Advice on my gear and pack weight

[rovaratne]

Hi everyone,

I am planning on walking the Overland Track for the first time in Jan 2020 with my partner (I like to plan early!). I am a female in her mid 20's, I weigh 60kg and am moderately fit. Below is a list of gear I want to take with weight estimates. Would appreciate any advice on what you think of it and if I can cut down my base weight anywhere! I haven't included our tent in weight estimate because I think my partner is carrying that.

Basics-
Pack (deuter aircontact Lite 45+10 SL) 1700g
Pack Liner 200g
(Tent: Zempire Atmos 2600g)
Atmos Footprint 400g
Rain Cover (S2S) 140g

Total: 2440g

Sleeping-
Sleeping Bag (roman palm passport -5) 1600g
Sleeping Mat (kathmandu ascent 38) 650g
Sleeping Liner (S2S Silk+Cotton double liner) 275g

Total: 2525g

Walk Clothing (worn)-
2x hiking shirts 100g
1 set thermals (motion core Kathmandu) 400g
Hiking pants (XT verso Kathmandu) 470g
1x fleece jacket 200g
1x rain jacket (Kathmandu Isograd) 700g
1x rain pants (Kathmandu Pocket-it) 195g
Gaiters (S2S grasshopper gaiters) 160g
3x hiking socks 60g
3x undies 60g
Cap 20g
Sunglasses 50g
My glasses 50g
Boots 700g

Total: 3165g

Camp Clothing-
1 set thermals (motion core Kathmandu) 400g
Fleece Jacket 200g
Down Jacket (Macpac Halo) 550g
Cotton bonds trackies 200g
Gloves 60g
Beanie 40g
Pair of thongs 100g
1x socks 20g

Total: 1570g

Kitchen-
Stove (Jetboil flash) 430g
Mug 62g
Gas Canister 100g
matches and lighter 30g
2L Camelbak Crux Hydration Resevoir 210g
1L Nalgene Narrow Mouth 200g

Total: 1032g

Other- (partner carrying some stuff)
S2S Ultra Sil daypack 20L 72g
Headtorch 60g
sunscreen 100g
toilet paper 100
moisteriser 50
body wipes 50
toothbrush/toothpaste 50
lip balm 5
hand sanitiser 50
Book 100g
Phone 100g

Total: 737g


TOTAL BASE WEIGHT (no food or water) 11469g


Any advice appreciated!!
Cheers

[Lizzy]

Sleeping bag & liner is probably the easiest way to drop some weight- but expensive!
A nice down bag around the kilo
But saying that my first Overland 25 years ago I carried heavy gear & survived!
Have fun
Lizzy

[weeds]

The OT was our first multi day and we were heavy. Your base weight isn’t too bad....we carried eight days of food and I had two 1L Gatorade bottles.

Four pair of socks, could easily drop one or two pair.

3L of water storage, could drop one bottle or just take two soft drink bottles (not trendy but light)

Two sets of thermals, could drop one set

Two fleece, drop one

Pack liner could be reduced

We carried foot print and didn’t use it as we set up on tent pads every night except one

It snowed in December on our walk, we were plenty warm...have now learnt if it gets cold jump in the sleeping bag.

You’ll have a blast......


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[Warin]

The tent is for 2? So 1.3 kg each. Still not light, but it is Tassie so has to cope with snow.

No to the footprint.

With money you can reduce the back pack by 600 g ..$umm 200-300,
the sleeping bag 700 g $ 300-400
You might be able to hire stuff just for the overland that would be lighter than what you have.
Do a spread sheet and work out the savings in grams per $ spent.. and target those areas of most cost effective benefit.

Only 2 hiking socks.
You’ll want a spectacle case I know I do.

For camp clothing .. use the walking fleece jacket, don’ take a second one.

For cooking – no more water thingys – use your day walk water containers, the pot and cup.

No book, talk to people in the huts.

Other .. umm you might want to keep some of that stuff for yourself and not share it? A head torch is something I’d have as a personal item – you may need to both use it at the same time…

[bobcrusader]

Lose the footprint (but add in some screw in cup holders/anchors). The tent platforms are good.

Lose 1 fleece. Lose a set of thermals - in Jan, they will be PJs that you can wear during a super cold day if needed, so you don't need 2 sets. We did the OLT in Jan 2017 and never used our thermals (or any rain gain - freak week of 28-30C for the whole week).

