[at-l] "planning to succeed".was List volume

[kahley7@ptd.net (kahley)]

At 11:24 PM 2/5/02 -0800, Ron Winchester wrote:
>"planning to succeed".

That's a goood way to think of it!
Years ago, I was trying to explain the list
to a Thru and he finally got quiet and then
declared, "Jeeeeze I would have saved hundreds
of dollars if I'd known about this before
I geared up".  He had replaced his new, heavy
Dana with a lighter smaller pack somewhere
in Va.  He bought the Dana because that's
one of the 2 packs his outfitter showed him when
he said he was gonna hike the AT.

We get a bit uncomfortable declaring which
gear is the best gear because it isn't really
a matter of universal accord (one of the happiest
hikers I've ever know carried a 70lb load which
included a freaking library of plant ID books)
but  if your only source of info is the local
outfitter, odds are you will get a very limited
selection of gear and advice.

Before the list, I was quite happy carrying 45+
pounds or at least I thought I was.  I've loped
off 15 pounds, or one third of my pack weight.
And happiness has a whole new feel to it
so I always wince when I hear someone say they
are happy with their huge heavy pack and that
it's comfortable because I wonder "compared to
what".

We mostly agree that gear won't get you there,
but......a heavier than necessary load WILL make
you more tired than you need be, especially during
the hell of GA PUD's.  And if you are like me, the
more weary I am, the more likely I am to miss
step or stumble which means more likely to blow
a knee or and ankle or do something else that
would pull me off trail.  So I toss it out for consideration....
For the average hiker, whatever than means<g>
LIGHTER IS BETTER.

The big three, pack, shelter and bag SHOULD NOT
weigh more than 11 pounds.  Period

That's a four pound pack, a four pound shelter and a
three pound bag or any combination totalling 11lbs.

Can we agree on that as an almost universal?
Of course, I know that the big three can weigh
four pounds but I'm trying to find a point where most
of us can agree.