BACKPACKING CHECKLIST - 27-Pound, 7-Day Backpack

A Backpacking Gear Checklist

The Backpacking Checklist - 27-Pound, 7-Day Backpack - is essentially, a full three season, backcountry gear checklist configured for the Cascade Mountains. In some cases, I have lighter, less rugged gear, but I'm not confident that it would keep me reasonably comfortable in harsh weather, during a long distance, multi day outing.
Depending on weather conditions and traveling conditions & situations (e.g., lay-over days, availability of water, etc.), this backpacking gear list will change. The gear list pack weight could be several pounds more or less, accordingly.

The 27-Pound, 7-Day Pack
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The Gear I Wear
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Weight-Reducing Options
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Weight-Increasing Options
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7-Day Backpacking Food
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Typical First/Last-Aid Kit
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Lightweight Gear Suggestions
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Other Useful Gear Lists
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- BACKPACKING FOOD & MEALS -

The 27-Pound, 7-Day Gear Checklist

** link is to this year's version of the same product - weights may vary

CLOTHES WEIGHT in OUNCES ___ extra socks(1)smartwool l.h. & (1)wigwam liners 3.77 ___ marmot lightweight DriClime thermal top ** 4.83 ___ marmot lightweight DriClime thermal bottom ** 5.11 ___ rei ultralight fleece liner gloves 1.20 ___ patagonia expedition fleece gloves 1.62 ___ OR gore-tex "lobster claw" rain mitts 1.31 ___ rei windstop fleece cap (covers ears & neck) 1.62 ___ mec northern lite primaloft vest 7.83 ___ mec northern lite primaloft pullover 11.70 ___ marmot precip rain/wind parka w/stuff sack 12.88 ___ marmot precip rain/wind pants w/stuff sack 7.80 _______ Subtotal for Clothes: 59.67 SHELTER & SLEEPING SYSTEM ___ SD ultra light year tent, poles, stakes, sacks, guyline 47.00 ___ western mountaineering ultralite sleeping bag, 20-25 degrees,(.8 oz ripstop, 750+ fill down) 30.00 ___ mt.washington closed-cell mattress 7.37 _______ Subtotal for Shelter & Sleeping System: 84.37 PACKING ___ mountainsmith mountainlight 4000 pack (approx 4000 cu in) ** 41.87 ___ equinox pack rain cover 3.67 ___ stuff sacks, freezer bags, & garbage sacks (not already accounted for), 4.00 _______ Subtotal for Packing: 49.54 COOKING & WATER ___ katadyn mini ceramic water filter w/stuff sack 8.22 ___ 2 platypus 1-liter water bottles 2.00 ___ evernew titanium cook pot w/lid (.9 liter) 4.87 ___ mesh “kitchen” bag (includes condiments, lexan spoon, toothbrush & powder) 2.80 ___ primus micron cook stove w/piezo starter 3.46 ___ matches (backup for cook stove) 0.35 ___ bear bag 3.49 _______ Subtotal for Cooking (without food & fuel): 25.19 NAVIGATION ___ zeiss monocular (in fleece pouch) 2.25 ___ suunto a1000 compass 0.78 ___ maps (2 @ .2 oz per map) 0.40 ___ paper, pencil, reading specs 0.49 ___ petzl zipka led headlamp w/ 6 AAA batteries (3 are xtra) 3.42 ___ (1) white photon micro light 0.21 _______ Subtotal for Navigation: 7.55 ESSENTIALS & OTHER ITEMS ___ first aid kit 6.00 ___ (*) swiss army classic knife ~ ___ (*) waterproof matches ~ ___ (*) firestarter ~ ___ (*) duct tape ~ ___ (*) fox plastic whistle ~ ___ all (*) items in small freezer bag 3.30 ___ sun glasses in hard case 2.61 ___ skin-so-soft bug guard/sun block 3.00 ___ sting-eze bug-bite/bee-sting relief 0.78 ___ spf-30 lip balm 0.35 ___ tent repair kit 0.49 ___ expedition sewing kit 0.74 ___ pack towel 1.52 ___ toilet paper 1.50 _______ Subtotal for Essentials & Other: 20.29 _______ Subtotal of Subtotals: 246.61 PACK WEIGHT AT START OF 7-DAY OUTING NOT INCLUDING FOOD, WATER & FUEL: 15 lbs 6.61 oz ============================================================== ___ Fuel for 7 days (includes extra): 18.20 (7.8 oz + 3.5 oz + 2 cans (11.55oz + 6.65oz) ___ Food for 7 days (23 oz per day x 6 "full" days): 137.00 (first morning, fill-up with high-octane food at the trailhead & the last night, feast at the local pizzeria or whatever) ___ Water 32.00 (average amount carried at any given time. This will vary depending on water availability.) _______ Total Weight in Ounces: 433.81 __________________________________________________________________ TOTAL PACK WEIGHT AT START OF 7-DAY OUTING: 27 lbs 1.81 oz ============================================================== ----------------------------------------------------

THE GEAR I WOULD BE WEARING This is typically what I would be wearing while carrying the 27 pound pack. Weight in Ounces ___ cotton or wool baseball cap 2.00 ___ marmot lightweight DriClime thermal top 4.85 ___ patagonia activent vest 5.00 ___ altimeter with neck lanyard 2.00 ___ hiking shorts 6.25 ___ smartwool light hiker socks & liners 3.77 ___ montrail hurricane ridge gtx shoes 30.00 ___ msr pure carbon trekking poles 17.00