I'd invest in a down sleeping bag. The S2S models from last year can be had a bit cheaper now, as the new ones are out.

The Jetboil has a built in lighter - probably no need for the extra matches/lighter. There will be 30 other people around if you need to borrow one.

In Jan, I'd take something you can go swimming in.

[weeds]

Good point about cup hooks......very handy tip I picked up from here.

Just be careful how you store them, don’t want them punching holes into something expensive.


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[crollsurf]

I'm no OLT expert but if that's what you already have, I'd go with that. It's not an arduous walk and it's pretty good gear, just a bit heavy for someone your weight.
Other than the walk up to Marions, all the other climbs are there and back, so you can leave your pack at the base of the climbs.

If you're cashed up, you could replace the pack, tent, mat and bag with lighter gear, also are you sure that and your food will fit in a 45L +10. I'd definately go for a shakedown walk first to make sure everything fits and you're good with the weight.

Lot of rocks, roots and mud on the track, a trekking pole might come in handy to help keep your balance.

[ChrisJHC]

You could easily drop a kg or more with a different tent.
Although, since you're not carrying it do you really care?

Apart from that, it looks pretty good.

As always, it's a balance between cost, comfort and weight.

[South_Aussie_Hiker]

I found the easiest way to drop weight was to look at the big ticket items, and cut out stuff I didn’t use. You can drop weight by shaving 50g here and there (such as new rainshell, cutting down your toothbrush etc) but that technique is lots of time/research/new purchases just to drop a total of say 500g.

I shaved 3kg straight up with a new pack and new tent. Probably not the cheapest way to drop weight by replacing the big ticket items, but the fastest and easiest for sure.

Also, I went through everything in my pack and if there was something I didn’t use last trip - I just took it out. The only stuff you should have in your bag which you won’t use is emergency gear - first aid, PLB etc. That extra jumper, spare pairs of socks, extra roll of dunny paper... just get rid of it.

Hope that makes sense.

[Petew]

Depending on your budget.....

You could get a sleeping/quilt bag half the weight for the same warmth

Lighter pack, the older Osprey Exos if you can find one

Garbage bag or nyloflume bag for pack liner

Lighter sleeping mat such as StS ultralight insulated

Leave the footprint

Less clothing, particularly thermals and socks

Or just stick with what you've got and prune away the excess stuff.

I'd suggest doing a practice walk for a couple of nights and take a good hard look at anything you didn't use.

[Petew]

Also, is the 100g cannister for two people for a week? If you like coffee in the morning and water for dinner you might run out of fuel before the end, particularly if it's cold.

[north-north-west]

Seems to be short on gas.
One fleece jacket will do.
I never wear thermals while walking except sometimes snowshoeing in winter. One set for camp and leave out the daytime set.
One pair of walking socks can be made to last a fortnight. If they get wet, you can usually dry them out around the hut stoves.
I'm not convinced about the rating of the Palm Passport, although if you are really, really lucky with the weather it may suffice. I have one of those bags and it won't do me even at 0. Get a decent down bag or quilt, even if you have to hire it for the trip.
Trakky daks? Thermals alone will do for camp wear. You don't need anything over them, and cotton in particular is a bad choice for the mountains.

[sprsly]

Hi rovaratne,

How was the trip - any remarks about your pack now that you're back?

[philm]

Yes I question the temp rating of the sleeping bag - they are not reliable and probably not go down to -5. Invest in a lighter down bag. Water - there is water all along the track ditch the bladder and bottle and go with 1-2 mineral water bottles from supermarket. Collect water as you go. Depending on your preferences only 1 shirt - wash one at camp and hang out to dry if needed. Tent - the tent is not included in the weight - is your partner carrying this? Also it is heavy! Gas you will need more at least a 230gm canister. only 1 thermals for night. Food allowance will be about 700 gms per day (others may say less) Plus I would load up you pack with your starting weight and also load all your gear into the pack to see if it fits. This will test out the size and comfort of the pack with your starting weight plus is a good way to get pack fit!

[Warin]

I question the

Bit late there... From the OP "planning on walking the Overland Track for the first time in Jan 2020".

sprsly has reopened the topic to get feedback from the completion of the trip. I think that would be very instructive for others @ rovaratne.