On the Survival Forum, the "weight of bob" thread made me think about what I carried during my 5 days of hiking, in the Vercors, in July.
It was only 5 or 6 hours walking each day, for about 15km, with a g?te or an hotel awaiting me for the night. Luxurius, I know <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> ?. Well, I quite like it so <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> ?..

Anyway, I had in my rucksack enough gear :
- to dry myself and change my clothes, if soaked by a sudden rain (or a fall in a river) ;
- to shelter from the rain
- to drink for 2 days at least, if saving my water ;
- to purify water, if needed
- to eat to keep my strength
- to make a fire (heating, boiling water, signaling?)
- to signal,
- to light my way in the dark

This evening I put everything on a scale and here is what I found :
Weights :
- empty backpack and various pouches attached to said backpack 2.000kg
- spare light hiking shoes 0.950kg
- spare clothes 1.200kg
- 15m or so of 8.6mm cord + 2 carabiners 0.870kg
- Poncho + ties for tarp/shelter 0.650kg
- FAK, sun cream, TP, a.s.o., 1.000kg
- Fire making gear (matches, bic lighter, tinder, ?) 0.250kg
- binoculars 0.250kg
- mess cup + spork + spoon 0.200kg
- tea, sweets, sugar, dehydrated soup, high energy bars, beef jerky, a.s.o. 0.450kg
- PSK, Krill lights, Surefire G2, spares batteries, Emerson Commander 0.900kg
- empty canteen + empty Platypus hydration bag 0.400kg


Total 9.120kg = about 20 pounds

+ I had about 4 liters of water + a midday snack (bread, cheese, ham, fruits)
(let?s not count extra PSK, knife, paracord, worn outside the backpack, directly on my person)

Grand total : around 30 pounds ! <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Who said his BOB was less than 10 pounds ? let?s see what is in it ! !
I'm sure he misses the terrine of foie gras and the bottle of Juran?on to go with.
<img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

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Note 1 : one day, it was quite hot and I drank 3 liters of water just during the 5 hours hike ! That only left me a 1 liter reserve, in case of...
Note 2 : I guess whith all that stuff, I could have survived a few days, had I been immobilized ; only problem would have been water. I should take more water !!
Note 3 : now I know why I had more pain with my shoulder blades than with my legs! OTOH, I needed the practice ......

Here's an older list but the basic stuff is the same just tweaked a little hear and there:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
3/4 Z-Rest Foam Pad 8.50
8 Ti-Stakes & 50' trip tease 3.50
8x10 Sil Nylon Tarp 14.00
A16 bug bivy 6.50
Mountiansmith Ghost 38.0
North Face Flight 39.0
(1) Stuff sack 0.60
EMS Fleece Glove 1.50
Long underwear top 5.75
Montane windshirt 3.50
OR Peruvian Fleece hat 3.00
Pant legs 4.00
SilNylon poncho 7.00
Thorlos Low Cut Socks 2.00
lexan spoon 0.5
Platypus sport bottle 0.50
48 oz Nalgene Cantene 2.2
50' Chord & SilNylon stuff sack 2.75
First Aid / Utility Kit 6.25
Map & compass 2.25
MSR hydration tube 2.50
MSR Mini works Filter 16.1
Pack liner 1.50
Swiss Army knife 1.00
Toilet Paper & sanitary gel 2.00
32 oz water 32.00
Food Weekend Trip 44.00
Black Diamond ION hedlamp 0.90
Cell Phone 5.00

Total Weight of Selected Items 256.30 (16.02#'s)

>>> I forgot to weight those !

>>> is that a sleeping bag ?

>>> I may need those for my next hike, where I won't be able to comfortably sleep in a hotel every night (at least half the time, I will be sleeping outdoors <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> ... and I will have to drink water from streams.

>>> I guess those are clothes. I may save a bit in that department by selecting better and lighter clothes.

>>> is that less than 1 liter ? I like to carry more :
- 1.5l Platypus hydration bag : so easy to drink while walking !
- 1.5l mineral water in a plastic bottle (=light ! but easily breakable !) ; to replenish the Platypus bag ;
- 1.5l in an aluminium canteen (non breakable !) ; reserve ;

I plan (well ... I would like to ... <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> ) another hike next year, in the Vercors area, but in the south part, aka "les Hauts Plateaux" : average altitude is 1800m, up to 2200m; more savage, less forests (= less shade !), less tourists, less villages, less hotels (damned !?!? <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> )
I guess I should be able to plan for one night outdoors, one night in a village, alterning solitude and comfort.
That means I will have to carry more water - and food - (or purify water as I go) and a foam pad/sleeping bag set (or a hamac ? first I will have to try to sleep in one !!)).
But I don't want to go over 30 pounds !!

OTOH if I loose 30 pounds within a year ..... <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I believe that was me that said my BOB was under 10# ***without water*** and for the record its about the same when I camp although I sometimes get up to 15# if I'm carrying several luxury items. Granted when I camp/hike I carry very little water because I am careful to plan routes where natural water sources are available. I will happily provide the contents of my BOB once I get around to inventorying all of it. Just give me a couple days and I'll post a list. I have been meaning to do so for a while anyway so I could get suggestions from you guys on stuff I could/should add or leave behind. If anyone is looking for tips on getting the weight down http://www.backpackinglight.com/ has some good recomendations.

Hey Frenchy,
Yes my Bob is really a minimalist survival pack. No, I don't have a change of clothes. I don't have shelter except for my poncho. I don't have a sleeping bag except my survival blanket. It's a "grab and go" or a minimalist backpack. It has the things I could survive on should it be 70 degrees and I could sleep outside. It's not perfect, but I think I would be OK, should anything arise.
(OK give me my 22 and my 12 guage)

That's a good point Bugman. In all fairness I should add that where I live and work the climate is quite warm for 9 months out of the year so for those 9 months my BOB does not require heavy clothes or sleeping gear other than what is needed for my one year old son. If I lived in the Alps it would be a bigger BOB for sure.

Oh and Frenchy, when I post my contents I will do it in the other other forum since it will very much be a gear-related post. I am going to post my EDC, PSK and BOB contents all at once so you guys can make suggestions and such.

Oh and you're right.... my BOB does not contain wine or fancy goose liver pate. Although I have considered a flask of brandy once or twice. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Edit: It's a highly polished metal flask so it would make a great backup signalling device ... um... ya... signalling .... that's what it's for! <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Sorry for the confusion I copied the list from a gear weight program:


A16 bug bivy self standing insect screen
Mountainsmith ghost back pack

North face flight sleeping bag


32oz is about a liter – this depends greatly on your location and water source. I can suck the 32oz down real fast. This is the bare min. I would leave the trailhead with.

Brian,

You should be commended for including an item with multiple uses. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Good idea ! I have one of those flasks and wondered what it could be used for .... <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for the explanations.

Your backpack is half the weight of mine .... that's more than two pounds saving ...

And anyway I don't like my backpack ... something wrong with the external pockets, not well designed... (or maybe it's just that I would like to buy another one .. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> )

About the sleeping bag : I have one with the same design (here, it's called "sarco-norv?gien", IIRC). But it's much to warm to use anytime except in winter ... If weather is fine, I won't need a sleeping bag ; if weather is not so fine or rainy, a light sleeping bag should be enough... I will have to think about it some more .... <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />