Philmont Prep for 2010

[mt_goodrich]

I will be taking a group to Philmont in 2010 (won't make Jambo). It is a continent of approximately 50 folks (five separate treks).

Of those that have been, what was the maximum weight of your pack before splitting up crew gear and the meals?

We had someone speak to us this past Saturday and he was stating 20lbs. personal stuff. This included weight of the pack, sleeping back, etc. and I just don't see how someone can do that without breaking the bank. He had all the ultra light stuff and he did say it did cost more.

I've got parents who attended this thing now second guessing whether they can afford all the equipment and are also thinking their son won't go to Philmont.

I've told them they do not need to buy the expensive stuff and can actually borrow packs, etc.

[FrankJ]

My Philmont pack base weight was about 35 lbs that was without water but with some crew gear & personal tent. Typical full load weight for our crew was 40 to 50 lbs. That was with 2-3 liters of water per person.

If he was talking just personal gear: Pack, sleeping bag, clothes, eating utensils: 20-25 lb is easily doable using standard backpacking stuff. If you are more than that then you are just taking too much stuff. Ultra light would be in the 10-15 lb range.

Good luck. It can be done on a budget.

[alex gregory]

Light weight backpacking gear does not have to bust a budget, and remember that quality lasts. For good brand-new personal gear you will spend about $250 to $350; which relative to the program cost is really not that expensive. My personal gear, including water filter, stove, and 3 liters water only weighs about 35 pounds, and I can shave that down to 25.

Don't forget that you can borrow good gear, and there are plenty of second-hand options.

A 50 to 65 liter capacity pack is plenty of space. Expedition packs are silly unless you're climbing Everest, and usually get filled up with a bunch of stuff you don't really need that adds a lot of weight. Excellent packs in the 50 to 65 liter size cost between $100 and $150, and only weigh 2 to 3 pounds.

Get a hydration pack, and replace the cheap plastic junk that leaks with a 100 oz. Camelbak Unbottle. It costs $40, and is great! Much more durable and portable. Full weight (3 liters) is appx. 7 pounds. Make sure you get a filter adapter so you can pump direct from the filter to the bag.

For backpacking in mountains you need a 15 to 25 degree bag, although you can get away with a 35 degree bag. There are lots of great sleeping bags in the $100 to $200 range that weigh between 2 and 3 pounds. Don't forget to buy a compression stuff-sack!

You also need a sleeping pad that weighs 1 pound or less. A good ultra light self-inflating pad is very nice, but will cost $75 to $120. The best deal is the Therma Rest Ridge pad, it's a foam pad, but it only costs $25, and insulates as well if not better than most self-inflating pads.

Mess kit should be titanium; super tough and negligible weight.

Keep your exta clothes, jacket, raingear etc. in the 5 to 10 pound range. The most common mistake is to overpack clothes. Denim is great for looking cool, but idiotic for backpacking. Pants should be fast-drying synthetics with UV protection. Instead of extra long pants, pack running tights that you can wear as sleepwear, long underwear, or under shorts. Pack clothes in a compression stuff sack. My camp shoes are flip-flops, but there may be silly rules about open-toed shoes in which case I suggest water slippers/shoes; you don't need to backpack with an extra pair of shoes.

Durable garbage bags for your bedding and clothes are cheaper than water-proof compression sacks, but a good compression sack lasts forever. My pack cover is by Hefty.

I personally am not a fan of traditional boots. A pound on your feet feels like 5 pounds on your back. Because I keep my load under 50 pounds I don't need monster boots.

[wagionvigil]

I have not hiked anywhere that I could not make do with my Keen H2's. If ANkle support is important then Keen Makes a great pair of boots Light and supportive. I carry Crocs for around camp,super light.

[pipestone1991]

My pack was 45 pounds when I left base camp and due to unforseen circumstances (ie. scout who could not carry as much w/o getting sick) my pack went up to 50-55 pounds.

I would recommend higher-end gear. You just have to plan. A crew only needs one multi-tool. Also, you can opt for Philmont's tents (which aren't that bad). Everything doesn't have to be name-brand either. Pick and choose depending on what piece of gear it s. For example, my Swissgear summer bag ($40) was more than fine (and it's a multi-season bag). I also saved money by buying the Thermarest acordian sleeping pad ($35 I think?) instead of the inflatables which cost upwards of $80-150. One item I would buy name-brand would be Nalgenes and the Camelback system. My Walmart cheapo barely made it through the trek.

Finally, don't forget fundraisers! This can be a good way to get parents involved and help earn funds for the trek.

[alex gregory]

If you go on regular back country outings then it is relatively pain-free to get the gear you need over years. Plus, you learn what works from experience.

[topshot]

We had someone speak to us this past Saturday and he was stating 20lbs. personal stuff. This included weight of the pack, sleeping back, etc. and I just don't see how someone can do that without breaking the bank.

He didn't break the bank at all if he was at 20 lbs for all his gear. I just started backpacking (been wanting to for years) since my son is now in Scouting, but I had to start from scratch. My base weight was 18 lbs for my first trip (10 days solo last July). It's now several pounds less. There's lots of ways you can get lighter gear for not much money. See my reply to the sleeping bag post, for example - $70 for a 20 degree bag under 3 lbs is pretty good. One of the biggest problems is Scouts take way too many clothes and way too many non-essentials.

I'd highly recommend you check out this forum to learn how you can lighten up at Philmont. Also read a Scouter's articles about his adventures in lightening up (he links to his original article from this one).

[kwildman]

Google fastpacking - lots of good ideas on how to shave weight. Think dual purpose as much as possible. I use an ultra lightweight poncho for rain gear, covers pack too, also becomes my tent with the hiking poles. Bags, filtration, stoves, - i would strongly encourage you to buy reputable name brands.

[FrankJ]

I normally sleep under a tarp as well, but Philmont requires that everyone use a real tent.

[topshot]

I normally sleep under a tarp as well, but Philmont requires that everyone use a real tent.

That's not entirely correct anymore. They do not require that a tent have an integrated floor so many lightweight options are available.