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That talk with an old PCT hiker about water carries really messed with my head
He said he only carries 2 liters max even in the desert and claimed the extra weight costs more energy than stopping to filter more often, and now I'm second guessing my whole 4 liter strategy for my upcoming section hike in New Mexico next month - has anyone else tried cutting back on water weight like that?
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ruby_sanchez451d ago
Oh man, people really overthink this stuff sometimes. I mean yeah sure, water is heavy, but are you really gonna die on the trail just to save a couple pounds? I've done the desert sections and 4 liters felt fine to me, never had a problem. That guy probably just likes to test his limits or something, not everyone needs to be that hardcore. Plus getting stuck waiting to filter water every few miles sounds way more annoying than just carrying what you need. Honestly just go with what makes you comfortable, the ultralight police aren't gonna ticket you for having extra water.
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charlie_roberts8721h ago
It's the same thing I've noticed with people who dump their spare tire and jack to save weight, then freak out when they get a flat on a backroad. Everyone wants to optimize until the optimization fails them. The real art is figuring out what you can actually live without, not what some veteran can get away with after years of trial and error.
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