Base Weight – The In’s and Out’s of a Key Backpacking Concept
Hey explorers! I want to talk to you about one of the most common things people argue about on backpacking forums – base weight. It’s always a pack measuring contest and if you post what you’re carrying you will get tons of opinions. If you’re new to the backpacking world you might be in the “what the F is base weight” territory. Well, I’m here to demystify it for you.
What is Base Weight?
Included
Your backpacking base weight is the weight of your carried items, including your backpack, that are non-consumable. This includes the weight of what you’re carrying water in (measure it empty).
Not Included
Consumables aren’t included in the base weight. Some people count sunscreen and toothpaste as a consumable and others don’t. The weight of fuel is also in the gray area. Because I don’t know the weight of an empty fuel canister I just include it as a non-consumable. Personally, I include these in my base weight because I don’t use them rapidly. Food and water (not the water container) are definitely consumable and aren’t part of it.
Your base weight also doesn’t include the weight of the clothing you’re wearing while you’re hiking.
A Good Base Weight
This is really just determined by you. Ultralighters will say anything under 10 lb is great. The vast majority will say under the 15-to-20-pound range is good. This range is also going to keep your pack light enough to keep backpacking enjoyable while at the same time staying in a reasonable price range for gear.
My base weight fluctuates based on what I’m bringing and if I’m bringing camera gear, a chair, or extra clothing that would be dictated by the weather. I usually fall between 11 and 15 pounds for my base weight. This isn’t ultralight but it is in the lightweight range.
Gear is personal and your budget will translate to the weight of your pack. Because of that, my base weight will be different from yours which will be different from the random person you have been chatting with on Facebook.
Things To Consider: Gear vs. Weight
The lighter the gear is the more expensive it is. The cost of ultralight gear can be a prohibitive barrier to backpacking which is one reason to avoid the “ultralight or nothing” mentality. If you only have $100 for a tent it will be really hard to find one that’s under 2 pounds. When I started backpacking I didn’t want to invest more than $250 since I didn’t know if I would like it. Because of that, I bought most of my gear used (which is totally fine) and it was heavy. Like 30+ pounds heavy but I was able to get outside. If you’re borrowing gear or renting gear you will have less control over the weight of your pack.
If you can stay in the lightweight range it does make the track more enjoyable. A good rule of thumb is to stay within 10% to 20% of your body weight for your total pack weight (including your food and water). And this kind of makes sense when you break it down. If you’re 100 pounds and you carry a 20 lb bag that’s going to be much more difficult for you than somebody who weighs 200 pounds.
Getting caught up in base weight is easy. I’ve gone as far as making a cost per ounce spreadsheet to compare various tents. It was a little…much. If you’re just starting out, get the gear you can afford. You can always sell it and use that towards lighter gear down the road. Get out there with what you have now and, as always, enjoy the trail.
