I am not sure how other people weigh their packed backpacks as there are many variables - especially what one wears on the body. So if it is cold and raining, more will be worn and less is in the pack. Plus does the backpack weight include what one has in a waist bag/sling bag/pockets? Does one include food & water?
What i did is split it into separate parts:
1) What is on my body - highly variable due to cold/hot/wet weather. I set it at "cool EU spring day" It includes clothing, shoes, hat, everything in my pocket (wallet, cell, etc) and my sunglasses, etc. Weight On Body: anything from 2,5kg to +-6kg.
2) Primary backpack: also variable depending on what gets moved to other spots: Weight: lowest was 5,9kg with softshel jacket and light rain jacket being worn.
3) Secondary pack, waist/sling bag, etc: Weight: lowest was 1,5kg
4) Dump/Cull box - what will stay at home and not be part of the Camino.
5) Food & water - excluded in weighing as I view it as "consumables"
So - depending on what one includes in "weighing ones backpack" - it should be possible to make a reasonable comparison.
In my case: lean'ish packed backpack is 5,9kg; my primary and secondary packs together vary from 7,4kg to 9kg; if it is a hot sunny day and shoes plus other clothing move to the pack, the two packs would be 10-11kg BUT I would still be carrying the same weight as it just moved from the body to the packs. Now, if i walk the Dragonte I would be carrying am extra 2-3kg of food n water.
It is not a competition
Ultreia
Peter
The usual method in the American backpacking community is for the pack and contents to be weighed minus consumables..food, water, and fuel. We refer to that as the packs 'base weight'. The base weight is used in this manner to determine the non variables. Most of my backpacking occurs at altitudes between 6,000 and 12000 feet in elevation (2100 to 3650 meters), so includes clothing and shelter to deal with weather variables.
Total pack weight includes the consumables, which on a through hike might be a 7 - 10 day supply between resupply points. These are the variables. For me, the typical 8 day total with food and fuel. That will increase my load from approximately 14 pounds at its base weight ( 6.2 kg) to a total weight of 22 pounds (about 10 kg).
Skin out weight includes total pack weight plus what you wear as you walk.
A lot of backpackers will make inventory lists that list the weights of each item of gear. Talk about obsessing over minutiae
On Camino, it's nice because I can ditch a lot of gear. As a wilderness backpacker, that is heaven
I didn't mean to imply anything, such as a competition. I was just curious at how you broke down your categories of gear, especially the cull box. I had included it when I added up your weight. I had not heard that terminology before, so I didn't know what it was. When I did the Pacific Crest Trail, I used a 'bump box'. When I reached a planned resupply point, I would leave the trail at a spot within five miles or so to a trail head using a feeder trail. Hitchhike a ride at the forest service road to get to the nearest major road, then hitch hike my way into the town where I had posted a parcel to the post office containing food and fuel and other goodies for the next 7 to 10 days. If I no longer needed a piece of gear for the next section, i would put it into the box, and bump it on to the next post office or store resupply point. If I kept bumping a piece of gear, i would just go ahead and send it home.
I have been backpacking for decades (yeah, I'm old), do gear testing for manufacturers periodically, and do not look back fondly to the 60's when the lightest gear, and food for a week, would mean a 50 pound load. And hip belts and super adjustable shoulder harnesses with things like load lifter straps.... forget about it. Today's gear is amazing by comparison.
It sounds like you are well prepared, Peter. Buen Camino, and please keep us posted on your progress. I would very much like to hear about your experience on Dragonte