This thread, as started by
@Qwertyberty, was an assertion that twice he had walked a camino
carrying a weight of 2.5 kg including trail food and water.
Then many, me included, offered exercises on paper. And we showed how
@Qwertyberty number could be attained. And what would be left behind as a result.
Then the three letter word, FSO, was introduced. But not why
full skin out was important. (To my mind FSO not important or even misleading: what goes on the scales just before I go out the door on a training day is the important thing, along with my FSI (full skin in, or body) weight.
All of the posts in this thread (a sample above) and others might seem a confusion to a new reader.
I would always
exclude these things from any weight comparison.
- shoes/boots: you have what you have because you need/love them or don't want to but a new pair at present;
- pack: this is similar to your shoes - you have what works for you;
- clothing and other stuff (such as phone, sweets, whatever) worn - you need something to prevent being arrested/molested.
And what does count is ONLY that which goes in the pack. For any one camino/trip/tramp/whatever this is the variable bit.
So, if we focus on the weight of PACK CONTENTS only we might get a more useful conversation. And we might get a greater unanimity in what we carry.
And gain an understanding that each of us will always have something that others won't need, but may envy).
Like my 0.8 kg two person tent (including poles, pegs and air mattress), or
@Kiwi-family who will carry her father-in-laws gear (as well as her own) or
@SYates who (if I recall correctly) includes her very weighty DSLR camera.
It was Shakespeare who had a Princess of France observe "Beauty is bought by judgement of the eye" (Loves Labours Lost, 1588). Or one Margaret Wolfe Hungerford who wrote "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" (Mally Bawm, 1878). In our case replace "beauty" with "weight".
