The thread on light weight yokes has me asking this question.

I am seeking information on what people use to weigh gear.
I am talking about the light things, from 0 oz to 5 pounds.
I am trying to get my canoeing and backpacking gear weight down and I need to know how much my stuff weighs.

Weighing gear is a double edged sword...lol

Sometimes that super heavy pack that you carry makes you feel super strong isn't as heavy as you thought it was---now you feel the opposite :) Sometimes ignorance is bliss :)

Overall though if you are concerned and really want to cut weight--weighing is the only way to know and be more conscious of what you bring and how to shave weight.

I just bring stuff to the post office in off hours and use the scale they have their self service shipping for specific items and an baggage scale for the total pack weight.

T

For most items I use a Salter kitchen scale. For lighter items I use a scale (AWS brand) that maxes out at 3.5 oz. and will let me weigh items too light to register on the kitchen scale. Everything that goes into my pack gets weighed, as does the pack itself.

I also have a hanging scale that has the ability to weigh the entire pack after it is loaded, but that is really not very useful in making decisions aimed at reducing pack weight and I find that I very rarely use it.

I'll use a bathroom scale and weigh myself with and then without the gear. If it's smaller or lighter, like an individual item I have a food scale that weighs to 0.1oz. I recently picked up a scale that does to .001g for measuring epoxy & other things. I suppose it would work too.

mirth: "I'll use a bathroom scale and weigh myself with and then without the gear. If it's smaller or lighter, like an individual item I have a food scale that weighs to 0.1oz. I recently picked up a scale that does to .001g for measuring epoxy & other things. I suppose it would work too."

I also use a bathroom scale as Mirth describes, and a kitchen scale for light things. The bathroom scale is digital, claims .1 lb precision, and seems accurate at least down to a half pound. The kitchen scale is also digital, and good from .1 oz up to about 2 lbs.

A Smart Weigh Postal scale for small items and a hanging digital for large. It's no longer available but similar are. Smart Weigh is shown with a Primus Essential Lite cook kit and stove.

I do not keep written records but photo records instead.

butthead

I do not weigh my gear. If I weigh anything, it is me. Always kind of laughed at folks who count grams/ounces, yet when they look in the mirror, they see the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man (like I do!).

OP, please know I am not calling you fat!

I use a kitchen scale and a bathroom scale because that's what we had. The bathroom scale I use for larger items and it's not accurate to the gram, but I'm not a gram weenie. :) The kitchen scale is like the postal scale only probably a slightly smaller platform, maybe 6" x 6", so not as useful for larger stuff.

Frenchy19: "I do not weigh my gear. If I weigh anything, it is me. Always kind of laughed at folks who count grams/ounces, yet when they look in the mirror, they see the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man (like I do!).

OP, please know I am not calling you fat!"

You calling me fat :-)

LindenTree3: "...
I am seeking information on what people use to weigh gear.
I am talking about the light things, from 0 oz to 5 pounds.
...."

Postage scale. Bought mine to weigh Pinewood Derby cars (5 oz) but, it has a 5 lbs capacity. Available at Office Max or Target for about $15

Digital postage scale for individual items and luggage scale for loaded packs.

For the lighter items, a Taylor Kitchen Scale, found cheap at Target, similar this one
For the heavier stuff, a Mango Spot Digital Hanging Scale, found on Amazon

Both (not the exact models, just the concept) at the suggestion of butthead. And at the urging of my OCD tendencies. :-)

Digital food scale and bathroom scale. the small things really do add up. Every ounce counts! But, Frenchy19 is right - slim the body down will help the overall poundage problem.

Indeed...as a backpacker (ultralight/lightweight) I weigh absolutely everything. Good for you - you'll be happier once you've 'right-sized.'

Digital kitchen scales that go to grams or fractional ounces, and up to 2-5 lbs, seem to do the trick for me.

Cheers

LindenTree3: "

Frenchy19: "I do not weigh my gear. If I weigh anything, it is me. Always kind of laughed at folks who count grams/ounces, yet when they look in the mirror, they see the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man (like I do!).


OP, please know I am not calling you fat!"

