Melensdad
Active Member
- Feb 21, 2015
- 378
- 559
- Time of past OR future Camino
- 2016 SJPdP to Santiago, Finisterre. Hadrian's Way, 2015. Sections of the AT + National & State Park trails.
1. Instead of packing 8 beers with you each morning just take 6. Total weight savings: 1.5 pounds. You can always get some Vino Tinto at the little bars along the route to fortify you if you run out of beer.
2. At St Jean, open your pack and remove two or three pairs of shoes. You can mail them ahead to Ivar in Santiago. Weight savings 4 to 6 pounds.
3. Instead of that old kerosene lantern, try a headlamp. By leaving your Coleman 1 Mantle Kerosene Lantern at home and replacing it with a Petzl Tikka headlamp, you’ll decrease your total pack weight by 4 pounds, 11 ounces.
4. If you notice you have a baby with you, run back into town quick and find someone to babysit it while you are on your month long pilgrimage. Babies are heavy and become awkward to carry after several miles. Plus they require lots of extra food and gear like diapers.
5. When you arrive in St Jean, set aside all your heavy stuff and ask your friend to carry it for you. Explain that you are trying to lighten your pack.
6. Try to limit yourself to 3, or fewer, stuffed animals.
7. Portable video game consoles are heavy. Instead of your Playstation Vita (1 pound, 10 ounces), download a few games like Angry Birds, Star Wars II, 80 Days, Asphalt 8, and NBA Jam to your iPhone; these will occupy your time so you don't have to interact with other pilgrims.
8. Instead of packing separate bottles of shampoo, conditioner, mousse, gel, detangler, and hairspray, try using a stylish hat to hide your dirty hair from the other pilgrims.
9. Buy all new stuff. If your stuff is from last year, it’s very likely way heavier than this year’s stuff. Go into a gear store and tell them to give you all new lightweigh hiking stuff, and enjoy the weight savings, plus the shiny newness. If anyone gives you grief, such as your spouse, tell them your old stuff was too heavy and it was giving you back pain.
10. If you have some things that are troubling you, tell them to someone on the way to your hike, or to your friend when you meet at the trailhead. It can be very cathartic to get your problems off your chest. This will lighten your pack, if only metaphysically.
Please feel free to add your own submissions for consideration!
2. At St Jean, open your pack and remove two or three pairs of shoes. You can mail them ahead to Ivar in Santiago. Weight savings 4 to 6 pounds.
3. Instead of that old kerosene lantern, try a headlamp. By leaving your Coleman 1 Mantle Kerosene Lantern at home and replacing it with a Petzl Tikka headlamp, you’ll decrease your total pack weight by 4 pounds, 11 ounces.
4. If you notice you have a baby with you, run back into town quick and find someone to babysit it while you are on your month long pilgrimage. Babies are heavy and become awkward to carry after several miles. Plus they require lots of extra food and gear like diapers.
5. When you arrive in St Jean, set aside all your heavy stuff and ask your friend to carry it for you. Explain that you are trying to lighten your pack.
6. Try to limit yourself to 3, or fewer, stuffed animals.
7. Portable video game consoles are heavy. Instead of your Playstation Vita (1 pound, 10 ounces), download a few games like Angry Birds, Star Wars II, 80 Days, Asphalt 8, and NBA Jam to your iPhone; these will occupy your time so you don't have to interact with other pilgrims.
8. Instead of packing separate bottles of shampoo, conditioner, mousse, gel, detangler, and hairspray, try using a stylish hat to hide your dirty hair from the other pilgrims.
9. Buy all new stuff. If your stuff is from last year, it’s very likely way heavier than this year’s stuff. Go into a gear store and tell them to give you all new lightweigh hiking stuff, and enjoy the weight savings, plus the shiny newness. If anyone gives you grief, such as your spouse, tell them your old stuff was too heavy and it was giving you back pain.
10. If you have some things that are troubling you, tell them to someone on the way to your hike, or to your friend when you meet at the trailhead. It can be very cathartic to get your problems off your chest. This will lighten your pack, if only metaphysically.
Please feel free to add your own submissions for consideration!
