pack weight

[LHR02]

Okay....so I laid out everything I thought I just had to take, tried to pack it in, re-thought it and tossed out about 1/3 of it.  Now I can get it all in, but it is really full I must say.  My problem I think is coming in with the need for 'winter' clothes vs lighter, smaller summer ones.  

Anyway, have it all packed, and gave it a weigh-in.  It's coming in at about 28 pounds.  Not exact science weight, but I weighed myself with it off, then on, and there ya go.

Okay question.......I weigh 135.....is a pack in the neighborhood of 30 pounds going to kill me the first week out?  Will I be leaving a trail of belongings here there and everywhere?  I am in good shape, have better than average female' upper body strength, but still........

I feel like I have it trimmed down to just the must haves, but it still seems like quite a bit.  Is there some sort of 'formula' regarding this?

ging

['Guest']

brave woman, telling the world your weight  

traveling with winter clothes adds weight to your bags, no question.  i suggest that you strap on your pack, walk around the neighborhood for an hour or two.  this will give you a picture of how you'll do while traveling.  

if you have time, look into mailing clothes home after the cold weather passes.  but don't mail stuff too soon!  you might need it for a cold snap in late spring!  [you might could even have summer clothes mailed to a place where you could pick up a package in the spring.  do you have a friend or family member who could mail a package for you?  be preparred to change the place to which your stuff is mailed.  your plans could change in the next months]  

sorry, i don't have a "formula."

[snorkelman]

"Me" has some good points, but personally i would modify a few of them.  One - yes, put on your pack fully loaded and walk around the neighborhood.  However, 1-2 hours is too much.  even in europe you will never do this.  You will realisticlly walk for 1/2 hour with your pack on (and you are ALWAYS allowed to take breaks).  But in Europe you will need to navigate from the train to exchange money and get lodging and that does involve setting down your big backpack (if you want) to make necessary phone calls.  But you will have to get to your lodging & you should be able to walk with a backpack on for 1/2 hour.  the reason...if you travel with others (or even meet others and tag along) then they may not take breaks as often as you, and may want to get to the hostel before the rooms are gone.

So, test your fully loaded pack at home for 1/2 hour walk around the block.

Another trick that I use is to put on some of my bulky and heavy stuff ON ME for the plane ride.  that way it is not in your pack and you still have it (such as jacket and sweater).  When i travel and have a ton of crap (i try to rarely to that) I usually have my jacket and sweater with me on the plane (not wear during flight - but can use as a pillow) and then you have it when you need it, but you can fit more stuff in your pack.

In general, you should have some room left in your backpack (free space) when you first start your trip.  The reason?  you will certainly accumulate stuff.  For example, when i go to Europe, i usually fly to amsterdam.  I buy a 1 1/2 liter bottle of coke (although i prefer pepsi) because the plastic is very strong and will last your entire trip as your water bottle.  The water bottle will go in your day pack with your Let's Go type of book and camera and 1/2 roll of toilet paper.

['Guest']

taking toilet paper with you for days spent wondering is a very good idea.  most often, i get a small pack of tissue papers to put in my pocket.  (tempo is the german european equivilant of kleenex)  

sometimes, the public toilets don't have paper.  sometimes the paper at public johns feel like sand paper!