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What is your pack base weight?

The number serious backpackers actually track. List your gear, flag what you wear and what you eat, and see your base weight and where to cut.

Your gear

Flag what you wear on your body and what you use up (food, water, fuel). Both are left out of base weight.

  • oz
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Base weight

158 oz (9.9 lb)

Ultralight

BaseConsumablesWorn

322 oz (20.1 lb)

pack weight (with food + water)

372 oz (23.3 lb)

total, everything

164 oz (10.3 lb)

consumables

50 oz (3.1 lb)

worn

Trim these first

  • Tent40 oz
  • Backpack34 oz
  • Packed clothing28 oz

Your three heaviest base items. The biggest wins usually come from the shelter, pack, and sleep system.

Your list stays in your browser.

How base weight works

Base weight is total pack weight minus consumables (food, water, fuel) and worn items. It isolates the part of your load you actually control with gear choices, so it is the fair way to compare setups and track progress. Under 10 lb is ultralight, 10 to 20 lb is lightweight, and 20 to 30 lb is traditional.

The fastest cuts come from the big three: pack, shelter, and sleep system. Once you know your number, size the right pack with the backpack size selector, dial in warmth with the sleeping-bag calculator, and see how we research and rate.

Frequently asked questions

What is base weight in backpacking?

Base weight is the weight of your pack and everything in it except consumables (food, water, fuel) and what you wear or carry on your body. It is the part of your load that stays the same trip to trip, which is why hikers track it instead of total weight.

What is a good backpacking base weight?

As a rough scale, under 10 lb is ultralight, 10 to 20 lb is lightweight, and 20 to 30 lb is traditional. Most beginners start in the 20s and trim toward the teens as they replace the heaviest items.

What is the difference between base weight and pack weight?

Pack weight is everything on your back, including food and water. Base weight removes consumables and worn items. Base weight is the better planning number, because consumables change with every trip while your base stays the same.

What counts as consumables?

Food, water, and stove fuel: anything you use up during the trip. They are excluded from base weight because their weight drops as you hike and depends on trip length and resupply, not on your gear choices.

How do I lower my base weight?

Start with the big three: pack, shelter, and sleep system, which usually make up about half your base weight. Replacing the single heaviest item beats shaving grams off small ones, and leaving gear at home is free.

More free tools

Vest Sizing CalculatorHow heavy a vest to start with, plus a safe progression.Which Vest? QuizAnswer three questions, get matched to the right vest.Walking Plan BuilderA multi-week weighted-walking plan built around your level.Sleeping-Bag WarmthWill you be warm enough? Bag rating plus pad and clothing.
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