Some guy on the trail made me rethink my whole pack weight setup

Last weekend on the Ozark Trail near Steelville, I stopped to eat a Clif bar and this thru-hiker asked what my base weight was. I said 23 pounds and he just laughed, said his whole pack was 14 including the tent tarp. He showed me that he ditched the heavy camp chair and extra clothes I always bring 'just in case'. I went home and weighed every single item on a kitchen scale, cut out 5 pounds by dropping the chair, a second pair of boots, and the big first aid kit I never opened. Has anyone else gotten a reality check from a stranger that made you simplify your gear list?

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noahs8213h ago

Same thing happened to me up in the White Mountains. A guy carrying a 35 pound pack pointed out my 8 pound daypack and said I was overthinking it. I dropped the extra layers and the big knife I never used, saved about 4 pounds. Now I only pack what I actually touch on a normal trip.