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[at-l] Suggestions for pack weight reduction

Hi Will,
I am not a thru-hiker but with the knowledge aquired over the years these
are my suggestions.
>Pack - Older (1990) REI internal frame, similar to the Evening Star
>about 4500 ci. I forgot to weigh it! I felt kinda weird being at the post
>office self weigh scale with a pack full of stuff. It's about the same
>weight as my other internal frame Lowe, approx        5 lbs
I would consider a lighter pack several are on the market weighting 3-4 lbs. 
>Thermarest staytec regular + stuff sack               2 lb 2 oz
A closed cell sleeping pad 3/4 length 1/2 thick 12"x20"x54"   8 ozs. 
>Gaiters - OR					      6.6 oz
I wouldn't carry or wear these
>Fleece gloves					      1.9 oz
I wouldn't carry these use a pair of socks instead
>Fleece hat					      2.3 oz
Have you ever considered a bacaclav only 2 oz?
>Mesh headnet					      1.9 oz
Good idea I have a no-seeum head cover (Campmor) only 1/4 oz 
>food bags/stuff sacks, two mesh,one w/proof	      4.4 oz
Good idea
>Tent body/fly (Sierra Designs Clip flashlight)	      3 lbs 1.2 oz
check out bivy's about 2 lbs less
>Tent poles/pegs (eastons)			      15.3 oz
with bivy you wouldn't need these items
>Groundcloth					      9.5 oz
Good idea even with bivy
>Marmot Alpinist Light G-tex shell		      1 lb 15.7 oz
Good idea Some others on the market do weight less
>boots (not spares, but on my feet) Zamberlan	      3 lb 14.8 oz
Have you ever considered sneakers?  Several lighter weight boots on market
>Portion of Thru hikers companion/maps		      10 oz
Good idea
>Nylon wind pants				      5.6 oz
Good idea
>Long underwear top (REI MTS midweight t-neck)	      9.6 oz
Good idea
>Long underwear bottom 				      11.2 oz
Good idea
>two coolmax t-shirts                                  12 oz
Good idea
>2 pair Nylon soccer shorts			      7.2 oz
Good idea You may only need one pair and use the nylon shell pants as backups
>Flashlight - Minimag 2 AA size			      2.1 oz
Good idea The mini-mag AAA size on 1 oz
>Water filter - PUR Hiker			      15.6 oz
Have you seen the PUR PIONEER 8ozs and filters are 2 for $7?
>Pack cover - REI				      8.5 oz
I never used a pack cover
>Stove - MSR Whisperlite Internat.		      15.3 oz
Have you ever considered a zip stove 16 oz(wood burning no fuel)
>Fuel bottle (empty) 22oz			      5.0 oz
>Cookpot - MSR stainless 2 qt			      8.6 oz
>Lid for cookpot					      5.4 oz
Have you ever considered a Titanium 1.3 liter pot only 6oz
>2 Nalgene 1 liter bottles			      7.6 oz
Have you ever considered 1 liter plastic juice bottles only 2 oz
>Collapsable 3 gallon waterbag			      5.2 oz
Good idea
>Sleeping bag synthetic + 20 degree		      3lbs 2 oz
Have you ever considered a down bag will save from 1 to 1 1/2 lbs?
>Socks - 3 pair Thorlo Lt trekkers		      8 oz
Good idea.  I use one pair as gloves when needed
>
>Which adds up to roughly 32 lbs without food, water, or fuel. Pack weight
>would of course be less and considering the minimum I'd be wearing, pack
>weight would be about 27.5 lbs. So adding back in the other things I'm
>taking that I haven't weighed I'd say I'm right add 30lbs of pack weight.
>Carrying 2 liters of water adds another 4 lbs 6.4 oz, carrying roughly 1
>liter of fuel is another 2 lbs 3.2 oz and ten days of food (I'm
>southbound, the 100 mile and all that) I estimate 10 days food at 15 lbs
>(note that i'll be going with the lightest food choices I can during the
>100 mile, I know 1.5 lbs of food/day is not normal, but before my appetite
>goes wild and while I'm at my heaviest pack weight I think i can get it
>down to 1.5 lbs/day
>
>Looks like I'm starting w/ a 50lb pack
>
>Some items I've ditched already..........
>
>Cup - Alladin thermal w/ lid   4.8 oz
>Walkman -  approx              1 lb
>Book for Leisure reading       14 oz
>Cotton town shirt/shorts       1 lb 2 oz
>Pot holder                     1.8 oz
>Fanny pack (Mt Smith tour pack)
Sound thinking in removing these items you saved yourself 3.7lbs Good idea
>Some things I'll take not on the list.......
>Lekis - Super Makalus (what do these weigh anyhow?)
Good idea
>2 Bandanas
Good idea
>Journal (only a few sheets of paper, sending them home every stop)
Good idea
>pen/pencil
Good idea
>disposable lighter
I would consider taking 2 dispoable lighters
>camera/film
Good idea
>Personal items - Campsuds (1 fluid oz), Vitamins, Advil, moleskin, duct
>tape, repair kit for stove, nylon repair tape (for tent/thermarest),
>toothbrush/paste, parachute cord - 40 ft, lexan spoon, DEET
Good ideas I don't see toilet paper or trowel for cat holes?
>Swiss Army knife - Super tinker
Good idea
>Some things I will not ditch period..........
>
>The Leki's (may send them ahead if there's a very long section with no
>significant climbs/descents)
Good idea keep them
>The water filter
Good idea keep them for sure, or maybe end up carrying alot of TP :-((((
>The tent (I'll hike until I'm really tired, and that often puts me between
>shelters, that's just how I am)
Good idea
I didn't see a compass or one of those space age emergency blankets?
It seems you have put alot of time into formulating your pack weight.  If
you took some of the suggestions the pack weight you eliminate would be
equal to about 5 days of food.  I know when I carry less weight my back and
feet are very grateful.
Have you ever considered a umbrella? 
(-----:-) A happy hiker using their umbrella.  
Well whatever you do end up taking I hope you have an enjoyable journey.
Take care,
John 
               John O    E-mail johno@mail.monmouth
                        Brick, New Jersey
60 miles north of Atlantic City   60 miles south of New York City

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