Looking At Kit

I've got some group mountain days coming up in the next few weeks so have done something new for me - weigh what I normally carry with a view to reducing overall load. The stuff that I carry is probably not what everybody would take when out for a day & its certainly never been optimised for weight so hopefully this is the start of a process of refinement. I think it will in turn influence what I take with me when running in the fells (perhaps this might be a future thread) & also what I carry on expedition - something I hope to do more of in coming months. So here is the list: excluding food & fluids:

890g Berghaus freeflow light (32l) rucsac

030g Whistle

440g Survival Bag

650g Group Shelter

540g Spare Group Clothing

060g Spare Food

300g Crab & Sling

140g Hat, Gloves & Buff

440g First Aid Kit

420g North Face Apex Wind Shirt

660g Camera + Bag + Spare Batteries

120g Knife

210g Headtorch

120g Spare Headtorch

060g Spare Compass

220g Montane Litespeed H2O Jacket

260g Montane Atomic Overtrousers

060g Compass

260g OS Laminated Map

080g Glasses & Case

640g Poles

6.60Kg TOTAL

For day group kit I don't really have any reference points, however, this sounds quite heavy to me. So hopefully I'll be able to start reducing the load!

A couple of additional thoughts:

1. I've just read an item in Trail Running 4/2011 p.109 on packing for a lightweight adventure which indicates the author packs under 6kg for an overnight event: including tent, sleeping bag, stove, food etc. Now I know that I am carrying stuff that is not just for myself (eg. spare group gear, group shelter) and other stuff that I choose to carry in order to improve the overall experience (eg. camera) but it does imply that there must be some significant improvements I can make that should reduce the load.

2. Now this is not about weight I pack in a bag & carry on my back but my BMI has been constant at 25-26 for several years now, it would seem that a fairly simple hit of 2-4kg could readilly be achieved with some minor weight loss whilst still maintaining BMI at or just under 25. Hence making a very significant reduction.

3. Last time I went out I used poles for the first time for ages. This was mainly to try to help with knees (which also applies to all of the above). I certainly found they helped. However, navigation was different in that I usually carry a map all the time, if visibility was bad & I needed to micronav I would have to put the poles away - so I guess this is a minor problem. However,maybe if I revert to paper maps in a case I could keep the map accessible - a possible compromise? This is an experiment to continue.

Hoping to get out for some "gentle jogging" this afternoon - first running for just over eight weeks