Every Ounce Counts!

I want you to try an experiment. Find two objects in your house, preferably
two books. One should be small—maybe even a magazine like Guide.
😉 And the other should be a bit heavier, like a school textbook. Hold them
both straight out in front of you. Go ahead, Do it now. Ok, so which arm
got tired first? The one with heavy textbook, right?

Every once counts. Your muscles get tired faster when you move heavier
objects. The same is true when it comes to backpacking. The heavier your
backpack, the quicker you’ll get tired. If you’ve read this week’s article
in Guide, about the backpacking honor, you will see that there is
a little footnote that talks about looking at this blog post.

If you are considering going backpacking, you might want to take the
following items with you. And it is important that when you pick your items
that they are as light as possible.

Backpack
Water
Tent
Sleeping bag
Sleeping pad
Camping pillow
Stove
Food
Clothes
Rain gear and/or coat
Hygiene supplies (including toilet paper)
Medications (if you need any)
First Aid Kit
Pocket Knife
Matches or Lighter
Hiking shoes
Trekking poles
Camera and/or phone

That’s a pretty big list already! In general your backpack, with all your
gear in it, shouldn’t weigh more than 20 percent of your body weight for a weekend.
A pack for a day hike shouldn’t weigh more than 10 percent. Of course if you’re
planning on hiking longer than the weekend, your pack may need to be much
more than 20 percent. Here’s a few links to YouTube videos about how to travel
lighter. Be sure to get your parents permission first.

Overall weight