You calling me fat :-) "

Could be aimed my way! Anyhow I find it easier to reduce gear weight (it does not grow back as fast), but sure do work at the rest-O-me, less successful there.

butthead

So right Frenchy. I can lighten my load by 10#, 10# of fat. I'm determined to do it. The only obstacle is DQ hot fudge sundaes with pecans after a good work out in the boat.

Stop at a weigh station and use a truck scale.

old_salt: "Stop at a weigh station and use a truck scale."

LOL

Only things we actually weigh are finished packs to be sure weight's distributed how we'd like. For individual items, I just figure lighter is better (all else being equal - which isn't always the case of course).

I also use the bathroom scale to weigh my full packs. They always add up to more than the individual items . . . :).

I thought you already packed pretty light, Linden . . . ?

Actually digital baby scales are pretty good. They are usually larger (to hold a baby of course), accurate to 1/2 or 1/4 oz, and usually go up to 50lbs+.

Plus they can be had for 20-30 on Amazon.

boonie: "I also use the bathroom scale to weigh my full packs. They always add up to more than the individual items . . . :).


I thought you already packed pretty light, Linden . . . ?"

I think I pack pretty light, but it's always been a guess when I say I can do a week solo in under 40 pounds of total gear and food.
In a nutshell I'm trying to go UL for backpacking. I just bought a UL Big Agnes Fly Creek tent at 1 pound 11 oz.
I will still take luxury items on canoe trips like a chair.
I want to hit the Grand Portage with as close to 20 pounds of food and gear in BeaVs Border Challange this Sept, and single portage as much as possible, hence the need for a scale.

Absolutely no idea how much my packs way so don’t have to worry about the scale. I load what I have to have in my packs and go. We base camp though and take comfort items so don’t worry about cutting the handle off the tooth brush to save a half ounce.

i use the bathroom scale, but once the pack gets over 80# who's counting anyway?

I kind of figured you were aiming at the Challenge, Linden. Here's my advice for that one: Don't take the chair! :) Or anything else you can do without. Leaving pounds behind is easier than whittling off ounces once you've done the big stuff like shelter, sleep, pack, etc.

As others have said, not much point in counting grams and ounces when I am 25 lbs over weight.

My plan for this fall trip is to drop the 25 lbs and then bring what I want.

schweady: "For the lighter items, a Taylor Kitchen Scale, found cheap at Target, similar this one
For the heavier stuff, a Mango Spot Digital Hanging Scale, found on Amazon

Both (not the exact models, just the concept) at the suggestion of butthead. And at the urging of my OCD tendencies. :-)
"

Thanks Schwedy, I ordered what you recommended.

If you ever get to Detroit Lakes :-) send me an E-Mail if you ever want to have a beer or coffee sometime, I'll buy.
Doesn't matter either way to me, just thought I'd offer.

I don’t pay too much attention to how much my gear weighs. The times I have weighed my packs I would use a bathroom scale, just jump on with the pack and subtract you weight.

I weigh my backpack for hiking on a bathroom scale. Otherwise, I evaluate all my stuff and upgrade to the lightest best quality I can find. It's more about if I'm getting across in 2 trips, 3 trips or, yes, even 4 trips. And that usually depends on how long I'm in for.

I haven’t weighed my gear for typical bwca trip. Backpacking I am spartan, in appropriate weather I use a bivy sack rather than a tent. Yet on my last solo backpack trip I found myself carrying at least six pounds of dog food, but a solo trip without my dog would be unthinkable.

We’ve done trips where we fly in. Pilots needs to know weights. On the last fly in trip our food/equipment pack weighed 80 pounds. Most of the weight was food and beer and other delicious refreshments. We made quick work of the beer, convincing ourselves that it was for the good of our trip.

Kitchen scale, digital fish scale, and bathroom scale( hold the larger stuff like packs and weigh, then subtract your weight from total). Counting ounces can get to be a hobby unto itself. An ounce or 2 here and there can add up to many pounds. At My age I would gladly pay 100.00 per pound if I could. Those Quetico portages are getting longer and harder, and most of our trips are in the 80-100+ mile range so ounces add up.

We do not weigh out gear. I have about 15 lbs to give away if anyone is interested. When my stomach is mentioned I pat it and say,if I ever get lost in the bdub,this extra weight is going to be useful! Marc