap and let the pack slide down on to my back. I think this helps to minimize stress compared to picking up the pack with just a single strap. When the pack gets heavy it's harder to lift it above my head but I still manage to get it on my back by holding one strap and the center loop. When the pack gets very heavy then I lay it flat on the ground, straps up, and lay down to fully strap it on. From this "turtle" position, I roll over onto hands and knees and stand up from there. My typical pack weights for tripping in the park are under 40 lbs so it's easy to put on and I've never had to do the turtle thing, in the park.
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My packs have had to become lighter over time, as I’m loosing strength due to age and an injury. The 115L MEC comes in around 45 lbs, the smaller food and kitchen pack at about 30 lbs. unfortunately I have had to give up on some of my favourite home baked foods (cinnamon buns, breads, pizza) as the ingredients are just too heavy. My trips are usually 7 days and I always double carry, and will ask for help if possible, to hand up the heavier pack.
I did weigh my packs when the change to lighter weight was made a few years ago, but not since then. As I prefer to camp in the shoulder season packing warmer clothes brings its challenges as the clothes are bulkier.
So now I ( and often a friend) enjoy the portages as much as we can, stop and rest, have a good look around while we’re at it and it doesn’t matter anymore how long it takes to go across, we rather spend more time on a campsite by arriving early then late, so we plan shorter distances for travel days.
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Also to be able to trim my solo canoe properly while still having only one pack and a manageable load to single carry I had one of these custom made for me this year. Separates to 2 packs and clips back together so I can still single carry. Has a separate sleeve for my pfd. Just strap my paddles to the canoe and put on the pack. No loose or dangling items. Everything is snug, comfortable and well balanced. .
I am always very cautious about strap damage at loading/unloading. I look for a log, hill or rock to rest the pack on so I can squat down in front of it to get both straps on the shoulders. Lifting with one strap is a recipe for a broken pack.
I guess it depends on pack quality and lifting technique. I lift my pack by handles, rest it on my bent knee and then pass my right hand through the pack strap. From that moment it's a one-strap operation till I manage to pass my left hand through the other strap. My Granite Gear packs, after 10 years of abuse, are still as good as knew.
On solo trips under 2 weeks I single-carry and, depending on quantity of food required, my pack will be somewhere between 55 and 70lbs. My gear alone is under 45lbs, another 7lbs weigh canoe essentials, most of which are attached to the canoe on portages: PFD, paddles, yoke etc.
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So I think I'm going to pack the barrel separately from my pack. It just seems to make more sense if I'm going to double carry anyways.
Pack will have about 30lbs and barrel will be about 20lbs. It's probably a safer bet to not overload the pack, and this way I can bring a couple extra items (since the pack will only be half full now), and the barrel will be in a harness making it easier to hang. Easier loading/unloading the boat for each portage, etc.
It would be nice to have all my gear in one single pack, but it seems like the pros outweigh the cons to keep them separate.
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I'm usually at around 40-50 for my main pack, then my camera bag is another 10-15. I strictly single carry with my paddles/jacket lashed in the canoe, one hand 'balancing' the canoe, one hand carrying my camera bag and my dogs leash on my packs lower waist strap which I need to control when I encounter other people on the portage if the dog isn't loose. I frequently transfer the camera bag/canoe balancing from hand to hand while walking.
When I do my extended solo trips my food bag is usually so large for the first few days I carry it in my hand ALONG with my camera bag (40lbs+) and still single carry only.
Last edited by ATVenture (8/29/2019 5:10 pm)
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I'm usually at around 40-50 for my main pack, then my camera bag is another 10-15. I strictly single carry with my paddles/jacket lashed in the canoe, one hand 'balancing' the canoe, one hand carrying my camera bag and my dogs leash on my packs lower waist strap which I need to control when I encounter other people on the portage if the dog isn't loose. I frequently transfer the camera bag/canoe balancing from hand to hand while walking.
When I do my extended solo trips my food bag is usually so large for the first few days I carry it in my hand ALONG with my camera bag (40lbs+) and still single carry only.
What are your Sherpa rates? Per day. Lol.
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