Hit 50 campsites this summer and it changed my whole view on gear

I never tracked my trips before this year but I hit 50 different campsites by late August. That number made me realize I was carrying way too much stuff for short stays so I switched to a 35 liter pack for overnighters. Has anyone else started paring down their kit after seeing their actual usage numbers?

2 comments

2 Comments

stone.simon17d ago

Man, you got me thinking. Used to be all about having that big pack with everything including the kitchen sink just in case. But seeing those numbers laid out like that makes a lot of sense. Did a couple of overnighters last month with just a 30 liter bag and a light hammock setup and I actually enjoyed moving faster on trail. The extra weight was just slowing me down for no good reason.

brookef7316d ago

That bit about "the extra weight was just slowing me down for no good reason" really hit home. I used to be one of those people who swore by having a 60 liter pack for everything, even a single night out. Figured I needed all that space for "just in case" stuff. But after reading this and thinking about my own trips, I realized I was hauling a ton of crap I never touched. Switched to a 30 liter bag last month for a weekend trip and I'm not going back. It's way easier to move fast and not feel like a pack mule.