Trailside iris along the trail beyond Auxerre, France…
Weights and Measures – part 4
Insurance Weight: weight of safety and emergencies gear and supplies you hope will never be needed, such as a first aid kit, emergency rations, whistle, signaling mirror, etc.
Exactly how much of what you carry “just in case” can be a vexing question. Nobody likes the expense of insurance, but is always happy to have it when disaster strikes. Just as with automobile or home insurance, a balance needs to be struck. How lucky do you feel? How confident are you that you can make field repairs or reach safety in case of emergency? Are you a MacGyver? We can assume that all weight slows us down, so minimizing it means we can move to safer ground or reach the next village quicker, but it would be foolhardy not carry a few essentials such as a flashlight and whistle.
Core Weight: weight of the minimal kit of essential gear and clothing. Basically, you’re not leaving with anything less except food, water and necessary consumables. Strictly speaking, this constitutes the true minimalist pack list. No extras.
For example, with just the core weight you’d plan to wear all of your clothes inside your sleeping bag to keep warm on the coldest night of your trip. Sound extreme? It is, but it’s an interesting exercise to consider just how little you could get away with. Every addition to core weight is a choice about added benefit.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating for strict minimalism. But like all extreme performance pursuits, a lot of creative solutions evolve from those who do that benefit us all. The main point is that the lower you can get your core weight, the more “available” weight, of all kinds, you have at your disposal, while still keeping below whatever maximum total weight you set.
Base Weight: weight of all basic gear, clothing and containers, before adding any expendables or consumables such as food, fuel, water, medicines, vitamins, maps, etc. This is the actual gear list you intend to carry, including the core weight, plus any additional items deemed necessary for the trip.
Here’s an example from longwalking in Europe. Whereas in wilderness walking I’d typically take 2 tee shirts, in Europe I also carry a long-sleeve dress shirt. I don’t need it for basic clothing, but to be respectful, let alone welcome, in many restaurants, or when dining in people’s homes, I feel something a bit more formal is appropriate. So the tee shirts are “core”, daily clothing, and I add the dress shirt as part of my base weight. And let’s face it; it’s nice to have an extra, clean, dry shirt sometimes, even when I’m not chowing down in some fancy joint. Similarly, my core weight would include one pair of trousers, but my base weight includes two.
To a large degree the base weight comprises the fundamental stuff you’ carry on every trip of a given kind, with a few additions, deletions, or modifications depending on seasons, etc. Keeping this list in mind is helpful as I discover new products and alternatives. On a 6-week walk, from Paris to Bordeaux, I took two pairs of pants, one from Patagonia® (229 grams, 8.1 ounces) and one from The North Face® (299 grams, 10.6 ounces). I’m currently field testing the Thorofare Trekking Pant® from Backpacking Light®, (an amazing 122 grams, 4.3 ounces) If they prove durable enough, I could reduce my base weight by as much as 284 grams (10 ounces). That’s over half a pound, well more than a good pair of compact binoculars!
Pack Weight: weight of backpack and contents. This weight changes dynamically and primarily defines the burden on your shoulders. Heavier pack loads negatively impact your center of gravity, posture and stability. This can be alleviated by how you pack, and by dispersing part of the load elsewhere on your person.
Distributed Weight: weight carried elsewhere than in backpack. What you carry in your pockets, a vest, around your neck, in a fanny pack or the pockets on a pack belt unburdens the shoulders, helps balance your load, and keeps common gear convenient.