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OPTIONS THAT REDUCE WEIGHT Weight in Ounces ___ western mountaineering caribou sleeping bag, in the stuff sack (instead of WM Ultralite) 22.00 ___ bibler bivy sack (in place of tent) 20.00 ----------------------------------------------------
OPTIONS THAT ADD WEIGHT Weight in Ounces ___ extra socks(1)thorlo hiking & wigwam liners 4.80 ___ PUR hiker water filter 12.38 ___ two 16oz nalgene water bottles 6.03 ___ mini gaitors 3.70 ___ patagonia midweight thermal bottom 7.00 (instead of marmot lightweight bottom) ___ ground cloth / tarp 6.00 ___ bug mesh pants 3.00 ___ patagonia puffball micro-loft jacket 17.50 ___ feathered friends volant gtx/down jacket 18.95 ___ marmot gore-tex stormlight parka w/stuff sack 18.50 (instead of marmot pre-cip parka) ___ marmot gore-tex stormlight pants w/stuff sack 10.50 (instead of marmot pre-cip pants) ___ mountainlight 5200, 5200 cu in 46.00 (instead of mountainlight 4000) ___ cribbage game in fleece pouch 4.25 ___ insulated mug w/o lid 4.35 ___ insulated mug lid 0.50 ___ therm-a-rest ridgerest mattress 9.00 ___ therm-a-rest ultralite mattress 16.00 ___ slinglight chair w/o headrest 17.00 ___ therm-a-rest ultralite chair 10.15 ___ therm-a-rest open-cell sit pad 5.70 ___ streamline fishing hand-line & tackle 4.00 ___ telescopic fishing rod & daiwa UL7 reel 9.65 ___ olympus epic camera w/xtra film & mini-tripod 7.85 ___ leica 8x20 binocular (in its fleece pouch) 8.70 (instead of zeiss monocular) ___ camp 6-point crampons 8.00 ___ kahtoola KTS ultralight 10-point crampons 19.20 ___ camp XLA 210 ultralight ice axe 8.64 ___ voile ultralight snow shovel 23.00 ___ northernlites elite snowshoes 37.75

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MY TYPICAL 7-DAY BACKPACKING FOOD SUPPLY Keep in mind the importance of carrying extra food for emergencies. Believe it or not there is extra food factored in here. This is pretty close to the actual backpacking food resource that I took for a 7 day trip on The Pacific Crest Trail - I came back with leftovers. Granted, I typically don't have a voracious appetite on short trips, but longer trips require different planning and, ultimately, more caloric intake, in order to maintain strength and stamina over the long haul. Each of us must become intimately knowledgable about our own requirements. The list below is only "typical" for me -- not necessarily for anyone else.

Weight in Ounces Breakfast: ___ gourmet coffee bags, sealed in foil packets--12 ea.@.20 oz 2.40 ___ instant cereals--oatmeal w/ raisins, 7-grain, blueberry granola--each in a one-pint freezer bag--6 ea.@ 4 oz 24.00 Snacks: ___ altoids peppermints 2.00 ___ energy bars--7 ea.@ 2.5 oz 17.50 ___ fruit leather, individually wrapped, various flavors--cherry, strawberry, grape, apricot--6 ea.@.7 oz 4.20 ___ dried berries & cherries 6.00 ___ string-cheese, jerky (beef or turkey) & bagels 15.00 Dinner: ___ instant soups--chicken noodle, cream of chicken, pea soup--each sealed in foil packets--6 ea.@.6 oz 3.60 ___ corn tortilla chips--crushed and put in 1-gallon freezer bag 12.00 ___ mountain house freeze-dried corn-3 ea.@ 1.75 oz 5.25 ___ mountain house freeze-dried dinners-- pasta primavera, chili-mac, sphagetti, chicken polynesian, lasagna, beef & green peppers--6 ea.@ 5 oz 30.00 ___ special treats: mountain house freeze- dried strawberry fruit crisps-- 3 ea.@ 2.5 oz 7.50 ___ stash herbal tea bags, sealed in foil packets, various flavors--licorice root, ruby mist--7 ea.@.10 oz .70 Electrolytes,Vitamins,Minerals: ___ alacer E.mer'gen-C electrolyte/vitamin/ mineral supplement powder: 4 packs per day--24 ea.@.11 oz 2.64 Allowance for wrapping materials not already included in stated weights: 4.21 _______ Total Weight in Ounces: 137.00 ______________________________________________________________________ TOTAL BACKPACKING FOOD AT START OF 7-DAYs: 8 lbs 9.00 oz ================ ----------------------------------------------------
MY TYPICAL 7-DAY FIRST / LAST-AID KIT ___ sewing needle & thread ___ two 4 x 4 sterile dressing pads ___ two 12-ply 3 x 4 sterile gauze pads ___ two 3 x 4 sterile non-adherent pads ___ one sterile, cotton-tip applicator ___ one swabstick saturated with compound benzoin tincture, u.s.p. ___ two benzalkonium, antiseptic towelettes ___ two isopropyl alcohol swab--clean wipes ___ two triple-antibiotic ointment packets ___ one knuckle band-aid ___ two extra-large band-aids ___ one telfa "ouchless" adhesive pad ___ five butterfly wound closures ___ eight medium bandaids ___ eight Tylenol 3 Pain Killers ___ eight extra-strength acetaminophen ___ 14 ibuprofen ___ two imodium a-d anti-diarrheal caplets ___ one pepcid ac acid controller tablet ___ 20 antacid tabs ___ two antihistamine packets for hay fever, allergies ___ six fisherman's friends throat lozenges ___ one small tube of foot antifungul ointment ___ one 3.5" x 4" moleskin ___ one roll of adhesive cloth tape ___ one roll of sterile gauze wrap ___ two electrolyte packets for fluid replacement _______ Total Weight in Ounces: 6.0