Backpacking is an activity that requires careful consideration of how much weight you are carrying in your backpack. This is because it’s important to ensure you don’t carry too much, as this can be dangerous and make backpacking more difficult than necessary.
As such, it’s important to know what is considered base weight in backpacking.
Base weight refers to the total weight of all the items in your backpack that are necessary for a comfortable and successful trip. These items include your tent, sleeping bag, pad, stove and fuel, clothing layers and rain gear, water bottles or reservoir hydration system, food storage and cooking equipment such as pots and pans, a first aid kit, a headlamp or flashlight with extra batteries, navigational tools such as a map and compass or GPS unit. All these items should be included when calculating your base weight.
Base weight does not include consumables like food and water which you will need during your trip. These should be added separately to your overall pack weight once you have an idea of the duration of your trip.
In general, base weights are typically broken down into three categories: lightweight (under 10 pounds), ultralight (under 5 pounds) and super ultralight (under 3 pounds). If you are new to backpacking then starting out with a lightweight base weight is ideal as this will give you some experience before attempting more challenging trips with an ultralight or super ultralight set up.
It’s also important to note that different outdoor activities require different types of equipment which will affect base weights. For example, climbers may need additional equipment such as climbing ropes or harnesses which will add more weight than regular day hikers. Therefore make sure to consider the type of activities you plan on doing when calculating your base weight.
In conclusion, knowing what is considered base weight in backpacking is essential for successful trips in the outdoors. Different outdoor activities may require additional equipment which should be taken into account when calculating your base weight. In general it’s best to start out with a lightweight base weight before progressing onto more challenging trips with an ultralight or super ultralight set up.
Conclusion: What is considered base weight in backpacking depends on the type of outdoor activities you plan on doing during your trips. Base weights typically range from lightweight (under 10 pounds), ultralight (under 5 pounds) to super ultralight (under 3 pounds). Make sure to take into account any additional equipment required for different activities when calculating your overall pack load.